People complain that Netflix doesn’t host classic movies, which is largely true, but every once in a while, there comes an opportunity to experience a film that truly shaped the art form. A new generation of audiences will get a chance to watch one of the most influential films of all time this October, when the pre-Code classic Dracula lands on the streamer. Starring Bela Lugosi as the titular character, the movie will soon turn 100 years old. Dracula was released in 1931, and is perhaps the most integral part of Universal’s monster movie canon.
Directed by Tod Browning, Dracula was adapted from Bram Stoker‘s Gothic novel, which has inspired numerous movies and shows over the decades. The film is largely responsible for the iconography that we associate with Dracula these days; for instance, Lugosi’s portrayal of the character as a charming nobleman is unique to the film, differing from his depiction in the source novel. The movie is also remembered for featuring endlessly quotable lines, such as, “Children of the night, what music they make,” and, “I never drink… wine.” Dracula holds a 96% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, where the critics’ consensus reads, “Bela Lugosi’s timeless portrayal of Dracula in this creepy and atmospheric 1931 film has set the standard for major vampiric roles since.”
More recently, Universal has attempted to put new spins on the classic story, with movies such as Dracula Untold, Renfield, and The Last Voyage of the Demeter. Unfortunately, however, each of these movies underperformed at the box office, suggesting that the Dracula brand might not be as popular as it used to be. That said, Genndy Tartakovsky‘s Hotel Transylvania movies were extremely popular with the kids. On streaming, Claes Bang played the character in a Netflix miniseries.
‘Dracula’ Continues To Inspire Filmmakers
Perhaps the most popular adaptation of Stoker’s work, besides the 1931 classic, is Francis Ford Coppola‘s operatic 1992 adaptation starring Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, and Keanu Reeves. The movie was a critical and commercial hit, as was last year’s Nosferatu, directed by Robert Eggers. Regardless of the recent hiccups, however, the character remains attractive to filmmakers. Luc Besson is set to release his version of the story, Dracula: A Love Tale, early next year in North America after debuting it in his home country of France in July. The movie stars Caleb Landry Jones in the central role. This year also saw the release of director Radu Jude‘s Romanian comedy Dracula, which premiered at the Locarno Film Festival.
You can watch Browning’s classic on Netflix beginning October 1, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
- Release Date
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February 14, 1931
- Runtime
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74 minutes
- Director
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Tod Browning
- Writers
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Frederick Stephani, Garrett Fort, Louis Bromfield, Louis Stevens, Tod Browning, Bram Stoker
- Producers
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Carl Laemmle Jr.
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Bela Lugosi
Count Dracula
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