Ever since Bram Stoker wrote his entrancing novel people have been adapting it, and the story is one of the most reproduced ideas in history. Each innovation of the novel influences the story for the creators own purpose, and in doing so generates another version of Dracula. Count Dracula has become an infamous character in history, and has been captured in many different mediums, such as the Japanese anime and manga series Vampire Hunter D, which follows Draculas son D in his adventures (Kikuchi). However, one of the adaptations that endures in modern minds is the 1992 film by Francis Ford Coppola, Bram Stoker's Dracula. This version of Dracula was meant to be loyal to the novel, but it diverged from the original in many ways.
Bram
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Indeed Mina’s attraction to Dracula in the film leads to one of the defining alterations between the film and movie adaption, the humanization of Dracula. The subtitle of the 1992 film is “Love Never Dies,” (Coppola) which is the love between Dracula and his wife Elisabeta, who is the spitting image of Mina, and is also represented by Winona Ryder. Throughout the film Dracula tries to win over Mina in order to regain his love with Elisabeta, who commits suicide after false rumours of Draculas death are feed to her by priest. The betrayal by the priest and his wife’s death, makes Dracula curse god, and therefore become a vampire. The background story of the character Dracula makes the monster almost understandable, and the audience begins to sympathize with Dracula. (0:33-5:38)
Even more, the nauseating “cruel-looking” (49) creature described in the novel is turned into a charming young Gary Oldman. Although Coppola starts the film with a brilliant representation of Stoker’s monster, he seems to embellish on the younger Dracula (12:44-13:00). In the novel Dracula becomes younger by gorging himself with blood, but Jonathan Harker describes him “like a filthy leech, exhausted with his repletion” (83). Coppola makes the monster more of a human, and the audience can feel for his and Mina’s love affair. Also, Jonathan seems distant from Mina, and this makes the love is even more
The evolution of religion, particularly the growth of atheism and the relaxation of catholicism and christianity in the U.S. and throughout the western world is expressed in the film. The film relies heavily on catholicism yet as religion becomes more and more relaxed in the film’s context, Bram Stoker’s Dracula features aspects of other religions. Throughout the novel and this film, crosses, crucifixes and the Body of Christ are used to ward off Dracula. This can be seen in the close up of the reflection of the crucifix that Jonathan wears (28:18). It’s effects on Dracula are immediate and obvious. Moreover, the idea of reincarnation and its accompanying values are evident throughout the text. The comparison between between Dracula’s wife and Mina reveal their physical appearances to be the same through the cut between the shots of Mina looking up at the painting of Dracula and his wife (2:00:42). Additionally and more evidently, Bram Stoker’s Dracula features a Dracula who is more humanised and romanticised than any movie that predecessor it. Dracula and Mina are shown to have a romantic bond as opposed to only the sexual attraction which is expressed in the novel. This relationship is evident in the panning of Mina and Dracula dancing (1:09:02). Through this technique, the intimacy and romanticism of this
Dracula by Bram Stoker is a horror story about a hero’s quest to rid the world of vampires from the Victorian era. Readers are horrified by his graphic descriptions and horrifying struggles. However, Dracula is much more than just a vampire fantasy; in this novel, Bram Stoker explores the unconscious sexual desires repressed during the Victorian era and the controversy surrounding sexuality.
Anyone who has ever seen one of the several adaptations of Dracula as a movie will know that it was intended to be a horror story. Stoker goes to great lengths in order to create an
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
Though it appears on the surface to be an engaging horror story about a blood-sucking Transylvanian man, upon diving deeper into Bram Stoker's novel Dracula, one can find issues of female sexuality, homoeroticism, and gender roles. Many read Dracula as an entertaining story full of scary castles, seductive vampires, and mysterious forces, yet at the same time, they are being bombarded with descriptions of sex, images of rape, and homosexual relationships. In Francis Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula, Stoker's presentation of homoeroticism is taken, reworked, and presented in a different, stronger light. Coppola does much in the area of emphasizing a homoerotic relationship between Mina Harker and Lucy Westerna: a relationship Bram Stoker
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.
Stoker incorporates different allusions to various parts of the religious supernatural throughout Dracula to continue his propagation of the Christian faith. During Mina's retelling of her encounter with Dracula she pleads, "Look down on a poor soul in worse than mortal peril; and in mercy pity those to whom she is dear!"(252). The word "mercy" in his dialog draws attention to the fact that Mina fears she may be coming to a bitter end. Mina turns away from logical thought and prays helplessly to the heavens for any sort of assistance it may provide to her. Throughout the story, Mina uses a typewriter to collect each of the characters personal documentation in hopes of catching Dracula. This use of new technology is symbolically shunned by making
Many scenes in ‘Frankenstein’ are pastoral, thus creating a non-threatening atmosphere, however, it is circumstances and ignorance which result in the creature becoming despised and hunted which in return change his nature and character when he seeks revenge for the injustices done against him. Dracula, from the beginning, is the embodiment of evil - he plots and schemes. One could make excuses for him and say he needs blood or he becomes extinct and it is a form of self-preservation. This is so, however, throughout the novel we are faced time and again with examples of gratuitous malevolence he makes no distinction between man or woman, child or baby. Many scenes in ‘Dracula’ are set in the dark and ominous Castle Dracula, this results in a pervading atmosphere of apprehension.
Bela Lugosi is arguably the most classic example of an actor taking on a vampire role. However, during 1931 when the universal studio was casting the 1931’s Dracula, Lugosi could only barely speak English, and therefore almost lost his chance at playing the iconic part (“Dracula (1931 English-Language Film”). Nonetheless his accents and costumes, which has become the classic look of the vampire, he himself was so typecast in his role that he was actually buried after his death in his Dracula costume. Certainly, it is Lugosi’s performance that makes Tod Browning’s film such an influential Hollywood picture. Overall, I will give it a 3 star out of 5, compared with the older version film of Dracula, because of the dialogues and sounds, the plot is much easier for the audiences to understand, without any editing or background music the horror of the film is not inferior to
Dracula is a signet classic novel written by Bram Stoker. This novel is portrayed by an antagonist character known as Count Dracula. He has been dead for centuries yet he may never die. He has a peculiar power of hypnotic fascination but he is weak in god’s daylight. He is immortal as long as he is able to drink blood from the living. He can change his form into a wolf, a bat or a puff of smoke. Dracula get in touch with Jonathan Harker through a real estate transaction. He went to Dracula’s castle through a carriage as were planned. After a few days, he felt as if he were prisoned in the castle as his movements were restricted. Meanwhile, Harker has a fiancée named Mina
Comparing the 1931 version of Dracula, starring Bela Lugosi, with Frances Ford Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula 1993 version yields some similarities. Both films are of the same genre: Horror. Both films are set around the same time period. Also, both deal with a vampire coming to England and causing disruptions in people's lives. Beyond these few similarities are
In everyday life, as in literature, there will always be an opposing force to evil. In the novel “Dracula,” by Bram Stoker, Professor Van Helsing acts as Dracula’s main antagonist. An antagonist is the character who acts against the main character, which increases the conflict of the story and intensifies the plot. Through the use of theme, characterization and specific events, the author shows readers how Dr. Van Helsing effectively fits the role of Dracula’s most threatening adversary.
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.
The legendary creature Dracula has mesmerized readers and viewers for nearly a century. In Bram Stoker's masterpiece, Dracula, the infamous monster affects each reader in a different way. Some find the greatest fear to be the sacrilegious nature of his bloodsucking attacks, while others find themselves most afraid of Dracula's shadow-like omnipresent nature. The fascination with Dracula has assimilated into all parts of society. Dracula can now be seen selling breakfast cereals, making appearances on Sesame Street, and on the silver screen. Countless film adaptations of Stoker's original novel have been undertaken by the some of the most skilled directors in Hollywood including,
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