This essay will compare two versions of Dracula: the book by Bram Stoker published in 1897, and the movie Nosferatu directed by Werner Herzog in 1979. The question is; did director Herzog make a good adaptation of Dracula? No, he did not do a good job. The three points used to prove the thesis are: There is not enough investigation on the vampire (Nosferatu), Renfield should not have sent Jonathan on the trip, and finally Dracula’s behaviour, and appearance should be different. There is not enough vampire investigation in Nosferatu. There should have been more time spent exploring vampire legends, and methods to kill Nosferatu. In the movie the characters from the book Quincey Morris and John Seward did not exist, and they were big contributors …show more content…
In the film and the book, Renfield is a maniac in the book being diagnosed with zoophagia syndrome (a compulsion to eat insects, or live animals), and in the film he is also a maniac but there is no diagnosis. Shortly after the movie starts, Renfield invites Jonathan to his room, and asks him to leave for the Counts castle that day which almost 1700 miles away in Transylvania. Jonathan agrees and leaves that very day. It just does not make sense for Jonathan to obey such a crazy man. In Bram Stokers Dracula, Jonathan was sent to Transylvania by his book Peter Hawkins, who was a well known businessman. In Stokers book, Jonathan was in the scenario where he could trust his boss because Mr. Hawkins was first of all, mentally stable, and second, had a good reputation. In the film, Renfield was not at all mentally stable, nor had a good reputation. Also Renfield had his own character in the book known as the “weird guy” or the “maniac”. In the film he had the characteristics and personalities from the book, but he was also the boss of Jonathan Harker. If Harker was a modern, civil person, then why would he listen to someone that is locked in room, guarded by people?Renfield should not have sent Jonathan to Nosferatu’s castle, and Nosferatu should not have had the appearance he
The most obvious comparison between the novel Dracula and the film Nosferatu is its use of Jewish propaganda. The appearance and portrayal of Dracula includes a hooked nose, pointed ears and bushy eyebrows. This appropriation of Dracula reveals the fear of jews at the time and the disease and destruction that was feared that they carried. Most notably, the film’s title Nosferatu reveals its post-war isolation through the use of the German word for vampire. This shows that the film was created to appeal primarily to its German audience The dramatic use of contrast lighting and shadows, to the extent of painting shadows on backdrops, is evident and heavily used. This technique can be seen where Dracula is represented as a shadow (33:12). Throughout the film, Nosferatu reveals its context using a variety of
It’s never exactly rare to find an iconic vampire in vampire literature. Dracula, from Bram Stoker's novel, and Lestat, from Interview with the Vampire, are far from the same but they do appear as similar in readings. They both appear as powerful leaders in the novels. As vampires they share very similar characteristics but the novels surrounding them show less similarities. For example the other turned vampires don’t share the same characteristics and have different outlooks of being a vampire. Although these two novels can be seen as similar, they possess many differences through formatting, setting, and the vampires’ perception of their lives.
Since the beginning of time vampires have been categorized into different "types” and are portrayed in different ways throughout several books. This paper will focus on three vampires from the following books: Dracula by Bram Stoker, and I am Legend by Richard Matheson. Dracula is considered to be the traditional vampire, where it all started, and the vampires in Matheson’s book, follow somewhat Stoker’s concept, but is more of a modern “type” of vampires. Certain vampire elements have been presented, but others have been completely removed or altered. In addition, elements along with appearances are used to infer if the vampire is a form of “the other”. There are two types of vampires; the traditional or modern vampire which can be distinguished based on the elements present in their storyline.
The 1992 movie adaptation of Dracula is quite loyal to the book. However it made quite an exaggeration in Dracula and Mina’s connection. Also there are fabricated parts in the movie, particularly the way it begins having the origin of Vlad the impaler that is not technically found in Stoker’s writing. Character of Dracula is not that scary as it was in the book than being projected visually in the screen. Perhaps to have a more impact in viewers’ emotions. Some scenes were also fractured in the movie, for instance is Mina’s and Lucy’s stay in Whitby which never occurred in the book. Even so, the film had interpreted the book well and it although some scenes were fractured, it did not depart much
The novel is a classic story of good v. evil. The author took many years and hard research to conjure up a literary masterpiece like Dracula(Burt). A unique type of
Jonathan Harker starts off the book with his journal of his travels to meet count Dracula, and begins to regret ever leaving home soon after. Jonathan is very observant, noting details throughout his journey; he remembers foreign words to look up, many details of the journey to the castle, and sees “a faint flickering blue flame” many times off in the distance
Bram Stoker’s Dracula is not only a classic story of men and monsters, but a dramatic reactionary work to the perceived threats to Victorian society in nineteenth century England. In modern times there have been many film adaptations of the novel, each developing a unique analysis or criticism of the literary text within the framework of the society and time period in which it was created. The 1972 film Blacula is one of the most culturally specific variations on the story of Dracula, and highlights many of the themes and messages found in Stoker’s original text. Among the primary similarities between the novel and the film is the portrayal of race, sexuality, nationality, and culture, and the characterization in each work speaks to the
peculiar. He is a 'tall, old man,' who is 'clad in black head to toe.'
The protagonist and story of Bram Stoker's novel Dracula have been widely interpreted and adapted in films throughout many years. Despite almost a century of time since the initial publication, Dracula has maintained its ability to frighten and mesmerize readers. Francis Ford Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula; however, utilizes the erotic romance of the original novel in order to depict a tragic love story. The film accurately follows the general plot of the novel, yet presents the characters in a unique manner that provides for a different appreciation of the characters.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula is a story of horror, suspense, and repulsion. The main antagonist, Count Dracula, is depicted as an evil, repulsive creature that ends and perverts life to keep himself alive and youthful. To most onlookers that may be the case, but most people fail to see one crucial element to this character. Dracula is a character that, though it may be long gone, was once human, and thus has many human emotions and motives still within him. Let us delve into these emotions of a historically based monster.
A noticeable difference in the way movies have changed over the years is evident when comparing and contrasting two films of different eras which belong to the same genre and contain the same subject matter. Two vampire movies, Dracula and Bram Stoker's Dracula, present an interesting example of this type of study.
Bram Stoker’s ingenious piece of work on writing Dracula has set the expectation for gothic novels all over the world and time to come. The mindset of writing Dracula through the Victorian Era really sets the tone for the reader by creating a spine-tingling sensation right through the novel. With this in mind, Stoker wouldn’t have been able to succeed his masterpiece without the effective uses of symbolism, imagery, foreshadowing, and its overall theme.
“He speaks in perfect English and welcomes Harker inside, shaking his hand with an ice-cold, vice-like grip” (Dracula, 55). Dracula explains to him that he will no be able to make the trip to London, but one of his trusted servants will be going along with Harker back to London. After supper Jonathan analyzes Dracula and notices one very strange feature, his mouth is thick and white; they cover sharp white teeth, which stick out over his lip. What Jonathan does not know is that those teeth are canine teeth only found in animals. There are exceptions, for instance, vampires have these teeth so they can puncture the human’s carotid vessel in their neck and suck their blood. The first time that Jonathan sees Dracula’s cannibal teeth grow is when Harker starts shaving. He accidentally cuts himself and Dracula leaps for his throat so he can suck his blood. Harker touches his crucifix and Dracula’s “demonic fury” vanishes. The strangest event that Harker notices in Dracula’s castle is “Dracula emerge from his room on the floor below, slither out, head downward, in lizard fashion, with his cloak spread out around him like great wings” (Dracula, 179). This shows that “Dracula is not a person. He is a presence, an absence that requires concealing” (Wolf, 368). This tells Harker that something is very wrong with this man. He recalls how the peasants behaved
Bram Stoker’s frightening tale of Count Dracula has struck horror into the hearts of many since it was originally penned. In 1987, Bram Stoker wrote the revolutionary tale Dracula that played off the fears of the people of the era. The plot and characters that make the novel great also translate nearly perfectly to cinematic adaptations. Starting in the early 1900’s, directors have done their best to portray the terror that the original novel inspired. Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula was released in 1992 and follows the book’s storyline very closely. However, to appeal to his generations ideals on relationships and sex, Coppola made some changes to the plot; however, many of the characters and themes are kept intact. He also
Discuss possible answers to this question with reference to at least two critical or theoretical essays and at least two tellings ' of the Dracula story._______________________________________________