Related
When it comes to the portrait of Dracula on film , Bela Lugosi started the cape - wearing castle - dwelling aura in his 1931 movie , Dracula . His Dracula is debate one of thebest of the Universal Monsters . Francis Ford Coppola mould Gary Oldman as the bloodsucker in his 1992Bram Stoker ’s Draculaand the worker hand his performance some squeamish touches , but come down prey to overacting . However , there are two actor who carry the persona to new heights with their respective films .
In the ' 60 and early ' 70s , Christopher Lee intermit cinematic tabu as the most unequalled Dracula to date . In 1979 , Frank Langella took his Broadway portrayal to the cinema withJohn Badham ’s Dracula . Each actor bring in something unique to the role , making their interlingual rendition of the bloodsucker arise above the rest .
Langella Explored The Love Inside Dracula
Frank Langella had only one shot at portray Dracula on celluloid and he border on the part with the dedication of a method role player . Langella tally to sign ontodirector John Badham ’s only Horror film , 1979’sDracula . His stipulations were that he would n’t have to wear fangs , and he ’d allowed to search Dracula ’s soulfulness .
The tragic , centuries - old romance that defines Count Dracula was an player ’s dreaming , as W.D. Richter ’s screenplay dove deep into Dracula ’s need for a love long lost . Langella transude the tragedy and loss in the character , wreak a unequaled touch to the carrying into action .
Lee Used His Eyes To Great Effect
Christopher Lee was classically trained and played many of Shakespeare ’s fully grown case on stage , but it was the repulsion music genre that gave Lee his big success on film . When the actor was called to bet Count Dracula in Terence Fisher ’s 1958 Hammer - producedHorror of Dracula , it would be the role that would make Lee an international star .
Along withhis unique baritone voice voice , one of Lee ’s gravid strengths when play the Count was how he used his eyes . There was so much that the histrion hold behind those middle . Depending on the scene and the bit , Lee masterfully portrayed the right emotion , sometimes welcoming or seductive , but always let audiences see the baleful intent behind Dracula ’s eyes .
Langella Wasn’t Afraid To Show Dracula’s Vulnerability
Count Dracula is one of the most terrific villains in all of repugnance pic history . Besides of his aversion to crosses , garlic , and sunlight , he has always been portrayed as middling invincible .
Frank Langella prefer to show a more vulnerable vampire . The Count still hurts from having lost the great love of his life and , in Langella ’s film , some of Dracula ’s decision are mislead due to his desire to find the soul of his lost first mate . Langella ’s Dracula is a man searching for a love to share timelessness with and the actor uses his face and tonic fracture to evince a Dracula weight down by his need .
Lee Made Dracula Frightening
Bela Lugosi fright audiencesback in the thirties but today he is more style than creepiness . When Cristopher Lee don the cape and fangs for his first film in 1958 , he remembered to scare his audience .
Lee used his motility and tower presence to send chills through the audience . The way he held his mantle , the way he would put his victim in a enchantment , and how he would stand I. F. Stone - still in the bound of the physique like a sinister ghost made his Dracula , to this day , one of the most frightening andpowerful vampire on film .
Langella Played Dracula On Broadway
Frank Langella was already a successful Dracula on Broadway , as was Bela Lugosi at the clock time . Tony - nominated for his work , it would still be a challenge to successfully transform his performance , and the romp itself , to the heavy filmdom . The doer worked closely with director John Badham to make the film something extra .
The two vow to stick as close as they could to Bram Stoker ’s original novel while make the modification they call for . The film was n’t a big hit but critics were very tolerant and praised Langella and Badham for successfully translating the Broadway show to shoot .
Lee Had A Commanding Presence
Christopher Lee was very tall . At 6'5 " the actor predominate over most of his carbon monoxide - virtuoso . When he play Dracula , he was significantly grandiloquent than everyone , and the studio apartment on purpose retch actors under 6 ft to further present the menace of Count Dracula .
In each of his Dracula films , one of the greatest strengths wasChristopher Lee ’s command and command presence . In all of his Dracula films , Lee used his height and stare and voice to control every second he was on silver screen .
Langella Knew How To Make An Entrance
While Lugosi strode into the frame and Christopher Lee would appear in the background before fully bring out himself , Frank Langella used his whole body to move into a setting . A classically trained level actor who had a swashbuckler ’s physique , Langella ’s effortless and almost balletic movement when entering a elbow room and/or a panorama would add to Dracula ’s mystique .
Sometimes he would almost glide into the frame while other entrances would be more physical , including his first visual aspect as Dracula rides up to the camera , at first silhouetted and then majestic and urbane . Every entrance from Langella ’s Dracula enhanced the already classically - styled adjustment .
Lee Brought A Sensuality To Dracula
One thing previous incarnations of Dracula never explored was the vampire ’s sensuality . Hammer Studiosbrought heavy sensualness and more blood to the best of their horror adaptations . For Dracula , the sensualness is work up into Bram Stoker ’s original novel and the studio apartment pounced on it .
Christopher Lee would make women with not only his trance but his pure sensualness . The histrion sure enough had sexual urge entreaty and it was easygoing to believe that his victims would come to him so easy . Lee used his natural physical allurement to neat usance for his time as Count Dracula .
Langella Oozed Sexuality
If it was Christopher Lee who brought out the sensualism in Count Dracula , it was Frank Langella who devote the bloodsucker full - blown sexuality appeal .
Director John Badham allow the seduction vista to be bath in a sexual heat that make the film to receive its " radius " evaluation . With his easygoing and seducing vox fuse with his piercing eyes and open shirts present his well - sculpted chest , Langella bring out arrant gender that other Dracula films and actors never full search .
Lee Showed Dracula As A Monster
In many incarnations of Count Dracula , fans seem to forget one significant matter : Dracula is a monster . Vampires are no longer human . They are the undead . Creatures . Ghouls . Pure lusus naturae .
Christopher Lee choose to remember this in his portrayal . In a couple of his Dracula moving picture , he said nothing but alternatively only grimaced and growled . In one vista Lee ’s Dracula even howl as he aggress . Lee ’s Count almost always has origin dripping from his fangs and during some attack , his eyes get blood red . His Dracula is vicious and red and , above all else , is a true a devil .
NEXT : The 5 Best & 5 Worst Movies Elvira Curated
