The Dracula Saga - Page 4

**Jill Clark** · 26th August 2008, 03:29 PM

When you think about it, though, Gothic as a subgenre of drama has always been relegated to that role. The melodrama of a book like The Castle of Otranto has all of the stock settings of what we expect in classic Gothic forms. Modern horror has gotten away from that into microscopic slasher/forensic grossness. With an author like Mary Shelley, you have somebody who took from these images and combined them with the experiences of the lost weekend--and darn, wouldn't it be great to be influenced by the likes of a Byron or her hubby, Percy, and yes, even Coleride's earlier Romantic gothic images with "Rime of the Ancient Mariner," where Percy's "Mont Blanc" too was influenced, where Byron's "Don Juan" and Mary's own demons came spilling out into her writing? With the true Gothic, what you didn't see was what scared you. In modern slashers, which include the new vampires, you see everything, all sex, all blood and guts, so much so that you soon are completely desensitized to it--hence the upset over some of these new thriller/horror games where the player becomes the killer/criminal, and then we get something like Columbine. Then the director's "vision" takes books and completely destroy them, like Beowulf (which starts off okay and then makes it into something different. I will say that Kubrick's version of The Shining has some classic imagery, but he changed King's vision on the way--I don't really understand why a director would do that if the story works! The haunted castle, the terrorized maiden, the threatening, deadly Abject Other--are all stock devices. Kubrick, I think, went back to some of that, which is why his version worked--the Overlook itself, like Hell House, is the villain, completely inhuman, the womb that is a tomb. Adding actors who are already great magnifies the overall effect, where we get lines like "Here's Johnny!" The fact that kids keep signing up for my Gothic literature and film class is a testament to the power of the horror film--like going on a really safe roller coaster, watching horror gives us the thrills without hurting us.

**Helen Dyer** · 27th August 2008, 12:31 AM

I cannot join in this discussion (not having seen most of these films); however, I did want to post that I am thoroughly enjoying this thread, and look forward to reading more........

Thank You Everyone involved!

Cheers,

Helen

**Matt Gemmell** · 29th August 2008, 12:12 PM

The new BFI print of Dracula (aka Horror Of) will be screened at the GFT in Glasgow on Sunday 26th October. It kicks off their Halloween season.
For those of you who've never been to the GFT.... it's a lovely old art deco cinema with a restaurant and bar. It's one of the few places you can watch a movie with a glass of wine, very civilised.
My wife and I are going to make an evening of it. You just can't beat an old classic on the big screen where it belongs.

**Matt Gemmell** · 14th October 2008, 09:19 AM

As if proof was ever needed that Christopher Lee is no longer typecast, check out the cover of the new Danish DVD release of Scars Of Dracula.
Under Mr Lees name it references The Lord Of The Rings.

**Steve Thompson** · 14th October 2008, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt Gemmell

The new BFI print of Dracula (aka Horror Of) will be screened at the GFT in Glasgow on Sunday 26th October. It kicks off their Halloween season.

Hi Matt,
I would love to see this film on the big screen again. I missed it last time around. Not sure if it is being shown in the north of England again.
Nice to see the reference to L.O.T.R on the dvd cover also.
Cheers.

**Simon Vargheese** · 15th October 2008, 01:30 AM

I was extemely lucky to view the Horror of Dracula at the Water shed in Bristol last halloween, if its on again I would definately go and see it. I wonder if the Bfi would consider transfering the restored print to a special edition DVD? The restored film looked so lovely that I was gutted when I re-watched my VHS copy!

**Kaitlin Wright** · 16th October 2008, 01:02 AM

I would love to see it on the big screen I own a copy of the film but I have never seen it anywhere but on television . Unfiortunately here in Atlanta they don.t do things like that even though Holloween is a big deal around here.

**David Pecchia** · 17th October 2008, 01:59 AM

I would love to see the new print of Horror of Dracula. Does anyone know if it will be released to DVD? I am personally a huge Dracula fan, as anyone could guess. I enjoyed all of the Dracula series. My two favorites are Dracula, Prince of Darkness and Dracula Has Risen From the Grave.

~David.

**Matt Gemmell** · 17th October 2008, 12:46 PM

Various UK cinemas this Halloween.

BFI | Current Film Releases | Dracula