Dracula

Monday, October 27, 2008

Another notable gap in my horror lexicon finally mended, the Tod Browning/Bela Lugosi Dracula, probably the most iconic version of the tale. What took me so long to see this beloved classic? I dunno, it's a little shameful that I just now saw it. I guess I was too busy watching all the Slumber Party Massacre movies when I was younger.

This has a lot of the great, creepy, shadowy black and white cinematography that I love, so I enjoyed it for that, but if I'm being honest here, the story and acting was not so hot. Some of that's just personal taste... I really don't enjoy this style of hammy, theatrical overacting that you find in some of these old movies (although Lugosi is better at it than the other actors). But I think that some story and structural problems are evident, too. Especially the ending. They find Dracula in his coffin, then Harker finds his girlfriend. Dracula is staked by Van Helsing offscreen (all we hear is a noise in the distance) then Harker and his girl just sort of walk off and it cuts to THE END. Talk about an anti-climax.