Dracula (1931)

The very first week of horror reviews, we look at the Universal Monsters collection.

Dracula has all the elements of a proper chiller. Fog, castles, bats, bonechilling atmosphere and acting from the great Bela Lugosi, and one of the best adaptations of the Bram Stoker novel. The film is one of the earliest and one of the greatest horror films, and one of the big advantages it has is being one of the first sound horror films. True, there is a lack of music but it only enhances the fear and the atmosphere in the film. Need I even say anything about Bela Lugosi's immortal performance? The first line he ever says is unforgettable, "I am...Dracula." and his performance is all in his presence. It's how he walks, and speaks, it's all in the eyes and the voice and the hands! Dwight Frye is perfect as the insane Renfield, with a amusingly creepy laugh and a manic personality that leaps from the screen. In fact, all the cast is very good but it's Lugosi that of course steals the show. One of my favorite things about not only this movie but all the Universal Monsters movies is both the impact they still have on today's culture and strangely, how very short the movies are. The films are barely an hour and a half long but still can pack so much grand things in them that really you don't mind that they are that short. If you aren't even a horror fan you should really watch the most iconic of the Universal Monsters movies, you will enjoy them and would most likely view them again around Halloween time.

Well, that's it for today. Tune in tomorrow where we look at the most famous monster of all time.