Bela Lugosi, David Manners, Dwight Frye

After a harrowing ride through the Carpathian mountains in eastern Europe, Renfield enters castle Dracula to finalize the transferral of Carfax Abbey in London to Count Dracula, who is in actuality a ...( read more  read more... )vampire. Renfield is drugged by the eerily hypnotic count, and turned into one of his thralls, protecting him during his sea voyage to London. After sucking the blood and turning the young Lucy Weston into a vampire, Dracula turns his attention to her friend Mina Seward, daughter of Dr. Seward who then calls in a specialist, Dr. Van Helsing, to diagnose the sudden deterioration of Mina's health. Van Helsing, realizing that Dracula is indeed a vampire, tries to prepare Mina's fiance, John Harker, and Dr. Seward for what is to come and the measures that will have to be taken to prevent Mina from becoming one of the undead.

Flixster Users

76% liked it

11,044 ratings

Critics

93% liked it

42 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 15 min.

Directed by: Tod Browning

Release Date: January 1, 1931

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DVD Release Date: August 28, 2001

Stats: 1,455 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (1,455)


  • July 22, 2009
    This is possibly my favourite movie of all time. It has all the elements of a proper chiller, fog, bats, wolves, crumbling castles and not to forget the greatest vampire actor of all time Bela Lugosi. The rythmn and accent of his voice would forever be recognised as the way Dracu...( read more)la spoke, and though he was not the first Dracula he is by far the most iconic throughout history and pop culture. He is also by far the best Dracula there ever was or will be and if you have any doubt about that, he was buried in the cape, now that is commitment. He just has this evil presence and when he does that glare at you, you know your fucked. Another fanastic yet surrealistically frightening performance is Dwight Frye as the insane Renfield, this was the first sound horror movie so they did not think to add dialogue so when theres no talking there is barely any sound what so ever but that only adds to the spooky atmosphere. Definetely worth a watch.
  • July 18, 2009
    The genesis of Universal's classic horror era, Todd Browning's Dracula has, sadly, not withstood the test of time quite as well as it's namesake. Even so, Lugosi's performance is nothing short of iconic and is still considered the definitive personification of what a vamp...( read more)ire is supposed to be. This might be the most influential film ever made.
  • May 22, 2009
    The original classic, this is beautiful stuff, Lugosi is awesome and the look is terrific. Its not really sexy as some Dracs are but the acting is just great. There's just something about the old black and white horror flicks.
  • March 7, 2009
    one of a kind, genre producing, life affirming, low on calories, and good for your liver, what more could you ask for?
  • November 5, 2008
    The first great Universal monster movie Dracula stars Bela Lugosi as the Count in the classic Bram Stoker tale of his trip to England, seduction of women and confrontation with Van Helsing.

    Directed by Tod Browning, who would go on and direct the equally impressive Freaks, Drac...( read more)ula is shot in such a style that it soon becomes its own entity. The film is its own style with shadow playing a huge role and the dank and dusty castles and caves soon becoming standard vampire movie fodder.

    The real greatness in Dracula comes from Bela Lugosi. I own a copy of Stokers novel and who does Dracula look like on the cover? That's right. He created the role for the stage and made it an icon on the screen. No one ever filled Lugosi's shoes in the 75 + years since the release of the film. It's easy to see how Dracula scared the hell out of audiences back in the '30's. Not only was he the walking dead, he was also an erotic character to a degree. Lugosi's presence was center stage in the film.

    Of the Universal monsters Dracula was the first and one of the best (I have to tie him with Frankenstein). A classic tale that never really had justice to it in the decades sine its original release.
  • November 6, 2009
    Cos'altro aggiungere su Bela Lugosi che non sia mai stato detto prima?
    Un film perfetto, soprattutto considerando che è datato 1931.
  • November 1, 2009
    Bela Lugosi invents the modern vampire. Classic, atmospheric horror.
  • October 25, 2009
    Well, this is definitely an old movie. I would've never voluntarily watched this but my Movie Critics Club was doing this movie for the month of October. So. I watched it and was laughing the entire length of the film. The tints of black and white was just so surreal. I could bar...( read more)ely tell what the heck was going on; it looked like the flim was moving. Incredibly insane special effects. Extreme use of the fog machine and the bats. HA! The bats...they just made me laugh. And wtf is up with Bela Lugosi's facial expression? Jeez. Sometimes, he looked like he was in pain or something. Helen Chandler was your typical "weary, weak, innocent" female role. Mhm. David Manners char. was too jumpy the entire time. And Dracula didn't say "I vant to suck your blood. Blah blah!!" Aww. lol.
  • October 21, 2009
    "I don't drink... wine." ending is too fast. great film.
  • October 21, 2009
    The classic.
    The movie that built the topos that nourish all the "vampire saga"..
    The elegant, mitteleuropean way to act of Bela Lugosi makes him immortal, as movie star.

Critic Reviews


January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Certainly it is Lugosi's performance, and the cinematography of Karl Freund, that make Tod Browning's film such an influential Hollywood picture. full review

View more Dracula reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

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Dracula Trivia


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