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Erika (17788 KP) rated Dracula vs. Hitler in Books
Oct 6, 2018
The title of this book grabbed me, alone. What wouldn't be cool about Dracula being awakened during WWII to kill some Nazis?
Well, all the crap in between. It was written in epistolary form, like the original Dracula novel. We've got Van Helsing, who wakes Dracula up, who coincidentally (or not) has a daughter named Lucy. A member of the Harker fam shows up, as does Renfield.
There were a lot of scenes of vampire carnage, but then an insta-love story thrown in (gag), and a little Hitler.
I'm sorry, but if you write an alt-history book, and you have Dracula in it, why wouldn't you have him straight up ripping out Hitler's spinal column or something?
I started this book when it came out in October 2016, and picked it back up a few days ago. After reading a few pages, I remembered why I put it away, it moved at a snails pace, and honestly wasn't that interesting. Overall, a yawn.
Well, all the crap in between. It was written in epistolary form, like the original Dracula novel. We've got Van Helsing, who wakes Dracula up, who coincidentally (or not) has a daughter named Lucy. A member of the Harker fam shows up, as does Renfield.
There were a lot of scenes of vampire carnage, but then an insta-love story thrown in (gag), and a little Hitler.
I'm sorry, but if you write an alt-history book, and you have Dracula in it, why wouldn't you have him straight up ripping out Hitler's spinal column or something?
I started this book when it came out in October 2016, and picked it back up a few days ago. After reading a few pages, I remembered why I put it away, it moved at a snails pace, and honestly wasn't that interesting. Overall, a yawn.
Dianne Robbins (1738 KP) rated Dracula (English) (1931) in Movies
Sep 7, 2018
Watch 1931's Dracula starring Bela Lugosi. Then the 1931 Spanish version of Dracula. The American version filmed during the day and the Spanish cast and crew used the exact same sets to film at the exact time, only at night, instead. It's quite a study in film to compare the two. From the cinematography, to the lighting, the sounds, costumes, acting, and more. The Spanish version is very sensual and passionate while the American one is, well, bloodless, but still good.
David McK (3233 KP) rated Vlad: The Last Confession in Books
Jan 30, 2019
Subtitled (on the inner cover) "The Last Confession", this is a fictional re-telling of the story of the 'real' Dracula: not the vampire of Bram Stoker's legend, but of the 15th century Wallachian Prince who lived c. 1390 to Dec 1447. (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vlad_II_Dracul)
It's also not a novel for the squemish: this book doesn't shy away form the reason Dracula would become known as Vlad Tepes (Vlad the Impaler), with some rather explicit passages concerning the same.
It's also not a novel for the squemish: this book doesn't shy away form the reason Dracula would become known as Vlad Tepes (Vlad the Impaler), with some rather explicit passages concerning the same.
Josh Huitt (29 KP) rated Freaks (1932) in Movies
Jul 4, 2019
Following up Dracula, we get this bout an hour drama, with a slight horror twist at the end. Made with actual side show performers, the main 'horror' at the time was people outside the norm.... who actually are the compassionate centerpiece of the movie. Kinda boring really, but I though Dracula was too.... and don t get me wrong, I love some old black n whites. A good watch for cinema history, but not something you're gonna rewatch a lot.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972) in Movies
Mar 16, 2018
Hammer's attempt to make Dracula more with-it succeeds as far as it does despite, rather than because of, the contemporary elements. Dracula pops up in the present day, causes the usual trouble, is disposed of with surprising ease. (The plot is essentially a retread of that of Taste the Blood of Dracula but with more flared trousers and Peter Cushing.)
Christopher Lee's disdain for the whole project is virtually palpable, but Peter Cushing works his usual magic in lifting some rather duff material. Movie may deserve some kind of award for the sheer number of before-they-were-famous people appearing in it. It's not quite actively bad, but it feels much more dated than any of the films set in the 19th century. Somewhat groovy; hardly fab.
Christopher Lee's disdain for the whole project is virtually palpable, but Peter Cushing works his usual magic in lifting some rather duff material. Movie may deserve some kind of award for the sheer number of before-they-were-famous people appearing in it. It's not quite actively bad, but it feels much more dated than any of the films set in the 19th century. Somewhat groovy; hardly fab.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Dracula Untold (2014) in Movies
Apr 9, 2021
Dracula Untold came out around the same time that Game of Thrones was beginning to take off, which would explain why the whole film feels like a poor man's GoT and why it has half of it's cast involved. It only held my interest due to the subject matter of Dracula himself. Luke Evans is a decent enough lead, and this take on Dracula's origin story is engaging to a degree, but underneath the stylish vampire visuals, it's just another sword wielding war film.
I first read Dracula as part of a film and fiction course at University: read the book; watch the film. It is, of course, the most famous of all vampire stories.
Unlike the movie version, the story is told from the point of view of the various secondary characters (who are all writing in their diaries or memoirs): Dracula, himself, is never at the forefront. Rather, he is an ominous shadowy presence in the background throughout. This is actually quite effective: by disassociating the reader from the villain, Stoker manages to both convey the deadly mysteriousness of the Count, and side-steps the danger of the reader sympathizing too much with Dracula, while that character is also able to be abroad during the day-time; just not with the powers he has at night.
Finally, and unlike the film version which bears the same name, in the book Dracula is not given the same back-story: Mina, for instance, is never described as being his long-lost love! In this sense, the film is much more of a Gothic love-story than the original source material!
Unlike the movie version, the story is told from the point of view of the various secondary characters (who are all writing in their diaries or memoirs): Dracula, himself, is never at the forefront. Rather, he is an ominous shadowy presence in the background throughout. This is actually quite effective: by disassociating the reader from the villain, Stoker manages to both convey the deadly mysteriousness of the Count, and side-steps the danger of the reader sympathizing too much with Dracula, while that character is also able to be abroad during the day-time; just not with the powers he has at night.
Finally, and unlike the film version which bears the same name, in the book Dracula is not given the same back-story: Mina, for instance, is never described as being his long-lost love! In this sense, the film is much more of a Gothic love-story than the original source material!
David McK (3233 KP) Apr 6, 2020
Sara Cox (1845 KP) Apr 16, 2020