Dracula (1931)

Here it is, the granddaddy of em' all and the one which set the standard for just about every vampire film to follow, 1931's "Dracula". Well, unless you want to count 1922's "Nosferatu" that is. "Dracula" is considered a classic and rightfully so, but the truth is that it's really not that great of a film. It's more of a classic for what it introduced than for what it actually is, if that makes any sense. You wouldn't think that from the first twenty minutes or so, with the very look of Universal horror being defined from the killer shots of Dracula and his brides arising from their fog covered tombs, or the gothic view of Renfield's coach as it perilously approaches Castle Dracula. It just seemed that after Dracula arrives in London it all goes downhill, resulting in a talky melodrama filled with terrible pacing and fairly lousy acting to boot.

Bela Lugosi of course defined the role of Dracula what with his hypnotic stare and accent, though his performance borders on the verge of campiness, especially by today's standards. Still, whenever I think of Dracula, Lugosi pops up in my mind, though the image of a leering Christopher Lee isn't to far behind. Sorry Bela. The guy that makes the film besides Lugosi is perennial typecast actor Dwight Frye as Dracula's insane servant Renfield. The scene of Renfield standing in the bowls of the ill-fated ship which carried Dracula's coffins from Transylvania to London, cackling like the nuttiest bastard that ever lived, is truly awesome stuff. You go Renfield. The rest of the performances are mediocre at best, and that's being kind.

Director Tod Browning seems to have a hard time in shooting any type of scene involving movement, and this really bogs down the middle half of the film. Many reviewers have commented that it appeared as if Browning was shooting a play instead of a movie, and they are exactly right. Too much standing around and yapping and not enough vamping being done. The film also ends rather anticlimactically, while leaving you thinking, "Gee, that's it?" Still, while it is a flawed film how can you not get goose bumps hearing Lugosi utter now classic lines such as "I never drink...wine" or "wolves, the children of the night...what sweet music they make". Lugosi's performance is such an ingrained part of pop culture it's undeniable the impact this film had on both society and the horror genre. Overall, it stands as a flawed but must-see film for any true card-carrying horror fan, and signified the birth of the Universal monster series.