Dracula (1931)

Product Description ------------------- The legend of Dracula continues in this gripping, masterful 2-disc edition of cinema's most ominous vampire, digitally remastered for the 75th Anniversary Edition. Relive the horror, the mystery, and the intrigue of the original 1931 vampire masterpiece starring Bela Lugosi and directed by Tod Browning. The inspiration for hundreds of subsequent remakes and adaptations, this classic film launched the Hollywood horror genre with its eerie passion, shadowy atmosphere, and thrilling cinematography. The children of the night are calling… Bonus Content: Disc 1 - Dracula (1931): * Feature Commentary with Film Historian David J. Skal * Feature Commentary with Steve Haberman, Screenwriter of Dracula: Dead and Loving It * Score by Philip Glass Performed by The Kronos Quartet * Lugosi: The Dark Prince * The Road to Dracula * Monster Tracks * Disc 2 - Dracula (1931) - Spanish Version: * Dracula (1931) Spanish Version * Introduction to the Spanish Version of Dracula by Lupita Tovar Kohner * Universal Horror * Montage * Theatrical Trailer Set Contains: ------------- The extra features on this 2-disc 75th anniversary edition of a film classic are a mix of previously available extras and some new stuff. But these are trumped by the news about the film itself: as befits one of the legendary titles of Hollywood history, Dracula looks noticeably cleaner and brighter than in its previous DVD releases, and the soundtrack also seems improved. As with previous DVD packages, the Spanish version of Dracula, concurrently with the English-language version, is included. It's a cool movie in its own right and essential viewing for vampire-movie fans. Also returning from previous DVDs: the option to watch the film with Philip Glass's fascinating original score (the film had no score except for source music and "Swan Lake" over the titles); this is a one-time-only experience, as nothing could improve on the original's eerie patches of silence. Also back are horror scholar David J. Skal's contributions: a commentary track and a featurette called The Road to Dracula, which gives the history of Bram Stoker's character. New to this edition: a 36-minute documentary, Lugosi: the Dark Prince, a decent career overview with comments from enthusiasts including director Joe Dante; "Monster Tracks," a feature that allows for pop-up onscreen info-bites (a distraction for the short of attention); a feature commentary by Steve Haberman, horror author and a screenwriter on Dracula: Dead and Loving It (lots of context, but Haberman also gives a spirited and rather welcome rebuke to recent conventional wisdom that favors the Spanish film over the Browning version); and Universal Horror, a 95-minute documentary by Kevin Brownlow. As good as Brownlow's work generally is, this 1998 doc, narrated by Kenneth Branagh, is choppy, and ranges far afield from Universal's great run of horror movies. It's worth seeing for clips from very rare films and for interviews with the likes of Fay Wray, Gloria Stuart, Ray Bradbury, and Curt Siodmak. --Robert Horton

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