Dracula: in literature and film

The Vampire Count

This piece is a little bit on Dracula, some discussions on the novel and on the Christopher Lee films. Why these films? Well because I am a fan of the late Christopher Lee, he was the best Dracula in my opinion, not the sexiest but the scariest and the most dangerous. I think, like portrayed in the novel, Dracula should be scary and not sexy. Lee was the actor who played the iconic count nine times, that's a lot compared to other actors who have portrayed the count. Though the Hammer films are sadly not very faithful to the Bram Stoker novel.

'Dracula offers the illusion of immortality, the subconscious wish we all have for limitless life. He is a man of tremendous brain and physical strength, with a strange dark heroism. He is either a reincarnation or he has never died. He is a super-man image with erotic appeal for women who find him totally alluring. In many ways he is everything people would like to be- the anti-hero or heroic villain and like the much maligned Rasputin, he is part saint, part sinner. Men also find him irresistible  because they cannot stop him.'
Christopher Lee (Haining, 1992)

Discussion on the novel

'The legend of vampires has existed for centuries all over the world, but in Britain in that year of 1887, it took on a wholly new aspect. For what Stoker did was to turn an undead creature of the night, which tradition said was a marauding fiend ever on the search for human blood, into a refined and aristocratic nobleman.'
(Haining, 1992)


The vampire in the 19th century

Bram Stoker's novel 'Dracula', a pure product of Victorian society,  it created a great modern myth that reintroduced the image of the vampire. The vampire Dracula is not a pure invention of Stoker, the vampire Count came accidentally from the imagination of people and of early literature from the 18th century. During the Victorian era, the industrial revolution changed the European landscape so much that there was no place for the belief in witches, vampires and monsters. There were less superstitious talks of vampires, people were more interested in the new technological advances such as trains, and gas lamps. A great ideology was imposed in Victorian society founded on work, money and respect of hierarchy. During the second half of the 19th century in England all thoughts and things that went against society and the values of thus society were shunned and repressed. Ironically it is in this society that the novel Dracula appeared.

Thanks to the Romantic movement with their great interest in fantastical stories and tales of the supernatural, the vampire was being introduced into literature. The Romantics introduce vampires into their poems that take the forms of beautiful seductive maidens. They are also manifestations of death. The seductive maiden appears as Geraldine in 'Christabel' (1816) by Coleridge, 'La Belle Dame sans Merci' (1818) and 'Lamia' (1820) by Keats are also representations of deadly women. They do not see to suck blood in the poems, nevertheless they bring death to their willing victims.

More poems with deadly seductive women were published by Beaudelaire, Theophile Gautier, they would appear later in novels and novellas such as Carmilla (1871) by Le Fanu and the three vampire women in Dracula's castle. 

It is interesting to note that Dracula is not the first Vampire of literature. Lord Ruthven, is the main character from John Polidori's 'The Vampyre' (1795-1821). This all started in July 1816 in Lord Byron's house in Lake Geneva. One night Byron and his guests made a bet  on who could come up with the most frightening tales. Byron decided to begin writing a novel where the hero Darvell, is a vampire. This was never finished, Byron mentioned this story to Polidori, his secretary and personal physician. Polidori, who disliked Byron, severed ties with the poet, left Switzerland and went to England in 1817. Polidori borrowed the idea of the unfinished novel thought of by Byron, but changed the names of the characters. The vampire who was supposed to be named Darvell is renamed Lord Ruthven and is an evil seductive lord and deviant who oddly resembles Lord Byron himself. The novella was published in April 1819 in the New Monthly Magazine. Somehow the novella was published with Lord Byron's name as author. Unlucky for Polidori who could have used the success since the man was riddled with debts. The tale was republished and translated many times and adapted for the theater, in the form of a melodrama, by Nodier in 1820 and Alexandre Dumas in 1852. 

Thanks to the success of Polidori's tale and most importantly the notoriety of Byron, the play and novella became highly popular in Europe. The public loves the grand guignol aspect of the play.  The Vampiric Count from Polidori's novella is very important in the history of the vampire in literature for he was the very first noble vampire of aristocratic blood to be presented to the public and this inspired Bram Stoker.

                                            Bram Stoker


Something on Stoker

Born in Clontarf near Dublin in 1847, Bram Stoker was the son of a civil servant and almost followed in his father's career. As a child, his mother would entertain him with fantastic tales. Stoker studied at Trinity College where he met and befriended Sheridan Le Fanu who would write and publish in 1872 'Carmilla'. In 1876, he met the great actor Henry Irving (1838-1905) this encounter changed his life. Hired by Irving in 1878 as a stage manager of the Lyceum theatre where the actor worked, Stoker married Florence Balcombe and settled in London. The Lyceum theatre unfortunately ran out of business and Irving died. 

 Though not a professional writer, Stoker saw writing more as a hobby while he was working as manager of the theater. It's only after the foreclosure of the theater in 1903 that he became a writer in order to earn a living. His early work were not very popular, he wrote short stories for children and a first novel The Snake's Pass' (1890) which was unsuccessful. Since he was a boy, he was always fascinated by fantasy stories and the supernatural. He, of course came across Polidori's 'The Vampyre' and 'Carmilla' by his university friend Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu. He was most likely inspired by tales and legends of Transylvania. Rumor has it that he even perused books on the occult and black magic.

According to Jean Marigny, Stoker met the professor Arminius Vambery who taught oriental languages in the university of Budapest. When the professor visited London, Stoker met him and was told by the professor of the true story of Dracula, or Vlad Tepes the prince. The writer was inspired to name the vampire of his novel thus. Whether Stoker really was inspired by the famous historic prince is still debatable today.

The count is based on the 15th century prince Vlad Tepes or Vlad the Impaler, who was notorious for impaling his enemies on long spikes. Many stories of Vlad Tepes being a bloodthirsty tyrant were very common, It was not surprising that people believed that such a man would rise from the dead as an evil demon. Stoker's count Dracula is supposed to only be a descendant of Vlad and not the prince himself, Stoker purposely makes the count resemble his fearsome ancestor.

As is common in Gothic fiction, Stoker begins the novel in an environment with scary elements, sublime landscapes, gloomy castles, all these present in the country of Romania throughout the first chapters, and damsels in distress threatened by evil beings. He also modernizes these elements by moving the rest of the plot to the bustle of modern 19th century England. The collision of two worlds becomes evident; the ancient world of the Transylvania mountains and castle to the modern London and seaside town of Whitby.
Stoker includes the anxieties of the age: the advancement of science, the consequences of abandoning traditional beliefs and the dangers of female sexuality.


The publication of Dracula in 1897 became the turning point in the history of vampires in literature, because it meant a new introduction into the Gothic spirit from the 18th century. It was the beginning of a new myth for modern times. The first chapter of the novel was cut and changed. This 'lost chapter' was published separately by his widow Florence in 1914 and called 'Dracula's Guest'. In this novella the unnamed character, possibly Harker, is walking to Dracula's castle and comes upon a crypt where the inscription reads Countess Dolingen of Gratz from Styria. The character is inspired by Carmilla. 

After it's publication 'Dracula' was a success but it was not the fame and glory that people imagined given the notoriety of the novel. The press gave it a fair review and the Daily Mail compared it to the masterpieces of literature such as Emily Bronte's 'Wuthering Heights'. The novel pleased the Victorian public always hungry for tales of the supernatural. The novel escaped censorship because it was seen as a tale of virtue succeeding over vice. Futhermore, the 'foreign' aspect of the devilish Dracula is the exact representation of an intruder from a faraway land who comes to disrupt the harmonious order of British society. Though hardly mentioned at the time, the novel is quite erotic, especially between vampire and victim.

Sadly the novel did not attain cult status and massive popularity while Stoker was alive. 'Dracula' was less popular than 'Sherlock Holmes', Stoker did not reach the status of celebrity like Conan Doyle. 


Characters

The novel has many memorable and iconic characters.

The females

                                                       The typical Victorian lady


Mina Murray- she represents the ideal Victorian woman. She embodies the virtues of the age. Though she works as an assistant school teacher, she loves her fiancee Jonathan and hopes to be a good wife. She is also a 'new woman' as she studies shorthand and learns how to use a typewriter- a modern machine at the time. She is beautiful and her sexuality in the novel is enigmatic. Mina is also a symbol of purity, she falls under Dracula's dark spell but does not transgress and is saved before she becomes herself a vampire. During her 'transition' she is able to see and tell where Dracula is and how to find him. Though she does not take any active role in the count's destruction, she offers vital information and much needed help and her contribution is appreciated, she is still a strong heroine in the story.

                                                         Lucy 'inviting' the Count in


Lucy Westenra- The seductive sexy woman of the novel, she has three suitors and can only chose one, she somehow wishes she could marry all three. She has many desires that she keeps locked up and when she is bitten several times by Dracula and becomes a vampire, her desires are unleashed. She is the sexual hungry monstrous female. She is a threat to men and patriarchal society, she must be destroyed.
Lucy's first attack by Dracula suggests a virgin's first sexual experience; she escapes into the night and is 'penetrated' by the vampire's fangs until she bleeds. The fact that she sleepwalks and is attacked again means that she wants 'more' or has fallen victim to the count's powers.
As Lucy is dying, she calls to her fiancee in a strange seductive voice, she asks Holmwood to kiss her, but Van Helsing fearing danger instructs him to kiss her on the forehead.

'In a sort of sleep-waking, vague, unconscious way she opened her eyes, which were now dull and hard at once, and said in a soft, voluptuous voice, such as I had never heard from her lips: 'Arthur! Oh, my love, I am so glad you have come! Kiss me!' Arthur bent eagerly over to kiss her; but at that instant Van Helsing, who, like me, had been startled by her voice, swooped upon him and catching him by the neck with both hands, dragged him back with a fury of strength which I never thought he coud have possessed, and actually hurled him almost across the room.' (Stoker, p204)

After her death, children are bitten and talk of a ghostly 'Bloofer lady'. The men investigate and find Lucy walking back to her tomb. She spots Holmwood and calls passionately to him.

'Come to me, Arthur. Leave these others and come to me. My arms are hungry for you. Come, and we can rest together. Come my husband, come! 
There was something diabolically sweet in her tones- something of the tinkling of glass when struck-which rang through the brains even of us who heard the words addressed to another. As for Arthur, he seemed under a spell; moving his hands from his face, he opened wide his arms. She was leaping for them'
(Stoker, p256)

Her words are both a plea for and a promise of sexual satisfaction. The men are equally attracted to and horrified by her. Arthur seems to be under a spell as he starts to move towards her. In the end they destroy her by driving a stake through her heart. The whole killing ritual suggests a 'gang rape' as Lucy, the sexual hungry vixen is destroyed by a group of men for her acts of sexual deviancy.


Themes

The novel contains so many interesting discussion points and themes. The themes below deal with the famous vampire cliches.

Reflection

In Chapter 2 Jonathan Harker is staying in the castle, he notices that there are no mirrors around he takes out a pocket mirror and shaves. The count creeps in, interrupts him and scares him. Jonathan accidentally cuts himself and while looking in the mirror notices that the count has no reflection.

'There is not even a toilet glass on my table, and I had to get the little shaving glass from my bag before I could either shave or brush my hair.' (Stoker, p60)

'I had hung my shaving glass by the window and was just beginning to shave. Suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder and heard the Count's voice saying "Good-Morning." I started, for it amazed me that I had not seen him, since the reflection of the glass covered the whole room behind me. In starting i had cut myself slightly, but did not notice it at the moment. Having answered the Count's salutation, I turned to the glass again to see how I had been mistaken. This time there could be no error, for the man was close to me, and I could see him over my shoulder. But there was no reflection of him in the mirror! The whole room was displayed; but there was no sign of a man in it, except myself. This was startling, and coming on the top of so many strange things, was beginning to increase that vague feeling of uneasiness which I always have when the Count is near.' (Stoker, p66-67)

Invitations only

In the novel it is mentioned by Van Helsing that vampires cannot enter a house unless invited. The fact that Lucy was bitten several times means that she did invite Dracula in. She either fell victim to hypnosis or was seduced by the vampire. The 'invitation' in her bed chamber means that Lucy was a willing victim, she allowed Dracula to bite and corrupt her.

'He may not enter anywhere at the first, unless there be some one of the household who bid him to come; though afterwards he can come as he please.' (Stoker, p284)

Walking 'on' or during sunshine

In Chapter 13 Mina writes in her diary that in London one hot Autumn day, she and Jonathan have spotted a tall fierce looking man with a black mustache and beard. Jonathan became convinced that the man is Count Dracula.

'He gazed at a tall thin man, with a beaky nose and black moustache and pointed beard, who was also observing the pretty girl. He was looking at her so hard that he did not see either of us, and so I had a good view of him. His face was not a good face; it was hard, and cruel, and sensual, and his big white teeth, that looked all the whiter because his lips were so red, were pointed like an animal's. Jonathan kept staring at him, till I was afraid he would notice. I feared he might take it ill, he looked so fierce and nasty. I asked Jonathan why he was disturbed, and he answered, evidently thinking that I knew as much about it as he did: "Do you see who it is?'
"No, dear,' I said; "I don't know him; who is it?" His answer seemed to shock and thrill me, for it was said as if he did not know that it was me, Mina, to whom he was speaking:
"It is the man himself!'  (Stoker, p215)

This proves that the count is able to walk around during the daytime, unlike other vampires in fiction sunlight won't burn him. This makes the count even more frightening as he mingles through crowds and seeks victims. In this passage he is 'hungrily' observing a beautiful girl.

In Chapter 18 Van Helsing explains that vampires lose their power at daybreak, that is why they sleep during the day.

'His power ceases, as does that of all evil things, at the coming of the day. Only at certain times can he have limited freedom.' I f he be not at the place wither he is bound, he can ony change himself at noon or at exact sunrise or sunset.'(Stoker, p284)

The Promise of Christian Salvation

In the novel Van Helsing suggests that based on the folk legends and traditions that the most effective weapons in combatting supernatural evil are symbols of unearthly good. To fight Dracula these symbols are the icons of the Christian faith; the crucifix and the holy communion wafers. These symbols are very powerful in the novel and mentioned so many times that the novel could be regarded as Christian propaganda.

Dracula who is as old as religion itself, represents the satanic figure, especially in his appearance; pointed ears, fangs and flaming eyes, but also in his consumption of blood.
His blood thirst is a perversion of Christian ritual, as it extends his life but cuts him off from any form of spiritual existence.
Dracula's victims find themselves cursed with physical life that is immortal but soulless.

The victims, usually women, have preyed on children and have sought to infect others too. They die in ways that conform to the Christian promise of salvation. The undead Lucy for example, is transformed by her second death into a vision of 'unequalled sweetness and purity' and her soul is returned to her. Even the face of Dracula, when he dies, assumes a 'look of peace, such as [Mina] could have imagined might have rested there.'

Stoker implied that even the non believers can be saved, only the undead are barred from salvation.

                                                                 Dracula and his brides



Dangerous women

In Chapter 3 Jonathan Harker falls asleep in another room of the castle- ignoring the Count's instructions. He is visited by three beautiful women who almost bite him, the count drives them away. The women's appearance in the room is undeniably sexual.

'Two were dark, and had high aquiline noses, like the Count, and great dark, piercing eyes, that seemed to be almost red when contrasted wit the pale yellow moon. The other was fair.... All three had brilliant white teeth that shone like pearls against the ruby of their voluptuous lips. There was something about them that made me uneasy, some longing and at the same time some deadly fear. I felt in my heart a wicked, burning desire that they would kiss me with those red lips.... 
I was afraid to raise my eyelids, but looked out and saw perfectly under the lashes. The girl went on her knees, and bent over me, simply gloating. There was a deliberate voluptuousness which was both thrilling and repulsive, and as she arched her neck she actually licked her lips like an animal, till I could see in the moonlight the moisture shining on the scarlet lips and on the red tongue as it lapped the white sharp teeth. Lower and lower went her head as the lips went below the range of my mouth and chin and seemed to fasten on my throat. Then she paused, and I could hear the churning sound of her tongue as it licked her teeth and lips, and I could feel the hot breath on my neck. Then the skin of my throat began to tingle as one's flesh does when the hand that is to tickle it approaches nearer- nearer. I could feel the soft shivering touch of the lips on the super-sensitive skin of my throat and the hard dents of two sharp teeth, just touching and pausing there. I closed my eyes in languorous ecstasy and waited- waited with beating heart.' (Stoker, p78-80)

This passage shows the link between vampirism and sex that pervades the novel. These vampire females are unlike any of the living women in the novel. Mina and Lucy pre transformation, are models of virtue and purity, but these 'weird sisters' are voluptuous, aggressive and with an insatiable appetite. The position the fair woman takes over Harker's body suggests a sexual act. Harker is both attracted and repulsed by the spectacle of female sexual aggression.
In a Victorian society that praises and rewards female virginity, chastity and domesticity, the sexually adventurous vixen can only be the subject of fantasy or a prostitute.
Because of these rigid rules and moral codes, she is also dangerous. Stoker creates the dangerous whore and puts her into a more extreme manifestation, Harker may lose his reputation and his life. Harker almost gets sexually assaulted.

Lucy, as mentioned before becomes the 'Bloofer lady' who feeds on children.
The weird sisters are given a bag with a half-smothered child inside to feed on by Dracula. The fact that the vampire women prey on defenseless children perverts the concept of maternity, creating a dark opposite side to the ideal Victorian mother figure.

The 'weird sisters' reappear in Chapter 27, Mina and Van Helsing make their way to the castle. During the night the three women appear and try to tempt Mina to join them. Van Helsing goes to the castle. He finds the tombs of the three female vampires and is nearly paralyzed by their beauty, but forces himself to perform the rituals necessary to destroy them.

'I knew that there were at least three graves to find- graves that are inhabit: so I search, and search, and I find one of them. She lay in her Vampire sleep, so full of life and voluptuous beauty that I shudder as though I have come to do murder.... There is some fascination, surely, when I am moved by the mere presence of such an one, even lying as she lay in a tomb fretted with age and heavy with the dust of centuries, though there be that horrid odour such as the lairs of the Count have had...
Then I braced myself again to my horrid task, and found by wrenching away tomb-tops one other of the sisters, the other dark one.  I dared not pause to look on her as I had on her sister, lest once more I should begin to be enthrall: but I go on searching until, presently, I find in a high great tomb as if made to one much beloved that other fair sister which, like Jonathan I had seen to gather herself out of the atoms of the mist. She was so fair to look on, so radiantly beautiful, so exquisitely voluptuous, that the very instinct of man in me, which calls some of my sex t love and to protect one of hers, made my head whirl with new emotion. ' (Stoker, p411-412)

In this passage, Van Helsing like most men has a small moment of weakness, he is enthralled by the beauty of these evil women. Thankfully he regains his senses and destroys them.

Dracula film reviews

Dracula (1958)

The studio that successfully resurrected the vampire films was a company from England called Hammer films.
When they added Dracula to its list of projects, the studio followed certain guidelines such as living color, especially blood red, elaborate sets, few special effects and hiring various and qualified actors.

The first in the Hammer series, released in 1958 was titled simply 'Dracula', in the U.S it was titled 'Horror of Dracula' to avoid confusion with the Bela Lugosi film.

Director Terence Fisher and screenplay writer Jimmy Sangster utilized some elements of Stoker's novel, but the film did not follow the original novel.

The film

Set in 1885 Jonathan Harker travels to remote Germany, having been hired by the Count Dracula as a librarian. But this is a cover as he is in fact a vampire hunter on a mission to kill the Count. Harker meets some troubles; he is approached by a woman who states that she is being held prisoner and begs for his help, she vanishes. Dracula seems a nice gentleman at first but when the woman attacks Jonathan, Dracula appears in his monstrous state. Harker successfully stakes the woman but Dracula is not in his coffin and attacks Jonathan. Harker's colleague Van Helsing arrives, sees that Harker has become a bloodsucker and is forced to stake his friend. Van Helsing returns home and tells his tale to harker's friends Mina and Arthur as well as Lucy who is Arthur's sister and Jonathan's fiancee. Dracula secretly arrives in the town and attacks Lucy, turning her into a vampire. She tries to bite her niece but is stopped by Arthur and Van Helsing who stake her. Dracula attacks Mina only turning her into a half vampire, when the men discover the location of Dracula's coffin, he escapes, kidnapping Mina in the process. They pursue the Count to the castle and destroy him by pulling down the curtains and Dracula is destroyed by the sunlight.

My review

In my opinion it was an entertaining movie. It is understandable that the special effects aren't that spectacular considering the period and the budget. I was slightly annoyed by the change in the story. It is set in Germany or Switzerland, the precise locations are vague. The characters are omitted or completely changed.

In the beginning, Harker is not even a lawyer, he is hired as a librarian but he is actually a vampire hunter. He gets bitten and killed off quite quickly.

Lee is of course perfect as ever. He only has brief lines of dialogue when he is first introduced. The viewer's first impression is that he is a gentleman, but later when he reveals himself as the bloodthirsty monster that he is, he does not speak at all. His stature, presence and fiery red eyes speak clearly enough and that is very effective and quite frightening.

For a film from the early 60's it is quite erotic. The scene when Lucy opens her window and waits draped on the bed, means that she 'invites' the Count in.

Overall for a classic it is effective and part of Lee's greatest achievements.

Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966)

My review

The official sequel to the first film, this film is even more entertaining than the first. Dracula is back with the help of a human servant who lures travelers to the castle, kills one of them and using the victim's blood resurrects his master.
This time Dracula is just scary and does not say one word.

The character of Helen played by Barbara Shelley, is Dracula's first victim. Terrified of the castle, she fails at warning her husband and the others of the danger. She gets attacked and transformed. She appears to Diana in a very sexy purple dress (interesting that in the Hammer films, once a woman is turned, her fashion changes too) and tries to bite her. Dracula appears on the stair balcony snarling like a cat and pushes Helen away. The thought that was going through my mind was 'Hey Dracula, why do you turn these women and not let them feed?" I felt like watching two cats fighting over a mouse.

When Diana and Charles escape the castle, brandishing a makeshift crucifix to keep the Count and Helen at bay, Dracula stands with Helen next to him. She tries to hug him or something and he pushes her away angrily or disgusted. Again, I was thinking 'What! you turn them, allow them to stay in your castle and you don't even want to spend time with them?'

When Helen goes to the Monastery to attack Diana, she gets caught by the monks. I couldn't help but shout out, 'OK so, unlike other vampires, she doesn't have super strength and got herself captured by men.'
When she is forced on the table and staked, it's pretty brutal because it refers to what I mentioned here and in the 'Sex' article, she is like Lucy in the Stoker novel, destroyed by a group of men, she is 'gang raped'.
When she is destroyed, her face shows a sign of peace fullness and the head monk performs the last rites on her.

In the end Dracula is again destroyed but this time, he falls into an icy lake, playing on the weakness and cliche that running water can destroy a vampire. I've always heard that vampires can never cross rivers unless carried or that they can only cross an ocean if invited by someone from the land on the other side. So Dracula in this film either 'drowns' or is transformed into an ice block.

Overall, I enjoyed this film much more than the first. It is a sequel with an original story and effective characters.

More on the films

Hammer produced several more Dracula movies. As expected, the Dracula sequels had nothing similar with with the original storyline. They required elaborate opening scenes to explain how the bloodsucker managed to return after being killed over and over.

Hammer movies worked with small budgets and had to save money as much as possible. Dracula: Prince of Darkness was made back to back with another film from the same studio, Rasputin: the Mad Monk with Lee as the star. The sets, cast, props had to be shared and recycled.

Despite these constraints, the studio worked well with the cast. In all but two of Hammer Dracula movies, Christopher Lee was the star. Lee's portrayal was very different to Lugosi's, he would refuse to watch any of Lugosi's films when preparing for his role.
The man measures 1.98m, (6 feet 5 inches), that's very tall for a British actor who towers over nearly every actor he has worked with. His voice is deep and commanding as I've seen in other films, though he remains silent in the Dracula films. His interpretation depended more on physical movement and facial expression, much like an expert in mime.

Hammer films enabled the resurgence of the vampire movies in the 1950's and 60's. 

'Dracula possesses a primitive and instinctual dynamism which severely tests the rational foundations of these men's beliefs. Although the vampire receives but a fraction of the time alloted to his opponents, he manages to create an aura of menace that hangs over the whole of the various films.' Silveri and Ursini.

The second film begins with a vignette that explains and shows the death of Dracula from the first film when he was destroyed by sunlight. In this scene the voice over states the following:

' After a reign of hideous terror, spanning more than a century, the king of the undead was finally traced to his lair high in the Carpathian mountains. Throughout the decades, many had sought to destroy him. All had failed. Here at last was an adversary armed with sufficient knowledge of the ways of the vampire, to bring about the final and absolute destruction. This then was his fate. Thousands had been enslaved by the obscene cult of vampirism. Now, the fountainhead himself perished. Only the memory remained. The memory of the most evil and terrible creature who ever set his seal on civilization.'

Fisher's notion that the vampire is an aberrant but essentially natural phenomenon, as the plague of 'an obscene cult' is introduced directly by this title. The whole commentary and scene almost strips the mythology and portray's Van Helsing's act as just a man executing a criminal.

The following video by Cinemassacre is a great video that discusses the best faithful cinematic adaptation.






References:

.The Vampire Film: From Nosferatu to True Blood, (4th Edition) by Alain Silveri and James Ursini. Hal Leaonard Corporation, 2011

. Vampires in the Movies. Adam Woog, Reference Point Press Incorporated, 2010

. The Dracula Scrapbook, Peter Haining, Chancellor Press 1992

. Marigny, Jean (2010) Sang Pour Sang: Le Reveil des Vampires. Découvertes Gallimard