Brad Nelson
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עַבְדְּךָ֔ אֶת־ הַתְּשׁוּעָ֥ה הַגְּדֹלָ֖ה הַזֹּ֑את
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Dracula
Jul 27, 2021 7:25:50 GMT -8
Post by Brad Nelson on Jul 27, 2021 7:25:50 GMT -8
They’ve got three Christopher Lee Dracula movies on the Movieland TV channel. I’ve watched them out of order. But the other night I watched the first in the series: Horror of Dracula (listed as simply “Dracula” on this channel). This is the best of the three. And with Christopher Lee in the role, Dracula isn’t horrible, he’s more dangerously stylish. He’s not a monster, per se. He even has very good taste in women. But Jonathan Harker seeks him out at his castle, accepting a job under false pretenses as Dracula’s librarian. Guess how that ends: Peter Cushing, as Dr. Van Helsing, then must follow up the trail of his friend and try to do what his friend could not: kill the undead Dracula. Or, perhaps as Richard Benjamin would say to Dick Shawn, “He’s already dead.” But Van Helsing does establish that crosses, garlic, and sunlight are weapons to be used against him. But Van Helsing notes that the idea that a vampire can turn into a bat, for instance, is mere myth. And there’s no talk about a vampire avoiding mirrors because his image cannot be seen, at least not in this movie. This is another of the Lee movies wherein Dracula isn’t particularly clever or sinister. He doesn’t have to be. The protagonists are all pretty much idiots and make it easy for him. But, of course, Dracula must die again (fried by sunlight)…only to be resurrected (his dust reconstituted…just add water) under some half-baked pretense in the next film. That next film (also on Movieland TV) is Dracula: Prince of Darkness. This one gets unintentionally funny as two couples traveling in eastern Europe desire to visit Dracula’s castle, despite repeated and dire warnings from the locals. What could go wrong? Everything. They make is to easy for The Prince of Darkness. But, again, he is somehow killed (drowned) in the end only to be resurrected (blood enters his mouth from a wound while frozen in ice) for… Dracula Has Risen From the Grave. The first two films are very watchable. This one is a bit of a stinker — true b-movie material and acting. Not much to recommend it except for watching it with an eye for unintentional humor. They have some other Dracula movies, including Dracula A.D., which appears to be #7 in the Lee series.
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Dracula
Jul 27, 2021 8:48:56 GMT -8
Post by kungfuzu on Jul 27, 2021 8:48:56 GMT -8
I have only seen the last 30 minutes or so of this film, but I found its background story on Dracula very good. In fact, I think the idea on his origins is the best I have ever encountered. Dracula 2000
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Brad Nelson
Administrator
עַבְדְּךָ֔ אֶת־ הַתְּשׁוּעָ֥ה הַגְּדֹלָ֖ה הַזֹּ֑את
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Dracula
Jul 27, 2021 8:56:20 GMT -8
Post by Brad Nelson on Jul 27, 2021 8:56:20 GMT -8
i’m not sure if i’ve seen that one I might check it out.
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Brad Nelson
Administrator
עַבְדְּךָ֔ אֶת־ הַתְּשׁוּעָ֥ה הַגְּדֹלָ֖ה הַזֹּ֑את
Posts: 11,008
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Dracula
Jul 29, 2021 6:24:11 GMT -8
Post by Brad Nelson on Jul 29, 2021 6:24:11 GMT -8
1970’s Scars of Dracula is yet another Hammer Film Production with Christopher Lee as Dracula. Most of these movie are carbon copies of each other with perhaps a few plot elements added or moved around. Dennis Waterman (just a few years before his co-starring role in The Sweeney with John Thaw) is the main protagonist. Yes, once again, someone’s girlfriend or fiancé is in danger from The Evil One. Although I wouldn’t consider Dennis Waterman the best actor in the world, he brings a sense of realism to the role. Mostly that’s by not being a goofball. I guess you can’t help what lines you’re forced to say. But his role as the hero is much less b-movie than most of the others so far. Jenny Hanley is the scrumptious bit who is the designated damsel in distress and finds a reason to go around in her nightgown for most of the picture. And the way that Dracula is dispatched this time, we add another element to the lore: Not just a stake through the heart but fire can kill him as well. Other elements added by previous or later movies (I’m watching one now) is: Dracula can’t cross running water, he can turn into a bat (they flip-flopped on this), and he can’t see his reflection in the mirror. The big three remain: Stake through the heart, garlic, and aversion to a cross. In the movie I’m currently watching (again, on Movieland TV), The Brides of Dracula, they may be adding the element of holy water as a weapon against a vampire. In this case, it’s not Christopher Lee as Dracula (who apparently is now really really dead) but young Baron Meinster who is part of what is considered a vampire cult. But Peter Cushing is still there are Doctor Van Helsing and Yvonne Monlaur is the tasty morsel. She’s dumb as a post but easy on the eyes. All in all, Scars of Dracula was pretty good and about halfway through The Brides of Dracula, it’s not without merit so far.
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Dracula
Jul 29, 2021 8:26:22 GMT -8
Post by artraveler on Jul 29, 2021 8:26:22 GMT -8
As you wander through the catacombs of Dracula don't pass up Nosferatu which started the entire franchise in 1929. Only Al Jolson in the Jazz Singer made a bigger impact on file viewers. www.imdb.com/video/vi3025273881?playlistId=tt0013442&ref_=tt_ov_viGary Oldman makes the best Dracula in the 1982 Bram Stoker's Dracula. I believe it is on Amazon prime There is, of course Anne Rice Interview with the Vampire the book and movie with Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt. It could be called an American vampire in Napoleon court. A little on the kinky side but worth the time. Of course any Dracula movie is always great drive-in movie fare. It is national tragedy that drive-ins are mostly gone. There used to be thousands and now the numbers are about 325. Fayetteville has one remaining that is open from March - October. I think they still serve the same popcorn I ate in 1965.
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Brad Nelson
Administrator
עַבְדְּךָ֔ אֶת־ הַתְּשׁוּעָ֥ה הַגְּדֹלָ֖ה הַזֹּ֑את
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Dracula
Jul 29, 2021 8:48:12 GMT -8
Post by Brad Nelson on Jul 29, 2021 8:48:12 GMT -8
I believe I’ve seen Bram Stoker’s Dracula. But another look wouldn’t hurt. I did watch Interview with the Vampire way back when and thought it was adequate. Vampire movies are graded on the curve. I would not tend to curve back and watch that one again. I think I’ve seen bits and pieces of Nosferatu years ago, probably on Turner Classic Movies. Might be worth another look. We’ve got one drive-in in the area: The Rodeo Drive-In on Highway 3, on the way to Belfair. I haven’t been there in a long, long time. I’m strictly in-home streaming now, although there is one good and comfortable theatre in Gig Harbor: The Galaxy Theatres. That was the last movie theatre I was in. It was probably 10 years ago and I forget which movie we saw. Growing up, it was a semi-common occurrence to go see the odd blockbuster or two, although “blockbluster” wasn’t really invented until Jaws came along. I know I watched the first Star Wars in a theatre. And I had a neighbor whose older sister would often take us to various kid-friendly movies such as The Love Bug, Mary Poppins, etc. Those were the days of innocent fun. Gone, gone, gone perhaps forever. The Brides of Dracula is turning wonderfully campy at the moment. David Peel as the vampire, Baron Meinster, is marvelously over-acting. The second-dumbest chick in a Dracula flick (I’m thinking there have been worse), the gorgeous Yvonne Monlaur, is now engaged to the Baron. Me thinks she will be “shocked, shocked” to find out there is some blood-sucking going on with her fiancé. She has her eyes on the title, “baroness,” and I don’t think she would really give a squat what her husband does after the dinner hour. They won’t play it up like that, of course, but they should have, if only to breath a little life into the characters and plot. But since a good percentage of the cast are amongst the undead, the idea of breathing-life may be a moot point.
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Post by kungfuzu on Jul 29, 2021 8:59:59 GMT -8
In attempting to adapt to the present Zeitgeist, I think one should have sympathy for and empathy with the Count. One should respect his choices. After all, whether one considers oneself a human or vampire, dead or un-dead, is simply a social construct. In any case, vampires need friends too.
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Brad Nelson
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עַבְדְּךָ֔ אֶת־ הַתְּשׁוּעָ֥ה הַגְּדֹלָ֖ה הַזֹּ֑את
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Post by Brad Nelson on Jul 29, 2021 9:16:14 GMT -8
There is little doubt that the only person in these movies who isn’t a complete dumb-ass is Dracula (as Christopher Lee). Everyone else around him goes out of there way to put themselves in danger. You can hardly blame the guy for taking a bite or two when dinner is served up so willingly.
The Count is often called “pure evil,” but at least he washes and wears clean clothes. The villagers, on the other hand, are so grimy that you wonder how Dracula can come to drink their blood at all. That’s no doubt why he tends toward the hot women in nightgowns with big breasts. And in most of the movies, it starts off with one of these women being one of his minions in the castle, already bitten and under his power. Oh, they protest that they want to escape this brute, but surely living in a big castle outside the realm of the rabble has its benefits.
And, believe me, if Dracula was real and had a Twitter account, he’d have millions of followers…mostly young, dumb, chicks looking to upgrade their status. “Undead? Well, I could live with that if it came with a castle, nice clothes, and a horse-drawn carriage.”
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Dracula
Jul 29, 2021 10:15:39 GMT -8
Post by kungfuzu on Jul 29, 2021 10:15:39 GMT -8
Funny how tastes differ. I thought that film was terrible. To me, Oldman's acting was over the top, the costumes were hilarious, designed by some bent Japanese "artist" who was trying to bring out his bushido inclinations. Oldman's hairdos were bizarre. I don't believe any Dracula movie has been made which comes near the book, but I believe Dracula starring Frank Langella is the best attempt I have found, so far. I have never seen this movie but when I read reviews, in Time and Newsweek, I thought Louis Jourdan an inspired choice, because of the underlying sexually implicit in the vampire story and Dracula himself. Before this film came out, I had long believed this facet of the story had been neglected. I think this was the first Dracula film which leaned into this fact. Who better than a handsome Jourdan to play Dracula? Much better than a bloodshot-eyed fiend like Christopher Lee or a ghoul like Lugosi. Why frighten a victim out of her mind, when she can be so easily seduced? This movie came out before Langella's film.
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Post by kungfuzu on Jul 29, 2021 10:23:47 GMT -8
I see we are thinking along a similar vein.
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Dracula
Jul 29, 2021 15:20:16 GMT -8
Post by kungfuzu on Jul 29, 2021 15:20:16 GMT -8
Dracula is just a literary creation. If you want to see what a real satanic, bloodsucking demon looks like, click the link. McCarrick I saw this fiend on TV a couple of times. He was charming, intelligent and articulate. A great deceiver.
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