Dracula (Spanish-language version)

Dracula (Spanish version)
Theatrical release poster.
Directed by	George Melford
Produced by	Paul Kohner Carl Laemmle, Jr.
Written by	Novel: Bram Stoker Stage Play: Hamilton Deane John L. Balderston Screenplay: Baltasar Fernández Cué
Starring	Carlos Villarías Lupita Tovar Barry Norton Pablo Álvarez Rubio Eduardo Arozamena
Cinematography	George Robinson
Editing by	Arthur Tavares (as Arturo Tavares)
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date(s)	1931 (1931)
Running time	104 minutes
Country	United States
Language	Spanish Hungarian
Budget	$66,000

Drácula is a 1931 American Spanish-language horror film directed by George Melford. It is an adaptation of the 1897 novel of the same name by Bram Stoker and was filmed during the night on the same sets that were being used for the 1931 English-language film of the same name. In the early days of sound, it was common for Hollywood studios to produce foreign-language versions of their films (usually in French, Spanish and German) using the same sets and costumes. Most of these versions no longer survive, however the Spanish version of Dracula is an exception. Of the cast, only Carlos Villarías was permitted to see rushes of the English-language film starring Bela Lugosi and was encouraged to imitate the other man's performance.

In recent years this version has become more highly praised by some than the English-language version. The Spanish crew had the advantage of watching the dailies from the English crew's version when they came in for the evening and they would figure out better camera angles and more effective use of lighting in an attempt to "top" it. As a result, this version's supporters consider it to be much more artistically effective.

The Spanish semiologist Roman Gubern considers that the longer duration allows better development of the plot in spite of the shortened shooting time and smaller budget.

The Spanish version was included as a bonus feature on the Classic Monster Collection DVD in 1999, the Legacy Collection DVD in 2004 and the 75th Anniversary Edition DVD set in 2006. Included was an interview with Lupita Tovar, who had married producer Paul Kohner two years after filming. The film had earlier been reissued in its own right on VHS.

Cast (in credits order)

• Carlos Villarias as Conde Dracula
• Lupita Tovar as Eva Seward
• Barry Norton as Juan Harker
• Pablo Alvarez Rubio as Renfield
• Eduardo Arozamena as Professor Van Helsing
• Jose Soriano Viosca as Dr Seward
• Carmen Guerrero as Lucia Weston
• Amelia Senisterra as Marta
• Manuel Arbo as Martin

Plot summary

Renfield, a solicitor, makes a journey into Transylvania via stagecoach. He mentions his destination, Castle Dracula, to the locals who react with alarm. They tell him Count Dracula is a vampire and when he doesn't believe them, one insists he wear a cross. When he arrives at the Castle, the Count bids him welcome. After drinking drugged wine, Renfield drops the cross and is bitten.

Aboard ship, a now-enslaved Renfield laughs maniacally below as Dracula picks off the crew one by one. When the ship reaches England, he is the only living person found.

Dracula meets Dr. Seward and his family at the Opera. Lucia is completely fascinated by him and that night becomes his victim. Professor Van Helsing is called in, and he recognizes the danger for what it is. He also realizes that Dr. Seward's patient Renfield is somehow tied up in events. But soon after meeting the Doctor's new neighbor, Dracula, he figures out who is a vampire—based on the fact Dracula casts no reflection in the mirror. Not a moment too soon, because by now Seward's daughter Eva is falling under his spell. To her horror, she feels increasingly weak and also increasingly wild—at one point attacking her fiancee Juan.

With Seward's and Harker's help, Van Helsing seeks to trap Dracula but he outwits them and escapes with Eva by seizing control of a nurse's mind. They follow Renfield into Carfax Abbey—an act which ends with Dracula killing his slave by strangulation then tossing him from a tall staircase. Deep in the catacombs under Carfax, they find Dracula asleep and Eva, still alive. Van Helsing drives a stake through the vampire's heart.

Notes

See also

• List of American films of 1931
• Dracula (1979 film) which is based on the same Deane/Balderston play
• Universal Monsters

References

• David J. Skal (2004). Hollywood Gothic : The Tangled Web of Dracula from Novel to Stage to Screen ISBN 978-0-571-21158-6

External links

• Drácula at the Internet Movie Database
• Drácula at AllRovi