MR

For pop culture buffs and laymen alike, what was the best Dracula film and who gave the best portrayal of the Count?

Bela Lugosi was classic of course, and Christopher Lee always did a good job of creeping me out. For the modern era, Gary Oldman can definitely put out the creep vibes, too.

I'm always gonna have a soft spot for Frank Langella's portrayal. I loved that movie as a kid.

Rip Rokken wrote:Bela Lugosi was classic of course, and Christopher Lee always did a good job of creeping me out. For the modern era, Gary Oldman can definitely put out the creep vibes, too.

Christopher Lee is one of my very favorite actors of all time and the Hammer films were great cheesy fun, but I always felt that it was Peter Cushing who carried them. (Cushing is another favorite and, even worse than Lee, is a criminally underrated actor.) Oldman did a great job, though I hated the romantic spin Coppola flung into the mix. Lugosi is, of course, the classic and most iconic, but as with most films of that era, he was prone to overacting. The fact that he never actually mastered the English language didn't help.

If I were you, Rip, I'd give the BBC version with Louis Jourdan a try. He's my favorite Dracula, though the film with Oldman is my fave.

Gideon wrote:For pop culture buffs and laymen alike, what was the best Dracula film and who gave the best portrayal of the Count?

I love old classic movies and always liked Christopher Lee from the old Hammer films. I remember seeing the horror of Dracula when I was a little kid. It scared the hell out of me! But you can't beat Bela Lugosi.

Seems like Lee's a favorite around here. The Langella one was pretty decent, especially considering all of the liberties it took.

For those interested in Jourdan's version (which is possibly the most faithful to the novel), take a gander here. I warn you, it has cheesy and dated elements given both the timeframe and budget, but Jourdan gives an unusual but effective take on the Count that makes it worth the watch. Frank Finlay's Van Helsing is great as well.

Gideon wrote:Seems like Lee's a favorite around here. The Langella one was pretty decent, especially considering all of the liberties it took.

For those interested in Jourdan's version (which is possibly the most faithful to the novel), take a gander here. I warn you, it has cheesy and dated elements given both the timeframe and budget, but Jourdan gives an unusual but effective take on the Count that makes it worth the watch. Frank Finlay's Van Helsing is great as well.

Definitely going for Jourdan - first version I ever saw, and I read the book first: every other portrayal and version was poor in comparison.

Arianddu wrote:Definitely going for Jourdan - first version I ever saw, and I read the book first: every other portrayal and version was poor in comparison.

Ah!!! Someone else has actually seen the damn thing besides me?! Thank God.

Arianddu wrote:Definitely going for Jourdan - first version I ever saw, and I read the book first: every other portrayal and version was poor in comparison.

Wrong, this is the best version. It soundly trounces the BBC's/Jourdan's: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vN2a5zGmBPI

Eddie Murphy of course! Vampire in Brooklyn baby!!!

verslibre wrote:

Arianddu wrote:Definitely going for Jourdan - first version I ever saw, and I read the book first: every other portrayal and version was poor in comparison.

Wrong, this is the best version. It soundly trounces the BBC's/Jourdan's: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vN2a5zGmBPI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRBBjPKF ... re=related

Richard Pryors bit on Dracula will forever be hilarious....

That's William Marshall, not Richard Pryor.

verslibre wrote:That's William Marshall, not Richard Pryor.

Have you ever seen Jourdan's take?

Gideon wrote:

verslibre wrote:That's William Marshall, not Richard Pryor.

Have you ever seen Jourdan's take?

No, I was joking.

Either way, I'm burned out on the vampire genre. I won't watch vamp movies. The last one I really liked was Vampires with James Woods, and that's a glorified B-movie, so that's probably why I liked it.

verslibre wrote:

Gideon wrote:

verslibre wrote:That's William Marshall, not Richard Pryor.

Have you ever seen Jourdan's take?

No, I was joking.

Either way, I'm burned out on the vampire genre. I won't watch vamp movies. The last one I really liked was Vampires with James Woods, and that's a glorified B-movie, so that's probably why I liked it.

No, I knew you were joking, I just didn't know if you'd actually seen it or not. I'm not a super-duper-uber fan of vampires or anything, but I just happened to catch a buddy of mine watching one of the old Hammer films on Netflix and away I went.

John Carpenter's movie was great, Woods is another favorite of mine. But you really ought to give Jourdan's film a try. He's different from Lee, Oldman, and the others. Very cold and calculating.

verslibre wrote:That's William Marshall, not Richard Pryor.

I never said the poster was Pryor...


I said Pryors bit on Dracula (not BLACULA)... was forever funny...

Triple S wrote::lol:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRBBjPKF ... re=related

I saw the original 'Fright Night' when I was about 14 years old and babysitting - scared the crap out of me! Gary Oldman is brilliant, so I'll have to rent the version of 'Dracula' he starred in when I'm not working the next day and it doesn't matter if I'm awake all night and armed with a Louisville Slugger.

Yeah, Oldman's Dracula has the sole distinction of being the only vampire movie I've ever seen to give me nightmares.

steveo777 wrote:

Kolchak, eh?

Gideon wrote:

steveo777 wrote:

Kolchak, eh?

No, Kolchak is Darren Mcgavin. The movie, however, is called Night Stalker.

Rip Rokken wrote:Bela Lugosi was classic of course, and Christopher Lee always did a good job of creeping me out. For the modern era, Gary Oldman can definitely put out the creep vibes, too.

It would have to be Bela

verslibre wrote:That's William Marshall, not Richard Pryor.

I remember that one well... but never knew about this!

BLACKENSTEIN
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iREWNIHoUKA

steveo777 wrote:

Gideon wrote:

steveo777 wrote:

Kolchak, eh?

No, Kolchak is Darren Mcgavin. The movie, however, is called Night Stalker.

To clarify, "Night Stalker" was the pilot for the Kolchak TV show, and also starred Darren McGavin as that character.

Gideon wrote:If I were you, Rip, I'd give the BBC version with Louis Jourdan a try. He's my favorite Dracula, though the film with Oldman is my fave.

I didn't know about this, and will check it out - thanks!

I like The Hammer ones w/ Lee.

Rip Rokken wrote:

steveo777 wrote:

Gideon wrote:

steveo777 wrote:

Kolchak, eh?

No, Kolchak is Darren Mcgavin. The movie, however, is called Night Stalker.

To clarify, "Night Stalker" was the pilot for the Kolchak TV show, and also starred Darren McGavin as that character.

I'd forgotten all that. Thanks!

steveo777 wrote:

Rip Rokken wrote:

steveo777 wrote:No, Kolchak is Darren Mcgavin. The movie, however, is called Night Stalker.

To clarify, "Night Stalker" was the pilot for the Kolchak TV show, and also starred Darren McGavin as that character.

I'd forgotten all that. Thanks!

The Night Stalker show that sticks out in my mind the most, is that one starring Karen Black with the little voodoo doll. LOL watching it now it looks so campy, but it scared the sh*t of me and my sister when we were kids.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOEJkeLP ... re=related