History Film / Dracula1931

%%* VampiresAreRich

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: What happened to Lucy and her victims?

''Dracula'' is a UniversalHorror film from 1931, which made Creator/BelaLugosi famous as ''the'' ClassicalMovieVampire. His portrayal of Dracula is the one most people think of when they hear the character's name (or even just the word "vampire"), even those that have never seen the movie.

[[caption-width-right:300:''"To die, to be really dead, that must be glorious!''"]]

-->To die... To be really dead... That must be glorious.

[[quoteright:319:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Dracula1931poster.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:319:''"To die, to be really dead, that must be glorious!''"]]

'''''Dracula''''' is a UniversalHorror film from 1931, which made Creator/BelaLugosi famous as ''the'' ClassicalMovieVampire. His portrayal of Dracula is the one most people think of when they hear the character's name (or even just the word "vampire"), even those that have never seen the movie.

* VoluntaryShapeshifting: Count Dracula is able to reshape into a bat or wolf at will, although the actual transformations all take place offscreen. ''Film/SonOfDracula'' (1943) was the first movie to actually show transformation sequences.

* VoluntaryShapeshifting: Count Dracula is able to reshape into a bat or wolf at will. ''Film/SonOfDracula'' (1943) was the first movie to actually show transformation sequences.

* ManOfWealthAndTaste: He's the page image!

''Dracula'' is a UniversalHorror film from 1931, which made Creator/BelaLugosi famous as ''the'' ClassicalMovieVampire. His portrayal of Dracula is the one most people think of when they hear the character's name (or even just the word "vampire"), even those that have never seen the movie.

The film was originally planned to be a high-budget adaptation of [[Literature/{{Dracula}} Bram Stoker's original novel]], but due to TheGreatDepression, the film was instead adapted from the popular stage play at the time by Hamilton Deane and John L. Balderston on a fairly low budget. However, the producers did manage to collect enough money to film some of the early Transylvania scenes.

* EvilIsHammy: Lugosi wasn't iconic in this role for subtlety. Behind the scenes, he reportedly loved to flourish in costume when he passed by a mirror.

For the 1958 HammerHorror adaptation go to ''Film/HorrorOfDracula''.

* SpotlightStealingSquad: The title vampire himself. Creator/BelaLugosi's acting certainly helped.

'''''Dracula''''' is a UniversalHorror film from 1931, which made Creator/BelaLugosi famous as ''the'' ClassicalMovieVampire. His portrayal of Dracula is the one most people think of when they hear the character's name (or even just the word "vampire"), even those that have never seen the movie.

!!This film contains examples of:

* InnocentFlowerGirl: Count Dracula's first victim when arriving at London.

** Dracula is a largely emotionless bloodthirsty [[HumanoidAbomination abomination]] that passes itself off as human, and there are plenty of cracks in that [[TheMasquerade masquerade]] that make him seem more than merely eccentric to ordinary people; for example, Castle Dracula looks as though it's been abandoned for centuries, with Renfield surprised that anyone actually ''lives'' there; Carfax Abbey is in a similar state of disrepair, and he bluntly informs his bewildered neighbours that he has no intention of fixing it up. He also doesn't seem to like or be able to keep up his facade of normalcy for long periods of time, and he will leave, enslave, or kill you within minutes of any meeting. In addition, his idiosyncratic speech patterns make it seem like he hasn't used his mouth for speaking in a long, long time. He's less like a cursed man than some kind of malevolent, primitive, pre-programmed robot that doesn't fully understand how it should interact with human beings. Quite creepy indeed.

* {{Uberwald}}: The early scenes of Renfield's journey across Transilvania with Dracula's castle as his destination.

** Even before that, there are moments where he silently confronts Reinfield, his eyes making clear just how ''pissed'' he is at the man's inability to avoid attracting attention.

--> '''Harker:''' What could have caused those marks, Professor?
--> '''Maid:''' ''[Under Dracula's influence and announcing the arrival of their guest]'' Count Dracula.

* HorrorDoesntSettleForSimpleTuesday: The film starts off on Walpurgis Night.

%%* VampireVords: UrExample

%%* VoluntaryShapeShifting

'''''Dracula''''' is a UniversalHorror film from 1931, which made Creator/BelaLugosi famous as ''The'' ClassicalMovieVampire. His portrayal of Dracula is the one most people think of when they hear the characters name (or even just the word "vampire"), even those that have never seen the movie.

Being bored with Transylvania, Count Dracula decides to move into London for some fresh blood. After making the proper arrangements with Renfield, Dracula makes him his thrall and travels to England by the sea, killing the crew of his ship in the process. When he finally arrives at London, he turns Carfax Abbey (the property he bought with the help of Renfield) into his base of operations. He then takes special interest in Mina Harker, who lives on the sanitarium premises owned by her father Dr. Seward at the next door. As victims turn up and Mina Harker starts to act weirdly, Professor Van Helsing comes to help...

The film was originally planned to be a high-budget adaptation of [[Literature/{{Dracula}} Bram Stoker's original novel]], but due to TheGreatDepression, the film was instead adapted from the popular stage play at the time by Hamilton Deane and John L. Balderston on a fairly low-budget. However, the producers did manage to collect enough money to film some of the early Transylvania scenes.

A Spanish-language version was shot at night on the same sets with different actors; it's often claimed it's actually the better film (mostly for it's cinematography, pacing, and atmosphere), lacking only an actor of Lugosi's magnetism playing the Count.

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!!This film contains the examples of:

* AdaptationalAttractiveness: Apart from making the disgusting Dracula from the book into a sex symbol, the 60-years old Renfield is played by the 31-years old, [[StupidSexyFlanders stunningly handsome]] Creator/DwightFrye. (Admittedly, he's capable of some truly disturbing facial expressions, but still.)

** Also, Dracula's dying moans, as well as Renfield's screaming while Dracula breaks his neck were removed by censors, and not heard for decades until the film's DVD release.

* {{Bowdlerize}}: The movie was originally 85 minutes long, but after the TheHaysCode was put into effect, two scenes were cut (along with an epilogue-see trivia page for details) bringing it down to 75 minutes.
** The script was also much longer than what was filmed. The scenes deleted are present in the Spanish version. It arguably had more developed characters, more buildup, and better atmosphere.

* CobwebJungle: Renfield has to go through one in the Castle Dracula.

* EvilIsHammy: Legosi wasn't iconic in this role for subtlety. Behind the scenes, he reportedly loved to flourish in costume when he passed by a mirror.

* OurVampiresAreDifferent: Dracula is a largely emotionless bloodthirsty [[HumanoidAbomination abomination]] that passes itself off as human, and there are plenty of cracks in that [[TheMasquerade masquerade]] that make him seem more than merely eccentric to ordinary people; for example, Castle Dracula looks as though it's been abandoned for centuries, with Renfield surprised that anyone actually ''lives'' there; Carfax Abbey is in a similar state of disrepair, and he bluntly informs his bewildered neighbours that he has no intention of fixing it up. He also doesn't seem to like or be able to keep up his facade of normalcy for long periods of time, and he will leave, enslave, or kill you within minutes of any meeting. In addition, his idiosyncratic speech patterns make it seem like he hasn't used his mouth for speaking in a long, long time. He's less like a cursed man than some kind of malevolent, primitive, pre-programmed robot that doesn't fully understand how it should interact with human beings. Quite creepy indeed.

* SayMyName: "Mina! Mina! Mina! Mina!"

* SpotlightStealingSquad: The titular vampire himself. Creator/BelaLugosi's acting certainly helped.

* WhatDoesSheSeeInHim: Mina and Harker... seriously? All he does is bully her, and when she tearfully tries to tell him about how Dracula forced her to drink his blood, Harker only talks about his(Harker's) right to know what the Count did to Mina. Honestly, she probably would have been better off a vampire.

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* Bowdlerise: The movie was originally 85 minutes long, but after the TheHaysCode was put into effect, two scenes were cut (along with an epilogue-see trivia page for details) bringing it down to 75 minutes.

The film was originally planned to be a high-budget adaptation of [[Literature/{{Dracula}} Bram Stoker's original novel]], but due to TheGreatDepression, the film was instead adapted from the popular stage play at the time by Hamilton Deane and John L. Balderston. However, the producers did manage to collect enough money to film some of the early Transylvania scenes.

A Spanish-language version was shot at night on the same sets; it's often claimed it's actually the better film, lacking only an actor of Lugosi's magnetism playing the Count.

* Main/Bowdlerise: The movie was originally 85 minutes long, but after the TheHaysCode was put into effect, two scenes were cut (along with an epilogue-see trivia page for details) bringing it down to 75 minutes.

* Bowdlerise: The movie was originally 85 minutes long, but after the TheHaysCode was put into effect, two scenes were cut (along with an epilogue-see trivia page for details) bringing it down to 75 minutes.

* OurVampiresAreDifferent: Dracula is a largely emotionless bloodthirsty [[HumanoidAbomination abomination]] that passes itself off as human, and there are plenty of cracks in that [[TheMasquerade masquerade]] that make him seem more than merely eccentric to ordinary people; for example, Castle Dracula looks as though it's been abandoned for centuries, with Renfield surprised that anyone actually ''lives'' there; Carfax Abbey is in a similar state of disrepair, and he bluntly informs his bewildered neighbours that he has no intention of fixing it up. He also doesn't seem to like or be able to keep up his facade of normalcy for long periods of time, and he will leave, enslave, or kill you within minutes of any meeting. In addition, his idiosyncratic speech patterns make it seem like he hasn't used his mouth for speaking in a long, long time. He's less like a cursed man than some kind of malevolent, primitive, pre-programmed robot that doesn't fully understand how it should interact with human beings. Quite creepy indeed.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: What happened to Lucy and her victims?