31 days of Horror: Day Four:Dracula (Spanish Version)

 Drácula (1931)

Directed by George Melford 

One of the problems the introduction of sound created for the movie studios was that it was no longer as easy to release films in foreign language markets. In the silent era all you needed was a few translated inter titles, and you were set. Eventually the use of subtitles, and dubbing would solve these problems, but before those solutions became the norm, studios would sometimes make whole different versions of films. That was what happened in 1931 for Universals production of Dracula. During the day Tod Browning would shoot Bela Lugosi, and company, and when night would fall they'd pack up and hand things over to director George Melford, and his Spanish speaking cast, who would shoot all night on the same sets.

I've been hearing for years that Melford's movie was Superior in most ways to Browning's, but I never got around to seeing it. I'm glad to say I remedied that situation this very night. What did I think? Well it's difficult for me to accurately compare the two film, because it's been a few years since I've seen the Browning version, but I was greatly impressed by Melford's. Both movies were shot using the same script (translated of course), but The Spanish version is almost 30 minutes longer. Melford seems to linger on things a little longer. and this unhurried pace may be one of the reasons his version is praised for it's impressive atmosphere. He certainly knew how to compose a shot. I was constantly blown away by how beautiful the film was. Melford takes full advantage of the wonderful sets created for Dracula's Castle, and these early scenes really establish a spooky mood, that then carries over to the rest of the movie.

One of the criticisms regularly used against Browning's Dracula, is the stiffness or staginess of the acting (Legosi somewhat exclude). The acting in the Melford version is quite good, quite expressive, but it falls down in one very important area. Carlos Villarías while passable does not endow his Conde Drácula 

(as he's called) with the malicious power that Legosi brings to Dracula. This weakness at the center of the film is really too bad considering how good everything else is. Still, if you like Dracula, the Spanish version is very entertaining, and well worth your time.