Cultural and Historical Facts and Curiosities

THE CONTEXT OF DRACULA

 è Although vampire legends had already existed for hundreds of years, it was Dracula who caught the imagination of the world, becoming the most famous vampire even nowadays;

THE VICTORIAN WORLD

 è Dracula was the culmination of a Victorian interest in vampires that had been growing since the beginning of the 19^th century, and which had its roots in scientific accounts dating from as early as the 16^th century.

 è Beginning of Victoria’s reign in 1837: Britain became the greatest industrialized nation in Europe (Industrial Revolution – Burst of industrial growth).

 è Crime and poverty spread due to the masses who swelled cities.

 è 1868à Benjamin Disraeli= Prime minister: Britain became the wordl’s most powerful nation.

 è The study of “natural philosophy” and “natural history” became “science”= more graduated scientists. Interaction among science, government, and industry.

 è Religiosity revival= Victorianism (code of moral behavior)

 è End of Victorian age: variety of literature to the public.

DRACULA APPEARS (1897)

 è At first, the book did not sell well (3, 000 copies);

 è Stoker already had the story in his mind for a long time and said that the historical basis were reports of encounters with vampires through many countries in Europe;

 è Van Hellsing was founded on a real character;

 è The book achieved enormous success and now Dracula is the most famous vampire ever;

 è There are more than 150 films containing “Dracula” in the title and over 200 actors who played Dracula as well;

 è Romania adopted Dracula as its national symbol

THE PUBLIC LIFE OF DRACULA

 è Death of Dracula 1921

            Paul Askonas as Dracula

  è Nosferatu 1922

              Max Schrek as Count Orlok

 è Dracula +/- 1924 (London play) 

       Dora Mary Patrick as Mina Harker 

        and Raymond Huntley as Dracula

 è Dracula 1927 (New York play) 

                Bela Lugosi as Dracula

 è Dracula 1931

   Bela Lugosi repeating his iconic role, but this time in a movie. 

    This stereotype of Dracula was stabilished in 1931 and it is 

          still the biggest symbolized image for Dracula.

 è Drakula Instanbul’ da 1953

Atif Kaptan as Dracula (or Drakula) in this Turkish 
movie based on a 1928 novel by Ali Riza Seyfi called "Kazıklı 
Voyvoda" ( "Impaler Voivode").

 è Horror of Dracula 1958

                 Christopher Lee as Dracula.

 è Count Dracula 1977  

        Louis Jourdan as Dracula. Perhaps the most

          successful adaptation of the original book

               (in terms of following the plot)

 è Dracula 1978 Jeremy Brett

                 Jeremy Brett as Dracula.

 è Bram Stoker’s Dracula 1992

                   Gary Oldman as Dracula. 
          This is the best reference for Dracula's 
       REAL image, as Vlad The Impaler. This movie
       focuses more on the "love that never dies", but
                even then it is great to watch.