Topic: DRACULA (1931)

[Liz]

Since seeing this movie, I've fallen in love with Dwight Frye.  He's so hot, and he plays an amazing Renfield.  RIP Dwight.  I'm posting posting part 6 because at 6:49 Dwight just looks ridiculously hot.

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[metaldams]

Since seeing this movie, I've fallen in love with Dwight Frye.  He's so hot, and he plays an amazing Renfield.  RIP Dwight.  I'm posting posting part 6 because at 6:49 Dwight just looks ridiculously hot.

[youtube=425,350]QWk8SzooWBo&feature=related[/youtube]

Later tonight, I'll have to find you a you tube clip of the song Alice Cooper dedicated to him, "The Ballad of Dwight Fry."  Arguably Alice's best song.

Dwight Fry, along with Bela and the art direction, is what makes DRACULA great.

[FineBari3]

Later tonight, I'll have to find you a you tube clip of the song Alice Cooper dedicated to him, "The Ballad of Dwight Fry."  Arguably Alice's best song.

I was just going to mention that song!

[metaldams]

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Her 'tis, arguably Alice's masterpiece.  Dig that spoken word intro.

I gotta get... OUT-OF-HERE! IgottagetouttahereIgottagetouttahereIgottagethere!!!!

[metaldams]

By the way, you hear that mini-explosion around the 4:00 mark?  This is 1971 so they had to be creative.  They achieved that effect by dropping an Alka Seltzer in water and slowing down the sound.

Bob Ezrin is my second favorite producer behind George Martin.

[Liz]

Not a bad song, but I think it overemphasizes Dwight's character and makes the characters he played look like drug addicts instead of just schizos.

[Boid Brain]

Not a bad song, but I think it overemphasizes Dwight's character and makes the characters he played look like drug addicts instead of just schizos.

Renfield was not a schizo...he was a vampire intern.

But seriously, Liz, if you like him you will want to check him out as the gunsel, later played by Elisha Cook Jr. in an earlier version of "The Maltese Falcon". I don't remember if the title was the same, but it will be easy to find out....uh oh! Wait! He may have played Peter Lorre's Joel Cairo. (A fag part) It's been so long since I last saw it that I can't remember!

Check it out and tell ME. It comes on TCM (rarely) and who knows, it may be on You Tube.

[Liz]

Renfield was not a schizo...he was a vampire intern.

But seriously, Liz, if you like him you will want to check him out as the gunsel, later played by Elisha Cook Jr. in an earlier version of "The Maltese Falcon". I don't remember if the title was the same, but it will be easy to find out....uh oh! Wait! He may have played Peter Lorre's Joel Cairo. (A fag part) It's been so long since I last saw it that I can't remember!

Check it out and tell ME. It comes on TCM (rarely) and who knows, it may be on You Tube.

Totally forgot to tell you, but I did check Dwight out in Maltese Falcon on YouTube sometime back.  Perfect and sexy as usual.

[Seamus]

I'm in the middle of reading Universal Horrors by Tom Weaver, and came across this quote from the man himself a couple weeks ago, lamenting his typecasting:

"If God is good, I will be able to play comedy in which I was featured on Broadway for eight seasons and in which no producer of motion pictures will give me a chance!  And please, God, may it be before I go screwy playing idiots, halfwits, and lunatics on the talking screen!"

[Liz]

Saw that quote quite a few times, Seamus, but thanks for sharing!

I read somewhere that Dwight was an exceptional singer.  I really would like to hear that, as well as an interview, because he did accents in quite a bit of his films (Man to Man, for instance).

[Seamus]

Has anyone seen the Spanish-language version of Dracula that was filmed concurrently with this one?  I haven't given my copy a spin yet.  The general opinion seems to be that the director runs circles around Browning, but the actor playing the lead isn't operating anywhere close to Lugosi's level. 

I'm also assuming it's Frye-less, so Liz probably wouldn't be interested. 

[metaldams]

Has anyone seen the Spanish-language version of Dracula that was filmed concurrently with this one?  I haven't given my copy a spin yet.  The general opinion seems to be that the director runs circles around Browning, but the actor playing the lead isn't operating anywhere close to Lugosi's level.  

I'm also assuming it's Frye-less, so Liz probably wouldn't be interested.  

You pretty much hit the nail on the head.  The Spanish DRACULA, while still slow in parts like the American version due to being an early talkie, is overall better paced.  

The spanish version also has Lupita Tovar as Mina, and she absolutely owns Helen Chandler in that role.  She also absolutely will probably live a longer life than any of us.  She'll turn 101 next month.

[Liz]

The spanish version also has Lupita Tovar as Mina, and she absolutely owns Helen Chandler in that role.  She also absolutely will probably live a longer life than any of us.  She'll turn 101 next month.

I did not like Helen Chandler.  Her voice was too high-pitched and she was overall very annoying.

Edited to say that in all honesty, I think Helen Chandler is the reason why blonde jokes exist.

[metaldams]

I did not like Helen Chandler.  Her voice was too high-pitched and she was overall very annoying.

Edited to say that in all honesty, I think Helen Chandler is the reason why blonde jokes exist.

So then, does David Manners run a close second to Dwight Frye for you?    Talk about a milquetoast performance!

[Liz]

So then, does David Manners run a close second to Dwight Frye for you?    Talk about a milquetoast performance!

A little bit, lol.

But yeah, Dwight's amazing performance made Manners' (who's supposed to be the protagonist, Jonathan Harker) performance extremely stale.  I've never seen any of his other films, so I can't comment on his overall acting, but the truth of the matter is that Dwight Frye outshines everyone in Dracula, except for Lugosi and maybe even Edward van Sloan. 

If you want to see more of my thoughts, I've posted a review of Dracula on my blog.   

[metaldams]

A little bit, lol.

But yeah, Dwight's amazing performance made Manners' (who's supposed to be the protagonist, Jonathan Harker) performance extremely stale.  I've never seen any of his other films, so I can't comment on his overall acting, but the truth of the matter is that Dwight Frye outshines everyone in Dracula, except for Lugosi and maybe even Edward van Sloan. 

If you want to see more of my thoughts, I've posted a review of Dracula on my blog.   

David Manners was also in THE MUMMY (different movie, same role) and THE BLACK CAT (somewhat more tolerable).  He was a never a fan of his horror roles and from what I hear, never took them seriously.

[Liz]

David Manners was also in THE MUMMY (different movie, same role) and THE BLACK CAT (somewhat more tolerable).  He was a never a fan of his horror roles and from what I hear, never took them seriously.

And we can see that clearly in Dracula.