Rating the “Dracula” Franchise – flickchart: the weblog

Hearken to them, Flickcharters of the night time! What rating they make! Sure, it’s that day once more: the ninth annual Halloween Flickchart Horror Franchise rating is right here.

Final yr we started a sub-project of working by means of the entire basic Common horror franchises, beginning with the Wolf Man movies. This yr, we flip to arguably essentially the most well-known and iconic determine in all of horror literature and horror cinema: Rely Dracula! Vampire fiction stands proper alongside zombie fiction as probably the most visited horror subgenres, and the blood-drinking aristocrats of the monster world have had a number of surges of recognition all through the many years, resulting in numerous takes on the fabric from Anne Rice to Stephen King to True Blood, Twilight, and The Vampire Diaries.

But it surely all actually begins with Dracula. Whereas probably not the primary vampire (the idea traces again into the folklore and mythology of a number of cultures), it was Bram Stoker’s novel that served because the definitive work and centralized the lore in a extensively accessible format, much like how J.R.R. Tolkien would outline western fantasy along with his famed The Lord of the Rings. Stoker’s titular Rely moved vampires from purely monstrous to one thing extra sophisticated. Rely Dracula is a refined man of tradition, with a gentlemanly suave making him alluring and sultry.

It’s this attribute, above the worry of crosses, operating water, and the necessity to drink blood and sleep in coffins that really formed vampires within the collective aware. This dichotomy of lustful attract and monstrous wishes has run by means of most vampire fiction ever since.

Whereas there are actually 100 completely different movies that includes Dracula on Flickchart, this text will confine itself to these produced by Common. A future definitive rating of all Dracula movies might come sometime, however that might be outdoors the scope of this Common challenge. For the primary time we should characteristic a number of repeat movies, as Dracula appeared alongside the Wolf Man in some movies from The Wolf Man rating.

9. Van Helsing (2004)

Whereas the Marvel Cinematic Universe has turn into the go-to definition of a cinematic universe, Common beat them to the punch by many many years. Although the early iterations had a unfastened definition of canon, they have been nonetheless crossing their monsters over. However even earlier than the MCU, Common had schemes of reigniting the shared monster idea, and it culminated in Van Helsing.

Banking on Hugh Jackman‘s star energy on the time, the movie takes the motion strategy by turning the famed vampire hunter from Stoker’s novel right into a grumpy but wise-cracking hero who has to group up with Kate Beckinsale and David Wenham to tackle the evil schemes of Rely Dracula. That includes Frankenstein’s monster as an essential plot level, in addition to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Van Helsing seeks to channel the shared monster power of yesteryear.

Sadly, director and author Stephen Sommers turned in a sloppy work. With a generic script, horrible results, and an general lack of awareness about why the Common monster movies work, Van Helsing is a drag. Helsing will get naked characterization, seemingly written as an amnesiac just because Jackman’s Wolverine was one, and there’s an totally unsatisfying decision to that thriller. Jackman is charismatic sufficient, however even he can do little with this paltry materials. Kate Beckinsale appears simply as misplaced, and Wenham tries to channel an Igor-like sense of goofy humor because the Q to Helsing’s Bond, however is usually unmemorable.

The introduction sequence of the movie is a enjoyable throwback to the ending of Frankenstein, however that’s about the place the enjoyable ends. The motion is generic, Richard Roxburgh‘s Dracula is forgettable, and the plot and characters go away little so that you can sink your tooth into. Not one of the foreboding sense of horror is on this film, and it’s best left forgotten as a relic of its period.

International Rating: #6,616
20/100 on Flickchart’s Dracula filter
Wins 25% of its matchups
4261 customers have it of their high 20

8. Dracula Untold (2014)

Seemingly not glad with the failure of Van Helsing, Common tried once more to reboot the Common monsters as a shared universe. This time, it adopted on the success of the MCU. However as soon as once more, they did not seize the viewers creativeness. Common truly removed the shared universe connections in Dracula Untold earlier than launch, considering they may do higher with The Mummy (spoiler: they didn’t).

Dracula Untold is yet one more generic motion movie bereft of any compelling components or any understanding of why Common monster movies work. This one goals to be an origin story for Rely Dracula, casting Luke Evans as Vlad “the Impaler” Dracula and making him a noble hero who takes on vampirism as a method to save his individuals from the evil invading drive that’s the Ottomans. There are actually no plot twists or turns previous that. That single sentence so totally describes every thing that occurs that it’s merely unhappy.

The script makes an attempt to have some inner conflicts for Dracula within the type of being tempted by his darkish powers and having a seeming brotherhood with the Ottoman chief, performed in a hilariously over-the-top flip by Dominic Cooper (who additionally seems to be scarily like Evans). However neither of those components are significantly compelling. Cooper is barely within the movie, and there isn’t any actual temptation for Dracula due to how damned noble the movie makes him. Every little thing he does is written to be so clearly justified that it doesn’t really feel like significant battle within the slightest.

The movie additionally fails as an motion story. The thought of a strong vampire mowing down troopers like Dynasty Warriors doesn’t appear to be an thought solely bereft of potential. However the filmmakers couldn’t appear to consider something previous having him consistently flip right into a swarm of CGI bats and punch individuals. The motion scenes get boring in a short time and really feel low-effort. Since these are purported to be the centerpieces of an motion movie, their failure rapidly pulls the complete factor down.

This one will get delicate bonus factors for the obscure makes an attempt at historicity and letting Charles Dance lend his gravitas to the unique vampire that cursed Dracula. A minimum of it isn’t as horrendously silly as Van Helsing, however it commits the sin of being extraordinarily bland. It lacks intriguing pictures, memorable battles, or depthful characters. And as soon as once more, it isn’t scary. Making an attempt to make a Marvelized model of a horror character simply looks as if a unsuitable strategy.

International Rating: #13,705
37/100 on Flickchart’s Dracula filter
Wins 38% of its matchups
5 customers have it of their high 20

7. Home of Frankenstein (1944)

We reviewed this movie in The Wolf Man rating and have largely the identical ideas this time round. Whereas it needs to boast that it’s the primary main crossover movie for Common, it so totally separates the parts that includes every monster in order to really feel like two completely different movies mashed collectively. All the first half of the movie is the one portion to characteristic Dracula, and he’s resurrected and vanquished earlier than Frankenstein ever walks throughout the display screen.

Examined as a Dracula movie, it’s a somewhat bland outing for the Rely. A mad scientist breaks freed from jail and recruits a hunchback to assist him, and so they simply occur to bump into a touring showman who in some way has the corpse of Dracula. They kill the showman, revive Dracula, and try and bend Dracula to their will. John Carradine‘s first go because the well-known Rely has not one of the gravitas of Bela Lugosi, and he truthfully isn’t given a lot to do. The movie additionally has his destruction happen purely as a result of Dracula forgets to get out of the solar in time, making the Rely appear like a idiot.

Aside from the occasional neat shot right here and there, and Lon Chaney‘s presence as Larry, Home of Frankenstein is essentially a drag of a film. Provided that Common needed to piece this collectively in a haphazard method, it’s not stunning that it merely doesn’t work. Whereas it truly has some first rate pictures, not like the 2 extra trendy movies, it isn’t actually any much less bland than the 2 movies under it.

International Rating: #4,100
14/100 on Flickchart’s Dracula filter
Wins 40% of its matchups
7 customers have it of their high 20

6. Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)

The comedy hijinks of Abbott and Costello don’t appear essentially the most pure match for horrific monsters, however they have been beneath contract with Common, and utilizing the entire studio’s belongings to earn money gave the impression to be Common’s precedence even again within the 40s. Abbott and Costello famously hated the idea, and it made the manufacturing fairly troubled. Nonetheless, this was one of many highest-grossing movies in the complete Common roster and it appeared to click on for individuals.

The satirical parody appears to overly mock Common’s personal monsters to a degree the place one wonders what the purpose is meant to be. Abbott and Costello handle some humorous moments right here and there, and the script has some good jokes. But the complete movie is so goofy in tone that it feels low stakes and missing in consequence.

So far as Dracula goes, that is the one time Bela Lugosi ever formally reprised his position. Like within the different crossover movies, Dracula is used because the schemer, manipulating the opposite monsters and people to perform his obscure ends of ruling the world or some such. It’s enjoyable to see Lugosi again within the position, and he’s by no means requested to do something too overly comical, not like The Wolf Man and Frankenstein. For followers of Dracula, this movie most likely does the least harm to his character.

The movie is humorous sufficient that it isn’t solely a slog. It has the potential of being one thing iconic in its personal method. However Abbott and Costello’s resistance to the topic and a script that doesn’t get as sharp and wry because it may maintain this movie again, even when it does give us one final good hurrah for Lugosi’s Dracula.

International Rating: #1,372
5/100 on Flickchart’s Dracula filter
Wins 33% of its matchups
42 customers have it of their high 20

5. Son of Dracula (1943)

Not like a lot of the different Common monsters, Dracula by no means actually obtained direct sequels. Dracula doesn’t present up within the two official follow-ups to the unique movie, not less than indirectly. In that method, Dracula‘s sequels are maybe essentially the most intriguing of the bunch. Son of Dracula is the second sequel. Directed by Robert Siodmak, it options Lon Chaney Jr. of all individuals as Rely Alucard, this movie’s model of the vampiric depend. Lengthy earlier than Castlevania, this movie requested you take a look at what the identify spells backwards.

Among the many extra attention-grabbing decisions, Son of Dracula is about within the southern United States and follows Katherine Caldwell as an heiress to a Louisiana plantation. She has been secretly courting Rely Alucard and invitations him to the US and marries him the place he appears to rapidly take over her life. Makes an attempt by Katherine’s ex-boyfriend to kill him fail and it appears his energy is absolute.

Whereas the movie appears to bear the everyday discovery of the vampire and hunt him down plotline, Son of Dracula provides a few intrigues to the script and takes the story in some surprising instructions. Mixed with Siodmak truly having some visible aptitude, Son of Dracula seems to be a reasonably intriguing movie. Chaney doesn’t fairly have the grandeur that Lugosi has, however his personal strengths as an actor render Rely Alucard into an attention-grabbing character. And Siodmak, who would go on to direct some notable movies noir, demonstrates his mastery of the digital camera with some hanging visuals.

There are facets of Son of Dracula which can be goofy and melodramatic. Such is the wrestle when you might have actors of various abilities in these movies. However given how poorly a few of these movies are made, Son of Dracula stands out for its moody atmospheric moments and never dangerous particular results. With some tweaks, this might need surpassed even the unique.

International Rating: #7,520
25/100 on Flickchart’s Dracula filter
Wins 37% of its matchups
1 person has it of their high 20

4. Home of Dracula (1945)

The second Home movie stays the higher one. Mashing up the entire Common creatures once more, Home of Dracula is a semi-sequel to Home of Frankenstein, although is probably the closest movie as to really following the occasions of the earlier movie. This one is titled options the titular Rely as far more of a driving drive than in Home of Frankenstein. John Carradine returns within the position and offers his finest efficiency, if once more not as iconic as Lugosi’s.

Whereas as soon as once more centering on a mad scientist’s interactions with the corporate of Common monsters, Dracula’s drive of will turns into a serious characteristic… as does his stunning need to be cured of vampirism. If there’s something this movie does nicely, it’s demonstrating how the entire numerous situations of the creatures are curses that they need to be rid of. Dracula clashes with the physician, who instantly searches for a method to destroy Dracula, which fuels the movie’s drama.

Director Erle C. Kenton makes this movie distinct because of its robust Val Lewton-inspired images and sense of ethical battle. It is a movie that understands the darkness of monstrosity and represents it within the visuals of the movie and within the conflicts every character faces. This strategy is harm by the truth that not one of the characters have significantly compelling characterization, and Dracula’s personal need for a treatment is barely explored. However that the movie makes such overtures in any respect makes it extra compelling than many chunks of the Common catalogue. That is the closest Common received to doing the mashup film proper.

International Rating: #3,889
12/100 on Flickchart’s Dracula filter
Wins 40% of its matchups
1 person has it of their high 20

3. Dracula’s Daughter (1936)

With Dracula‘s success, and that of Bride of Frankenstein, Common started to appreciate that its troop of monsters could possibly be fairly profitable. Sequels may preserve the cash flowing. Common subsequently rushed into manufacturing a sequel to Dracula, although the titular Rely’s dying on the finish of the primary movie offered an issue. What adopted was a sophisticated rights battle for a chapter faraway from the Stoker novel to make use of as an adaptation.

Sarcastically, regardless of this large rights battle, trendy scholarship finds that the movie bears little resemblance to that chapter, and extra to the novel Carmilla, one of many first British works to take care of a lesbian relationship. And certainly, the lesbian undertones of Dracula’s Daughter have fueled a lot of the scholarship on this movie within the many years since its launch, somewhat than its content material as a follow-up to Dracula.

On the floor stage, the movie follows Countess Marya Zaleska, a daughter of Dracula and vampire herself who seeks to be freed from her father’s affect; even from dying he appears in a position to drive her into darkness. Edward Van Sloan returns as Van Helsing, renamed as Von Helsing for no clear purpose. Funnily, he begins the movie beneath arrest and should attempt to persuade the policemen that he simply slayed a vampiric depend somewhat than a rich baron and his servant.

The plotting from there’s considerably naked, as Von Helsing is shoved apart in favor of the Countess’s makes an attempt to treatment herself of vampirism or to beat the temptations of feasting on blood. However the movie has attracted consideration due to director Lambert Hillyer‘s route and decisions that contain Dracula’s daughter taking a younger girl beneath her wing and finally succumbing to her need to feast upon her. One can guess the purpose of this metaphorical storytelling, particularly when wanting on the method Hillyer frames the pictures.

This isn’t only a post-release studying, both. The Manufacturing Code Administration seen it throughout manufacturing and made notes about particular dealing with of the scenes to keep away from questionable implications. Critiques have been break up between those that seen the undertones and condemned them, those that didn’t discover, and people debating whether or not the movie is pro- or anti-lesbian.

None of this is able to actually matter if the movie wasn’t shot nicely, and by chance the facility of those sequences and Gloria Holden‘s efficiency makes all of it work. Regardless of the tasteless seek for a treatment that leads in direction of little, it’s the implications of the plot and the imagery that basically makes this movie tick. Whereas these hoping for extra of the particular Rely shall be upset, one can credit score this for being a genuinely artistic sequel and an try and do one thing completely different.

This movie virtually obtained a remake, as this yr’s Abigail started growth as one. Started is the important thing phrase, as anybody who has seen Abigail is aware of that it bears basically no resemblance to Dracula’s Daughter. Its legacy stays its personal.

International Rating: #4,164
16/100 on Flickchart’s Dracula filter
Wins 38% of its matchups
6 customers have it of their high 20

2. Dracula (1931)

Whereas not the primary monster movie produced by Common, Dracula is actually the primary one that may be credited for being actually iconic, and it was arguably the beginning of the fashionable horror style in movie. Director Tod Browning first made his foray into sound photos two years earlier, which led to his relationship with Bela Lugosi. The manufacturing of their earlier movie was troubled by a few of Browning’s odd decisions, however it will be these odd decisions that received Browning excited about producing an adaptation of the Stoker’s famed story.

Nonetheless, there have been a number of curious detours alongside the best way. First, this movie isn’t a direct adaptation of the novel, however somewhat of a stage adaptation. Rights points made straight adapting Stoker’s novel troublesome. Additional, Lon Chaney (senior) was initially forged as Dracula, and it was solely his dying from lung most cancers that prevented him from showing within the position. As a result of Lugosi enjoying the half on stage for years, he was the clear subsequent alternative. Whereas unhappy for Chaney, it opened the best way for what’s the most iconic horror efficiency of all time.

Lugosi’s tackle the Rely remains to be the movie’s defining characteristic. He embraced the movie’s willingness to intensify his and the character’s Japanese European-ness. His supply of Stoker’s iconic dialogue instantly left an impression, one that also lingers within the mind of individuals almost 100 years later. From his facial expressions to physique language and fierce nature, he nonetheless defines the character.

Regardless of the enduring nature of the position, Dracula is not any masterpiece of a movie. Maybe because of Browning’s reported lack of enthusiasm for the challenge following Chaney’s dying, the storytelling of Dracula can really feel a bit inert. It gives a rushed rendering of the novel’s plot, combining characters in an unsatisfactory method and turning into greater than a bit staid after Dracula reaches England. Many scenes are shot at vast angles and have actors standing round and speaking with little visible motion happening.

That’s to not say Browning’s directorial efforts are solely fruitless. Dracula does characteristic some attention-grabbing visuals, together with the notable pushed zooms onto Lugosi’s face as Dracula wields his vampiric telepathic powers. These pictures of sunshine throughout his eyes are iconic and have been imitated within the many years since. The vast angle shot of Dracula in his cobweb-filled fort greeting Renfield instantly conjures environment.

Regardless of being the vampire movie, it funnily options no transformation right into a bat or rat, no chunk marks on a sufferer’s neck or flowing of blood, or not one of the darkness one may affiliate with darkish energy of a vampire. It’s a stale rendition of the story in that regard. It options intertitles and silent scenes of newspapers, seeming to bear hallmarks of the silent period in ways in which maintain it again. Dracula is way from a masterpiece, regardless of its well-known nature and Lugosi’s sheer charisma. Nonetheless, it stands above a lot of the remainder of its franchise for the strengths it does have, and it is just topped by one different movie….

International Rating: #635
2/100 on Flickchart’s Dracula filter
Wins 48% of its matchups
134 customers have it of their high 20

1. Dracula (Spanish) (1931)

The king of the record comes out of a really distinctive development in Hollywood within the Nineteen Thirties. International markets have been already a key a part of the underside line for Hollywood studios within the 20s. As talkies turned distinguished, Hollywood confronted the wrestle of exporting these movies, as they may not merely change the language within the intertitles as they may with silent movies. Hollywood solved this drawback by using the identical units, costumes, and script from their English-language productions, and easily bringing in actors who may communicate the mandatory languages. By the tip of the 20s, Common was particularly targeted on Spanish-language cinema.

That is why this model of Dracula happened. Whereas it’s ostensibly only a different-language model of the Browning movie, and is usually included as a bonus characteristic on bodily media releases of Dracula, it’s solely its personal expertise. Directed by George Melford as a substitute of Browning, it was filmed at night time when Browning’s crew left for the day, making it actually the creature of the night time.

Perhaps as a result of it was filmed at night time, or possibly due to Melford’s larger enthusiasm, the ultimate product is superior to the extra well-known model. Melford doesn’t tempo his movie as lackadaisically as Browning’s. He brings scenes to life with a extra enthusiastic and concerned forged. Melford’s digital camera is extra dynamic, transferring amongst the units with extra diversified and attention-grabbing pictures, not content material to easily sit at a large angle as is usually the case in Browning’s movie. This extra creeping strategy lends the complete movie a stronger and sinister environment. Lupita Tovar actually shines as Eva Seward, the movie’s personal riff on the primary love curiosity of the protagonist. She is sultry and tempting, making Dracula’s pursuit of her tackle a darker, extra sexual undertone.

That’s to not say it compares favorably in each side. Regardless of the general higher cinematography, there’s arguably no shot as iconic as Browning’s close-ups of Lugosi’s eyes. In reality, this movie’s makes an attempt at replicating these pictures underscores the largest detriment: no Bela Lugosi. Whereas Carlos Villarias‘ tackle Dracula isn’t horrible, it additionally isn’t significantly robust. In using the road between over-acting and powerful presence, Villarias falls over it and comes throughout as somewhat hokey, like a comedy movie’s model of Dracula. He’s onerous to take significantly as a menacing menace, particularly while you evaluate him to the pure gravitas of Lugosi. These close-ups of Villarias’s eyes as he makes use of his psychic powers lack the mystique of the English model.

Whilst you do lose Lugosi, Dracula‘s Spanish model makes up for it in different methods and stands as one of the best Common movie to characteristic Dracula. This movie isn’t an all-time nice, as Dracula movies are surprisingly a weaker wing of the Common Monsters world. However for one of the best, most moody tackle the fabric, look no farther than this oddity.