While vampire films have struggled to take a bite out of the box office lately, the patriarch of blood-sucker cinema, "Nosferatu," is coming back to show all those fanged foundlings how it's done. This new re-imagining of F.W. Murnau's officially unauthorized 1922 "Dracula" adaptation "Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror" (the second of its kind after Werner Herzog's 1979 horror film "Nosferatu the Vampyre") hails from writer/director Robert Eggers -- and if the filmmaker is to be believed, this will be a truly terrifying affair to help wipe away the memories of all those lackluster movies about creatures of the night.
Eggers made a splash terrorizing audiences with his feature-length debut "The Witch" before helming "The Lighthouse" and "The Northman," both of which are frequently trippy and full of bizarre visuals and ghastly violence but aren't really trying too hard to scare you. That won't be the case with "Nosferatu,...
Eggers made a splash terrorizing audiences with his feature-length debut "The Witch" before helming "The Lighthouse" and "The Northman," both of which are frequently trippy and full of bizarre visuals and ghastly violence but aren't really trying too hard to scare you. That won't be the case with "Nosferatu,...
- 11/20/2023
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
The following contains major spoilers for The Last Voyage of the Demeter.
If the horror genre has a grandfather, it’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula. First published in 1897, the epistolary novel follows a group of English socialites who cross paths with a centuries-old vampire traversing the continent in search of fresh victims. From Francis Ford Coppola and Werner Herzog to Stephen King and Mel Brooks, it seems nearly every horror creator has reimagined the legendary text. After more than two centuries and countless variations, you’d think there’d be nothing left on these literary bones.
Enter The Last Voyage of the Demeter: André Øvredal’s take on Stoker’s seventh chapter. A short, but pivotal episode in the vampire’s saga, this adaptation fleshes out the log of a doomed vessel and unearths an entirely new tale from the ashes of an old story.
Dracula begins in Transylvania.
If the horror genre has a grandfather, it’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula. First published in 1897, the epistolary novel follows a group of English socialites who cross paths with a centuries-old vampire traversing the continent in search of fresh victims. From Francis Ford Coppola and Werner Herzog to Stephen King and Mel Brooks, it seems nearly every horror creator has reimagined the legendary text. After more than two centuries and countless variations, you’d think there’d be nothing left on these literary bones.
Enter The Last Voyage of the Demeter: André Øvredal’s take on Stoker’s seventh chapter. A short, but pivotal episode in the vampire’s saga, this adaptation fleshes out the log of a doomed vessel and unearths an entirely new tale from the ashes of an old story.
Dracula begins in Transylvania.
- 8/22/2023
- by Jenn Adams
- bloody-disgusting.com
Christopher Golden, Tim Lebbon, and Peter Bergting, the creative team behind last year's stunning illustrated prose horror novella Festival, reunite for the new horror comic series Mortal Terror! A complete reinvention of Dracula, Golden and Lebbon write the series with art by Bergting, colors by Chris O’Halloran, and letters by Clem Robins.
"Vampires Jonathan Harker, Lucy Westenra, and Mina Murray live in underground London, trying to keep the undead city safe from the rumored mortals above who seek to give them life, only to kill them. But when the authorities refuse to believe mortals, let alone the mysterious Count Dracula, are anything more than myth, they are on their own to keep their city eternally dead."
Mortal Terror #1 (of 4) creeps into the light and comic shops everywhere on November 22, 2023 thanks to Dark Horse Comics. It is now available to pre-order for $4.99 from your local comic shop, and be on the...
"Vampires Jonathan Harker, Lucy Westenra, and Mina Murray live in underground London, trying to keep the undead city safe from the rumored mortals above who seek to give them life, only to kill them. But when the authorities refuse to believe mortals, let alone the mysterious Count Dracula, are anything more than myth, they are on their own to keep their city eternally dead."
Mortal Terror #1 (of 4) creeps into the light and comic shops everywhere on November 22, 2023 thanks to Dark Horse Comics. It is now available to pre-order for $4.99 from your local comic shop, and be on the...
- 8/17/2023
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
“The Last Voyage of the Demeter,” which spotlights the doomed ship in Bram Stoker’s oft-adapted 1897 novel, is the second Dracula film released in 2023 after “Renfield.” Both take generous liberties with the source material, which brings up the question: Out of the 200-some films about the famous Count, which ones are the most faithful?
Here’s our ranking of some of the most popular, and a few lesser-known, Dracula adaptations.
Universal
8. Renfield (2023)
Pretty much the only thing this horror comedy has in common with the novel is Nicholas Hoult as the bug-eating title character and a delightfully campy Nicolas Cage as his bloodthirsty boss. The movie brings them both into the 21st century, makes Renfield an ass-kicking hero and swaps out Lucy and Mina for Awkwafina’s incorruptible cop.
Miramax
7. Dracula 2000 (2000)
The film begins with a shot of the wrecked Demeter and footprints in the sand as Dracula heads to town.
Here’s our ranking of some of the most popular, and a few lesser-known, Dracula adaptations.
Universal
8. Renfield (2023)
Pretty much the only thing this horror comedy has in common with the novel is Nicholas Hoult as the bug-eating title character and a delightfully campy Nicolas Cage as his bloodthirsty boss. The movie brings them both into the 21st century, makes Renfield an ass-kicking hero and swaps out Lucy and Mina for Awkwafina’s incorruptible cop.
Miramax
7. Dracula 2000 (2000)
The film begins with a shot of the wrecked Demeter and footprints in the sand as Dracula heads to town.
- 8/12/2023
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
What do you think of when you think of Dracula? (Assuming you think about him at all; I know I do.) The vampire Count likely conjures up images of a tux and a cape; a suave, seductive presence who woos virginal women before sinking his fangs into their necks. But here's the thing: the debonair Drac is almost entirely an invention of the movies. In Bram Stoker's novel, Dracula is not a sexy guy who shows up at dinner parties dressed to the nines. He's a malevolent monster lurking in the shadows.
In fact, Dracula himself is barely in the novel that bears his name. After the first several chapters, in which an aged Dracula meets and imprisons Jonathan Harker in his castle, the vampire takes a powder and recedes into the background. Stoker's book is an epistolary novel, which means it's made up of diary entries, letters,...
In fact, Dracula himself is barely in the novel that bears his name. After the first several chapters, in which an aged Dracula meets and imprisons Jonathan Harker in his castle, the vampire takes a powder and recedes into the background. Stoker's book is an epistolary novel, which means it's made up of diary entries, letters,...
- 8/11/2023
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
The Last Voyage Of The DemeterPhoto: Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment
This is going to be a bizarre claim, but the seventh chapter of Bram Stoker’s Dracula—specifically the section colloquially referred to as “The Captain’s Log”—might be one of the best found-footage horror stories ever … it...
This is going to be a bizarre claim, but the seventh chapter of Bram Stoker’s Dracula—specifically the section colloquially referred to as “The Captain’s Log”—might be one of the best found-footage horror stories ever … it...
- 8/11/2023
- by Sam Barsanti
- avclub.com
Bram Stoker's 1897 novel "Dracula" is told in epistolary form, and begins with the character of Jonathan Harker trekking into the Carpathian Mountains to close a real estate deal with a mysterious, elusive Eastern European count. The Count, a small smiling bald man with a mustache, is none other than Dracula, an ancient vampire that feeds on human blood and is in league with Satan. Dracula signs the paperwork, locks Jonathan in his dilapidated castle with a trio of succubi, and takes a ship to England. Jonathan will eventually escape to Budapest, but Dracula is still at large, ready to infiltrate England.
Later in the novel, it will be revealed that Dracula has been psychically convening with a local mental patient named Renfield, currently locked up in a British asylum. Dracula will use Renfield to infiltrate homes and drink his victims' blood. Renfield's role in Stoker's novel is relatively small,...
Later in the novel, it will be revealed that Dracula has been psychically convening with a local mental patient named Renfield, currently locked up in a British asylum. Dracula will use Renfield to infiltrate homes and drink his victims' blood. Renfield's role in Stoker's novel is relatively small,...
- 4/13/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
With the exception of the Count himself, Renfield is the most dynamic character in the Dracula story. Originally conceived as a madman in Dr. Seward’s sanitarium with a mysterious connection to his vampire overlord, Renfield has evolved with the ever-extending mythos that has arisen around Stoker’s original creation.
Since the earliest Dracula films, the character has changed and deepened, become more and less integral to the story depending on the focus of the filmmakers, but has always been an opportunity for great character actors to let loose and give some of the most memorable performances in horror cinema.
This week, Renfield will finally get his moment at center stage, with Nicholas Hoult becoming the latest actor to bite into the role. In anticipation of his starring turn, here is a look at some of the very best depictions of everyone’s favorite fly-eating maniac.
Nosferatu (1922)
To avoid copyright...
Since the earliest Dracula films, the character has changed and deepened, become more and less integral to the story depending on the focus of the filmmakers, but has always been an opportunity for great character actors to let loose and give some of the most memorable performances in horror cinema.
This week, Renfield will finally get his moment at center stage, with Nicholas Hoult becoming the latest actor to bite into the role. In anticipation of his starring turn, here is a look at some of the very best depictions of everyone’s favorite fly-eating maniac.
Nosferatu (1922)
To avoid copyright...
- 4/11/2023
- by Brian Keiper
- bloody-disgusting.com
It sucks to be a stooge, so says Nicholas Hoult’s Renfield, the long-suffering servant of Count Dracula in the new Chris McKay comedy of the same name. Hoult plays Renfield as a lackey who has spent centuries having to deal with the whims and murderous demands of the boss from hell, played by Nicolas Cage in his long-awaited turn as history’s most iconic vampire. It’s not hard to see how Bram Stoker‘s novel would inspire a story like this. Ever since the beginning of cinema, adaptations of Dracula have positioned poor Renfield as somewhere between a zealous cult follower and a beleaguered personal assistant. Essentially, he is the Igor of any given take.
Yet the Renfield of the novel, the one who inspired it all, has a far trickier history that has seldom been explored on the big or small screen. A character defined in the...
Yet the Renfield of the novel, the one who inspired it all, has a far trickier history that has seldom been explored on the big or small screen. A character defined in the...
- 4/11/2023
- by Kirsten Howard
- Den of Geek
It is difficult to imagine audiences ever found Dwight Frye scary in 1931, but they apparently did. With his high-strung voice and bug-eyed stare—all suggesting the countenance of someone who hasn’t slept in weeks yet feasts on coffee by the hour—Frye is unforgettable as R.M. Renfield, the doomed solicitor who foolishly traveled to Castle Dracula alone in the 1931 film version of Dracula. But scary? He was more a figure of tragedy… or from the right point of view, farce.
It would seem Nicholas Hoult, Nicolas Cage, and the entire team making this spring’s peculiar comedy-horror hybrid, Renfield, would agree. For the first time in cinematic history, the old fly-eater who was originally invented as a tragic, macabre side character in Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel is the hero of his own story. It only took 126 years! Ahead of release, the film is receiving a lot of attention and anticipation for how Cage,...
It would seem Nicholas Hoult, Nicolas Cage, and the entire team making this spring’s peculiar comedy-horror hybrid, Renfield, would agree. For the first time in cinematic history, the old fly-eater who was originally invented as a tragic, macabre side character in Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel is the hero of his own story. It only took 126 years! Ahead of release, the film is receiving a lot of attention and anticipation for how Cage,...
- 1/5/2023
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Horror films in the '90s have a dubious reputation. Depending on who you ask -- and often how old they are -- the last decade of the 20th century is either a wasteland filled with one or two terrifying films or the years when they fell in love with scary movies. The '70s and '80s dominated horror with the birth of many slasher franchises. "Friday the 13th," "Halloween," and "A Nightmare on Elm Street" gave us iconic killers, a seemingly endless number of sequels, and a new and empowering archetype to root for: the final girl. But horror films in the '80s mostly centered on the killers, with few final girls appearing in more than a single film series entry. Genre icon and legendary scream queen Jaime Lee Curtis started moving away from horrors in the '80s. By the '90s, the horror genre needed a change.
- 12/17/2022
- by Jenn Adams
- Slash Film
Dracula is one of the most recognizable figures in popular culture, having been a mainstay of literature, film, stage, comics, TV, and more for 125 years. And it all flows back to Bram Stoker’s original 1897 novel, Dracula, which not only stands as a milestone in both horror and English literature, but provided the template for the vampire that has influenced a vast swath of entertainment for more than a century.
The ancient Transylvanian Count has appeared in scores of films and TV shows over the years, but while there have been at least eight major, direct adaptations of Stoker’s novel, there has yet to be a version that can be said to be the definitive screen translation of the book. Part of the reason for that is its format: Dracula is an epistolary novel, told from the viewpoints of different characters largely through diary entries, journals, letters, and newspaper reports.
The ancient Transylvanian Count has appeared in scores of films and TV shows over the years, but while there have been at least eight major, direct adaptations of Stoker’s novel, there has yet to be a version that can be said to be the definitive screen translation of the book. Part of the reason for that is its format: Dracula is an epistolary novel, told from the viewpoints of different characters largely through diary entries, journals, letters, and newspaper reports.
- 10/30/2022
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
With October comes Halloween and with Halloween comes watching lots and lots of horror and horror-adjacent movies. These iconic movies usually have many spinoffs and, for better and for worse, sometimes that means video game tie-ins, too. Over the decades, we’ve seen the events of Halloween both adapted into being chased by Michael Myers via Atari graphics but also being chased by Michael Myers in the far superior Dead by Daylight.
There are plenty of other memorable horror games based on scary movies, like Ljn’s Nes takes on Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street. Konami threw a couple Saw games at us. We even got a seriously underrated sequel to The Thing in 2002.
But here are also quite a few licensed games that have fallen through the cracks of time, forgotten attempts to capture the power of cinematic horror that have vanished into obscurity like swimming...
There are plenty of other memorable horror games based on scary movies, like Ljn’s Nes takes on Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street. Konami threw a couple Saw games at us. We even got a seriously underrated sequel to The Thing in 2002.
But here are also quite a few licensed games that have fallen through the cracks of time, forgotten attempts to capture the power of cinematic horror that have vanished into obscurity like swimming...
- 10/29/2022
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
(Welcome to Year of the Vampire, a series examining the greatest, strangest, and sometimes overlooked vampire movies of all time in honor of "Nosferatu," which turns 100 this year.)
Civilization is a tenuous notion in "Nosferatu the Vampyre," Werner Herzog's 1979 remake of the original "Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror." The movie begins with footage of mummies in a cave, their faces frozen in ghastly, Edward Munch-like expressions. The camera pans down and we see that some of them are wearing shoes and fashionable heels, an image at odds with their half-decayed state and the spooky, ethereal choral chanting of Popol Vuh's "Brüder des Schattens" ("Brothers of the Shadow").
A bat flies in through the window of the bedroom where Lucy Harker, played by Isabelle Adjani ("Possession"), wakes screaming from a nightmare. Her husband Jonathan (Bruno Ganz) tries to console her, but he'll be riding off soon, despite her presentiments...
Civilization is a tenuous notion in "Nosferatu the Vampyre," Werner Herzog's 1979 remake of the original "Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror." The movie begins with footage of mummies in a cave, their faces frozen in ghastly, Edward Munch-like expressions. The camera pans down and we see that some of them are wearing shoes and fashionable heels, an image at odds with their half-decayed state and the spooky, ethereal choral chanting of Popol Vuh's "Brüder des Schattens" ("Brothers of the Shadow").
A bat flies in through the window of the bedroom where Lucy Harker, played by Isabelle Adjani ("Possession"), wakes screaming from a nightmare. Her husband Jonathan (Bruno Ganz) tries to console her, but he'll be riding off soon, despite her presentiments...
- 10/22/2022
- by Joshua Meyer
- Slash Film
The first time I saw Bram Stoker’s Dracula on television, I hated it. But then, it could be argued, I didn’t really see the movie Francis Ford Coppola had made.
This irony rings true for a number of reasons. First, my introduction to Gary Oldman’s fright wig, and the luminous crimson cloak that accompanied it, came not at the theater or even on VHS. It was in the middle of a Saturday afternoon on a fuzzy TNT cable broadcast where much of the gore, and pretty much all the eroticism, had been edited out in case a younger viewer was watching. And to the basic cable censors’ credit, I was exactly one such viewer: a lad of 12 or so who had devoured Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel and was eager to watch what was credited to be “Bram Stoker’s Dracula.” It was right there, in the title!
What...
This irony rings true for a number of reasons. First, my introduction to Gary Oldman’s fright wig, and the luminous crimson cloak that accompanied it, came not at the theater or even on VHS. It was in the middle of a Saturday afternoon on a fuzzy TNT cable broadcast where much of the gore, and pretty much all the eroticism, had been edited out in case a younger viewer was watching. And to the basic cable censors’ credit, I was exactly one such viewer: a lad of 12 or so who had devoured Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel and was eager to watch what was credited to be “Bram Stoker’s Dracula.” It was right there, in the title!
What...
- 10/21/2022
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Last year, renowned conceptual designer Ricardo Delgado brought a new version of Bram Stoker's classic horror story to undead life with his illustrated novel Dracula of Transylvania, which had a successful release through Clover Press. Now, Delgado is expanding his take on the iconic bloodsucker with The Art of Dracula of Transylvania, a new 200-page art book collecting more than 150 pieces of Delgado's artwork from the world Dracula of Transylvania.
With The Art of Dracula of Transylvania now having a pre-launch page on Kickstarter via Clover Press, we've been provided with exclusive artwork from the collection to share with Daily Dead readers!
You can check out the exclusive art and the official press release below, as well as a look at preview pages and some of the ghoulish goodies that will be offered to supporters of the Kickstarter campaign.
To learn more about The Art of Dracula of Transylvania,...
With The Art of Dracula of Transylvania now having a pre-launch page on Kickstarter via Clover Press, we've been provided with exclusive artwork from the collection to share with Daily Dead readers!
You can check out the exclusive art and the official press release below, as well as a look at preview pages and some of the ghoulish goodies that will be offered to supporters of the Kickstarter campaign.
To learn more about The Art of Dracula of Transylvania,...
- 10/20/2022
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
One can make a case that the genesis of horror onscreen was borne out of the Gothic literary movement in the 19th century. Crumbling castles; ghostly cries across the moors at night; fog so thick it can swallow the moonlight… and your will to live. These are all staples of some of the greatest works of Gothic horror on the page, and many of the greatest horror movies of the first half of the 20th century pulled directly from such iconography.
While Gothic horror has become rarer in recent times, as you can see from the below list, it yet beats like the telltale heart in the wall. Given the right direction, it can even thrive and escape from its cloistered hiding places. Hence we here have composed a list of not all the best Gothic horror movies, but enough to get you started in exploring the most alluring of shadows.
While Gothic horror has become rarer in recent times, as you can see from the below list, it yet beats like the telltale heart in the wall. Given the right direction, it can even thrive and escape from its cloistered hiding places. Hence we here have composed a list of not all the best Gothic horror movies, but enough to get you started in exploring the most alluring of shadows.
- 9/17/2022
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Hap (Justin Long) can barely believe his luck. Drunk at the bar and prone to delivering corny pick-up lines, he decides to chat up Mina (Kate Bosworth) only to discover she’s amenable to his liquor-tinged charms. While we don’t witness this meet-cute ourselves, seeing them in his car as it pulls up to her secluded woodlands estate suggests they hit it off. Just because Hap was brave enough to offer his services as chauffeur, however, doesn’t mean he’d go so far as to invite himself in. So he feigns chivalry instead, asking if she’d like an escort to her door. Mina is thus the one who confidently escalates this scenario by suggesting they have a drink in a way that seductively plants seeds for more.
Despite the horror typography and atmosphere of this entrance, House of Darkness‘ hapless (pun intended) business consultant all too willing...
Despite the horror typography and atmosphere of this entrance, House of Darkness‘ hapless (pun intended) business consultant all too willing...
- 9/5/2022
- by Jared Mobarak
- The Film Stage
What do vampires sound like? From inhuman growls to the oft-parodied Slavic accents ("I vont to sohk yu blaohd!"), every onscreen iteration of the bloodsucking creatures offers its own answer to this timeless question. The latest interpretation comes via "The Invitation," a new take on the vampire mythos from filmmaker Jessica M. Thompson.
Not to be confused with the 2015 Karyn Kusama film of the same name, this story follows artist and occasional freelance caterer Evie (Nathalie Emmanuel) to the English countryside to meet her incredibly wealthy long-lost relatives. In the wake of her mother's death, Evie hopes to connect with her new family members and hopefully feel less alone. Instead, she uncovers some unsettling revelations about her hosts and the intent behind their generosity.
If only Evie had studied up on her vampire sounds, perhaps she'd be better prepared for all that she encounters throughout the film. But in her defense,...
Not to be confused with the 2015 Karyn Kusama film of the same name, this story follows artist and occasional freelance caterer Evie (Nathalie Emmanuel) to the English countryside to meet her incredibly wealthy long-lost relatives. In the wake of her mother's death, Evie hopes to connect with her new family members and hopefully feel less alone. Instead, she uncovers some unsettling revelations about her hosts and the intent behind their generosity.
If only Evie had studied up on her vampire sounds, perhaps she'd be better prepared for all that she encounters throughout the film. But in her defense,...
- 8/27/2022
- by Shania Russell
- Slash Film
There's a new vampire movie in theaters this weekend, and it happens to share the title of a Karyn Kusama film: "The Invitation." This is not that Dracula project from Kusama, which received a stake to the heart earlier this year, but rather a different spin on the same 125-year-old mythos from director Jessica M. Thompson. "The Invitation" tells the story of a young woman named Evie, played by Nathalie Emmanuel ("Game of Thrones"), who heads out to the English countryside for a wedding with the wealthy white cousin she never knew she had.
Will it be a Red Wedding or something more along the lines of a Billy Idol song? Well, based on the trailer for "The Invitation," it looks like they'll be serving fresh-squeezed blood there, so you can probably guess the answer to that.
In "The Invitation," viewers are cordially invited to hunt not just vampires but also Easter eggs.
Will it be a Red Wedding or something more along the lines of a Billy Idol song? Well, based on the trailer for "The Invitation," it looks like they'll be serving fresh-squeezed blood there, so you can probably guess the answer to that.
In "The Invitation," viewers are cordially invited to hunt not just vampires but also Easter eggs.
- 8/27/2022
- by Joshua Meyer
- Slash Film
Universal Pictures will release “Renfield,” a monster movie centered around Dracula’s sidekick on April 14, 2023, the studio announced on Friday.
The film stars Nicholas Hoult as Renfield, the tortured aide to history’s most narcissistic boss, Dracula, who will be played by Oscar-winner Nicolas Cage.
The official synopsis is as follows: Renfield is forced to procure his master’s prey and do his every bidding, no matter how debased. But now, after centuries of servitude, Renfield is ready to see if there’s a life outside the shadow of The Prince of Darkness. If only he can figure out how to end his codependency.
Chris McKay is directing and producing.
Ryan Ridley wrote the script, based on an original story outline from “The Walking Dead” and “Invincible” creator Robert Kirkman.
“Renfield” also stars Awkwafina, Ben Schwartz and Adrian Martinez.
In Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel “Dracula,” Renfield was a patient in...
The film stars Nicholas Hoult as Renfield, the tortured aide to history’s most narcissistic boss, Dracula, who will be played by Oscar-winner Nicolas Cage.
The official synopsis is as follows: Renfield is forced to procure his master’s prey and do his every bidding, no matter how debased. But now, after centuries of servitude, Renfield is ready to see if there’s a life outside the shadow of The Prince of Darkness. If only he can figure out how to end his codependency.
Chris McKay is directing and producing.
Ryan Ridley wrote the script, based on an original story outline from “The Walking Dead” and “Invincible” creator Robert Kirkman.
“Renfield” also stars Awkwafina, Ben Schwartz and Adrian Martinez.
In Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel “Dracula,” Renfield was a patient in...
- 2/25/2022
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
It’s Valentine’s Day but whatever. Or alternatively, it’s Valentine’s Day! Hooray! Whether you’re an old romantic or you’re in the ‘love sucks’ camp, we have such sights for you, in this list of genuinely excellent horror movies which are also love stories. Some are doomed, if that is your bag, but others are actually kind of happy endings if you can live with some corpses on the way.
So why not snuggle up with your loved one/dog/blanket/ice cold heart and check out these romantic chillers? You’ll find no Twilight here.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
The 1931 film Dracula opened on Valentine’s Day 1931, after two months of promos from Universal Pictures calling it “The story of the strangest passion the world has ever known” and ads promising “The kiss no woman could resist.” Bela Lugosi was a sex symbol on Broadway in...
So why not snuggle up with your loved one/dog/blanket/ice cold heart and check out these romantic chillers? You’ll find no Twilight here.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
The 1931 film Dracula opened on Valentine’s Day 1931, after two months of promos from Universal Pictures calling it “The story of the strangest passion the world has ever known” and ads promising “The kiss no woman could resist.” Bela Lugosi was a sex symbol on Broadway in...
- 2/14/2022
- by Rosie Fletcher
- Den of Geek
Stars: Christine Prouty, Stuart Packer, Ryan Woodcock, India Lillie Davies, Jake Herbert, Michael Ironside | Written by Michael Varrati | Directed by Maximilian Elfeldt
It’s interesting to see that the classic monsters of yesteryear, the kings of horror storytelling – Dracula, the Mummy, the Wolfman – are all returning to the [small] screen in new and different takes on the existing mythos. Us Brits had a go with films like The Mummy Reborn and its sequel and the more recent Bram Stoker’s Van Helsing; both made on a low budget by indie filmmakers. Now it’s the turn of American indie king’s The Asylum to have a crack at a legendary horror icon with Dracula: The Original Living Vampire – a film whose title would suggest was Supposed to be a cash-in on the Sony/Marvel film Morbius… after all, in the comics Morbius if dubbed “The Living Vampire” too!
But this is definitely no Morbius.
It’s interesting to see that the classic monsters of yesteryear, the kings of horror storytelling – Dracula, the Mummy, the Wolfman – are all returning to the [small] screen in new and different takes on the existing mythos. Us Brits had a go with films like The Mummy Reborn and its sequel and the more recent Bram Stoker’s Van Helsing; both made on a low budget by indie filmmakers. Now it’s the turn of American indie king’s The Asylum to have a crack at a legendary horror icon with Dracula: The Original Living Vampire – a film whose title would suggest was Supposed to be a cash-in on the Sony/Marvel film Morbius… after all, in the comics Morbius if dubbed “The Living Vampire” too!
But this is definitely no Morbius.
- 2/1/2022
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
Written by Rich Davis | Art by Henry Martinez | Published by Source Point Press
I’m not going to lie, as a comic reader most of my time and money is spent on books from the genres big two, Marvel and DC. I very rarely stray from the two, and when I do its usually because a friend has either lent me a book or recommended something they know matches my taste entirely or its a licensed title and I’m a fan of the property… Why am I telling you this? Well because, for the first time in a Very long time, I picked up an indie book and one from a publisher that – honestly – I’d never heard of. And on top of all that I bought it literally based on the stunning cover by artist Gyula Nemeth! I hadn’t read a single thing about the book, I...
I’m not going to lie, as a comic reader most of my time and money is spent on books from the genres big two, Marvel and DC. I very rarely stray from the two, and when I do its usually because a friend has either lent me a book or recommended something they know matches my taste entirely or its a licensed title and I’m a fan of the property… Why am I telling you this? Well because, for the first time in a Very long time, I picked up an indie book and one from a publisher that – honestly – I’d never heard of. And on top of all that I bought it literally based on the stunning cover by artist Gyula Nemeth! I hadn’t read a single thing about the book, I...
- 4/12/2021
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
There’s a simple answer to where you’ve seen most of 2020’s The Haunting of Bly Manor‘s cast before: in 2018’s The Haunting of Hill House. Writer-director Mike Flanagan has a resident company of actors with roles across several of his horror projects, as shown by the significant crossover between these two Netflix series alone. Victoria Pedretti, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Henry Thomas and Katie Parker are just some of the familiar faces appearing in Flanagan’s new Henry James-inspired spooky series Bly Manor. And here’s what else this bunch is known for on screen.
Henry Thomas – Henry Wingrave
Thomas’ most famous role came at the age of 10 when he played young lead Elliott in Steven Spielberg’s 1982 blockbuster E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (see his terrific audition tape here). In recent years, Thomas has been a frequent collaborator with writer-director Mike Flanagan, playing the young Hugh Crain, father...
Henry Thomas – Henry Wingrave
Thomas’ most famous role came at the age of 10 when he played young lead Elliott in Steven Spielberg’s 1982 blockbuster E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (see his terrific audition tape here). In recent years, Thomas has been a frequent collaborator with writer-director Mike Flanagan, playing the young Hugh Crain, father...
- 10/9/2020
- by Louisa Mellor
- Den of Geek
Winona Ryder has been in the news quite a bit this week. Once the perennial Gen-x star of the ‘90s, she still carries a loyal following of fans who swear by the mantra of “Winona Forever.” It appears that Keanu Reeves and Anthony Hopkins may be among them, as per Ryder’s most recent recollection from making the classic vampire movie Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992).
In a new interview with The Sunday Times, Ryder recalled when director Francis Ford Coppola attempted to emotionally prepare her for a scene by shouting, “You whore! You whore!” over and over again, and getting the rest of the male cast on the set to join in. For context, the sequence occurs at the end of the movie’s second act after her character Mina Harker is discovered drinking blood from Dracula’s chest. Only then does the vampire turn into a giant bat and then a pile of rats.
In a new interview with The Sunday Times, Ryder recalled when director Francis Ford Coppola attempted to emotionally prepare her for a scene by shouting, “You whore! You whore!” over and over again, and getting the rest of the male cast on the set to join in. For context, the sequence occurs at the end of the movie’s second act after her character Mina Harker is discovered drinking blood from Dracula’s chest. Only then does the vampire turn into a giant bat and then a pile of rats.
- 6/24/2020
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss’ Dracula has been out for a couple of weeks now on the BBC and a week or so on Netflix, so fans of the duo’s other two series – Doctor Who and Sherlock – have had time to chew over the three feature-length episodes that make up their new take on the horror classic so far. And those same fans may well have noticed the nods to both of those shows hidden in the first episode of Dracula.
As previously discussed, there’s a nifty easter egg referencing Jenna Coleman’s Clara from Doctor Who in an early scene from episode 1, titled “The Rules of the Beast.” Later on in the same story, there’s another intriguing line that will grab fans’ attentions. When Agatha Van Helsing is explaining how she located and brought Jonathan Harker’s fiancee Mina to her convent in Budapest to see him,...
As previously discussed, there’s a nifty easter egg referencing Jenna Coleman’s Clara from Doctor Who in an early scene from episode 1, titled “The Rules of the Beast.” Later on in the same story, there’s another intriguing line that will grab fans’ attentions. When Agatha Van Helsing is explaining how she located and brought Jonathan Harker’s fiancee Mina to her convent in Budapest to see him,...
- 1/14/2020
- by Christian Bone
- We Got This Covered
Terrific, smart, and Very bloody. That is, in a nutshell, Stephen King’s review of the three-part Dracula series currently playing across Netflix and the BBC.
The master of horror himself took to Twitter late last week to shower praise on Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss’ gothic reimagining, and if that isn’t a ringing endorsement for Dracula, we don’t know what is.
While it’s been billed as a modern-day incarnation of Bram Stoker’s blood-sucker, Moffat and Gatiss’ three-part drama is still rooted in the Victorian era, where Danish actor Claes Bang steps out of the shadows as the cunning Count. According to the show’s creators, the vision was to create a story in which Dracula is the lead character – as opposed to some fantastical, shadowy figure who resides in darkness – meaning that Moffat and Gatiss have naturally taken some liberties when it comes to the source material.
The master of horror himself took to Twitter late last week to shower praise on Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss’ gothic reimagining, and if that isn’t a ringing endorsement for Dracula, we don’t know what is.
While it’s been billed as a modern-day incarnation of Bram Stoker’s blood-sucker, Moffat and Gatiss’ three-part drama is still rooted in the Victorian era, where Danish actor Claes Bang steps out of the shadows as the cunning Count. According to the show’s creators, the vision was to create a story in which Dracula is the lead character – as opposed to some fantastical, shadowy figure who resides in darkness – meaning that Moffat and Gatiss have naturally taken some liberties when it comes to the source material.
- 1/13/2020
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
This week, a new adaptation of Dracula aired on the BBC from the minds of Sherlock creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss. It’s intended as a follow-up to the smash-hit detective drama – as it’s another retelling of a Victorian literary classic – but two easter eggs found in the show’s first episode actually seem to confirm that it takes place in the same universe as the other TV show the pair used to work on: Doctor Who.
First of all, near the beginning of the premiere, titled “The Rules of the Beast,” Jonathan Harker (John Heffernan) reads a letter sent to him from his fiancee Mina Murray (Morfydd Clark). In the letter, Mina teases him that her affections might wander now that they’re separated, joking that she might spend some time with “the adorable barmaid from The Rose & Crown.”
This is a direct reference to the events...
First of all, near the beginning of the premiere, titled “The Rules of the Beast,” Jonathan Harker (John Heffernan) reads a letter sent to him from his fiancee Mina Murray (Morfydd Clark). In the letter, Mina teases him that her affections might wander now that they’re separated, joking that she might spend some time with “the adorable barmaid from The Rose & Crown.”
This is a direct reference to the events...
- 1/5/2020
- by Christian Bone
- We Got This Covered
Take a look at the new live-action "Dracula" TV series, produced by BBC One and Netflix, directed by Jonny Campbell, starring Claes Bang as 'Count Dracula' and John Heffernan as 'Jonathan Harker', with Dolly Wells, Joanna Scanlan, Morfydd Clark, Sacha Dhawan, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Jonathan Aris, Lyndsey Marshal, Lydia West and Matthew Beard, now streaming on Netflix:
"...the makers of 'Sherlock' bring you a brand new take on the most famous vampire of them all: the brooding and deadly 'Count Dracula'.
"'Episode One: The Rules Of The Beast'- in 1897, English lawyer 'Jonathan Harker' travels to 'Transylvania' to meet a new client, in a terrifying tale of a maze-like castle, of undead 'Brides', and a vampire 'Count' whose ambition is to conquer a new world..."
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Dracula"...
"...the makers of 'Sherlock' bring you a brand new take on the most famous vampire of them all: the brooding and deadly 'Count Dracula'.
"'Episode One: The Rules Of The Beast'- in 1897, English lawyer 'Jonathan Harker' travels to 'Transylvania' to meet a new client, in a terrifying tale of a maze-like castle, of undead 'Brides', and a vampire 'Count' whose ambition is to conquer a new world..."
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Dracula"...
- 1/4/2020
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
Louisa Mellor Jan 4, 2020
From the creators of Sherlock, BBC One’s Dracula is a funny, scary, invigorated retelling.
This Dracula review contains spoilers. It originally appeared on Den of Geek UK.
Dracula Episode 1
With a personal brand that stretches across all of culture, the who, what, when and where of Count Dracula are well known. He’s a centuries-old nobleman in a Transylvanian castle who vants to suck your blooood. The novel question this adaptation of Bram Stoker’s story asks is: why? Why crucifixes, why the need for an invitation, why the brides, why everything. Why is Count Dracula the best, most successful vampire of all time?
It’s a good hook, and a much-needed one for this lengthy four and a half-hour adaptation. Asking "why" reinvigorates a story we already know, bringing the villain out of the shadows and refashioning him as the lead and not just the title character.
From the creators of Sherlock, BBC One’s Dracula is a funny, scary, invigorated retelling.
This Dracula review contains spoilers. It originally appeared on Den of Geek UK.
Dracula Episode 1
With a personal brand that stretches across all of culture, the who, what, when and where of Count Dracula are well known. He’s a centuries-old nobleman in a Transylvanian castle who vants to suck your blooood. The novel question this adaptation of Bram Stoker’s story asks is: why? Why crucifixes, why the need for an invitation, why the brides, why everything. Why is Count Dracula the best, most successful vampire of all time?
It’s a good hook, and a much-needed one for this lengthy four and a half-hour adaptation. Asking "why" reinvigorates a story we already know, bringing the villain out of the shadows and refashioning him as the lead and not just the title character.
- 1/1/2020
- Den of Geek
From Transylvania with blood comes this fresh wave of HD pics for Dracula, teasing wooden stakes and Danish actor Claes Bang in the role of the cunning Count.
The soon-to-be-released reimagining of Bram Stoker’s gothic creation comes from the minds of Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, who are perhaps best known for their work on Sherlock. And much like the resident detective of 221b Baker Street, Dracula will enjoy its premiere on BBC One come New Year’s Day, before expanding to an international release courtesy of Netflix on January 4th.
Either way, Gatiss and Moffat’s delightfully dark series, which is comprised of just three episodes in total, is almost upon us, and to stir excitement, the Powers That Be have today unleashed a helping of images introducing Bang’s blood-sucker and the show’s supporting players, including John Heffernan (Jonathan Harker), Dolly Wells (Sister Agatha), Joanna Scanlan...
The soon-to-be-released reimagining of Bram Stoker’s gothic creation comes from the minds of Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, who are perhaps best known for their work on Sherlock. And much like the resident detective of 221b Baker Street, Dracula will enjoy its premiere on BBC One come New Year’s Day, before expanding to an international release courtesy of Netflix on January 4th.
Either way, Gatiss and Moffat’s delightfully dark series, which is comprised of just three episodes in total, is almost upon us, and to stir excitement, the Powers That Be have today unleashed a helping of images introducing Bang’s blood-sucker and the show’s supporting players, including John Heffernan (Jonathan Harker), Dolly Wells (Sister Agatha), Joanna Scanlan...
- 12/30/2019
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
Take a look at the new live-action "Dracula" TV series, produced by BBC One and Netflix, directed by Jonny Campbell, starring Claes Bang as 'Count Dracula' and John Heffernan as 'Jonathan Harker', with Dolly Wells, Joanna Scanlan, Morfydd Clark, Sacha Dhawan, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Jonathan Aris, Lyndsey Marshal, Lydia West and Matthew Beard, streaming January 3, 2020 on Netflix:
"...the makers of 'Sherlock' bring you a brand new take on the most famous vampire of them all: the brooding and deadly 'Count Dracula'.
"'Episode One: The Rules Of The Beast'- in 1897, English lawyer 'Jonathan Harker' travels to 'Transylvania' to meet a new client, in a terrifying tale of a maze-like castle, of undead 'Brides', and a vampire 'Count' whose ambition is to conquer a new world..."
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Dracula"...
"...the makers of 'Sherlock' bring you a brand new take on the most famous vampire of them all: the brooding and deadly 'Count Dracula'.
"'Episode One: The Rules Of The Beast'- in 1897, English lawyer 'Jonathan Harker' travels to 'Transylvania' to meet a new client, in a terrifying tale of a maze-like castle, of undead 'Brides', and a vampire 'Count' whose ambition is to conquer a new world..."
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Dracula"...
- 12/30/2019
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
Sneak Peek new footage from the upcoming live-action "Dracula" TV series, a co-production between BBC One and Netflix, directed by Jonny Campbell, starring Claes Bang as 'Count Dracula' and John Heffernan as 'Jonathan Harker', with Dolly Wells, Joanna Scanlan, Morfydd Clark, Sacha Dhawan, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Jonathan Aris, Lyndsey Marshal, Lydia West and Matthew Beard, streaming on Netflix in 2020:
"...the makers of 'Sherlock' bring you a brand new take on the most famous vampire of them all: the brooding and deadly 'Count Dracula'.
"'Episode One: The Rules Of The Beast'- in 1897, English lawyer 'Jonathan Harker' travels to 'Transylvania' to meet a new client, in a terrifying tale of a maze-like castle, of undead 'Brides', and a vampire 'Count' whose ambition is to conquer a new world..."
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Dracula"...
"...the makers of 'Sherlock' bring you a brand new take on the most famous vampire of them all: the brooding and deadly 'Count Dracula'.
"'Episode One: The Rules Of The Beast'- in 1897, English lawyer 'Jonathan Harker' travels to 'Transylvania' to meet a new client, in a terrifying tale of a maze-like castle, of undead 'Brides', and a vampire 'Count' whose ambition is to conquer a new world..."
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Dracula"...
- 12/13/2019
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
“The Haunting of Hill House” star Oliver Jackson-Cohen is joining the cast of “The Invisible Man” as the title character for the Blumhouse-Universal Pictures project.
“The Invisible Man” is inspired by Universal Pictures’ classic monster character, first portrayed by Claude Rains in the studio’s 1933 movie. The story was based on H. G. Wells’ science-fiction novel about a chemist who has discovered the secret of invisibility while conducting a series of tests involving an obscure drug called monocane. In 2008, “The Invisible Man” was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.
Elisabeth Moss, Aldis Hodge, Harriet Dyer and Storm Reid were previously announced as joining the project. The film will shoot in Sydney, Australia, later this month. Universal has set a March 13 release date.
The thriller will be written, directed and executive produced by Leigh Whannell, who wrote, directed and executive produced the 2018 sci-fi thriller “Upgrade,...
“The Invisible Man” is inspired by Universal Pictures’ classic monster character, first portrayed by Claude Rains in the studio’s 1933 movie. The story was based on H. G. Wells’ science-fiction novel about a chemist who has discovered the secret of invisibility while conducting a series of tests involving an obscure drug called monocane. In 2008, “The Invisible Man” was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.
Elisabeth Moss, Aldis Hodge, Harriet Dyer and Storm Reid were previously announced as joining the project. The film will shoot in Sydney, Australia, later this month. Universal has set a March 13 release date.
The thriller will be written, directed and executive produced by Leigh Whannell, who wrote, directed and executive produced the 2018 sci-fi thriller “Upgrade,...
- 7/12/2019
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
With Blumhouse teaming up with Universal to bring their timeless horror characters back to the big screen, they're kicking things off with The Invisible Man, and the title role will be played by a familiar face to fans of Mike Flanagan's The Haunting of Hill House.
Multiple outlets, including The Hollywood Reporter, reveal that Oliver Jackson-Cohen will play the Invisible Man in the new movie from Universal, Blumhouse, and writer/director Leigh Whannell.
Perhaps best known by horror fans for his role as Luke Crain, a recovering addict coping with childhood trauma in Netflix's chilling adaptation of Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House, Jackson-Cohen also played Jonathan Harker in NBC's Dracula TV series and John Cantrell in 2012's The Raven.
Jackson Cohen joins a cast that includes Elisabeth Moss, Storm Reid, Aldis Hodge, and Harriet Dyer. Slated for release on Friday the 13th of March,...
Multiple outlets, including The Hollywood Reporter, reveal that Oliver Jackson-Cohen will play the Invisible Man in the new movie from Universal, Blumhouse, and writer/director Leigh Whannell.
Perhaps best known by horror fans for his role as Luke Crain, a recovering addict coping with childhood trauma in Netflix's chilling adaptation of Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House, Jackson-Cohen also played Jonathan Harker in NBC's Dracula TV series and John Cantrell in 2012's The Raven.
Jackson Cohen joins a cast that includes Elisabeth Moss, Storm Reid, Aldis Hodge, and Harriet Dyer. Slated for release on Friday the 13th of March,...
- 7/12/2019
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Joseph Baxter John Saavedra Feb 7, 2020
Blumhouse's remake of The Invisible Man arrives in February. Here's what we know about the studio's latest monster movie!
The Invisible Man, the classic Universal monster movie based on H.G. Wells's novel, lives again in a new reboot from Universal and Blumhouse.
This reboot stars Oliver Jackson-Cohen, the London-born actor best known as Luke Crain on Netflix’s The Haunting of Hill House, which – in its depiction of the character’s struggles with addiction and past trauma – impressed the film’s creative team enough to clinch the lead role, for which he brings an applicable skill set to the Invisible Man’s gradual emotional descent into villainy and murder. His character will (dis)appear opposite Elisabeth Moss, who co-stars as the focus of the title character's ire.
Leigh Whannell directed the film, having worked off her own adaptation script of the Wells story.
The Invisible Man...
Blumhouse's remake of The Invisible Man arrives in February. Here's what we know about the studio's latest monster movie!
The Invisible Man, the classic Universal monster movie based on H.G. Wells's novel, lives again in a new reboot from Universal and Blumhouse.
This reboot stars Oliver Jackson-Cohen, the London-born actor best known as Luke Crain on Netflix’s The Haunting of Hill House, which – in its depiction of the character’s struggles with addiction and past trauma – impressed the film’s creative team enough to clinch the lead role, for which he brings an applicable skill set to the Invisible Man’s gradual emotional descent into villainy and murder. His character will (dis)appear opposite Elisabeth Moss, who co-stars as the focus of the title character's ire.
Leigh Whannell directed the film, having worked off her own adaptation script of the Wells story.
The Invisible Man...
- 7/12/2019
- Den of Geek
Universal have wisely rethought their approach to rebooting the studio’s stable of classic monsters in the wake of the Dark Universe debacle. Rumors of behind-the-scenes disagreements plagued the production of Tom Cruise vehicle The Mummy, which went on to suffer from so-so box office business and scathing reviews, virtually killing any attempt to relaunch their iconic characters as star-driven action blockbusters.
It was announced earlier this year that the next set of reboots were already in motion and The Invisible Man, which once had Johnny Depp attached to star in the lead role, would be first out of the gate with genre specialists Blumhouse producing and Saw co-creator Leigh Whannell behind the camera.
The Handmaid’s Tale and Mad Men star Elisabeth Moss was the first name to join the cast, with speculation that she could even be playing the title role quickly proving to be false. A Wrinkle...
It was announced earlier this year that the next set of reboots were already in motion and The Invisible Man, which once had Johnny Depp attached to star in the lead role, would be first out of the gate with genre specialists Blumhouse producing and Saw co-creator Leigh Whannell behind the camera.
The Handmaid’s Tale and Mad Men star Elisabeth Moss was the first name to join the cast, with speculation that she could even be playing the title role quickly proving to be false. A Wrinkle...
- 7/12/2019
- by Scott Campbell
- We Got This Covered
Keanu Reeves has a new title — “husband.”
The John Wick: Chapter 3 actor, 54, joked about his possible marriage to Destination Wedding costar Winona Ryder while on The Talk on Monday.
The duo starred together in 1992’s Dracula — a film that saw director Francis Ford Coppola hire “a real Romanian priest” for a wedding scene involving their characters, Ryder, 47, told Entertainment Weekly in August. Ryder played Mina while Reeves played her fiancé Jonathan Harker.
When co-host Carrie Ann Inaba asked him if it was true, Reeves said, “That’s what Winona says.”
“Once in a while, I will get a text, ‘Hello,...
The John Wick: Chapter 3 actor, 54, joked about his possible marriage to Destination Wedding costar Winona Ryder while on The Talk on Monday.
The duo starred together in 1992’s Dracula — a film that saw director Francis Ford Coppola hire “a real Romanian priest” for a wedding scene involving their characters, Ryder, 47, told Entertainment Weekly in August. Ryder played Mina while Reeves played her fiancé Jonathan Harker.
When co-host Carrie Ann Inaba asked him if it was true, Reeves said, “That’s what Winona says.”
“Once in a while, I will get a text, ‘Hello,...
- 1/8/2019
- by Alexia Fernandez
- PEOPLE.com
The best of all Hammer horror pictures finally comes to Region A Blu-ray, with a bright transfer made to look like original Technicolor prints. This is where Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing came into their own as international stars, as the undead Count Dracula and the no-nonsense vampire killer Van Helsing. It’s the bridge between old-school gothic horrors and the modern age of sex and gore, and it’s as exciting as a breakneck action serial.
Horror of Dracula (Dracula)
Blu-ray
Warner Archive Collection
1958 / Color / 1:66 widescreen / 82 min. / Street Date December 18, 2018 / available through the WBshop / 21.99
Starring: Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Michael Gough, Melissa Stribling, Carol Marsh, Olga Dickie, John Van Eyssen, Valerie Gaunt, Janina Faye.
Cinematography: Jack Asher
Film Editor: Bill Lenny
Production Designer: Bernard Robinson
:Makeup Artist: Philip Leakey
Original Music: James Bernard
Written by Jimmy Sangster
Produced by Michael Carreras, Anthony Hinds, Anthony Nelson Keys
Directed by...
Horror of Dracula (Dracula)
Blu-ray
Warner Archive Collection
1958 / Color / 1:66 widescreen / 82 min. / Street Date December 18, 2018 / available through the WBshop / 21.99
Starring: Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Michael Gough, Melissa Stribling, Carol Marsh, Olga Dickie, John Van Eyssen, Valerie Gaunt, Janina Faye.
Cinematography: Jack Asher
Film Editor: Bill Lenny
Production Designer: Bernard Robinson
:Makeup Artist: Philip Leakey
Original Music: James Bernard
Written by Jimmy Sangster
Produced by Michael Carreras, Anthony Hinds, Anthony Nelson Keys
Directed by...
- 12/8/2018
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Stephan Franck (The Iron Giant), who has worked on everything from animated films to graphic novels, has launched a Kickstarter campaign for Volume 4 of Silver, a graphic novel series featuring action, adventure, Dracula, Van Helsing, and so much more, and it headlines today's Horror Highlights. We also have details on a virtual reality experience for Speak of the Devil and Ghost Source Zero digital release details.
Silver Volume 4 Kickstarter Details: Press Release: "May 29, 2018) Stephan Franck has worked on some of the most beloved animated films of all time, including The Iron Giant, How to Train Your Dragon, and Despicable Me —and his passion for storytelling extends from the silver screen to comic books and graphic novels. Over the course of the last four years, Franck has been writing, illustrate self-publishing Silver, a globe-trotting graphic novel series that mashes up the world of Bram Stoker’s classic novel Dracula with action,...
Silver Volume 4 Kickstarter Details: Press Release: "May 29, 2018) Stephan Franck has worked on some of the most beloved animated films of all time, including The Iron Giant, How to Train Your Dragon, and Despicable Me —and his passion for storytelling extends from the silver screen to comic books and graphic novels. Over the course of the last four years, Franck has been writing, illustrate self-publishing Silver, a globe-trotting graphic novel series that mashes up the world of Bram Stoker’s classic novel Dracula with action,...
- 5/30/2018
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
Bram Stoker’s Dracula is a modern horror masterpiece, and one that too often goes overlooked. A film that is horrifying, intriguing, and astoundingly beautiful, Francis Ford Coppola took Stoker’s masterwork and breathed new, undead life into it in 1992. It recently hit its 25th anniversary, and the film remains a classic piece of horror cinema.
The film opens in 1462, with Vlad Dracula (Gary Oldman) returning from war against the Turks to find that his beloved wife, Elisabeta (Winona Ryder) has killed herself upon receiving false news of his defeat and death. When the priest tells him that her soul cannot be saved and will be forever damned by her suicide, Vlad renounces God in a fit of rage. He desecrates his small chapel, stabbing a stone cross and drinking the blood that begins to ebb from it, embracing eternal life and damnation at the hands of a merciless god.
The film opens in 1462, with Vlad Dracula (Gary Oldman) returning from war against the Turks to find that his beloved wife, Elisabeta (Winona Ryder) has killed herself upon receiving false news of his defeat and death. When the priest tells him that her soul cannot be saved and will be forever damned by her suicide, Vlad renounces God in a fit of rage. He desecrates his small chapel, stabbing a stone cross and drinking the blood that begins to ebb from it, embracing eternal life and damnation at the hands of a merciless god.
- 12/12/2017
- by Emily von Seele
- DailyDead
He's helping to bring one of horror's creepiest characters to life on the big screen in his latest film, It, and one of director Andy Muschietti's future projects could feature another iconic character in horror.
Deadline reports that Paramount Pictures has picked up the film rights for Dracul, what is described as an official prequel book to Stoker's seminal 1897 horror novel. According to Deadline, the adaptation of the yet-to-be-released book could be a potential project for filmmaker Muschietti to take on along with It movie producers Barbara Muschietti and Roy Lee.
Muschietti is currently set as the new director of Hulu's Locke & Key pilot episode adaptation (taking over for Scott Derrickson, who had a scheduling conflict) and he could potentially direct the second It movie that would follow the Losers' Club as adults (although a follow-up film has yet to be officially announced by Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema...
Deadline reports that Paramount Pictures has picked up the film rights for Dracul, what is described as an official prequel book to Stoker's seminal 1897 horror novel. According to Deadline, the adaptation of the yet-to-be-released book could be a potential project for filmmaker Muschietti to take on along with It movie producers Barbara Muschietti and Roy Lee.
Muschietti is currently set as the new director of Hulu's Locke & Key pilot episode adaptation (taking over for Scott Derrickson, who had a scheduling conflict) and he could potentially direct the second It movie that would follow the Losers' Club as adults (although a follow-up film has yet to be officially announced by Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema...
- 9/5/2017
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
For a group of con men and a descendant of Van Helsing, robbing Dracula's castle could be the score they need to be set for life, but things get complicated when vampires stand in their way of a big payday in Stephan Franck's graphic novel series Silver. With Dark Planet Comics launching a Kickstarter campaign for Silver Volume 3, we had the chance to catch up with Franck for our latest Q&A feature to discuss the influences of Bram Stoker's Dracula on his work, what readers can expect to see in Volume 3, and much more.
Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions for us today, Stephan. When and how did you first come up with the idea for Silver?
Stephan Franck: It’s my pleasure, thank you for having me. Two of my greatest fascinations in story have always been vampires and conmen, and this notion...
Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions for us today, Stephan. When and how did you first come up with the idea for Silver?
Stephan Franck: It’s my pleasure, thank you for having me. Two of my greatest fascinations in story have always been vampires and conmen, and this notion...
- 7/11/2017
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
We’ve all seen the Sad Keanu memes, and a number of details from the “Point Break” and “Matrix” star’s biography do indeed point toward tragedy. The actor is known for thrilling us rather than saddening us nevertheless, not that there aren’t a few exceptions to prove the rule (even if none of them involve him eating a sandwich on his lonesome).
With “To the Bone” premiering on Netflix this Friday, take a moment to relive some of Keanu’s saddest performances.
“My Own Private Idaho”
Maybe it’s the fact that he’s acting opposite River Phoenix, a friend who died just two years after Gus Van Sant’s early classic was released, but it’s hard not to feel for Keanu in “My Own Private Idaho.” A soon-to-be-wealthy heir, his Scott is always looking after his narcoleptic best friend (Phoenix, whose character is also in love...
With “To the Bone” premiering on Netflix this Friday, take a moment to relive some of Keanu’s saddest performances.
“My Own Private Idaho”
Maybe it’s the fact that he’s acting opposite River Phoenix, a friend who died just two years after Gus Van Sant’s early classic was released, but it’s hard not to feel for Keanu in “My Own Private Idaho.” A soon-to-be-wealthy heir, his Scott is always looking after his narcoleptic best friend (Phoenix, whose character is also in love...
- 7/9/2017
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
It was recently announced that Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat, the creators behind the hit BBC series “Sherlock,” have signed on to write a new TV adaptation of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula.” Fan reactions have been mixed — some remaining hopeful that Gatiss and Moffat will pull the age-old story off, while others have expressed their lack of faith in the writing pair’s ability to keep the integrity of the story and its characters.
Read More: ‘Sherlock’ Review: ‘The Final Problem’ Proves to Be A Problematic Season Finale
While maybe a bit harsh, these concerns aren’t unjustified — Dracula-centered television shows are notoriously short-lived, and while there are a multitude of shows centered around the supernatural, there aren’t that many dedicated to the main vamp himself. NBC took a stab at it in 2013 with “Dracula,” a British-American horror drama that introduces Dracula as he arrives in London and poses as an entrepreneur who wants to bring modern science to Victorian society (when in reality, he’s arrived to wreak revenge on the people who ruined his life centuries earlier). Though promising, the series only lasted one season.
Dracula was first introduced in Bram Stoker’s Gothic horror novel “Dracula.” The story reads as a series of letters, diary entries, news articles, and ships’ log entries that document the activity and evidence of a Transylvanian vampire in England; filled with mystery, blood sucking, and plenty of garlic, it’s one of the novels that helped kick-start the future surplus of vampire dramas, horrors, and romances that we see today.
One of the reasons that “Dracula”-based shows may not be inherently successful is that the shows don’t seem to capture the essence of who Dracula really is. So we’ve put together a few suggestions for the future series, most of which involve getting back to basics.
1. Fangs
The classic “Dracula” story included terrifying fangs, ones that Dracula showed off well. But in the midst of all of the modern reboots of “Dracula,” many writers/directors decided that subtlety was more important than authenticity. If we’re looking for ways to incorporate Dracula’s fangs into 21st Century fashion, just think of them as a statement piece.
2. The Era
While all of the modern adaptations of “Dracula” and vampires in general have been interesting, it’s time to get back to its roots. The story of “Dracula” originally took place in the 1890s in England, so the new “Dracula” series should do the same. It would be a breath of fresh air after all of the recent modern retellings. Plus, who doesn’t love a good slick back and a cape? No one, that’s who.
3. Tell the Original Story
While a lot of vampire stories have spawned from the original “Dracula,” there haven’t been nearly as many that actually tell Dracula’s story. Bring back characters like Jonathan Harker and Van Helsing! They don’t have to share the spotlight with Dracula, but they’re relatively new characters to the younger generation, and they would help inspire interesting plot points for the new show (something the previous “Dracula” series lacked).
4. Bring Back the Blood — Real Blood
While the premise of “vegetarian” vampires is intriguing, the new “Dracula” series would be better off just sticking to the classic “lust for human blood” angle. It’s what makes the character and story so morally conflicted — the fact that you know it’s wrong to murder but also understand that Dracula is a creature of the undead and has to prey on humans for sustenance. It also makes things more tense, and that makes for interesting content.
5. Make Dracula a Bit Ruthless
Rumor has it that Dracula was based off of Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia, better known as Vlad the Impaler. It’s said that Vlad Dracula (meaning son of the dragon, or son of the devil) would dip chunks of bread into buckets of blood drained from the people he killed, usually after he invited them to a feast and then immediately impaled them at the dinner table (he always finished his dinner afterwards, bodies and all, in case you were wondering). So it would be nice if that same sense of ruthlessness could be brought to the new adaptation of “Dracula.” There’s no rule that states you can’t be suave and merciless (just ask Klaus Mikaelson of “The Vampire Diaries” and “The Originals”).
6. Give Him a Sense of Humor
Speaking of “The Originals,” let’s bring in some of that dark humor and wit that makes characters like Klaus Mikaelson a baddie that we love to hate (but just can’t). That same natural charisma and use of offhanded sardonic remarks should be applied to our newest Dracula, because that’s what the audience connects to. It’s also what keeps people coming back for more, everyone needs a tension breaker once in awhile.
7. Mdha: Make Dracula Hungarian Again!
That is to say, Dracula should not be British, considering Dracula relocated from Transylvania to England and his accent most certainly should have relocated with him. In Bram Stoker’s novel “Dracula,” the Count is described as being Hungarian, and even serves Jonathan Harker a bottle of Tokaji (Hungarian sweet wine) on his first night in the castle. For the sake of authenticity, let’s make Dracula Hungarian again (because he never should have stopped).
Related storiesHow Editing 'The Walking Dead' Helped the 'Midnighters' Director Make His First Horror Film'Alien' Movies, Ranked From Worst To BestThe 20 Best British Horror Films of All Time...
Read More: ‘Sherlock’ Review: ‘The Final Problem’ Proves to Be A Problematic Season Finale
While maybe a bit harsh, these concerns aren’t unjustified — Dracula-centered television shows are notoriously short-lived, and while there are a multitude of shows centered around the supernatural, there aren’t that many dedicated to the main vamp himself. NBC took a stab at it in 2013 with “Dracula,” a British-American horror drama that introduces Dracula as he arrives in London and poses as an entrepreneur who wants to bring modern science to Victorian society (when in reality, he’s arrived to wreak revenge on the people who ruined his life centuries earlier). Though promising, the series only lasted one season.
Dracula was first introduced in Bram Stoker’s Gothic horror novel “Dracula.” The story reads as a series of letters, diary entries, news articles, and ships’ log entries that document the activity and evidence of a Transylvanian vampire in England; filled with mystery, blood sucking, and plenty of garlic, it’s one of the novels that helped kick-start the future surplus of vampire dramas, horrors, and romances that we see today.
One of the reasons that “Dracula”-based shows may not be inherently successful is that the shows don’t seem to capture the essence of who Dracula really is. So we’ve put together a few suggestions for the future series, most of which involve getting back to basics.
1. Fangs
The classic “Dracula” story included terrifying fangs, ones that Dracula showed off well. But in the midst of all of the modern reboots of “Dracula,” many writers/directors decided that subtlety was more important than authenticity. If we’re looking for ways to incorporate Dracula’s fangs into 21st Century fashion, just think of them as a statement piece.
2. The Era
While all of the modern adaptations of “Dracula” and vampires in general have been interesting, it’s time to get back to its roots. The story of “Dracula” originally took place in the 1890s in England, so the new “Dracula” series should do the same. It would be a breath of fresh air after all of the recent modern retellings. Plus, who doesn’t love a good slick back and a cape? No one, that’s who.
3. Tell the Original Story
While a lot of vampire stories have spawned from the original “Dracula,” there haven’t been nearly as many that actually tell Dracula’s story. Bring back characters like Jonathan Harker and Van Helsing! They don’t have to share the spotlight with Dracula, but they’re relatively new characters to the younger generation, and they would help inspire interesting plot points for the new show (something the previous “Dracula” series lacked).
4. Bring Back the Blood — Real Blood
While the premise of “vegetarian” vampires is intriguing, the new “Dracula” series would be better off just sticking to the classic “lust for human blood” angle. It’s what makes the character and story so morally conflicted — the fact that you know it’s wrong to murder but also understand that Dracula is a creature of the undead and has to prey on humans for sustenance. It also makes things more tense, and that makes for interesting content.
5. Make Dracula a Bit Ruthless
Rumor has it that Dracula was based off of Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia, better known as Vlad the Impaler. It’s said that Vlad Dracula (meaning son of the dragon, or son of the devil) would dip chunks of bread into buckets of blood drained from the people he killed, usually after he invited them to a feast and then immediately impaled them at the dinner table (he always finished his dinner afterwards, bodies and all, in case you were wondering). So it would be nice if that same sense of ruthlessness could be brought to the new adaptation of “Dracula.” There’s no rule that states you can’t be suave and merciless (just ask Klaus Mikaelson of “The Vampire Diaries” and “The Originals”).
6. Give Him a Sense of Humor
Speaking of “The Originals,” let’s bring in some of that dark humor and wit that makes characters like Klaus Mikaelson a baddie that we love to hate (but just can’t). That same natural charisma and use of offhanded sardonic remarks should be applied to our newest Dracula, because that’s what the audience connects to. It’s also what keeps people coming back for more, everyone needs a tension breaker once in awhile.
7. Mdha: Make Dracula Hungarian Again!
That is to say, Dracula should not be British, considering Dracula relocated from Transylvania to England and his accent most certainly should have relocated with him. In Bram Stoker’s novel “Dracula,” the Count is described as being Hungarian, and even serves Jonathan Harker a bottle of Tokaji (Hungarian sweet wine) on his first night in the castle. For the sake of authenticity, let’s make Dracula Hungarian again (because he never should have stopped).
Related storiesHow Editing 'The Walking Dead' Helped the 'Midnighters' Director Make His First Horror Film'Alien' Movies, Ranked From Worst To BestThe 20 Best British Horror Films of All Time...
- 6/23/2017
- by Gabrielle Kiss
- Indiewire
Tony Sokol Jun 20, 2017
Dracula is returning to England. Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat are in talks to produce new series for BBC...
Sherlock creators Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat have detected another classic novel to sink their teeth into. Bram Stoker’s Dracula begins with a real estate deal. Jonathan Harker secures the Transylvanian count some scattered properties in Whitby, England, where he can kick off his cape and hide his native soil. Those hiding places are discovered through some stiff detective work. 127 years after the 1897 publication of the classic horror novel, the quintessential vampire will be returning to England. Moffat and Gatiss are in negotiations with the BBC to create a new Dracula miniseries.
See related Steven Spielberg's Duel: An Appreciation Top 10 Simon Pegg film and TV roles Zak Penn interview: Atari: Game Over, Ready Player One
Dracula will be the first time Moffat and Gatiss have collaborated since Sherlock aired its long awaited season 4 earlier this year. The future of Sherlock has not yet been decided. Work on the new Dracula series will begin after Moffat finishes his sixth and final season on Doctor Who.
Dracula has been adapted for stage, screen and TV many times. Stoker wrote the first theatrical version. It was first adapted to film by F. W. Murnau in Nosferatu in 1922. Bela Lugosi went from stage to screen when he starred in the 1931 Universal Studios classic. The BBC produced the TV movie Count Dracula, starring Louis Jourdan in 1977.
Gatiss is on record as a fan of the 1958 Hammer Horror version of Dracula, which starred Christopher Lee as the count and Peter Cushing as Dr. Van Helsing. Moffat took on classic horror in 2007 when he wrote the series Jekyll. Gatiss played Dracula in a full-cast audio play from Big Finish in 2016.
There is no word on whether Dracula will be set in modern day England.
Source: Variety...
Dracula is returning to England. Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat are in talks to produce new series for BBC...
Sherlock creators Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat have detected another classic novel to sink their teeth into. Bram Stoker’s Dracula begins with a real estate deal. Jonathan Harker secures the Transylvanian count some scattered properties in Whitby, England, where he can kick off his cape and hide his native soil. Those hiding places are discovered through some stiff detective work. 127 years after the 1897 publication of the classic horror novel, the quintessential vampire will be returning to England. Moffat and Gatiss are in negotiations with the BBC to create a new Dracula miniseries.
See related Steven Spielberg's Duel: An Appreciation Top 10 Simon Pegg film and TV roles Zak Penn interview: Atari: Game Over, Ready Player One
Dracula will be the first time Moffat and Gatiss have collaborated since Sherlock aired its long awaited season 4 earlier this year. The future of Sherlock has not yet been decided. Work on the new Dracula series will begin after Moffat finishes his sixth and final season on Doctor Who.
Dracula has been adapted for stage, screen and TV many times. Stoker wrote the first theatrical version. It was first adapted to film by F. W. Murnau in Nosferatu in 1922. Bela Lugosi went from stage to screen when he starred in the 1931 Universal Studios classic. The BBC produced the TV movie Count Dracula, starring Louis Jourdan in 1977.
Gatiss is on record as a fan of the 1958 Hammer Horror version of Dracula, which starred Christopher Lee as the count and Peter Cushing as Dr. Van Helsing. Moffat took on classic horror in 2007 when he wrote the series Jekyll. Gatiss played Dracula in a full-cast audio play from Big Finish in 2016.
There is no word on whether Dracula will be set in modern day England.
Source: Variety...
- 6/20/2017
- Den of Geek
Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel Dracula created what is now the most famous bloodsucker in history. The tale of the titular character, Jonathan Harker, his fiancee Mina, and Abraham van Helsing, as well as other characters, has become the foundation for… Continue Reading →
The post Have You Ever Wondered Why Bram Stoker’s Dracula is So Popular? appeared first on Dread Central.
The post Have You Ever Wondered Why Bram Stoker’s Dracula is So Popular? appeared first on Dread Central.
- 4/23/2017
- by Jonathan Barkan
- DreadCentral.com
Welcome back to another edition of Fantasy Fridays, where two real-life best friends get to play studio execs and cast talent for upcoming projects. We sort of take the same tact as the old Wizard Magazine features where we choose our dream picks for coveted roles without necessarily being tied down to realistic options.
With the case of Universal's upcoming Cinematic Universe of Classic Monsters, we thankfully have a very wide palette to choose from since the studio has already secured some surprisingly high-profile talent. So that actually takes some of the "pie in the sky/fantasy" nature out of our picks, since it seems like they're able to get who ever they want to appear in these films.
So far, we've got The Mummy with stars like Tom Cruise and Russell Crowe. Then there's Johnny Depp, who's signed on for The Invisible Man. The sky's the limit for these monster flicks,...
With the case of Universal's upcoming Cinematic Universe of Classic Monsters, we thankfully have a very wide palette to choose from since the studio has already secured some surprisingly high-profile talent. So that actually takes some of the "pie in the sky/fantasy" nature out of our picks, since it seems like they're able to get who ever they want to appear in these films.
So far, we've got The Mummy with stars like Tom Cruise and Russell Crowe. Then there's Johnny Depp, who's signed on for The Invisible Man. The sky's the limit for these monster flicks,...
- 1/27/2017
- by Mario-Francisco Robles
- LRMonline.com
Written by Chris King | Art by Louie De Martinis | Published by Titan Comics
Like most Penny Dreadful fans I was really disappointed when the show’s creator, John Logan, announced the third season would be the last. Again like most, I don’t buy into his statements that he only ever planned three seasons to tell Vanessa’s story. I believe Vanessa’s story was always intended to be three seasons long, but that the show would continue on with the other characters, who clearly had story arcs still waiting to be told. Interestingly enough, this prequel sort of hints at things that should have been but never were. This issue is, of course, the fifth and final one of this prequel story, but let’s hope not of further stories set in the Penny Dreadful universe.
To briefly recap, Vanessa and Sir Malcolm now know the circumstances of Mina ‘s abduction by The Master.
Like most Penny Dreadful fans I was really disappointed when the show’s creator, John Logan, announced the third season would be the last. Again like most, I don’t buy into his statements that he only ever planned three seasons to tell Vanessa’s story. I believe Vanessa’s story was always intended to be three seasons long, but that the show would continue on with the other characters, who clearly had story arcs still waiting to be told. Interestingly enough, this prequel sort of hints at things that should have been but never were. This issue is, of course, the fifth and final one of this prequel story, but let’s hope not of further stories set in the Penny Dreadful universe.
To briefly recap, Vanessa and Sir Malcolm now know the circumstances of Mina ‘s abduction by The Master.
- 10/31/2016
- by Dean Fuller
- Nerdly
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