Bites of Dracula

The first appearance of a "Dracula" like character to appear on film.






















 This was the first Dracula type character in film. In the first movie he was not called  Dracula but Nosferatu. The way this character looks is very different then what people would think of a vampire.  He has very long and skinny fingers, pointy ears, and rat like teeth. As the Dracula films have been produced, the depiction of Dracula has changed. He starts as a very rat like character and then moves into to our view of a "traditional vampire."    

 Nosferatu. Dir F. W. Murnau. Pref. Max Scherck, Greta Schroder, Ruth Lanshoff. 1922


The actual first appearance of Dracula in film. 



This is the most iconic Dracula character in film. With the actor Bela Lugosi playing the key role as Dracula. This is the "traditional vampire" character. He has the dark slicked back hair. The first time Dracula is in a tuxedo. This was the first major change to the Dracula character. In this film they focus on his eyes as his way to control people. This film is when he starts to get more power.
Dracula. Dir.Todd Browning. Pref. Bela Lugosi, Helen Chandler, David Manners. 1931 

By Jimmy Stamp

smithsonianmag.com
October 31, 2012

Read more: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/why-does-dracula-wear-a-tuxedo-the-origins-of-bram-stokers-timeless-vampire-101868474/#SHoreFvMqW4LmRwj.99
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Why Does Dracula Wear a Tuxedo? The Origins of Bram Stoker’s Timeless Vampire


Read more: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/why-does-dracula-wear-a-tuxedo-the-origins-of-bram-stokers-timeless-vampire-101868474/#SHoreFvMqW4LmRwj.99
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Why Does Dracula Wear a Tuxedo? The Origins of Bram Stoker’s Timeless Vampire


Read more: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/why-does-dracula-wear-a-tuxedo-the-origins-of-bram-stokers-timeless-vampire-101868474/#SHoreFvMqW4LmRwj.99
Give the gift of Smithsonian magazine for only $12! http://bit.ly/1cGUiGv
Follow us: @SmithsonianMag on Twitter

Why Does Dracula Wear a Tuxedo? The Origins of Bram Stoker’s Timeless Vampire


Read more: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/why-does-dracula-wear-a-tuxedo-the-origins-of-bram-stokers-timeless-vampire-101868474/#SHoreFvMqW4LmRwj.99
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Another Dracula that has changed in film. This Dracula fits the mold of the Bela Lugosi Dracula. He wears the tuxedo and they focus on the eyes. In this film his eyes turn red after he attacks some one. His teeth are more of the traditional vampire teeth. The directors put more of an emphasis on Dracula's mouth after an attack, they make his mouth all bloody.
Horror of Dracula. Dir.Terence Fisher. Pref. Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Michael Gough. 1958 
 

In this version of Dracula he has a mustache, the first time Dracula has facial hair. This Dracula is the first Dracula that starts from an old man to a much younger man as the movie progresses. Each time that he attacks some one and sucks their blood it make him look younger and he gets stronger.  

Count Dracula. Dir Jesús Franco. Pref. Christopher Lee, Herbert Lom, Klaus Kinski. 1970 


In this version of Dracula the Dracula character is not as creepy looking as before. He still as most of the characteristics that the previous Dracula's have. The long canine teeth. The hair is sort of slicked back. He does not have a mustache. though. This is going back to try to represent the more iconic Dracula that Bela Lugosi played.  
Dracula. Dir. Dan Curtis. Pref. Jack Palance, Simon Ward, Nigel Davenport. 1992

The last Version of Dracula that follows Bram Stoker's Dracula book.


In this version Dracula starts out very old. He is a tall thin man with pale skin. His fingers are long and skinny, almost resembling the fingers of Nosferatu. What Dracula wears in this movie changes dramatically, in the beginning he wears a long red rob instead of a tuxedo. As the movie progresses he starts to get younger looking as he gets stronger. The picture below shows him as a younger man.

 
This is the younger Dracula from Bram Stoker's Dracula. He wears clothes that would fit in to the people around him when he is in London. This way no one can tell that he is the bad guy. When he is the younger Dracula it is easier for him to seduce Mina. This is when Dracula starts to look like a normal person.

Dracula. Dir. Francis Ford Coppola. Pref. Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, Anthony Hopkins. 1992

This Dracula from the movie Van Helsing looks like a normal person. He fits in to the city that he is in. He no longer wears the tuxedo. He wears a vest type jacket. He does not have the normal vampire teeth that you expect  to see in a vampire movie,

Van Helsing. Dir. Stephen Sommers. Pref. Hugh Jackman, Kate Beckinsale, Richard Roxburgh. 2004

 

In this clip from the movie Blade Trinity, Dracula does not look anything like the other Dracula's we have seen. He is so much bigger than the other Dracula's. He is very muscular, showing his true power. He also completely changes in to a monster. None of the other ones turned into a monster like that. 

   

 Blade Trinity. Dir. David S. Goyer. Perf. Wesley Snipes, Kris Kristofferson, Parker Posey.
New Line Cinema, 2004. Film
Rabbi Ishmael  "blade vs. dracula (full fight)". youtube. youtube. nd. Web. 24 April. 2014 ;2:30
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkWOaXFrrEU

This is the latest version of Dracula. He is very different from the iconic Dracula. He is like the more recent Dracula characters. Where he looks like a normal person and blends in with the people around him. This character goes back the the having the long canine teeth like a vampire would normally have.

Dracula. Dir. Cole Haddon. Pref. Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Jessica De Gouw, Thomas Kretschmann. 2013