History Film / Dracula1931

A Spanish-language version, ''Drácula'', was shot on the same sets at night but with different actors; it's often claimed to be the superior film (mostly for its cinematography, pacing, and atmosphere), lacking only an actor of Lugosi's magnetism playing the Count. Instead it was Carlos Villarías playing Dracula, with Lupita Tovar as "Eva" rather than Mina and Barry Norton playing "Juan" Harker. George Melford directed. Both the Browning and the Melford versions of ''Dracula'' are in the UsefulNotes/NationalFilmRegistry, the Anglo version having been inducted in 2000 and the Spanish version in 2015.

** The film originally ended with Van Helsing [[BreakingTheFourthWall talking directly to the film's audience]] but it was cut for the original re-release because the contents of the speech (which implied that vampires are real) violated UsefulNotes/TheHaysCode. The footage has [[MissingEpisode never been recovered]], but a similar speech is in the original Broadway stage play the film was partially based on.

* {{Bowdlerize}}: The movie was originally 85 minutes long, but after UsefulNotes/TheHaysCode was put into effect, two scenes were cut (along with an epilogue--see trivia page for details), bringing it down to 75 minutes. The script was also much longer than what was filmed. The scenes deleted are present in the Spanish version, which resulted in more developed characters, more buildup, and better atmosphere.

* SourceMusic: There was no real musical soundtrack in the film because it was believed that, with [[UsefulNotes/RiseOfTheTalkies sound being such a recent innovation]] in films, the audience would not accept hearing music in a scene if there was no explanation for it being there (e.g., the orchestra playing off camera when Dracula meets Mina at the theatre).

Being bored with Transylvania, Count Dracula (Lugosi) decides to move to London for some fresh blood. After making the preliminary arrangements with the English solicitor Renfield (Creator/DwightFrye), Dracula makes him his thrall and travels to England by sea, killing the crew of his ship in the process. When he finally arrives in London, he turns Carfax Abbey (the property he bought with Renfield's help) into his new base of operations. He then takes a special interest in Mina Seward (Helen Chandler), who lives at the neighboring mental asylum overseen by her father, Dr. Seward (Herbert Bunston), and is engaged to John Harker (David Manners). As victims turn up and Mina begins to act strangely, Professor Van Helsing (Edward Van Sloan) comes to help...

A Franchise/UniversalHorror film from 1931, which made Creator/BelaLugosi globally famous as ''the'' ClassicalMovieVampire. His portrayal of {{Dracula}} is the one that most people think of when they hear the character's name (or even just the word "vampire"), whether or not they've ever actually seen the movie.

** The Spanish-language version includes a scene where Dracula visits Renfield and psychically Renfield to keep Renfield working for him. It looks ''very'' much like Dracula is ''raping'' Renfield; the scene is very disturbing, even ninety years later.

* {{Melodrama}}: Given it retains many elements of a SilentMovie despite being a talkie, it ends up on this.

* PragmaticAdaptation: Due to the Great Depression, Universal could not do a straight adaptation of the novel and so, for budgetary reasons, adapted its stage adaptation.

A Franchise/UniversalHorror film from 1931, which made Creator/BelaLugosi world-famous as ''the'' ClassicalMovieVampire. His portrayal of {{Dracula}} is the one that most people think of when they hear the character's name (or even just the word "vampire"), whether or not they've actually seen the movie.

* YouHaveFailedMe: Dracula kills Renfield after the later unwittingly leads Van Helsing and Harker to him.

* AdaptationalNameChange: Mina Murray is now Mina Seward and Lucy Westenra is renamed Lucy Weston.

* YouHaveFailedMe: Dracula kills Renfield after the later unwittingly leads Van Helsing and Jonathan to him.

* YouHaveFailedMe: Dracula kills Renfield when he unwittingly leads Van Helsing and Jonathan to him.

--> '''Dracula:''' To die – to be ''really'' dead – that must be glorious.\\

* WhoWantsToLiveForever: Alluded to by Dracula in response to Lucy reciting a poem about death.

-->'''Renfield:''' Rats. Rats. Rats! Thousands! Millions of them!

-->'''Dracula:''' There are far worse things awaiting man than death.

-->'''Maid:''' He's crazy!\\

-->'''Dracula:''' [[VampireVords You arrrr...too leit!]]