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 …show more content…
This is much different form the novel version of the Count, who Harker describes as a monster will wants to “satiate his lust for blood, and create a new and ever-widening circle of semi-demons to batten on the helpless” (Stoker 53) Another difference that is different in Dracula’s film version is how he is killed. In the book, Harker slits his throat after a climatic chase and battle, and immediately turns to dust (Stoker 325). This battle still occurs in Coppola’s version; however, he is eventually killed by Mina and the act is seen as one of compassion and kindness. Stoker does not explore this idea in his novel. Stoker does not explore this idea in the novel, as doing so would have taken away from the frightening, undead character that he was trying to create. This is not to say that Coppola was wrong to go this route, however, only that the perception of vampires had shifted and he needed something to fit along with this shift. On top of this, Coppola also decided to make his movie much more erotic portrayal of many characters in the film. This starts with the brides, who have a much more sexual way of approaching Jonathan than in the book. The sexual tone continues into how Lucy is depicted in the film. Lucy originally had more of a sexual undertone than the other characters in the book. For example, she
Throughout the novel Dracula, the text prominently features the ‘uncanny.’ In literature and other texts, the uncanny refers to an unfamiliarity that is frightening familiar. It’s presence in Dracula is obvious as we and the novel characters see Dracula as uncanny. Both appropriations of Dracula, Nosferatu (1922) and Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992), reflect their context and hence reflect the values, idea and themes prominent in their context. Nosferatu resembles its isolated German Expressionist Cinema context through its jewish propaganda portrayed by many techniques, most notably its heavy use of dramatic lighting. Bram Stoker’s Dracula’s contrasting themes include its romanticisation of Dracula which expresses the romantic notions prominent
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 word blood is not used in the novel until a few chapters in, but is a major motif. Blood symbolizes life in Dracula, because in every situation characters seem to be struggling without it. The Count is always craving it while some of the characters are constantly lacking it. As the readers all know Count is a vampire, but the characters are clueless throughout the beginning of the book, when poor Lucy is suffering. As Harker is a prisoner in Dracula’s castle, Dracula makes sure that it is clear to Harker that blood is something everyone should cherish. Harker thinks he is going crazy because of the weird sights, smells, and fears he has encountered while staying with the Count. Although he thinks he is becoming crazy everything that he think is unrealistically happening is actually happening.
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
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
The reader can tell when Harker has let his control slip out of his own grasp, when he says things such as “I shall fear to doubt what he may say” (Stoker, 49). He is scared at The Count’s castle because he does not know him well, only knows of him and also because he does not know what he is capable of. A vigorous scene that Harker encountered as he awoke: “As my eyes opened involuntarily I saw his strong hand gasp the slender neck of the fair women… blue eyes transformed with fury, the white teeth champing with rage”(Stoker, 51). For a person who keeps to him self, Count has vaulted hidden strength. Once he had witness this it changed his complete perspective on The Count.
The world of copyright was just as convoluted in the 1920’s as it is in our world today. The film studio Prana Film, which produced the 1922 German Expressionist film Nosferatu, was sued for copyright infringement by the estate of Bram Stoker, the author of the 1897 Gothic Horror novel Dracula, and ended up filing for bankruptcy after only distributing one film. While this may seem like an immense failure for the studio behind the silent film, it ended up influencing almost a century of vampires, in novels, television, and other films, and made the name ‘Nosferatu’ synonymous with the equally influential novel that it was based upon. On the surface, Nosferatu is a blatant copy of Dracula, from it’s plot, to the characters (besides the change in names), to the portrayal of vampires in general; in reality, many aspects of both bodies of work differ immensely from one another, providing both Stoker and director F. W. Murnau pieces that have influenced generations of vampire media. The structure, characterization and overall tone of Nosferatu is developed differently than Dracula in order to differentiate itself from it’s source material and provide an alternate adaptation of an iconic tale.
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.
Dracula – When you see Dracula in the film he is clad in red armour
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.
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
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 late nineteenth century Irish novelist, Bram Stoker is most famous for creating Dracula, one of the most popular and well-known vampire stories ever written. Dracula is a gothic, “horror novel about a vampire named Count Dracula who is looking to move from his native country of Transylvania to England” (Shmoop Editorial Team). Unbeknownst of Dracula’s plans, Jonathan Harker, a young English lawyer, traveled to Castle Dracula to help the count with his plans and talk to him about all his options. At first Jonathan was surprised by the Count’s knowledge, politeness, and overall hospitality. However, the longer Jonathan remained in the castle the more uneasy and suspicious he became as he began to realize just how strange and different
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.
Coppola focuses too much upon the personal struggles of Dracula himself and the audience feels a great deal of pity towards Dracula. The genius of Stoker was that his Dracula caused readers to feel both sympathy and at the same time hatred towards the monster. James Craig Holte illustrates this point when he says: