There is only one Dracula, darlings, and that is Bela Lugosi in the 1931 classic that defined Universal as The Monster Studio for the next several decades.
Let us hope viewers tonight get the real thing, with the gorgeous "Swan Lake" opening, that always makes me think of "Dracula," and no other music. And please, not with the incorporation of the Philip Glass score!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It detracts the mind from concentrating on the superb visuals Tod Browning has set up.
Like the three vampire women--Dracula's "wives"--rising from their grave, their choreographed formation as flying bats, and best, their balletic entrance into Renfield's (the great Dwight Frye ) room, and the perfectly balletic movement of the silk as they back away from Dracula.
And don't forget the camp dialogue between Helen Chandler as Mina, and the great Frances Dade as Lucy Westenra, who styles her hair like a flapper, and is turned by Dracula in to "The Bloofer Lady," who menaces children. That scene better not be cut.
Edward Van Sloan is the definitive Van Helsing, and his scenes with Lugosi have a dramatic spark to them. Lugosi did this role on stage; did Van Sloan? (Who also plays the doctor who diagnoses Jennifer Jones in "The Song Of Bernadette..")
And how about that armadillo? The only time one is shown in a horror film. In Romania? No, darlings, because the film was shot in California; it must have wandered onto the set, at just the right time!
May all these treats and more be delivered to you tonight, my dears, as "Svengoolie" shows a real classic, not the dreck he has been showing recently.
And sometime, dolls, you have got to see "Dracula Sucks," though not on "Svengoolie." Its tag line is, "This time, the Count is going for more than throat." Who is in it? Trust me, darlings, it does not matter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Enjoy the pleasures of a real classic tonight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2 comments:
How was it?!!
Victoria,
We were at a barbecue on Saturday and got home in time to see half of it. They used the Glass music, which in my opinion ruins it.
Post a Comment