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Rating:  -
First, my copy of this did not "jump around" and audio & video were clear as a bell, just perfect. I've not yet watched the Spanish language version, but I'm looking forward to it "Buenas tardes, Mina, donde esta Lucy?" "Lucy, you've got some 'splaining to do". Sorry, all of a sudden I thought of the classic TV show, I Bite Lucy.
Anyway, the Phillip Glass accompaniment was kind of disconcerting, simply because it is so clear! When I think of watching classic monster films, I think scratchy: scratchy films, scratchy sound, and scratchy upholstery on the couch while I watch KTNT Channel 11 on Saturday night.
So far, the extras are just great, and the "Universal Horror" feature is wonderful, especially the visits with the mayorr of Metropolis, Forrest J. Ackerman. It's been more than 30 years since I picked up a Famous Monsters Of Filmland magazine, but seeing the artifacts gathered around FJA took me right back, sort of like the opening scenes of Matinee did.
While I REALLY enjoyed this, I'll probably never watch it again, but it was sure nice to see.
Rating: -
This set is so inexpensive, yet you get such a great bang for your buck!
Lugosi is mightily impressive as Dracula. No Dracula since has been anywhere near as good. He's tall, he's from Romania, he's imposing, he has a piercing stare - what more could you ask?
The new music score by Philip Glass is a fine complement to Lugosi's great performance. For some reason, maybe because of tight money in the early years of the Great Depression, the initial release featured no original music at all. Glass's score enhances the drama and makes the film far more exciting than the music-less version.
Glass is one of the best living composers in the world and he shows why with this score. His repeated patterns build a high level of tension and he elevates the tension brilliantly during the big moments.
The music is performed by the Kronos Quartet, one of the finest string quartets in the world. Glass and the Kronos Quartet show that you don't need a studio orchestra to make great film music. Unless you don't really like music at all, you will want to watch the film with this magnificent score.
As for the other elements of the film, the other actors are fine, though not special, save for the wonderfully campy Dwight Frye as Renfield and Charles Gerrard providing comic relief as Martin. The cinematography is great, the sets are great, the script is good and Tod Browning's direction is at least adequate.
Still, the main reason to watch this production is for Lugosi's iconic performance, brilliantly complemented by Glass's music. Bravo!
Rating: -
Dracula was filmed in 1931 and really started the Universal tradition for great horror. I rate this grand old film at five stars and it is really the "gold standard" against which to rate all Dracula remakes. This film introduced me to the Dracula legend as a kid in the late 50's. The only thing I can think of that might have made this film a bit better is the beautifully composed and tailored music we all loved so much in later Universal horror movies. I feel to this day that the art work for Castle Dracula, and the approach to the castle via Borgo Pass were absolutely magnificent.
Lugosi helped define the role of Dracula, and everything you may find endearing about him and his acting style I consider a vital part of that wonderful character. He honed and refined his Dracula characterization on stage in the many theatrical performances he delivered and then brought this iconic character to the big screen for Universal. By the way, the DVD was a wonderful transfer in glorious B&W.
I am a great fan of Lugosi and remember him for much of his work for Universal and other fine film companies. Again, Lugosi defined Dracula for many of us!
Rating: -
A true classic of the genre in every sense of the word. Bela Lugosi simply can't be topped as the definitive Count Dracula. For devotees of this film the 75th Anniversary Edition is the one to get, especially since Steve Haberman's excellent audio commentary finally sets the record straight by debunking the recent unwarranted criticism Tod Browning's version has received when it's compared to the alternately filmed Spanish version. Haberman points out some serious flaws with the Spanish version that clearly emphasizes the superiority of Browning's film, and restores the latter's deserved reputation as one of the seminal works of cinematic horror.
My one complaint with the disc set is Peter Glass' music score. It's just plain terrible. It does exactly everything a music score should NOT do. It's too loud and it's CONSTANTLY meandering its way throughout the entire film, which gets really annoying. Thankfully the music track is optional, but it does such a disservice to the film that it shouldn't have been included at all.
Rating:  -
The Bottom Line:
A movie whose iconic nature has prevented many people from realizing that it's actually a rather poor film, Dracula is only worth watching to see Bela Legosi provide the definitive version of the world's most famous vampire; aside from Legosi the movie has little to offer besides lethargic pacing, a complete anti-climax of an ending, and uninspired direction by Tod Browning.
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