I read Dracula, then watched 6 adaptations 🧛‍♂️⚰️

[@WhytheBookWins]

I am going to watch a few other Dracula adaptations (including the Louis Jourdan version) and will be releasing a part two to this video later this month!

[@slytheringingerwitch]

The 1977 BBC TV Dracula is worth a look. Its pretty faithful to the book and has key points that are crucial.

[@beyondthefilmfatale145]

a great version!

[@josephnizolek3975]

I thought the village mother who child was taken by Dracula was one of the bravest character in the book

[@WhytheBookWins]

Yes! I was so glad at least one adaptation kept that scene.

[@chriswald7700]

As I child I've listened to an audio play of Dracula. I found the scene with the mother the most terrifying. And still they keep omitting this powerful scene.

[@PiraticalBob]

The 1977 adaptation from the BBC titled *Count Dracula* and starring French actor Louis Jourdan as Dracula was one of the most faithful of all the adaptations. The Dan Curtis Adaptation starring Jack Palance was good, as well, and Palance also went on to play Stevenson's *Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde* a year or so later.

[@FilmBuff54]

Not a huge Louis Jordan fan, but the 1997 version was decent, and I loved Frank Finlay’s Van Helsing. He was mostly a theater actor, but I thought he was the best.

[@PiraticalBob]

From the book, Dracula in the crypt with gouts of blood on his mouth from feeding: it's not stated in so many words that Dracula bit Harker, but recall Dracula's words to the Weird Sisters - - "Tonight is mine; tomorrow night is yours!" So it's likely that the blood on Dracula's mouth is Harker's, and this explains Dracula's ability to put Harker in a trance later on while he attacked Mina - - he had already bitten Harker at the castle and had a certain amount of control over him.

[@WhytheBookWins]

Oohhh, interesting thought!

[@ashfordwyrd7458]

He would have to feed Harker his own blood to do that, but there is no reason to say he didn't.

[@beyondthefilmfatale145]

The Coppola version takes a ton from Dan Curtis' version of Dracula which was written by Richard Matheson.

[@fishman6660]

In the 1992 movie, there’s a “throwaway” line where Harker’s boss said something along the lines of “Your predecessor Renfield went to eastern Europe, came back mad as a hatter.”

[@BarleyC]

I thoroughly enjoyed your exploration of the book and these adaptations! My favorite adaptation is the BBC's 1977 miniseries Count Dracula, with Louis Jourdan in the eponymous role. I feel it's the closest adaptation the book, allowing the early Castle Dracula scenes with Jonathen Harker to play out in detail, as well as the scenes with Lucy and Mina in Whitby, the exteriors being shot on location there. I heartily recommend that version! Subscribed!

[@WhytheBookWins]

So many people have mentioned that one! I will make sure and watch it this month!

[@searching4stuff723]

I just finished a reread of Dracula and totally agree about the last 1/3 of the book, way to slow. The first 1/3 when Harker is at the castle has the most suspense and atmosphere. Stoker's short story, Dracula's Guest is a hidden gem, I enjoyed it!

[@WhytheBookWins]

I'll have to read that one!

[@BradLad56]

Tbh, Coppola's Dracula isn't that explicit with the sexual scenes imo. Sure they are there but it's not like something out of shall we say other kinds of adult entertainment. I'd say they're done fairly tastefully. I think Coppola put more emphasis on the atmosphere of the film than anything else, making it eerie and gothic and it works for the most part.

[@lilmelvin11]

I believe Context is so important to any discussion of Stoker's novel. Late 19th century, technology and art beginning to over-run traditions and folklore tales that had prevailed for centuries. AND THERE WAS A COLLISION!....:Don't know much about pschology, don't know much about anthropology "...Horror tales and Science fiction stories seem to be more about warnings of Pride and Manipulation ...How humans deal with Choices. Mary Shelley wrote "Frankenstein" at 21 years old while involved with a Romantic Poet who believed that Man could "perfect" humans, socially and biologically, and wrote a novel of warning about Pride and Downfall, in my opinion....Deeper issues than the current state of labeling any position one disagrees with as "racist! " or patriarchy!" in order to shut down honest discussion. Intellectually pathetic. Essay Over . ..thanks for your patience with ramblings.

[@WhytheBookWins]

Yeah very true. Sometimes we seem to try and simplify things that are much more nuanced.

[@lousozo87]

I really enjoyed your video. The Francis Ford Coppola movie is the definitive one. For me, Gary Oldman is amazing. His accent is perfect, his demeanor really incredible. I really loved his fingers and the hair in his palms, hinting at his inhumanity and his sexual perversion. The shadow was a great touch. But Oldman's performance carries the show, making up for the youngsters. Anthony Hopkins was great as Van Helsing, with his inappropriate glee and his crazy Flemish accent. Sexual innuendo is a big part of the book. The Count is angry at God and the church and his passion for his dead wife is unnaatural and evil. His life is dark, dirty and despicable. His glamour comes from all the people he murders. It is fascinating, in a lurid way.

[@WhytheBookWins]

I'll give it another watch in the future. Maybe I'll like it better a second time around. But you are right with the details regarding Dracula the character!

[@wildmarjoramdieselpunk6396]

The Vlad Tepes angle bugs me because Bram Stoker never was influenced by Vlad the Impaler. It was an urban myth. But, it ended up in a few Dracula films. Also, that Mina was a reincarnated version of an old love. Like this one and the Jack Palance one from the 70s.

[@carvalhosilva541]

Is that Mexican soap opera the definitive version? I imagined a dark fight against darkness like in Lord of The Rings and not a cheap drama. The screenwriter and director ruined the story of the book. Vlad's first wife did not commit suicide for love, but she would not be taken prisoner by the Turks and Vlad did not care about her death and married her death and remarried. I expected an antagonist like Sauron and Morgoth from Dracula, but it comes with cheap love drama.

[@filthycasual8187]

@@wildmarjoramdieselpunk6396 It was a Turkish adaptation of Dracula, "Dracula in Istanbul," that first implicitly named Count Dracula as Vlad the Impaler.

[@pathatfield2543]

Aside from Dracula Dead and Loving it there is another spoof concerning Dracula that is liked by many.It’s from the 70s and asks the question,what if Dracula were reincarnated during the disco era.The movie’s called Love at First Bite,and stars George Hamilton ,Artie Johnson as Renfield if I recall,and Richard Benjamin as Dracula’s nemesis.

[@SavageGrace]

I can only reiterate comments saying the 1977 BBC adaptation "Count Dracula" is the one to watch above all others. There is no adaptation closer to the book than this. Watched it at Christmas '77 and loved it totally. BBC did two other "adaptations". One in 2006 with Marc Warren, which is dull as ditchwater and 2020 as a mini series with Claes Bang. The first two episodes are very entertaining (but not faithful to the book) and the final episode is awful and moves to modern day. Don't forget the two unofficial Dracula adaptations - Nosferatu 1922 & 1979, both marvellous but had to be changed due to Stoker's estate threatening to sue.

[@SavageGrace]

Slight correction - BBC also produced Dracula as part of its "Mystery & Imagination" series in 1968. It had Denholm Elliot in the lead role. To be honest, it is not great. All the Transylvania bits are cut out and it is very dialogue heavy and studio bound, like a play. There's also a hard to find 1973 adaptation that was shown on CBC (Canada) as part of the "Purple Playhouse" series, with Norman Welsh as Dracula. That includes Dracula crawling down the walls of the Castle. Quite enjoyable. However, it is only an hour long, so it is very truncated.

[@earnthis1]

Is there an important theme there with old wealthy men feeding on the youth? Lulling them into a sense of comfort and then sucking the life from them. Thus maintaining his position of power forever.

[@WhytheBookWins]

Ooo interesting take! I can see that.

[@wildmarjoramdieselpunk6396]

Well, in the Dracula: Pages from a Virgin’s Diary plays on xenophobia having Dracula being danced by a Chinese actor. It plays on the scary feeling the English had of their women being corrupted by foreigner and their money. Money is even thrown by Dracula in the ballet.

[@chriswald7700]

I find the novel very rich with all its subplots and admire Stoker for the many ideas he had for "Dracula". If you think about it: Stoker even had a further introduction (now known as "Dracula's Guest") worked out that describes Harker's visit in Munich before he left for Transylvania. However the definitive adaptation is still to be made. Coppola's version is the visual most striking one and it has one of the best scores in movie history, but the Gothic aspect is watered by adding this romance between Mina and Dracula. On the other hand they omitted to many story lines like the one with the mother who ist pleading to get her baby back (and who is killed by Dracula's wolves) and the one with Lucy's mother. I think that only a high budgeted mini series could do it justice.

[@SingingSealRiana]

I so so hate the Mina love interesst take . . . I absolut revile it. Mina and Jonathans relationship is one of the most health and solid in fiction. Mina is an absolut badass propably the most competend in the hunters squad and relegating her to an object and shoehorning in a weird romance between her and dracula, after he killed her beloved lucy is so insulting. Especially given the queer subtext of the book . . .dracula targeting mina was not at all about mina, it was about his friend jonathan working against him! Attacking her, stealing her was a way to hurt jonathan Jonathan without outright attacking jonathan directly. Dracula does not do pining romance, he enjoyed the power he had over jonathan in his own home, he can desire people as demonstrated in the scene with the brides and Jonathan , but as his "care" for his "friend" Jonathan shows, he can't truely care for anyone beside as his posession. Jonathan is the one who is somewhat special to Dracula, the effort dracula goes through to bring jonathan to him and keep him is disproportional to what he gains, especially with his whole, arrogant humans are beneath me stick. Like in draculas guest, a taken out prequel chapter to dracula, he plays rescue dog for jonathan, mobilises a lot of people to keep him from dying due to own stupidity, the whole cooking and cleaning for him thing . . . There was no need for any of that, dracula mostly just wanted to have jonathan in his posession. And if mina had any interest in anyone but Jonathan, it would be lucy, who she was very close with, not her murderer and her fiances/husbands torturer

[@WhytheBookWins]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I hadn't thought of Dracula making it all about Jonathan so you've given me something to think about.

[@thedukebox2815]

You should watch Blacula as well. Genuinely it's pretty great.

[@WhytheBookWins]

I just did! I'll have a part 2 to this video coming out the end of the month sharing thoughts on even more Dracula movies!

[@IanFindly-iv1nl]

@@WhytheBookWins THAT one is hardly an ADOPTION of the novel though.

[@EXOmakemeHorololo]

I love the 1992 version. Of course it's not the best pure adaptation due to the big changes made to Dracula and Mina but I think it is one of the best modern translations as to the shock and scandal Dracula caused to the Victorians. There is plenty things a modern reader won't even pick up on or understand their meaning off in the book. And even if someone was especially educated about the period rationally understanding is nothing compared to actually experiencing it. Just how we would see and describe Mina, Lucy or the guys characters would be quite a bit different, what we love or dislike about them. How we judge them. The novel is full of ideals of man- and womanhood and friendship as seen by the late Victorians. Upping the horror and being more explicit I think helps us to experience Dracula's horror better. But I also think Coppola really made a commentary on the Victorian's as well. The way the sexual tensions are dialled up, the fear of sexuality and sin the characters have. Van Helsing being attracted to Mina and her seducing him. Showing the use of drugs. The scenes in the insane asylum. It's very much how we seem to often portray the Victorian's today in pop culture. Gary Oldman is fantastic in the role even if it's not the real book Dracula but I also very much enjoy the acting overall. The cinematography is stunning, so is the soundtrack. Otherwise I do think Christopher Lee is best as Dracula. It would have been awesome to get him in a more high budget production like the Coppola one.

[@OmegagamingDK]

I finished the book some weeks ago and never watched any of the movies besides dead and loving it right after and think it's my favourtie book also. It seems surprisingly progresive for it's time? Mina is one of the smartest and most cabable people in the group, and does all the logistics, and the one time all the men try tell her to say back because it's dangerous, it backfires and she gets bitten in her sleep. Also loved how emotional all the men are in the story, Van Hellsing spends a lot of time talking about how much he loves his friends and all of them cry in front of each other it's so wholesome. Also regarding Renfield.. I never understood why so many stories make him meet Dracula first? I think ''their connection'' is pretty clear in the book. Renfield has his mental problems where he is thinks eating other life makes him stronger, then at some point Dracula, when he needs to find a way to get into the asylum because he knows the scoopygang make plans in there, he knows he needs someone to invite him in. So he finds Renfild that has a window outside and makes a deal with him that he will send him lots of black widow spiders and deathhead moths to him as trade for inviting him into the building. Dracula never bites Renfield, Renfield is not his slave, they just made a deal, thats why when Dracula tries to kidnap Mina Renfield feels bad, since Mina was so nice to him and tries to fight back but dies in the attempt. And last note, Mina wanted the to be forgiving to Draculas SOUL.. or at least is asking Jonathan to not curse his soul to hell, since it's very clear from what happen to Lucy that you are not the same person after you turn into a vampire, and part of the curse of vamprism, is that you are forced to murder people forever, key part of that being that your soul can't go beyond after death, I think Mina is very aware at that point that you are not yourself after turning, so she doesn't want herself or others to be judged based on something that would be out of their control. That's why someone makes a point that Dracula was a great man once and it's a shame he became this monster after. this is the part of the book: "May God give him into my hand just for long enough to destroy that earthly life of him which we are aiming at. If beyond it I could send his soul forever and ever to burning hell I would do it!" "Oh, hush! Oh, hush in the name of the good God. Don't say such things, Jonathan, my husband, or you will crush me with fear and horror. Just think, my dear… I have been thinking all this long, long day of it… that… perhaps… some day… I, too, may need such pity, and that some other like you, and with equal cause for anger, may deny it to me! I read it as she has been scared over what she could end up doing after turning, when Dracula is a monster and Lucy was murdering kids

[@WhytheBookWins]

Thanks for commenting! I like what you say about Mina and even though I have my quibbles, I do like that she is proactive. Dead and Loving It is so good 😂

[@AaronJediKnight]

The thing with Hammer is all or most of the absent elements were used on the sequels, specially in Scars or Dracula

[@IanFindly-iv1nl]

Love At First Bite is another SPOOF (since you included Dead and Loving It here). Again, not an adoption of the book though.

[@StephenPhillips-te8yv]

There are a couple of others I'd recommend: Count Dracula, the BBC version with Louis Jourdan as Drac, is mostly faithful to Stoker and was filmed in Whitby at the actual locations from the novel. The Universal 1979 Dracula with Frank Langella is a stylish, sexy remake of the Lugosi version. Dracula's Daughter (1936) is a direct sequel to Lugosi's film.

[@richardzinns5676]

The 1979 version is definitely worth seeing: it's in the tradition of the 1924 play and 1931 movie, but ends up taking the story in different directions. The 1979 remake of Nosferatu is a masterpiece, easily worthy to stand beside the 1922 original. And I strongly agree with the other commenters who recommend the 1977 British television version with Louis Jourdan, especially for Frank Finlay's performance as Van Helsing - some might consider it over the top, but I think it's brilliant. The earlier TV version with Jack Palance is notable for being, I believe, the first adaptation that explicitly identifies Dracula with the historical Vlad the Impaler. The book In Search of Dracula had come out just two years earlier, and was really the general public's first introduction to the historical basis (mostly unknown to Stoker himself) of Stoker's character. Incidentally, that version was originally to have been shown in 1973, but was pre-empted by news reports of Spiro Agnew's resignation from the vice presidency that day; so the air date was rescheduled for 1974.

[@fatenabu1]

We also had "Wolf", which was a reinvention of "The Wolfman"..

[@RandallGriffithLCSW]

Bela Lugosi's last sad role was in "Plan 9 From Outer Space," directed by Ed Wood and listed as the worst film ever made in "The Golden Turkey Awards" in 1980. AND, Tim Burton directed "Ed Wood" starring Johnny Depp, about the movie. Martin Landau won an Oscar for portraying Lugosi in the movie. (Sorry if you knew all this trivia.)

[@WhytheBookWins]

Yeah I love the movie Ed Wood! It's based on a nonfiction book about Wood and I would like to do an episode on it at some point! Landau is so amazing in that role.

[@olivierbeltrami]

Ed Wood is one of my favorite movies. Very touching Lugosi-Wood duo.

[@wildmarjoramdieselpunk6396]

I love Plan 9! :) Love Vampira!

[@nancybilyeau13]

In Coppola's version, Renfield went to Transylvania before Harker but came back insane. So it does tie together

[@WhytheBookWins]

Oohh, thanks for sharing that!

[@alexandermclean1761]

I would recommend the book length study of the Lugosi/Tod Browning version 'American Gothic by David Skaal. The basic premise is the strange distant atmosphere may have been the result of key creatives losing faith in the project due to Universal's interference and budget cuts. Well worth a read (it was published in 1991 before the Coppola.came out).

[@kevinnorwood8782]

Here’s my biggest question for you regarding Dracula and his on-screen adaptations. One of the biggest reasons why I love the 1992 Dracula so much is because ever since it came out, it popularized the Vlad The Impaler-origin story so much that it kind of became “canon” in Dracula’s lore, even though Bram Stoker really only took Vlad’s family name and the setting when he used them for inspiration. But what is your opinion/take on using Vlad Tepes as who Dracula was when he was human? Is this a plotline that you like or dislike?

[@WhytheBookWins]

That's a change I'm neutral on, I would say. I'm fine with it, and don't feel strongly one way or the other.

[@anthonystrocks247]

What a BRILLIANT idea for a channel! Viewer for life!

[@WhytheBookWins]

Thank you! 🤗

[@SingingSealRiana]

I find it so funny how a very heavy accent gets associated with Dracula when the whole point of him . . . "Befriending" jonathan was so he could learn to speak english indistinguishable from an englishman and he already was pretty good at it to beginn with so wierdly christopher lees take of speaking with a britisch accent is accurate at least for the after Jonathan harker parts

[@WhytheBookWins]

Yeah that's so true! Lugosi was from Romania so I wonder how much was his own accent and now we just associate that with Dracula.

[@Mrs.E_78]

Great comparison! You do such a great job breaking down plot and detail differences. It’s amazing how varied the adaptations are, and how much they tend to change the source material. The visuals and the music were fantastic in the ‘92 version, but I could’ve done without the reincarnation storyline. I wish Coppola would’ve used all his production values to create a very faithful story. Poor Keanu, I think he was just terribly miscast. I’m a big fan of Winona Ryder, so I’m able to look past her bad accent.😂 I love the ‘31 version, even though they had to change so much. For me, the absence of music makes it more haunting. Silence can be terrifying. There’s a Spanish version that was filmed at the same time, with the same sets and script, but different actors. I haven’t seen it, but some say it’s better than the Lugosi version. I still have to watch Christopher Lee’s Dracula, since he’s a favorite of so many.

[@WhytheBookWins]

Thank you! And thanks for sharing you thoughts! I've heard of the Spanish version but still haven't seen it. You should definitely check out one of the Lee movies, he was so iconic as Dracula

[@lindseyb2777]

I love how 1931 renfield just. shows up in places. how’d he get there? in the 1927 play Seward asks him how tf he manages to constantly escape and he responds, and I quote, “wouldn’t you like to know?” icon behavior tbh

[@WhytheBookWins]

Yes lol, he's such a great character! Even though there is a sadness with him, I like the adaptations that also lean into the humor. Love the "wouldn't you like to know" 😆

[@lifeofbekahh]

I’m reading Dracula for the first time 😊🧛‍♀️🧛🏻‍♂️

[@WhytheBookWins]

Awesome 😁

[@krosewall]

You should check out the 1979 Dracula with Frank Langella and Laurence Olivier. There were actually 3 Dracula movies that year - the other two were Nosferatu and Love at First Bite(great comedy with George Hamilton as the Count)

[@WhytheBookWins]

Ooo I love the spoofs so I will definitely look into that one. And I did read about the Langella/Oliver version and want to watch that one as well!

[@Tarabara]

My dad had taped Love At First Bite off TV when I was a kid. I had a crush on George Hamilton.

[@rackinfrackin2883]

The book is formatted as a series of diary entries, newspaper articles and other written manuscripts.This works beautifully for the most part. But as the action accelerates towards the climax--the unusual format really impedes the immediacy of the action. It's still one of the best horror novels ever written.

[@WhytheBookWins]

Yeah you make a good point that the epistolary format hurts the suspense in the end. But yeah, it's still excellent. Harker at his castle in the beginning is still one of my favorite parts of any horror book!

[@TinaBiebe]

I’m only now seeing this in 2024 and I’m enjoying your takes. The Coppola version has become my favorite, then the Louis Jourdan movie, the Jack Palaance version is pretty good, and the swashbuckling Peter Cushing Van Helsing battling Christopher Lee’s almost animalistic Dracula is at the top of my list. I’m VERY mixed on Frank Langella, who at the time was my late mother’s favorite. And as a film buff, I like Lugosi’s iconic version. So I’ve seen a mix of vampire movies from Nosferstu to Coppola’s Dracula and I judge them as best I can and I know the ones I really like. Oh! I heard on one documentary of the ‘31 Dracula that Lucy is still wandering around London. There was a scene showing her staked but it was cut; unsure why. So unlike other Lucy’s, she’s probably still stumbling around, snatching up a kid here and there. Now. Can somebody explain: is that a vampire bug with its own little coffin in the ‘31 Dracula? 😂

[@WhytheBookWins]

Thanks for sharing! I love how we have so many different Dracula's to compare!

[@renep5008]

Great outfit. BTW you may want to watch the 1979 Love at First Bite with actor George Hamilton's romantic comedic spoof on Count Dracula, who goes to “modern” New York City to find his true love… not to be confused with Frank Langella's romantic horror 1979 Dracula movie that came out later that same year and most likely inspired years later Francis Ford Coppola's romantic tragedy take on Dracula. The romantic comedy 'Love at First Bite' outsold the second (romantic horror) 1979 Dracula at the box office. Both are worth a watch in my opinion. The second one is based on the stage adaptation by Hamilton Deane and John L. Balderston, which ran on Broadway and also starred Langella in a Tony Award-nominated performance as Dracula… for a moodier take watch the restored desaturated color version instead of the full color theatrical release.

[@WhytheBookWins]

Thanks for commenting! I meant to watch that one last year but still haven't 😬

[@lilybee809]

I really enjoyed Netflix’s newish 3-part series of Dracula. Highly recommend!

[@WhytheBookWins]

I'll have to look that up!

[@mattmirrorman]

The Spanish language version of Dracula from 1931 is another version to checkout. It was shot on the same sets as Browning’s film but with an entirely different cast. Many find the direction of this version better than Browning’s film but Villarías’ Dracula may not quite be as memorable as Lugosi’s.

[@WhytheBookWins]

Oh cool! I will look that one up!

[@PhilipWeisman-dl4ik]

​@@WhytheBookWins ln the early sound era, there was no way at that time to redub the speaking roles nor had the technology to superimpose subtitles been invented yet. Films were released in French, German, Italian and Spanish. Scripts were translated, casts and crew worked in 8 hour shifts on the same standing sets. Very few examples have survived, film history not becoming an acceptable discipline, film was a business and storage was at a premium. THE BLUE ANGEL & DRACULA, the Spanish language are two that are most readily known. The Spanish language version is between 20 or 30 minutes longer, than the English language version. Universal Pictures would create minor A longer versions but then would be talked out of the hard negotiations with distributors, and little confidence of the untapped potential for box office. They would be trimmed or edited to fit as a double bill entry. The Spanish unit had produced three other films before this. Tod Browning often arrived drunk and was mournful over the death of Lon Chaney. Other cuts were to save costs. However, the Spanish crew would screen the English language rushes and work out how to film the scenes more dynamicly. Unfortunately, the Spanish actor cast as Dracula only superficially grasps what Bela Lugosi was portraying. Interesting side note, Carla Laemmle, appears in both versions of the film, as young girl traveler with glasses reading the guide book. It is also more clearly indicated by her wearing of tweeds that she is the lesbian travelling companion of the other larger tweedy woman, they represent a Gertrude Stein/Alice B. Toklas duo. Both Carla and star Lupita Tovar gave several interviews for the restoration of the film. Carla lived to be 104 and Lupita to 106. In the novel, l was fascinated that the vampire women appear a glittering dust that slowly solidifies. As to author Bram Stoker, he was a theatrical manager of actors and a playwright, and l view certain passages as Stoker attempting to ascertain their theatrical adaptabilty.

[@PhilipWeisman-dl4ik]

​@@WhytheBookWins Also check out the 1936 DRACULA sequel, DRACULA'S DAUGHTER, featuring ths first lesbian vampire. Though technically she is bisexual.

[@ozziedylan9903]

I watched Renfield in the movie theatre The Film was truly amazing

[@ObscureBookAdventures]

I watched the silent Nosferatu in the cinema with live music and that was such fun. I think I read Dracula when I was a teenager, but can't remember much about it. So you inspired me to go to Project Gutenberg and get myself a copy of the novel. Fun note; Lugosi was asked to play the monster in the Frankenstein film, but turned it down because the monster wasn't that interesting in the script. And he was probably right at that time. So they went with Boris Karloff. But by the time Karloff read the rewritten script the monster was made much more interesting.

[@WhytheBookWins]

I think I remember hearing that! The creature definitely has more to do in The Bride of Frankenstein

[@egyptgary]

I read Dracula when I was about 12 or 13 and loved every page. Your comments regarding how women are represented in the novel make tons of sense as I was raised with a "Victorian" ideal of women, so I didn't question how they were represented in the text. Good thing I eventually realized that feminists like Gloria Steinem,, and other powerful women in the 1970's, (ya I'm that old) had something to say. My wife is proof that women are not to be taken lightly and I bet she could kick Dracula's butt any day!

[@wildmarjoramdieselpunk6396]

But isn’t Mina shown as one of the “New Women”?

[@wildmarjoramdieselpunk6396]

I would love for you to cover Dracula: Pages From a Virgin’s Diary, which was a ballet broadcast on Canadian TV that’s pretty faithful to the book, over than it being a ballet and having a silent movie style.

[@BradLad56]

In addition to Demeter, there's also Bram Stoker's Van Helsing which just focuses on Lucy and her situation after becoming Dracula's victim and eventually her turning.

[@WhytheBookWins]

I have never heard of that one! It's worth watching? I must looked it up on imdb and it has a 3/10 rating 😬

[@BradLad56]

@@WhytheBookWins I haven't seen it myself but i know it's a low budget movie but that doesn't necessarily mean it's bad. I'd check it out for yourself and make up your own opinion. Also, I wonder if adapting chapters of books will become more of a trend if the movie studios can't be arsed to adapt full books lol

[@ashfordwyrd7458]

Klaus Kinski, who was Renfield in the Jesus Franko 'Count Dracula' was count Dracula in the Werner Herzog 'Nosferatu The Vampyre' his gentle minimalist acting style is quite unique.

[@WhytheBookWins]

Yeah i heard that! I'll be watching all of the Nosferatu movies next month in preparation for the new movie!

[@tinymxnticore]

I hate to say it but I agree with you on Bram Stoker’s Dracula. As a fan of the gothic genre and camp I wanted so badly to love it, and the visuals, particularly the costumes, are truly stunning. I’m not a book purist by any means, but I really did not care for the choices made with the story. In particular, the way Lucy is framed makes her fate seem less like a tragedy than a punishment for her brazen sexuality. And we know next to nothing about Mina other than her chastity and possession by Dracula’s dead wife.

[@mariaskabardonis8353]

Maybe he enjoyed Harker company or maybe was saving him for cheat day lol

[@earnthis1]

Great review!

[@WhytheBookWins]

Thanks!

[@LucyLioness100]

I’ll always have a soft spot for the campiness of Hammer’s films about the Count and of course the late great Sir Christopher Lee was excellently cast for the part (despite his infamous hatred of the role afterwards). You should definitely watch the ‘79 film since it came from the same play that Universal original adapted the 1931 film from. Frank Langella reprised the role of the Count as he had done onstage (much like Lugosi before him) & he is quite captivating along with Kate Nelligan’s Lucy. You also have Dr. Loomis himself, Donald Pleasance, as Dr. Seward and even a Doctor Who in a minor role. The late Sir Laurence Olivier is also in the film as Van Helsing, but I feel he was miscast despite his efforts to deliver a decent performance. There are so many versions that it’s impossible to cover all

[@WhytheBookWins]

Yeah there are so many versions of there I still need to watch! I should do a part two to this next October (if not sooner).

[@angelaholmes8888]

I read bram stoker Dracula last October I did like it I have watched the Coppola adaptation and the Christopher lee film

[@WhytheBookWins]

What did you think of those two movies?

[@angelaholmes8888]

@@WhytheBookWins I really enjoyed them 😊

[@pathatfield2543]

Maybe you might think about doing part two where you talk about,for example,the 1979 version with Frank Langella and the BBC version with Louis Jourdan,which I hear is an extremely faithful version

[@WhytheBookWins]

Yeah definitely!

[@lonestar4378]

Thank you! Very enjoyable! 🖤 The 1979 Dracula starring Frank Langella is absolutely my favourite film adaptation. Well worth watching. It’s an adaptation of Stoker’s play more so than the book, but it’s a great film on it’s own merits. I definitely prefer it to the Coppola film, which treated Lucy’s character appallingly.

[@WhytheBookWins]

I made a follow up Dracula video where I watched more movies including that one! It's an underrated version for sure.

[@lonestar4378]

@@WhytheBookWins I’ll definitely check that out, thank you! 😊

[@WhytheBookWins]

@lonestar4378 it's linked in the description of this video 😊

[@falgalhutkinsmarzcal3962]

Renfield should have sang "Downtown Train" in the Coppola version while in his cell. Would have made the movie better, stranger.

[@DamonNomad82]

The version of Dracula I would recommend if you want the single most faithful one to the book is the 1997 BBC TV movie version. It's much lower budget than the Coppola version and stars much lesser-known actors, but it follows the book even closer, is less graphic and doesn't have the gratuitous, disturbing sex scenes. Edited to add: I see others have recommended it and you have now seen and reviewed it. I can understand why you would feel it "drags" at times, as it is the closest to the book and the book, as you pointed out, "drags" quite a bit in its later stages.

[@lilmelvin11]

"Renfield" role originally played by the actor Dwight Frye who played the usual "Igor" roles. There's an early Alice Cooper Band song "The Ballad of Dwight Frye" on KZbin. Dramatic Rock Theater.

[@WhytheBookWins]

Yeah he was so good in both movies! Would be interesting to see if he was ever cast as more normal characters. I'll have to look up that song!

[@pathatfield2543]

@@WhytheBookWinssadly,Dwight Fry’s early roles kind of left him typecast and he was always playing twitching weirdos

[@JohnnyBrentwoodReviews]

I love your content! Subscribed!

[@WhytheBookWins]

Thank you so much!

[@TheJnic559]

Maybe it's the American in me, but I liked Quincy 😂😅😅. He was the "Q" of the story (see what I did there) as in the James Bond film. The "muscle" of the group. But if anyone died Arthur was the obvious choice.

[@WhytheBookWins]

Yeah maybe I didn't give Quincy enough credit 🤠

[@christynagonzalez419]

You didn’t mention anything about the ‘92 performance of Gary Oldham.

[@WhytheBookWins]

He was great!

[@christynagonzalez419]

@@WhytheBookWins oh good! Lol. I love this movie bc of him. I love everything he is in.

[@mariaskabardonis8353]

I wanted something Halloween and I did read the book in college and I liked it from what I remember I do remember my British Lit Professor not liking Van Helsing part either it was probably for the same reasons. I did only watch the Coppola version and I liked it but haven’t seen the other. Poor Keenu Reeves he’s kind of not good in Much Ado about Nothing although he does look hot. It’s probably same reason burned out and not for period pieces lol. Reinfield is on my list

[@WhytheBookWins]

Thanks for commenting! Glad to hear your professor was on the same page as I was with Van Helsing lol. I hope you enjoy Renfield!

[@mariaskabardonis8353]

@@WhytheBookWins thanks I’ll let you when I watch it or any other version I love the earrings

[@ecmelton8633]

I agree that the 1931 movie isn't that great. Frankenstein from that same year is my favorite movie (or one of), so I clearly don't have a bias against it because of its age. Dwight Frye and Lugosi are very good, but it's often pretty dull. Toothless, you could say.

[@IanFindly-iv1nl]

There's also one called Blood For Dracula (or Andy Warhol's Dracula as it's also known). Now THAT one is hardly "faithful" to the NOVEL, so then it might not be ripe for your thing here. But seeing that someone else here in this comments log has already suggested Blackula (which certainly ain't either), I figure What the hell?! Shoot!

[@WhytheBookWins]

Renfield wasn't really an adaptation of the book Dracula either haha, I'll check out Blood for Dracula!

[@adrianburchell1467]

I read/heard somewhere that when Dracula was written, women were wanting to get out of the pigeon-hole men were insisting they stayed in and sexual promiscuity among women was to be discouraged, Hell, women even had the audacity to want to vote! And when Lucy had her mouth stuffed and decapitated, men were feeling that women needed to be shut up. Also for a Dracula version set in his castle, the Steven Moffat/Mark Gatiss (the duo behind tv show Sherlock Holmes) 2020 mini-series of Dracula has three parts, ep 1 being Castle Dracula, ep 2 being set on the Demeter and 3rd part being set in London. Episode 1 was the best part. It starred Claes Bang as Dracula. The xenophobic aspect of the story, a foreigner invading England (and by extension, Great Britain) was the downside of Empire, foreigners were migrating to England to make money from the Empire at the detriment of the native Britons (or, as is the case of HG Wells' War of the Worlds, destroy Britain). Another foreign threat to appear in England was Sax Rohmer's Fu Manchu stories. Fu Manchu being a Chinese criminal genius whose great masterplans were usually defeated by the pluck of the British underdogs. Thinking of Fu Manchu, Sherlock Holmes crossed wits with him in Cay van Ash's Ten Years Beyond Baker Street and Sherlock Holmes has faced Dracula in half-a-dozen stories by different authors.

[@WhytheBookWins]

Thanks for commenting! Yeah I think most books are even better appreciated, or at least add another layer to the meaning, when you learn about the time period they were written in.

[@karlkarlos3545]

It's funny that you mentioned classic monster adaptations from the '90s. There has also been Wolf with Jack Nicholson, which, granted, is not based on a book, and Interview with the Vampire, that 100% certainly is based on a book. Both movies are better than Sleepy Hollow and Branagh's Frankenstein in my opinion.

[@WhytheBookWins]

I recently convered Interview with the Vampire! But yeah I know generally Branagh's Frankenstein isn't considered a "good" movie but I can't help but love it!

[@cdolan13]

Sorry, I have to interject on a couple of points. First, good video, but please watch the 1977 BBC production starring Louis Jordan. 1) I have read the book many times and love it for what it is: iconic. As far as your critique of the last quarter of the book I don't see it. It is always moving forward to a climax, but you have to understand that, back in 19th century literature there was always been a lot of exposition, coupled with the fact Victorian society was big on thinking before acting, they were so reserved, so the long passages of contemplation and planning makes perfect sense. Also, to your Van Helsing 'rambling', wouldn't you think this was a part of character development? Bram Stoker was the manager of the Lyceum Theatre in London, which was the house that the great Henry Irving resided, and was the inspiration for Stoker's Dracula, so characterization would come in the form of dialogue. 2) The main reason there is no music in the 1931 version is due to money. The production was already costing a lot more than anticipated so they decided not to hire a composer for a music soundtrack. In 1979 (I believe) Phillip Glass was commissioned to compose a soundtrack for the film and that version can be found in limited releases. 3) Christopher Lee took pains to make sure he was faithful to Stoker's version: well-spoken, dangerously charismatic, but ultimately a beast of prey. A monster. Everyone who hasn't read the book fails to realize that fact. The societal Dracula was due to the stage versions, that needed the audience to see the interactions between cast and title character. 4) All Hammer films of the 70's had their actors keep their English 'accents', no matter if the movies took place in England, Germany, Austria or Transylvania. The other famous character, Dr. Frankenstein, played so endearingly by the great Peter Cushing, spoke in an English accent, and not German. It's one of those things that you just accept. In fact, you even support and accept that when you state your love for Kenneth Branagh's version of Frankenstein, and they all spoke in English accents and not German. 5) very good point of the repressed sexuality in society and the xenophobia. The fact Dracula was written at the height of the Victorian era, where sexuality was basically banned plays a major part in the novel. Once Victoria took the throne clothes became important tools to enforce this 'repression' by covering up all skin, except the face and hands, especially for women, which is why the fashion became so important, your clothes conveyed your individuality, your sex, if you will, and not conveyed by your body. Society became proper and women became revered, basically held up on pedestals, to be protected at all times. So, the fact that Lucy and Mina becoming more forward as they turned being disgusting to the men fits perfectly with society standards at the time. And, the fact Mina holds pity for Dracula is the nurturing, accepting side of the Victorian era, the women being the reflection of their 'mother', the queen, the one who rises above all without judgement. 6) the xenophobia was real back then, foreigners were thought suspicious and the fact the book was written close to the turn of the century, indeed, incorporating new technology, such as the phonograph supports the fact Victorian society were the leaders of progression. The Transylvanians were ruled by superstition and the English are superior because they use their 'entering' 20th century brains to combat problems. Also, if you re-read the section where the men find one of Dracula's 'safehouses' he insinuates his plans to take over all of England. This is supported by the fact of why he kept Harker at his castle for so long, as he was still figuring out the logistics of transporting all 50 of his boxes of earth not just to England, but to all his positions around the London area, so no matter where he was in England he could always have a place nearby where he could find safety. He laments to Harker that he was a warrior, a conqueror and, that there are no places in his land left to conquer, so he is moving to England to be a conqueror once again. The fact this wasn't fleshed out in the book is because, in the end, the novel is about personal struggles, not as a nationwide crisis. I apologize for the rant, if you end up reading the whole thing, thank you. Fun fact: in the 1970 Count Dracula movie, Renfield is played by the great Klaus Kinski, who would go on to play Count Orlock in the 1979 remake of Nosferatu. I enjoyed your video very much and appreciate all your thoughts. It's always enjoyable to get another's perspective about a book you love. One final note: no movie has ever captured the entire book and its tone from beginning to end, and I don't think one will ever be made. Thanks again!

[@WhytheBookWins]

I have since watched the 1977 movie! I have a follow up video coming out later this month sharing my thoughts on that and other Dracula movies I have more recently watched. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts! You make good points about the writing style. It's also interesting to learn about the cultures of the time and how it is reflected in the book!

[@cdolan13]

@@WhytheBookWins Thank you for your reply! I respect the fact that, with so many comments, that you took the time to respond! I apologize again, I tend to rant about things I am passionate about. I did enjoy your fresh take on the book! It's always good to look at something that has become comfortable through fresh eyes. To that end that I am doing the Dracula Daily project next year. A gentleman named Matt Kirkland took Dracula and compiled all the 'entries' into their respective dates into a book (and website), and invites the reader to read the entries for that specific day - in real time. This means some dates that are out of order in the book are combined into the entry for that day. So, on May 3rd you would read of Johnathan Harker's journey, on May 4th you would read the next entry, etc., all the way up to the end of the novel on November 7! I will look forward to your follow-up on the Dracula movies, as well as your comparison of the two Nosferatu movies. Now, time to go see what other novels you have to offer on your channel! I do like the concept, since people tend to compare about filmed versions of books!

[@joejoyce8031]

I understand where you are coming from, but at the end when you are talking about Mina I tend to disagree. I don’t think it is her being weak, I think it is her almost gaining the perspective of a vampire and having pity, or maybe a bit of empathy towards him. Because he is a tragic figure, and she feels closer to that in that moment.

[@WhytheBookWins]

Yeah I have come around on that topic and don't feel as strongly against her choice as I say in this video. I still dislike the trope of the long suffering woman because that's what society thinks women should be like. Yet her wanting them to have pity on him makes sense considering she herself knows she could one day be a vampire herself. Thanks for commenting!

[@wildmarjoramdieselpunk6396]

The weird haircut in the 92 movie was just a design choice by the clothing designer.

[@MikeBD187]

Overall I really enjoyed your very interesting analysis and commentary, but I do think you really underestimate the importance of the Christopher Lee Dracula series for Hammer. They had a massive world-wide impact in the 60s and 70s, and Lee is often quoted by reviewers (eg on KZbin) as the best Dracula by far. The series was one of the biggest exports for the UK in that period.

[@WhytheBookWins]

Thanks! And yeah, he was in so many Dracula films and has become synonymous with the character for many people.

[@breannawilliamson9787]

I love Sleepy Hollow, but I hate gore. Should I still watch the movie?

[@WhytheBookWins]

Hmm there are a LOT of severed heads. There are also scenes with a lot of blood, but it is done in a comical way. So I would probably lean towards no you shouldn't watch it.

[@wildmarjoramdieselpunk6396]

You could watch the Disney version.

[@LuckyBastardProd]

Yes! The gore is cartoon gore. For example the horseman whacks off a head and the head spins several times on the neck before it falls off like in a bugs bunny cartoon. If you’ve seen any Hammer films of the 50s and 60s it’s a lot like those.

[@BradLad56]

One thing I found odd about the 1931 version of Renfield is that he keeps going on and on about how he's worried for Mina and that she must be protected but he never meets her in that version. I know he meets her in the book so it's understandable why he would be worried about her there, but as I've said he never meets her in the universal film so I don't get why he's so worried about a person he's never met.

[@WhytheBookWins]

Oh I didn't even think about that! Good catch!

[@Mantis_AB]

Why didn't you add Dracula Untold to the list?

[@WhytheBookWins]

So many adaptations, so little time! I originally hadn't even planned on watching as many as i did, but as the week went on I just kept watching more versions lol.

[@hoibsh21]

All right, let's break it down: The Dracula Icons: Bela Lugosi, Christopher Lee. Nice tries: Jack Palance, Frank Langella, Gary Oldman. Well done: Louis Jourdan. Who cares: Clae Bang, Thomas Kretschmann, Marc Warren. Honorable Mention: John Carradine.

[@angelaholmes8888]

Have you ever heard of a book called Dracula undead it's written by a descendant of bram stoker dracre stoker I read it many years ago it's sorta of sequel to bram stoker Dracula 🤔🦇

[@WhytheBookWins]

I haven't! Do you remember liking it?

[@angelaholmes8888]

@@WhytheBookWins I really enjoyed it I read it years before reading bram stoker Dracula out of curiosity 😉

[@jackhamilton9604]

I'm not a fan of Coppola either, but for me it's because he ruined the life of Victor Salva's victim

[@WhytheBookWins]

Ugh yeah, it's disgusting

[@jackhamilton9604]

@@WhytheBookWins if any celebrity deserves to be cancelled it's him

[@wildmarjoramdieselpunk6396]

Who is Victor Salva’s victim?

[@jackhamilton9604]

@@wildmarjoramdieselpunk6396 Nathan Forrest Winters

[@leonardomacleod]

Dracula from Francis Ford Coppola does not do justice to the book, since for example, Van Helsing is portrayed like a crazy old man and not a respected professor and the Dr. John Seward's place looks more like a place from medieval times and not a respected place to treat pacients with mental problems and it was unnecessary the romance between Dracula and Mina Harker

[@WhytheBookWins]

Yeah totally agree!

[@michaelmartinez7414]

You watched Keanu try be a real actor? Your a trooper.

[@michaelmartinez7414]

I forgot "to, sorry.

[@wellfit1511]

Gary Oldman is the best Dracula. Agreed that Keanu and Winona were badly cast. Should have got English actors. I thought Anthony Hopkins was a little over the top as van helsing. Shame as it was a pretty decent script.

[@EXOmakemeHorololo]

Isn't it a bit pointless to expect that a male and Victorian author should have portrayed Mina much different especially in a sensationalist horror novel which Dracula is? I think the fact this is NOT high literature in any sense but a racy, exaggerated and excited serialised page turner is fundamental here. I'd point at the quickly pumped out drivel that we publish in romantic fantasy today which isnt any more subtle in it's portrayal of male /female interactions over a hundred years later and written by women. How would Bram Stoker have realistically put himself into the mind of a (modern) woman. It was not just men who were different, it was the average women too. Both thought and felt different to us. And women arent much better putting themselves into the minds of men ...although we really like to pretend that we are.

[@WhytheBookWins]

Very well said! There are a couple things I say in this video I now regret because I feel differently lol.

[@Rgoid]

You never watched the 1979 version? FOR SHAME!

[@WhytheBookWins]

Lol i have now!

[@JJSS-vg1qs]

Wait a minute. You don't like Francis Ford Coppola?

[@wildmarjoramdieselpunk6396]

Well, if she is coming from the Victor Salva angle… :/

[@grosbeak6130]

You throwing a little hissy fit about the last quarter of the book was kind of ignorant and misguided.