Product Description

In 1989, horror-movie historian David J. Skal discovered the legendary Spanish-language version of the 1931 Dracula in Cuba. Shot at night on the same Universal sets as Tod Browning's classic after, his crew went home for the evening, and using a translated version of the same script, this version features a cast of Mexican and South American actors under the direction of George Melford. When this version was released in 1992 in the U.S. (with subtitles), a small but fervent coterie of fans proclaimed it superior to Tod Browning's original. While practically identical in many ways, Melford creates a more atmospheric set and has his camera prowling though it in key moments, resulting in a more stylish and smooth film. He punctuates scenes with striking compositions and startling close-ups and paces the film more evenly (even though it emerges 30 minutes longer ). Two elements stand out above all. The lovely Lupita Tovar makes a much sexier Mina (named Eva here), signaling her transformation to the dark side by rising from her bed in a low-cut, and very revealing, nightgown, as if displaying her newfound sexual aggressiveness. The film's sole weakness is Carlos Villar's Dracula, who is nowhere near as charismatic as Bela Lugosi. Though his portrayal improves over the course of the film, he never comes close to Lugosi's intensity or aristocratic demeanor. --Sean Axmaker

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Product Details

Publisher	Universal Studios
ISBN	6302526051
EAN	9786302526059
Format	VHS Tape Black & White Closed-captioned NTSC
Directed By	Enrique Tovar Ávalos,George Melford
UPC	096898112338
Label	Universal Studios
Title	Dracula (Spanish) [VHS]
Studio	Universal Studios
Starring	Carlos Villarías,Lupita Tovar,Barry Norton,Pablo Álvarez Rubio,Eduardo Arozamena
Running Time	104 minutes
MPAA Rating	Unrated
Release Date	1997-09-16
Manufacturer	Universal Studios

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Customer Reviews

Dracula Es Nos Vampiro

Review by Acute Observer, 2009-06-02

This Spanish version was filmed at the same time as the English version (same sets). The actors and costumes were different. The subtitles are in English. The film opens with a coach in the Carpathian mountains. [The word "coach" comes from the town where is was invented, Kócs in Hungary.] They hurry to reach the inn by nightfall. One man wants to reach Borgo Pass and go to Dracula's castle! Are the peasants superstitious? Or do they know local conditions? Dracula rises at night, so do his wives. Renfield arrives at his destination. [The hinges need oiling.] "Soy Dracula." The children of the night make beautiful music to his ears. "You are very kind." All correspondence has been burned as requested. [No paper trail?] Was there something in that wine? The ship arrives after a terrible storm. A lone madman survived.

Dracula visits the opera. Can he work his will on a servant? Carfax Abbey is next to Whitby sanitarium. Is there something worse than death? Lucia finds Dracula fascinating. "Sweet dreams." The fog gets thicker. A bat flies into the room. Miss Weston dies after a baffling loss of blood. Two small wounds are found, like on the other victims. A diagnosis is made that is astonishing. Professor Van Helsing knows the symptoms. Will past superstitions become scientific truths? What about Renfield? He likes flies! Eva tells Juan she is frightened of the night. Aconite (wolfsbane) keeps wolves away. What does Eva have on her neck? The mirror does not reflect Dracula's image! The Professor knows a lot. "Dracula es nos vampiro." Renfield gives his performance as the madman under the power of evil. "Don't ask me that!"

Eva is still alive but in grave danger. A mysterious lady in white offers candy to children then bites them on the neck. Eva saw Lucia after she was buried. They placed aconite around Eva's room to keep Dracula away. Van Helsing explains his deductions. To save Eva they must destroy Dracula. Does Dracula have hypnotic powers? Eva has never felt better in her entire life. [Diet or exercise?] Can Dracula command Van Helsing? Where did that big bat come from? What is the matter with Eva? Harker and Van Helsing go to the Abbey to find Dracula. They do what they have to do to rid the world of this menace. "Dracula esta muerte por siempre." And there is a happy ending for commercial success.

This film is worth watching as a variation on the better known English version. It shows the diffences made by the actors. I think Bela Lugosi was best as "Conde Dracula". Since wolfsbane (aconite) is a poisonous plant it was changed to garlic in the sequels. Those who read the original book can comment on the changes for the films.

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ENGLISH VERSION BETTER

Review by Michael Ironside, 2007-03-17

CARLOS VILLARIAS WAS AS SCARY IN THE MOVIE AS MY MOTHER IN LAW . ACTUALY MY MOTHER IN LAW WOULD LOOK SCARIER . BELA LOOKED THE BETTER PART OF DRACULA ! CARLOS ACTING LOOKED LIKE IT WAS SUPPOSED TO SCARE BUT IT WAS MORE COMICAL . EVEN HIS EXPRESSIONS WERE AMUSING IN THE MOVIE .

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In Many Ways Superior to the English Version--But Villarias Kills The Show

Review by Gary F. Taylor, 2006-05-03

Language was no barrier to Hollywood in the silent era: title cards were easily translated from English. When sound began to roar, Hollywood began to fear the loss of its foreign markets--and so, for a brief time, the studios occasionally produced two versions of certain films, one in English and one in another language, most often German or Spanish. Such was the case with the 1931 DRACULA.

According to film historian and author David J. Skal, producer Paul Kohner fell in love with Mexican-born actress Lupita Tovar (they later married), and his romantic interest prompted the suggestion that she star in a Spanish-language version of the film. When the English language cast wrapped for the day, the Spanish language cast arrived and worked through the night using the same sets.

Most of Hollywood's foreign-language duplicates were forgotten as quickly as they were released, but the Spanish DRACULA would be the exception. Todd Browning, who directed the English language film starring Bela Lugosi, was extremely uncomfortable with sound technology. While the first fifteen minutes or so his film are exceptional, the movie thereafter becomes a filmed stage play--and a very choppy and rather unimaginative stage play at that. Instead of simply duplicating Browning's set-ups, producer Kohner and director George Melford set out to best him, and when the Spanish version debuted most viewers declared it greatly superior to the English version.

And in many respects it is. Whereas Browning's version is visually flat and rather slow, the Spanish DRACULA is visually exciting, and although it is considerably longer than the English version the pace never drags. It also has it all over the Browning version in terms of editing, and it has a cohesion the Browning version completely lacks. The supporting cast is also quite fine, with Lupita Tovar a standout, easily besting Helen Chandler's remarkably tiresome performance in the English version.

But the Spanish DRACULA has a problem, and it's a big one: actor Carlos Villarias, billed here as Carlos Villar. Villarias had a respectable film career throughout the 1930s and 1940s, but he met his match in Dracula; where Lugosi intoned, snarled, and endowed the vampire with an elegant evil, Villarias goes through the film with a series of expressions that lead one to believe he has just encountered an overflowing toilet. His flaring nostrils and disgusted glances are so incredibly out of place that they quickly become unintentionally hilarious.

Lugosi's performance, of course, is generally considered the ultimate statement of the role, and with good reason. In a perfect world, we would be able to snatch Villarias out of the Spanish DRACULA and insert Lugosi in his place; the result would be a truly amazing film from start to finish. As it is, however, we are stuck with Villarias, and frankly he bites.

The VHS release of the Spanish DRACULA is out of print, but the film is available on the same disk with the Universal release of the more widely known Todd Browning version. By and large the film quality is remarkably good; it has not, however, received a digital remaster, and at least one of the reels would greatly benefit from it. If you are a fan of 1930s horror, you'll find it more than worth the effort, but I suspect more casual viewers will be reduced to hysterical laughter by the Villarias performance.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

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good if you're spanish

Review by Anonymous, 2004-07-18

I bought the dracula legacy collection and watched the spanish version with english subtitles.I thought it was OK,but seemed too much of a remake of the first one.But if you are Spanish you'll love it!In this film there are things that weren't in the original but it also doesn't have stuff that wasn't in the original.

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Average

Review by Anonymous, 2004-05-27

i just got done watchin this The VHS just came in my mail today and popped it in ..... to me This movie is missin a lotta links... it is Atmospheric at times but as i reviewed the Reviews below some of the reviews actually said this film was more atmospheric then The english version .... which id have to disagree .... i think Tod Browning's version is more atmospheric then this.... and i think Dwight Frye is more up to the act of Reinsfield then Pablos whatever his name is Lol.... but it is a good movie.... i think The english version is better but this is as well a must watch classic horror film... if u ever have a chance to watch it .... then do so its a rareity so Enjoy

ps.... another thing is (dracula didnt say I Bid you welcome) at the first THATS NOT COOL DOOD thats my fav line in the english version!!!

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