http://www.buffalonews.com/entertainmen ... 22855.htmlVampires uncloaked, from ‘Nosferatu’ to ‘Twilight’
By Toni Ruberto
News Staff
Updated: October 10, 2009, 4:58 PM
He was a tall, cadaverous old man with white hair and eyebrows so bushy they almost created a unibrow. His fingers and ears formed points; his palms were hairy. The breath, rank.
This Dracula, as immortalized by Bram Stoker in 1897, was not the handsome, romantic figure that vampires have become in modern film and literature. No, this evil creature is far removed from the face of the vampire today: actor Robert Pattinson's portrayal of the angst-ridden Edward Cullen in "Twilight," an impossibly beautiful, porcelain-skinned teen with a loving soul who refuses to drink human blood.
Stoker's "Dracula" wasn't the first book about vampires — John Polidori's "The Vampyre" from 1819 is given the credit for that — yet Stoker's book remains the definitive vampire novel even as hundreds of similar books continue to be released. The hunger for vampire stories is so intense today that these new books are quickly spawning film and television adaptations.
The Sookie Stackhouse novels, a series of books by Charlaine Harris, are the basis for the lustful — and popular — HBO series, "True Blood." "The Vampire Diaries," based on the books by L.J. Smith, is a new teen drama on the CW.
Author Stephenie Meyer's hugely successful four-book "Twilight" saga, featuring that lovelorn Edward Cullen, already has led to one big-screen hit. T-shirts stamped with "11-20-09" herald the arrival of its much-anticipated movie sequel, "New Moon."
With each visual interpretation, the face of the vampire is changing. No longer does he look like evil incarnated, but instead can take on the form of the good-looking guy down the block.
Here's a look.
1922 — Max Schreck
The now-lost Hungarian 1921 film, "The Death of Drakula," is considered the first vampire movie, but "Nosferatu," the expressionistic silent film by F.W. Murnau, is a masterpiece that is still chilling to watch. Schreck was breathtaking as the blood-sucking Count Orloc. Ugly — think of a tall rat — emaciated and repulsive, he dripped pure evil. Watch it today and expect goosebumps. (This film was remade, nearly frame by frame, by Werner Herzog in 1979.)
1931 — Bela Lugosi
When Lugosi moved from the stage production of "Dracula" to this Universal Pictures classic, he cemented his place in history as the face of Dracula. What an unusual screen idol he was — he looked older than his years, wasn't very handsome and he talked with an odd cadence from his thick Hungarian accent. But Lugosi's performance was mesmerizing.
1958 — Christopher Lee
Decades before he was Count Dooku in "Star Wars," Lee was another famous count. "The Horror of Dracula" would be the first of 10 films in which Lee would don the black cape as Count Dracula and, in the process, give us a new-look vampire. The underlying current of sexuality in the vampire myth comes out in full explicit Hammer Studio form with ripped bodices and blood dripping down heaving bosoms. Audiences were shocked, but they loved it.
1972 — William Marshall
Marshall was lauded for his portrayal of an African prince turned vampire in the blaxploitation films "Blacula" and its sequel, "Scream Blacula Scream." "Watching William Marshall investing this trivial plot with dignity is a real pleasure," writes Leonard Wolf in "Dracula: The Connoisseur's Guide."
1979 — Frank Langella
Langella's personification of Dracula — first on Broadway and then in this passionate John Badham film — turned up the heat through lush romanticism and sensuality. This Dracula could be terrifying, but he was sexy, too. Case in point: watching him sweep up Lucy, dressed in her virginal white sleeping gown, and carry her to bed.
1994 — Tom Cruise
Vampire. Really? Sorry, but his effete, over-the-top (in a bad way) performance as Anne Rice's Lestat from "Interview With The Vampire" is best forgotten. Even Rice initially objected to Cruise playing a character she envisioned as being performed by the manly Rutger Hauer, an actor whose likeness is clearly used in the graphic novel.
1992 — Gary Oldman
In Francis Ford Coppola's sumptuous "Bram Stoker's Dracula," Oldman played Dracula as three characters — the handsome, valiant warrior; the grizzled, old vampire; and a Victorian gentleman looking for his reincarnated love. He was strong, mysterious, deadly and a very tragic romantic figure. As the old vampire, Oldman was the image of Stoker's vision.
2003 — Kate Beckinsale
Female vampires were often relegated to a secondary role as Dracula's bride — that is until Beckinsale took control as the tough and ubersexy vampire warrior Selene in the "Underworld" film trilogy.
2008 — Robert Pattinson
Tousled hair, red lips, pale skin that sparkles in the sun, glorious eyes that change color with his emotions. Throw in his love for a mortal and a tormented soul. No wonder Pattinson's portrayal of Edward Cullen in "Twilight" sent his popularity into the stratosphere. His appeal, tailor-made for 16-year-olds, surprisingly took on a much wider audience.
THE VAMPIRE ON TV
"Dark Shadows" (1966-1971). This Gothic soap opera was nearly canceled before creator Dan Curtis introduced the vampire Barnabas Collins, played by Jonathan Frid.
Later, more otherworldy creatures — werewolves, ghosts, zombies — were introduced. Count among the show's fans filmmaker Tim Burton and actor Johnny Depp ("I was obsessed with Barnabas"), who are discussing a big-screen adptation. "Dark Shadows" returned as a short-lived 1991 NBC series starring Ben Cross as Barnabas.
"Forever Knight" (1992-96): Geraint Wyn Davies played the 800-year-old Nick Knight, a guilt-ridden vampire trying to regain his mortality (yes, he wanted to die a human death), by atoning for his sins as a Toronto detective. The series was developed from a 1989 television movie starring Rick Springfield.
"Buffy the Vampire Slayer"/"Angel": The "Buffy" series introduced David Boreanaz as the vampire Angel, who would bring love and grief into Buffy's life. He was later spun-off into his own show.
"Moonlight": This 2008 CBS series starred Alex O'Loughlin as the detective vampire with pouches of blood in the fridge who loved a pretty mortal (Sophia Myles). It lasted only a season, but has a nice cult following."True Blood": It's sex and gore galore in this HBO series about telepathic waitress Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin) and her boyfriend vampire Bill (her real-life fiance Stephen Moyer), who live in a small Louisiana town ripe with freaky occurrences.
"Vampire Diaries": This soap opera-like drama on the CW is set in a high school populated with very pretty people. The arrival of two vampire brothers — one good, the other evil — sets in motion a love triangle as they fight for the teen who may be their reincarnated long-dead love. Some may find similarities to "Dark Shadows."
Variations on a theme — be sure to check out:
"Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein": The Universal monsters, including Dracula played by Lugosi, get their shot at Abbott and Costello in this classic 1948 comedy.
"Dracula: Dead and Loving It": Leslie Nielsen puts a comic spin on the count in this 1995 Mel Brooks spoof.
"The Last Man on Earth": A plague turned everyone but Vincent Price into a vampire in this creepy 1964 film based on Richard Matheson's "I Am Legend." It was later made into "The Omega Man" (1971) with Charlton Heston, "I Am Omega" (2007) with current "Dancing With the Stars" celebrity Mark Dacascos and "I Am Legend" (2007) starring Will Smith. A story worth watching under any name.
"The Lost Boys": Keifer Sutherland is terrifying as the leader of a teen group of vampires in this hilarious, yet kinda scary film.
"Near Dark": Director Kathryn Bigelow's stylish vampire Western has a romantic soul and a fantastic ending for those who yearn for the heroic vampire to end up with his mortal love. (Wait for the last line.)
"The Night Stalker": The movies and TV series starring Darren McGavin dealt with all sorts of creatures, especially ones that sucked blood. Campy and eerie.
"Salem's Lot": This made-for-TV miniseries directed by Tobe Hooper was downright scary, recalling the creature from "Nosferatu."
"Shadow of the Vampire": For those with an imagination, watch this Oscar-nominated film set during the making of the 1992 Murnau movie that supposes actor Max Schreck (played by Willem Dafoe) really was a vampire.
truberto@buffnews.com
