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Dracula is one of the few horror books to be honored by inclusion in the Norton Critical Edition series. (The others are Frankenstein, The Turn of the Screw, Heart of Darkness, The Picture of Dorian Gray, and The Metamorphosis.) This 100th-anniversary edition includes not only the complete authoritative text of the novel with illuminating footnotes, but also four contextual essays, five reviews from the time of publication, five articles on dramatic and film variations, and seven selections from literary and academic criticism. Nina Auerbach of the University of Pennsylvania (author of Our Vampires, Ourselves) and horror scholar David J. Skal (author of Hollywood Gothic, The Monster Show, and Screams of Reason) are the editors of the volume. Especially fascinating are excerpts from materials that Bram Stoker consulted in his research for the book, and his working papers over the several years he was composing it. The selection of criticism includes essays on how Dracula deals with female sexuality, gender inversion, homoerotic elements, and Victorian fears of "reverse colonization" by politically turbulent Transylvania. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Dracula rocks
Bram Stocker is still a classic read. It was very scary from time to time.

Good Book, Atrocious Editor
I love Norton Critical Editions, but the footnotes in this volume are maddening.I'm puzzled that no one seems to have mentioned this.Example, a passage where Dracula appears in disguise and Bram Stoker obviously doesn't mean for the reader to have this bit of information yet.The footnote? "Here we see Dracula in disguise speaking wonderful German."I'm exaggerating, but you get the point.Another example: a passage describing Dracula's map of England (footnote: Here we see that Dracula has circled the city of X, where later in the story he will....and....and....until later....).Finally, there are even footnotes that engage the reader in conversation.Something like: "What do you think Dracula meant by that, curious comment, don't you think?"As with all Norton editions, there are some wonderful footnotes, commentary, etc. included, but still I would choose a different version.

Great critical edition
If you want lots of in-depth footnotes and many critical essays, than this is your book.

Simply the Best
I've listened to Dracula from Audible.com. I downloaded it last month. It's the best of all the Dracula books I've read. Definitely worth the investment of time. It's incredibly suspenseful, full of well-drawn, unbelievably real characters. I wish the movies could capture the characters as well as the book.

I was surprised at the narrative style, which has no actual "scenes", because it's a collection of journals, letters, newspaper articles, etc. But Bram Stoker does an amazing job of pulling all of it together into one very scary, very exciting read. Don't miss this one.

Still the best
This is still the best vamp book around, bar none. I was always upset with Coppola's movie because he used Stoker's name, and made the count into this loving anti-hero. THIS is Dracula. Pure evil. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Most Elaborately Annotated Edition. Artwork by Sätty.
Leonard Wolf may be the world's most revered "Dracula" scholar. A native of Transylvania who left "the land beyond the forest" as a child, Wolf has taught and written about Bram Stoker's immortal novel for decades. In 1975, Wolf published "The Annotated Dracula", which remains to this day the most elaborately annotated edition of the novel.

"The Annotated Dracula" is a large book whose many illustrations and interesting notes are a pleasure to peruse. The text of the novel, itself, is taken from the second printing of the first edition, with typos in tact. The annotations include over 100 illustrations -drawings and photographs. 15 full-page drawings by artist Sätty (Wilfried Podreich) are featured. These are captivating expressionist interpretations of scenes from "Dracula", not to be missed. All illustrations are black-and-white.

In his introduction to "The Annotated Dracula", Leonard Wolf takes the reader on a tour of the traditions and circumstances from which "Dracula" eventually emerged at the hand of Bram Stoker. He discusses Gothic Romance literature, the vampire literature that preceded "Dracula", Eastern European vampire folklore, Vlad "Dracula" Tepes -the 15th century Wallachian Prince from whom the Count Dracula takes his name, and, finally, the life of the novel's enigmatic author, Bram Stoker.

Annotations in the form of margin notes are found on most pages of the novel. Wolf has included explanations for every imaginable allusion in the text, as well as interesting personal comments. The reader gets quite a history lesson just reading the notes. Some of the most intriguing notes include: recipes for the Romanian dishes on which Jonathan Harker dines, population demographics for Transylvania in the late 19th century, translations of old Mr. Swales' dialect, explanations of Victorian figures of speech, and the particulars of Victorian typewriters that Mina employs so frequently. I find that reading straight through the abundant notes is a bit much. Reading them with the novel is distracting. They are ideal for fans and students concentrating on one chapter or passage at a time and add to the enjoyment of the novel when absorbed in small doses.

The Appendixes contain some useful information and interesting trivia, as well. Maps of Transylvania, Europe, England & Wales, Whitby, London, and the Zoological Gardens in London are provided, with places from the novel marked. A Calendar of Events charts the events of the novel from May to November 1887 (the supposed year "Dracula" takes place) in coherent form. Students and aficionados may appreciate "Dracula Onstage", a chart of Count Dracula's appearances in the novel, with page numbers. There is a Selected Filmography that includes notable Dracula films, 1922-1974, including films featuring the Dracula character, not necessarily based on Stoker's novel. British, American, and Foreign-language editions of "Dracula" from 1897 to 1973 are listed. There is an Index for the novel that is helpful but not comprehensive.

"The Annotated Dracula" has been out of print for some time. Its latest incarnation is "The Essential Dracula", a handsome softcover edition released in 2004. "The Essential Dracula" retains and, in some cases, augments the footnotes found in "The Annotated Dracula", but dispenses with most of its illustrations, all of the Sätty drawings, and the Appendixes. If you simply want the information contained in the notes, "The Essential Dracula" is excellent -although the notes border on microscopic and can be trying to read. "The Annotated Dracula", with its maps, charts, and abundant illustrations, is a more elaborate edition.

Great edition with blood-thirsty details
First read this when I was in college.Great illustrztions and liner notes.Even on page one, as Jonathan HRKER STOPS FOR DINNER IN THE HOTEL BEFORE GOING ON TO DRACULA'S CASTLE, HE DINES ON CHICKEN PAPRIKOSH.In themargin, they have THE RECIPE!!!! for this dish!Awesome.Hope it returns.

Best Dracula resource available
Excellent information. Background information details nearly line by line the orginal novel. Get your hands on a copy of this book if you can.

The original novel with copious marginal notes
Vampire stories have been told and retold with fascination. However, there are few that match the power of the novel by Bram Stoker. This book contains the original version with thick margins filled with footnotes, anecdotes, vampire lore, and insight into every aspect of this fascinating story. ... Read more

Book Description
Dracula is perhaps almost as interesting regarded historically as the product of a specific time as it is engaging to continuing generations of readers in a 'timeless' fashion. In her introduction Byron first discusses the famous novel as an expression not of universal fears and desires but of specifically late nineteenth-century concerns. At the same time she is entirely attuned to the ways in which, however much Dracula is a Victorian text, Dracula is a very twentieth-century character, a representative of modernity and of the future.Download Description
A popular bestseller in Victorian England, Stoker's hypnotic tale of the bloodthirsty Count Dracula, whose nocturnal atrocities are symbolic of an evil ages old yet forever new, endures as the quintessential story of suspense and horror. The unbridled lusts and desires, the diabolical cravings that Stoker dramatized with such mythical force, render Dracula resonant and unsettling a century later. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (339)

An old fashioned tale that doesn't offend
Bram Stoker's "Dracula" was first published in 1897, and as one reads this work, it is overwhelmingly apparent that it was written during a time when morals and virtues were held in a much higher regard than they are today.

The book is comprised primarily of various journal entries from six main characters. Two of these main characters are remarkable women, possessed of lofty talent and high moral character. It is when both of these women encounter Count Dracula himself and fall under his poisonous and deathly spell that the remaining main characters in the book--all courageous and gifted and accomplished men--spring to the aid of these women.

I, for one, loved the old fashioned language, the rigid formality and courtesy, and the unyielding respect that the main characters demonstrated in their interactions with one another. Chivalry was certainly not dead in 1897, if one were to use this book as evidence. The graciousness and loyalty that the men in this book showed the women is inspiring, and the moral refinement and sensibilities of the women characters caused me to yearn for an older time, away from the immorality and crudeness apparent in today's society.

I had to smile at one point when reading the book when the two main women characters found themselves out late at night after a frightening experience. They were both in their full-length bedclothes, which apparently covered every part of their bodies but their bare feet. One of the women, not wanting to appear immodest dabbed mud on their bare feet so as not to offend anyone who might see those exposed parts.

This book is filled with suspense and plausibly thrilling episodes. It stands as a wonderful classic of good-natured fright, which proves that tension and drama and expectation may be created in a work of fiction without all of the offending elements of bloody violence, gore, vulgarity, sex, and devilishness thrown into the mix. Its ending is noble, with at least one of the main characters revealing remarkable compassion when she sees the look on Count Dracula's face during the final decisive scene in the book. This book was a pleasant surprise, as I wasn't suspecting a work of such high literary value from a "horror" novel. Thus, I highly recommend it.

There is more than meets the eye
Though it had been made in to multiple movies and changed into other forms of media, Dracula's characters and the evident Victorianism makes it one the greatest horror novels ever written. It does move slowly at times and the ending is anticlimactic but the good outweighs the bad in Bram Stoker's classic novel.

There are many "good-guys" in Dracula but there is never a true apparent protagonist and this does anything but detract from the story. Jonathon Harker does seem like the intended protagonist but Mina, Van Helsing, and Dr. Seward could all be put on the same level as well.In fact it is Van Helsing who makes the plans to try and destroy Dracula. The way the book was written (diary and journal entries) the reader is drawn closely to the group of heroes who pledge there lives to one another to fight an evil they all wish to destroy.

Also the elements of Victorianism are seen through out the masterpiece. Stoker is able to maintain the characteristics of the era while still writing a horror novel. Mina is able to rise above what women were expected to be able to do and "play with the big boys." She plays a vital role in the fight against Dracula proving that even with men and all their wisdom, sometimes it takes a women's mind to come up with ideas and conclusions that the men had not thought of.

Though it is a bit gruesome, slow, and anticlimactic at times, Bram Stoker's Dracula is a masterpiece for the ages.

Did I miss something?
While not typically driven to review, I was puzzled by the other reviews for this book.There is an overwhelming amount of, not just good but, great reviews for this book and an average rating of 4-1/2 stars.Actually, the only reason I looked at the reviews for this book at all is that I found it to be the most disappointing book I've ever read.Like a few of the other 1 star reviewers, I actually liked the first few chapters.Stoker develops a nice gothic atmosphere until the story moves west.To each their own but when I read the reviews that claim this to be the best gothic story ever written, riveting, exciting, and any other description that wouldn't apply to watching paint dry or grass grow I wonder if we read the same book at all.

A mediocre 'classic'
I'm not a huge fan of the horror genre, gothic fiction, or Victorian literature; but, as one of the most famous novels ever written, I thought I would give 'Dracula' a shot.It's reputation as a classic and the inspiration for numerous films sparked my interest; yet Stoker's work is for the most part dull, slow-moving, and (the worst sin of all for a horror novel) not scary.

True, the opening chapters are quite interesting as we follow Jonathan Harker's experience in Transylvannia and are introduced to the sinister Count himself, yet as the story shifts to England the novel quickly runs out of steam.Encounters with the undead in this novel are strickingly few, and Stoker's uninteresting male characters spend much of their time either waiting for each other or fawning over Mina and Lucy, the novel's female protagonists.As the story progresses, the (covertly sexualized) relationships which develop between Mina, Lucy and Dracula become the novel's saving grace.

I know many will disagree with me, but 'Dracula' is a highly over-rated work - worth reading only as a historical curiosity rather than a classic in the suspense or horror genre.

A Classic
This is an all time classic with vampire films still being made today, though light years away from the Bela Lugosi version. Someone travels to a castle to do business only to get more than he bargained for as the owner of the estate is Count Dracula, a bloodthirsty vampire hungry for Jonathan Harker's blood. The source novel is not the first vampire novel, that would be Lafenu's Carmilla who had a lesbian female vampire. Francis Ford Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula is the closest film adaption to the novel, though in the film his motivation was love and not blood lust. The piece of cheese just about says it all, stay away from this unless you're into gothic novels and are on Welfare. The price is a bargain for such a lush portrayal of 1890s Irish gothic culture. Though many have heard of vampires in society and E, few have actually read the novel. This will be my third time reading it straight through. I guess I dress kind of men's gothic, turn of last century style but I don't let it influence me; gothic has always been a part of white European and American culture from the pilgrims landing on the flower to peasants in Europe. God bless. ... Read more

Book Description
The original CliffsNotes study guides offer a look into critical elements and ideas within classic works of literature. The latest generation of titles in this series also features glossaries and visual elements that complement the classic, familiar format.

CliffsNotes on Dracula digs into the story of a count who survives by sipping the blood from living (and unsuspecting) donors.

Following the hauntingly frightful tale of vampires and victims, this study guide provides summaries and commentaries for each chapter within the nineteenth-century novel. Other features that help you figure out this important work include

•  A look into the life of the author, Bram Stoker
• Character list and plot synopsis
• An essay exploring the influence of German Expressionism on the American horror film
• A list of Dracula film productions, with ratings for each
• Suggested discussion questions

Classic literature or modern-day treasure — you'll understand it all with expert information and insight from CliffsNotes study guides. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Good Plot Summary. Poor Study Guide.
It is ironic that Cliffs Notes state emphatically that they are to be used as a study guide and not as a substitute for reading the book, when summarizing the plot of Bram Stoker's "Dracula" is what these Notes do best. The critical commentary barely analyzes the novel's technique and gives no criticism of its content. It would be more useful to someone who hadn't read "Dracula" than someone who has, but still does a disservice by not telling the reader what there is of substance in the novel or why this Victorian pot-boiler is so imitated and hotly debated more than a century after it was written.

The Cliffs Notes have eight sections: A short biography of author Bram Stoker, a plot summary, a list of characters, summaries and critical commentary by chapter, an essay on "German Expressionism and the American Horror Film", a selected filmography, a list of topics for discussion, and a bibliography. The bulk of the book are the chapter summaries, each of which is followed by commentary by Samuel Umland.

There are a few little errors here and there, such as the assertion in the General Plot Summary that Jonathan Harker can "barely stave off" the female vampires he encounters in Dracula's castle. In fact, he is nearly unconscious and makes no attempt to thwart them. The summary of chapters 2-4 states that everything in Dracula's castle is "old and musty". Old-fashioned, perhaps. But Dracula is an aristocrat, and his castle is very well-appointed. In the summary of chapters 26-27, the author claims that 6 people converge on the caravan of gypsies. Four people converge; the other two observe through field glasses from afar.

In the filmography, the editors have attempted to compile a list of important "Dracula" films that can easily be obtained by American audiences. They have omitted the Spanish version of 1931's "Dracula", which is superior to the English version of the film. The Spanish version is available on DVD and is an essential Dracula film, so don't miss it. They have rated John Badham's 1979 film poorly, but it is an important adaptation of the novel nevertheless. Werner Herzog's 1979 film is called "Nosferatu" in the filmography, which is easily confused with F.W. Murnau's 1922 film. The full English name of Herzog's film is "Nosferatu the Vampyre". Note that Francis Coppola's 1992 film "Bram Stoker's Dracula" is also a significant interpretation and essential viewing. It was made after these Cliffs Notes were compiled, so did not make the list.

While these Cliffs Notes excel at providing a reminder of the major plot points, they give next to no guidance as to the many contemporary discussions of "Dracula". The reader is therefore unprepared to say anything of substance about the book, and, even assuming he has read the novel, will not know what aspect of it preoccupies the current academic thinking. Although "Dracula" has been interpreted as representing just about every doctrine imaginable, the most common discussions these days are of the novel's psychosexual implications, the question of who is villain and who is victim, and the impotence vs helpfulness of science and technology in the face of ancient evils. There is also no mention of "Dracula"'s famously insufferable prose style. The novel is badly written -to the amusement of some academics and the consternation of others.

Too many subplots
this book needs to focus more on Dracula, especially at the end when Dracula just up and gets killed ... Read more

Product Description
The name “Dracula” usually conjures up images of Bela Lugosi and his mesmerizing stare, or some other image inspired by a film. Seldom is Bram Stoker’s original novel the first thing that comes to mind. In fact, many cultural associations with Dracula, inspired by the movies, are unrelated to the original book. It is with widely varying degrees of accuracy that filmmakers have been adapting Stoker’s Count to the screen for over seventy years. Despite their common source, even the most faithful adaptations differ greatly.This is the complete guide to the films based on Stoker’s classic tale of horror. The text includes a summary of the original novel as a frame of reference for comparing each film’s level of interpretation. Eleven films that are based on Stoker’s original plot are summarized and analyzed, particularly in regard to faithfulness to the source. The Hammer and Universal spin-off series, based on the character of Dracula but not on the book, are also analyzed, as are three noncredited adaptations of Stoker’s work. Production information is given for the films, as well as soundtrack information. Photographs are included for each film, and an index and bibliography are provided as well. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A very good book overall
This is a well written and easy to read book.Joslin takes a scholarly (and not snobbish) look at the Dracula movies made over the past few decades.My only complaint about McFarland books in general is that I wish they contained more photos and illustrations.However, the end-all-be-all of "Dracula at the Movies" books still belongs to Midnight Marquee's Dracula book.

Wonderful!!
While a scholarly work of high-quality content, organization, and thoughtfulness, this book is easy-to-read and a pleasure to behold!

For any fan of all things gothic/Dracula/vampires, this is a must-have!!! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Indispensible
At the time this book was published, it was probably the most comprehensive vampire bibliographies ever.It has listings for everything including books, comic books, newspaper articles, fan publications, fanzines (or would that be fangzines...?), Dracula bibliographies, and more.Unfortunately, it was published a long time ago, and Martin hasn't ever come out with an update.But, it is still indispensible, in my opinion.Expecially for listings of rare, and now out-of-print material.I give it three thumbs up.Well worth having, if you can find it. ... Read more

Book Description
Series Editor: Robert Lecker, McGill University

Written in an easy-to-read, accessible style by teachers with years of classroom experience, Masterwork Studies are guides to the literary works most frequently studied in high school. Presenting ideas that spark imaginations, these books help students to gain background knowledge on great literature useful for papers and exams. The goal of each study is to encourage creative thinking by presenting engaging information about each work and its author. This approach allows students to arrive at sound analyses of their own, based on in-depth studies of popular literature. Each volume:

• Illuminates themes and concepts of a classic text
• Uses clear, conversational language
• Is an accessible, manageable length from 140 to 170 pages
• Includes a chronology of the author's life and era
• Provides an overview of the historical context
• Offers a summary of its critical reception
• Lists primary and secondary sources and index

Book Description
Also known as Vlad the Impaler, Prince Dracula ruled near Transylvania more than 500 years ago and was notorious throughout Europe as a fierce tyrant who tortured and murdered many people. When writer Bram Stoker combined Dracula's blood-thirsty reputation with popular vampire folklore, the literary character Count Dracula was born. With his sharp teeth, pale skin, and staring eyes, he continues to rule the world of horror today. Author Tom Streissguth tells the chilling tale of the real-life Prince Dracula, relates vampire legends, and shows how these stories--as well as Bela Lugosi's definitive film portrayal of Dracula--have created one of the most terrifying figures of popular culture. Dracula and other tales of vampires returning from the dead to drink the blood of the living have haunted the world for centuries. But unlike many of the old superstitions, the legend of Dracula isn't just another scary story. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Literary and Theatrical Dracula til 1975
I found this book in the library when looking for information on the 1931 film Dracula, and was rewarded with all the material I wanted.The bulk of the book is about portrayals of Dracula on stage, screen, and in literature; although there are a couple of early chapters on the historical fact behind the legends they add little to what is generally known about Vlad the impaler, and make no attempt to trace vampire legends any earlier.Although one of the chapters is titled "The Ancestors of Dracula", this chapter is about literary ancestors of Bram Stoker's character. The main limitation to this book is that its publication date precedes much of the more recent interest in vampires, probably spawned by the success of Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire.No mention is made of vampiric representations or appearances in the visual arts or music--an updating of the book might well cover the several versions of Dracula that have been done as operas or ballet.But as a reference to various media presentations of the Count up to 1975, this is fairly good. ... Read more

Book Description
One long, hot summer in the 1880s Bram Stoker escaped from the pressures of theatre life in London to the seaside town of Whitby.These months are unaccounted for, and around them Ann Victoria Roberts has woven a mysterious and enthralling novel.

It is during a violent storm on the coast of Whitby that Mr. Stoker meets Damaris, a local 19 year old girl who has lost both her parents.In spite of the age difference and Mr. Stoker's wife, the two become entangled in a passionate affair that dramatically alters the course of both their lives.Throughout their affair, Mr. Stoker is introduced to the wild sea, the wrecks, and local legends of Whitby - many of whom make their way into Dracula.Damaris, in turn, learns about passion, love, and betrayal.

Roberts has seamlessly combined fact and fiction to bring us an irresistible novel that is both love story and literary history. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Addictive!...
...is how I'd describe Roberts' book, Moon Rising. The characters, setting and romance are so vividly described, that I couldn't help but be sucked in, transformed back to the time of Victorian England and the coastal town setting of Whitby. The first person narrative works quite well, in a Rebecca, Jane Eyre kind of way. This is not a light read; the book is dark, passionate, intense, gripping...sometimes shocking. Indeed, not for the faint of heart. The intensity of the relationships described, especially between that of Bram Stoker and Demaris, actually left my heart pounding. I applaud Roberts for her thorough research of Whitby and Stoker. Especially, I appreciate her courage to write about the mysterious Stoker, and, through Moon Rising, attempt to provide an explanation for Stoker's character, reasons behind Dracula and his whereabouts during a certain time in his life--it was fun pondering the possibilities!

Don't be fooled....
...into thinking that Bram Stoker is the main character of this book.Even though his name is mentioned on nearly every page and his influence is seen throughout, Bram Stoker is merely the hook used to reel you in.

In Moon Rising, Roberts details (almost painfully, at times) the life of Damaris Stearne.Her thorough description of places and people made this book longer than need be.But Roberts enabled me to really understand her characters, which is why I gave 3 stars instead of 2.

The story, while entertaining, is highly improbable.Since I don't want to give too much away, I'll just say this: the adventures of Damaris are enough for three lifetimes and she is probably the luckiest person this earth has known.So, if you are to read Moon Rising, put away your expectations of historical ficton (which, for me, is to actually *learn* something), turn off your brain and just enjoy the ride. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (7)

More than you ever wanted to know about Dracula...
I first heard of David Skal from the Universal Classic Monster series of DVD's.David was on the accompanying documentary and did the audio commentary for Tod Browning's 1931 classic, Dracula.If you own the set and have run the documentary and, particularly, the commentary, then you've already experienced about three chapters of this book.What remains is a rich mine of details about every aspect of Dracula, the book, movies, and culture.And what a lot there is.

David's writing, like his speech, is precise, educated, and loaded with literary allusions.While no dilettante, I consider myself well read and was still left with the occasional "what the hell is talking about?" moment.The language is rich and occasionally reminds me of the mental images drawn by Anne Rice at the height of her powers.However, David is no snob and is not merely parading his impressive intellect - it's just that he knows so darn much about the subject.

And if I had any criticism of the book that would be it - David seems driven to exhaustively document every possible aspect of Dracula's existence.The detailed (and seemingly never ending) battles between Florence Stoker and the makers of "Nosferatu" is described in such detail that I wanted to scream "OKAY!! We get it!Nosferatu was a Dracula rip off and Flo didn't like it!!"But eventually the tale moves on and sets the stage for intricate negotiations between the Stoker estate and Universal.In retrospect (and considering how handsomely the studio profited) it's interesting to see that Universal bought almost unlimited use of the vampire for the paltry sum of $25,000.00 and is still making oodles of money hand over fist today.David covers all aspects of vampire lore from Byron's "The Giaour" (1813) to Mel Brooks' "Dracula, Dead and Loving It" (1995).And everything in between.Trust me, if it can be construed to be in any way connected with Dracula, it's in this book.

If you have any interest in gothic culture, or the movies that spawned it, this is a must have.Reading it is like enjoying an evening of conversation with a much beloved, if slightly eccentric, old friend, preferably over brandy in front of a glowing fireplace on a cold, cold night.

"I want no souls. Life is all I want."
Down deep, we all agree with the fly-eating Renfield. That's why we can't get his Master out of our system. David J. Skal's book Hollywood Gothic explains a lot of the reasons why.

Hollywood Gothic is like David Skal's Screams of Reason: Mad Science and Modern Culture. Hollywood Gothic and Screams of Reason both take horror motifs we know mostly from movies and trace them back to literature, where they originated.

Screams of Reason looks at the mad scientist figure in fiction, from central European vivisectionists like Dr. Frankenstein to postwar American A-bomb scientists. Hollywood Gothic is more narrow - - it covers Bram Stoker's novel Dracula, the plays adapted from it, and then the movies inspired by it - - F.W. Murnau's silent film Nosferatu, then the Universal and Hammer horror films.


Skal goes into detail about Bela Lugosi's career as Dracula on stage and film. He also digs up a lot of interesting information about the Spanish-language Dracula made simultaneously with the Bela Lugosi movie by producer Paul Kohner and cinematographer George Robinson - - who was responsible for the look of later Universal horror films like Dracula's Daughter and House of Dracula.

Kohner fell in love with and married the real star of the Spanish-language Dracula, Lupita Tovar as Eva - - the Mina Harker character - - and who could blame him. Skal calls her a "truly ingenuous ingenue." In Mexico she could barely go out in public without being mobbed.

Except for Bela Lugosi himself, almost everything about Kohner's Spanish version is better than Browning's. (That's my opinion from watching the movies, not just reading Hollywood Gothic.) Skal quotes people who worked on Tod Browning's Dracula that Browning was barely paying attention to the movie he was making.

For instance, when Dracula welcomes Jonathan Harker to his castle from the top of the staircase, in the English version a huge spider web is off to the side behind Dracula, but in the Spanish version Dracula is framed in the center of the web. We see Dracula rise from his coffin in the Spanish version where Browning just shows him suddenly standing there. (Seeing Christopher Lee rise from his coffin, or be destroyed in it, was always a high point of the Hammer movies for me.) Every night Kohner's director George Melford looked at the film Browning's crew shot during the day and improved on it for their version.

But there was (and is) something in the idea of the vampire that makes readers and audiences forgive hack storytelling.

If you haven't seen them already, you should watch the films before reading Hollywood Gothic. The Universal Legacy Collection of Dracula contains the Lugosi film, the Spanish-language version, Dracula's Daughter, and Son of Dracula.(There's more, but those are the best. Universal's release of the Legacy Collections of Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Wolf Man are the only good thing to come from the marketing of the movie Van Helsing.)

Hollywood Gothic has a lot of illustrations, many of which are theatrical and film ephemera from Skal's personal collection. (Yesterday I saw The Aristocrats - - Penn Gillette's documentary about the world's filthiest joke - - and one of the comedians was wearing a T-shirt with Dracula's face from the cover of the first Modern Library edition of the novel. SIDE NOTE: See The Aristocrats - - it's about how to tell a story and keep an audience hooked as much as it is about the history of blue humor.)

Reading Hollywood Gothic made me finally read Bram Stoker's novel. Because I've seen so many movies that tell the story I never read the book. While the writing style isn't great, at least it moves along, and you're introduced to Dracula right away.


I read over half of the 600-page novel The Historian - - apparently foredoomed to be a bestseller and a blockbuster movie - - and the character Dracula still hadn't made an appearance. I skimmed to the end and read the climax, but I was disappointed. When you build Dracula up as such a powerful being, it's hard to destroy him in a way that doesn't seem anticlimactic. (That's one of the reasons Kim Newman has given for why he started writing his Anno Dracula series - - if Dracula is such a terrible force, how could he be tracked down and killed so easily by an insane Dutch doctor and three upper-class twits who belong in the Drones Club with Bertie Wooster?)
And why do characters in The Historian struggle to find copies of Bram Stoker's novel at university libraries? It's been out in paperback all over the world since the early 1900s. Go to any W.H. Smith.

Filmmakers who've told the Dracula story understand something novelists sometimes don't - - Dracula shouldn't be just a menace offstage, he's the protagonist of the story. Dracula is the hero. He's the one we want to see - - and be. That's why our mothers were displeased when they caught us watching monster movies on TV when we were kids. Mom knew what we were thinking. The reason Stoker's novel works at all is because we're introduced to Dracula at the beginning, when Harker comes to Translyvania. What makes the novel disappointing is that we hardly see Dracula again after that.

But Skal reminds us that "La sangre es la vida." Dracula isn't going anywhere.

ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATION: Check out Vampires: Los Muertos (see my review), the sequel to John Carpenter's Vampires, and an underrated movie. To me, it's a vampire movie that shows the monster as a Third World victim of globalist Van Helsings. (A rich white American woman can get the medicine she needs to stay alive (un-undead), while the brown vampire, stolen from her peasant family by a rich landowner, has only one way to get the sangre she needs. (I also like vampire movies that show how vampires might experience time differently than mortals - - Queen of the Damned also does this in an interesting way.) There's a scene of slow-motion slaughter in Los Muertos that the monstrous child in me responded to. Los Muertos also has the most sexist line I've every heard in a vampire movie, but you still identify with the female master vampire.

Fascinating History of Dracula's Path to the Silver Screen.
In "Hollywood Gothic" David Skal tells the story of "Dracula" that came after the classic of gothic horror was published in 1897. It's a fascinating, fact-filled tale of colorful personalities, legal battles, Hollywood politics, and a culture still captivated by the King of Literary Vampires. The book's seven chapters begin with author Bram Stoker, end with the Count's recent incarnations on stage and screen, and include the most insightful analysis of "Dracula"'s origins that I have read in the course of my minor obsession with the novel.

Chapter 1 explores "Dracula"'s literary and theatrical predecessors before moving on to discussion of the intellectual and sexual climate into which the book was published in 1897, the life and elusive character of its author Bram Stoker, and how the novel was received in its own day. David Skal does an impressive job of pulling together the relevant details, from diverse perspectives, of the novel's birth.

Chapter 2 details the legal battle waged by the Bram Stoker's widow, Mrs. Florence Stoker, to suppress the first cinematic adaptation of her husband's novel, 1922's "Nosferatu", the unauthorized German production directed by F.W. Murnau, now recognized as a masterpiece of silent cinema. Chapter 3 sees Mrs, Stoker finally authorize an adaptation to British dramatist Hamilton Deane, whose wordy, plodding "Dracula" play nevertheless achieved great financial success, attracting the attention of American theatrical producer Horace Liveright. Liveright enlisted journalist John Balderston to rewrite the play for Broadway and make it a smash hit on this side of the Atlantic.

Chapter 4 moves to Hollywood for the protracted negotiations over "Dracula"'s film rights. "Dracula"'s path through the early 20th century was mined with legal battles, and it is a credit to author David Skal that he is able to make interminable and constantly mutating negotiations into absorbing drama. Chapter 5 follows the winding road to the production of the first Hollywood "Dracula", the 1931 film starring Bela Lugosi, which, although made cheaply and lazily, was the first horror talkie and a financial life preserver for Universal Studios. Happily, Skal has dedicated Chapter 6 to the superior Spanish language version of "Dracula" that was filmed simultaneously, on the same sets, as the English version of the 1931 film, but with a different producer, director, cinematographer, and cast.

Chapter 7 tells us what became of the principle person's associated with the two 1931 films. Then it follows the legacy of "Dracula" from the 1930s forward, through its incarnations in film, plays, musicals, ballets, and other performances. Appendix A is a list of notable stage performances of "Dracula", 1897-2003. Appendix B is a list of about 200 films, 1921-2004, which feature the "Dracula" character or name. Thankfully, there is an index.

In outlining the contents of "Hollywood Gothic", I may have made the book seem dry. But the story of "Dracula"'s continuing life in film and on stage is as lively as the novel that inspired it -and it is written a good deal better. David Skal's tireless research and engaging style never fail to impress. "Hollywood Gothic" is an absorbing literary and cinematic history that "Dracula" fans shouldn't miss.

Nice Revision to an Already Great Book
David J. Skal is as readable as ever is this newly revised edition of the definitive Hollywood Gothic as he covers the history of Dracula from his creation by Bram Stoker to the various and multiple version on screen and stage.The thrust of the story is, of course, on the novel and the iconic Bela Lugosi movie, with an additional nice, but smaller, chunk on Nosferatu.The author is particularly effective in combining, in an interesting fashion, the creative, financial, and legal elements.His analysis is always clear and interesting and will definitely send the reader on a viewing frenzy.Vampire movies seem always to be streaming forth from Hollywood and Dracula is and always will be the most tempting of the bunch.This book brings this fascination to life, as it were.A very good job.

Nifty little book about the granddaddy of vampires
I read this book years ago.It's good to see it's coming back into print.

Skal charts the history of Stoker's book, beginning with early drafts extant, following the tangled film history, including the legal battles over Murnau's "Nosferatu", Universal Studio's struggle to get the rights for the Lugosi pic, and everything that happened after.

It won't change your life, but its fascinating stuff.Skal's style is quick, clean, and to the point.This book is a lot of fun, giving insights into publishing, film, theater, and the audience reaction to and participation in all of those mediums.A must for all vampire buffs, film students, and those who are curious about the inner workings of popular culture. ... Read more