I was eight or nine when I first saw the one and only "Dracula," the definitive 1931 film that starred Bela Lugosi in what I already knew (from "Famous Monsters Of Filmland" Magazine," and from hearing my parents and relations, who remembered films of the Thirties) was his signature performance. Imagine the thrill of first discovering the brilliance of Dwight Frye as Renfield, a role I coveted more than Dracula, and the Three Vampire Women, and their choreographic routine.
All that is missing, which I loved from the Bram Stoker novel, was the peasant woman throwing herself at the castle door, imploring, "Monster, give me my child!" But that might have been too much for 1931 audiences.
"Dracula" opens with the most haunting music imaginable. At the time of my initial exposure, I thought of it as the "Theme From Dracula." I did not know it had another identity, as did the theme to "Million Dollar Movie," both of which I viewed on Channel 9. "Dracula" was shown one Saturday night, from 8:30 PM to 10 PM, on "Supernatural Theater."
I was thirteen when I discovered that the "Million Dollar Movie " theme I had been listening to, all those years, was actually Max Steiner's "Tara's Theme," from "Gone With The Wind." I was a bit older--I would say over eighteen, well into college, when I discovered was that what I thought was the "Theme From 'Dracula'" was actually an excerpt from the Tchaikovsky ballet, "Swan Lake."
I have seen the ballet three times. Twice in two stagings by Matthew Bourne, and once in a more traditional one, at ABT. But when that moment is gotten to when the action stops, and that music starts, I am on the edge of my seat, because all I can think of is "Dracula."
But, once seen and heard, Tchaikovsky will never be the same again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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