A Blast from the Past

Film: Dracula
Genre: Classic/Horror
Director: Tod Browning
Actors: Bela Lugosi

Today at USAO, I learned the ability to rediscover the joy and thrill of old 1930's films.

Now, do not misinterpret, I understand the cheesy qualities. I watched Dracula on Netflix yesterday (Netflix is absolutely magical) and I noticed the humorous effects, such as puppet bats and the silly addition of there being cobwebs everywhere. Despite its lesser quality, however, it was actually quite enjoyable.

Dracula, like other films of its time, had talented, dramatic actors and some very interesting characters. The film portrays the attitudes of a different era, giving us insight into the ways of the 1930s such as the women's short hairstyles and so-forth. It also provides a totally different outlook on the common conception of vampires, especially comparitively speaking to the recently popular Twilight Saga. Dracula portrays a malevolent, evil character with a sense of oddity and seduction about him that makes him strangely appealing to the characters in the film, yet sinister at the same time.

Another different outlook the original Dracula provides for us lies within the power of the vampires themselves. The film portrays the vampire as having not only the powers of immortality and transformation into a bat, but also connects the creature with that of a werewolf, mentioning a vampire's particular dislike of wolfsbane, and saying how they cannot only transfigure into that of a bat, but also of a werewolf.

Unfortunately I cannot rate this film due to its time period. However, despite the pitfalls of watching such a primitive movie, they are certainly entertaining and almost educational in their own way. As for myself, I must be in the right mood to watch them. If you find yourself in the mood to watch something different, subtle, and even a little educational, 1930's films are the way to go.

Horror films of the Past:

http://sapolsky.comm.fsu.edu/research/bookch/slasher.html

Director Tod Browning Bio:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0115218/

Bela Lugosi Bio:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000509/