Dracula - The Legacy Collection (Dracula / Dracula (1931 Spanish Version) / Dracula's Daughter / Son of Dracula / House of Dracula)
by David J. Skal, Enrique Tovar Ávalos, Erle C. Kenton, George Melford, Karl Freund
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Bela Lugosi, John Carradine, Lon Chaney Jr., Onslow Stevens, Robert PaigeDirector: David J. Skal, Enrique Tovar Ávalos, Erle C. Kenton, George Melford, Karl Freund
Brand: Universal Studios
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; Spanish (Original Language)
Format: Black & White, Box set, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 399 minutes
Published: 2004-04-01
DVD Release Date: 2004-04-27
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: Universal Studios
Movie Reviews of Dracula - The Legacy Collection (Dracula / Dracula (1931 Spanish Version) / Dracula's Daughter / Son of Dracula / House of Dracula)
Movie Review: DRACULA: THE LEGACY COLLECTION
Summary: 5 Stars
In celebration of VAN HELSING, Universal has pulled out the classic monster movies and given them the royal treatment that has been long overdue to them. This is the DRACULA box set, featuring five movies that tell the immortal saga of the count.
1. DRACULA (1931)
Count Dracula(Bela Lugosi)purchases Carfax Abbey in London and brings his newfound slave Renfield(Dwight Frye)with him. Dracula sinks his teeth into the necks of Lucy Weston(Frances Dade)and Mina Seward (Helen Chandler). Before the count can claim them as his brides, he must battle Jonathan Harker(David Manners)and Professor Abraham Van Helsing(Edward Van Sloan), Dracula's legendary nemesis.
While there have been film versions more true to the Bram Stoker novel, this film remains the definitive vampire movie of them all and opened the doors for future classics. Tod Browning, while a mechanical director, definetley succeeds in creating a strong mood. Karl Freund, the cinematographer, delivers a taste of some of his finest work. Though other actors have played the role since this film, none have had that charisma or power that Bela Lugosi brought to the role. He showed for all time who Dracula is. The essence of evil incarnate. Manners, Dade, and Chandler are rather dull. Frye is stark raving brilliant in the role of Renfield, and Van Sloan is, to me, the true manifestation of Van Helsing.
JUDGEMENT: 96
2. DRACULA (1931 Spanish Version)
Count Dracula(Carlos Villaris)purchases Carfax Abbey in London and brings his newfound slave Renfield(Pablo Alvarez Rubio)with him. Dracula sinks his teeth into the neck of the beautiful Eva (Lupita Tovar). Before he claim her as his bride, the count must deal with Juan Harker(Barry Norton)and Professor Abraham Van Helsing(Eduardo Arozamena), Dracula's legendary nemesis.
Filmed alongside the Browning-Lugosi version, the film used the same sets and script, but had a completley different cast and crew, and also changed some scenes. In all, the film is technically superior to Browning's. George Melford, the director, is much better with sound and the camera angles are more fluid. As for acting, Lupita Tovar is far more lively than Helen Chandler, and Pablo Rubio is even crazier than Dwight Frye. On the other hand, Eduardo Arozamena is not as convincing as Edward Van Sloan, and the rest of the supporting cast is average. Villarias, though good all throughout, lacks the charisma and striking appearance of Lugosi. He tries, but never matches the Hungarian star who showed how a vampire should be played for all time.
JUDGEMENT: 89
3. DRACULA'S DAUGHTER (1936)
Countess Marya Zaleska(Gloria Halden)arrives in London shortly after her father is killed. Professor Van Helsing(Edward Van Sloan)is arrested for the murder of Dracula, and fails to convince authorities that Dracula was a vampire. Dr. Garth(Otto Kruger)is asked to help Van Helsing, yet he doesn't believe it. He becomes acquainted with the countess and her servant(Irving Pichel), but soon begins to suspect that the bark is not worse than the bite.
Though it is the only entry that doesn't have Dracula in it, it's still a surprisingly strong film. It takes the dark gothic elements of DRACULA and combines them with the witty and demented elements of BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN and creates a film that, while not as strong as either of those, is definetley worth a watch. As the Countess, Gloria Halden perfectly captures the essence of Lugosi and having seen pictures of them together, they arguably look like family. As the doctor, Kruger fills in nicely and does well with the material. Van Sloan is also back in the role that made him famous. Pichel is a bit rigid, and I would've rather had someone else play the part. But I wasn't there.
JUDGEMENT: 95
4. SON OF DRACULA (1943)
Katherine Caldwell(Louise Allbritton)has invited Count Alucard(Lon Chaney, Jr.)to her home in Louisiana. However, her fiancee Frank Stanley(Robert Paige)is troubled by the domineering count. Claire Caldwell(Evelyn Ankers)is also worried about Kate. Then, Frank kills her. However, he claims that he shot the count, but the bullets just went through him and killed her. He soon learns that Kate planned to marry the count so she could become his vampiric bride. The count is the son of the legendary Count Dracula, and he has come to find new blood, with only two professors to stop him.
This third official entry in the series is when the character shows signs of slowing. The film is enjoyable, but severly lacks in areas. The acting is mostly dull, though Frank Craven and J. Edward Bromberg do a nice job. Lon Chaney, Jr. seemed ideal for the count(his father Lon Sr. was originally going to play Dracula in 1931), but he delivers one of his weakest performances to date, lacking any energy and or charisma.
JUDGEMENT: 70
5. HOUSE OF DRACULA (1945)
Seeking a cure for his bloodsucking tendencies, Count Dracula(John Carradine)searches out the help of Dr.Edelman(Onslow Stevens)for a cure. Believing Dracula to have a blood disease, he suggests injections of normal blood. At the same time, the doctor searches for a way to cure Larry Talbot(Lon Chaney, Jr.)of his lycanthropy. And in the middle of it all, the Frankenstein Monster(Glenn Strange)is found. But when a transfusion goes wrong, the doctor himself becomes a monster.
At this point, the horror genre was really hurting, but not enough to stop making quality projects. H.O.D is a fun film that provides pure popcorn entertainment. Stevens has some good moments as Dr. Edelman, going from in control to crazed. Carradine, as always, is excellent as Dracula. So good that he comes close to matching Lugosi. As always, Chaney, Jr. is tragic and powerful as Talbot, even though he only goes through one transformation in the whole movie.
JUDGEMENT: 88
EXTRAS
DRACULA comes with a commentary track by David J. Skal, who provides insightful info on the film. THE ROAD TO DRACULA, hosted by Carla Laemmle, is also a strong extra. The Spanish Version of Dracula has an introduction by Lupita Tovar, the star. She briefly talks about the movie and compares Carlos Villarias and Bela Lugosi. There is a documentary with the cast and crew of VAN HELSING, discussing their take on Dracula. DRACULA also comes with the score by Phillip Glass, that can be chosen to be played during the movie. I personally find the movie far more satisfying without any music.
JUDGEMENT: 89
OVERALL
With the film that arguably opened the doors for a new breed of horror and established one of the most imitated actors in Hollywood, as well as the Spanish take and three strong sequels, this is only slightly weaker than the FRANKENSTEIN box set, but strong nonetheless.
OVERALL JUDGEMENT: 88
More Dracula - The Legacy Collection (Dracula / Dracula (1931 Spanish Version) / Dracula's Daughter / Son of Dracula / House of Dracula) reviews:
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Summary of Dracula - The Legacy Collection (Dracula / Dracula (1931 Spanish Version) / Dracula's Daughter / Son of Dracula / House of Dracula)
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