Dracula: the very name evokes visions of dark, foreboding castles, mysterious men, and scary sexuality. The name also evokes cartoon bats, cheesy Eastern European accents, and Jonathan Rhys Meyers holding a lightbulb for no good reason.
Ever since Irish author Bram Stoker spun the tale of an undead count with a taste for sex and sadism, we’ve been hooked on the Dracula legend. Bela Lugosi‘s 1931 take on the eponymous villain scared Americans with blatant sexuality. Then there was the fact that his thick Eastern accent and menacing good looks played into our country’s fear of Eastern Europe. As time went on, new Dracula adaptations reflected whatever was ricocheting around in the zeitgeist. Christopher Lee’s Hammer horror films were quirky and cool —in short, everything that British culture was in the 1960s. Gary Oldman’s dark and weird interpretation, meanwhile, reflected a tone that permeated ’90s filmmaking.
You could say that every generation gets the Dracula it deserves…
Case in point: a new, revisionist take on the Dracula myth is due in theaters this week. Dracula Untold promises to tell the true story of a fictional character by connecting him once more with 15th century prince Vlad the Impaler and by suggesting that he was a handsome dude who liked to wear dragon armor. What did we do to deserve this new take on Dracula? Well, I guess we’re a little too into Game of Thrones.
VLAD THE IMPALER - The original "Dracula" was an Eastern European warrior prince who became notorious because he impaled his victims. His actions just reflect the egregious liberties taken by the cruel ruling class in the 15th Century. I mean, this is long before social contract theory was a thing. Getty Images
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THE REAL ORIGINAL 'DRACULA' - In 1897, an Irish guy named Bram Stoker wrote a book based on vampire myth called 'Dracula.' It was dramatic, evocative, and read by many people because people read books before there was Netflix. Getty Images
'DRACULA' (1931) - Bela Lugosi became a Hollywood legend when he played the title role in one of the first onscreen vampires. He scared Americans with his blatant sexuality, and yeah, his thick Eastern and menacing good looks played into our country's then-fear of Eastern Europe.Everett Collection
HAMMER'S 'DRACULA' FILMS - Christopher Lee might be best known to modern audiences as Saruman or Count Dooku, but he was the king of the Hammer film empire. The British pulp films were fun, scary, quirky, and cool. Basically, they were just like British culture in the 1960s.Everett Collection
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'BLACULA' - William Marshall made the Eastern European horror icon relevant for blaxploitation audiences in 'Blacula,' and its sequel, 'Scream Blacula Scream.' The films are sexy and scary (like all great vampire films), but they also reflect the gonzo state of 1970s American life. Everett Collection
FRANK LANGELLA'S 'DRACULA' - Did you know that in 1979, Frank Langella played a serious version of Dracula? No? That's because the film was well-recieved by critics, but ignored by the public. It was 1979. People were dancing to disco music. They didn't want a good Dracula movie. Pfft.Everett Collection
'BRAM STOKER'S DRACULA' - Gary Oldman is a great actor, but he does his best work when he's a little over-the-top and a little bit creepy. Hence, he was perfect to star in Francis Ford Coppola's ridiculously sumptuous (kind of silly) 1992 adaptation.Everett Collection
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'DRACULA 2000' - Gerard Butler's first big Hollywood role was playing a "cool" Dracula in 'Dracula 2000.' Everyone is young. Everyone is sexy. Oh, and Vitamin C is in this movie. Yes, the singer. It's very much a product of the pop music-saturated landscape of 2000.Everett Collection
'DRACULA' THE NBC SHOW - Last year, NBC tried to reinvent Dracula for primetime and it did not really work out. I watched the pilot and it was weird and kind of steampunk and took place in America and Jonathan Rhys Meyers liked blood, and shadows, but also whiskey and lightbulbs. NBC
'DRACULA UNTOLD' - This weekend, Luke Evans stars in a retelling of the Dracula myth. From what we can tell, it's less Bela Lugosi and more 'Game of Thrones.' But hey, give the people of 2014 what the people of 2014 want. Every generation gets the Dracula it deserves.Everett Collection
Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
