Fangs For The Memories

It was on this date in 1930 that “Dracula” began filming.

It starred Bela Lugosi, a Hungarian born actor who emigrated to the United States in 1927. The film was so successful that Lugosi was identified with the role of a vampire for the rest of his life—you might say it was a “stake in the heart” to his career aspirations to be a well-rounded actor. (ahem)

Watching that film today, it’s hard to imagine how audiences were terrified. Considering the blood and gore of modern day horror flicks, the original “Dracula” is pretty tame in comparison. Even the acting is a bit strained and overplayed. Yet, the black and white film, the poor lighting (perhaps intentionally so) and the movie sets are CREEPY!!

Based on the Bram Stoker novel-and loosely modeled on the life of the “real” Dracula, “Vlad The Impaler”, the original 1931 release remains the most popular of all the Dracula movies. From 1958’s “The Horror of Dracula” to “Dracula 2000”, the Bela Lugosi vampire remains the best.

Here below is the original trailer for “Dracula”:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Nfmh178L98

I must admit that I am not a horror fan. I get scared enough opening up my cable bill each month. I don’t need to actually PAY MONEY for the privilege of soiling myself or having nightmares. I never understood the attraction for untold millions to expose themselves to the aberrant behavior of homicidal maniacs and their handiwork-- blood and gore. I was first appalled at “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” in 1974---again, that may be tame in comparison to today’s releases—but intrigued at how people attending such a bloodbath, munching popcorn and Milk Duds can term it as “entertainment”

Huh?

Maybe I’m behind the times. Maybe I’m “old fashioned”. I actually agree with those who connect the dots between the increase in violence and the desensitizing effect of our prolonged exposure to violence as “entertainment”

Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy a good “shoot’em up” cop show or western—it’s just the really warped gore that is graphically displayed—and intended to shock the audience---needs to keep getting more explicit as the “bar” for shock value keeps rising.

“Dracula” is harmless fun—is it “terror”? Probably not, but it remains creepy enough to qualify as a classic horror film. “Frankenstein”, all of the Vincent Price movies and most of the older films have stood the test of time.

If you’d like my blog in your e-mail weekdays (free of charge and excessive gore), just let me know: tim.moore@citcomm.com