Within Hollywood gothic, the vampire has forever been etched in the imaginations of the audience. The vampire is a figment of mystery and wonder for the viewer; he or she is a contradiction as they are given life through death and they are the embodiment of the Devil. David J. Skal author of Hollywood Gothic states the following characteristics of the vampire who, “sleeps by day, rising from its coffin-bed at dusk to feed on the blood of the living; it (has the) ability to take form of a bat, a wolf or mist, …it can be destroyed by a stake driven through its heart and effectively repelled by garlic, wolfbane, the crucifix or the power of the Eucharist" (4). This vampire has been seen in literature, on the stage and the screen in the form of research, interpretation, reinvention and parody and he or she still remains a captivating image of popular culture.
Classic Interpretation
Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula has proved to be popular classic since 1897 and the Dracula stereotypical image has been manipulated over time as he/she becomes increasingly humanistic. In Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens (1922) director F. W. Murnau’s cinematic imaging of the novel depicted the Dracula character (Graf Orlok) as a parasite creature, with a thin nose, a arched forehead, a small mouth with pointy protruding teeth and pointed rat like ears. This description is most faithful to Stoker’s novel, drawing on the demon like imagery Stoker emplaced. The actor Max Schreck who played Dracula also became a fixed image in the audience’s imagination as his name in German is thought to be translated as maximum (Max) terror (Schreck). Furthermore in the year 2000 director E. Elias Merhige questioned the true identity of Schreck in Shadow of the Vampire (2000) casting Willem Dafoe as the actor who might also be a genuine vampire. Schreck played a tragic loner whose menacing shadow took upon a life of its own, although in Stoker’s novel, Dracula neither has a reflection nor shadow.
Please note there are spoilers ahead in this article.
Bela Lugosi, Christopher Lee, Jack Palance and Louis Jurdan all played Dracula and slowly over time the character became less rodent like and more human and perhaps Frank Langella is most memorable for playing Dracula as a lothario. This interpretation for Universal pictures in 1979 was directed by John Badham and based on a play by Hamilton Deane and John L. Balderston. A number of events have been reworked for this interpretation and Dracula is no longer an irredeemable villain, as proposed by the novel rather he is sympathetic and somewhat has a soul as Langella no longer wears wolf-like fangs and plays the young, dark haired Dracula as an amicable creation as opposed to the uncharismatic, aristocrat seen in the explicitly violent and erotic gothic Hammer series.
Modern Reinvention
This film uses melodramatic theatrics over substance. Mina and Lucy’s roles have been reversed and Lucy now is an outspoken law student, a representation of feminism in the 1970s and due to this new found independence she is also a willing victim. A number of distorted plot devices also become apparent as Mina dies of an asthma attack as opposed to blood loss by Dracula’s wounds and she is buried in England as opposed to Holland. Also Van Helsing mutilates Mina’s after she is apparently dead and Mina also seems to have a reflection in water despite being a Vampire.
The film now set in England and is wonderfully aided with special effects as well as an air filled with mist and fog. Dracula’s death scene, the ultimate prevail of good over evil sees Dracula thrashing helplessly as opposed to Stoker’s vision whereby Dracula is almost peaceful in his death. Dracula’s cape glides in the breeze signifying he will return as Lucy looks on and smiles. Melodrama and the gothic differ as melodrama offers hope while gothic literature and cinema remains pessimistic. This version of Dracula offers hope, in the grin of Lucy. Dracula is no longer a vicious problem in this film but rather a person with a problem, creating identification with the audience.
Vanessa Appassamy - Vanessa Claire Appassamy is an established freelance writer and researcher who has been awarded a Master of Arts (Research), Bachelor of ...
