Bram Stoker - Part I

I believe it is time to acknowledge one of my favorite authors and the first real horror author I ever read - the amazing Abraham Stoker.

Edgar Allan Poe - he is my favorite author, but, surprisingly, Dracula is my favorite book and his horrific short story The Squaw (which details a terrifying experience with a black cat and the Iron Virgin of Nuremberg) is among my favorite pieces of short fiction. Oh, I definitely must mention the ghostly love story The Chain of Destiny, which I love ssoooo much (Hey...this gives me an idea for a play! "One Act Productions from Bram Stoker...").

This man is best known as the godfather of vampire fiction and, well, the greatest author of Gothic horror of all time. WAIT! I know Poe is my favorite author and he had a huge impact. But only the Bible has outsold Dracula as a book and Poe can't compete with that. Poe will always be my favorite author, but...well, Dracula will always be my favorite book. Really, folks, it was the first Gothic horror story I ever read, and I really love some of the adaptations through the ages. Here are a few famous Draculas:

BRIAN O'CONNELL'S

GALLERY OF DRACULAS

Bela Lugosi, 1931 Dracula. I know you think he's cliche, but he really has talent in this movie. Check it out. It's okay. The script is well written, if rather unfaithful. I mean, they do have some parts from the book, but...Anyway, Edward Gorey did a Broadway production, so WATCH IT.

Christopher Lee, 1958 Dracula (or Horror of Dracula in the U.S.A.). I personally have never seen any of the films in this popular Hammer Horror series, but I LOOOVVVEEEE Christopher Lee (even though I've only seen or heard him a couple of times). He is an amazing actor and this should be good.

Gary Oldman, 1992 Bram Stoker's Dracula (pictured alongside Winona Ryder as Mina). Personally one of my favorites. Gary Oldman makes a pretty freakin' awesome Dracula. And, of course, they added in this whole reincarnation-love-story stuff which I'm cool with. Oh, and by the way, I don't see what's wrong with Keanu Reeves' performance (he plays Jonathan Harker)! He's okay, give him a break! The cast and direction are all very good, and this remains the most faithful film of all.

John Rhys Meyers, 2013 Dracula miniseries. John Rhys Meyers is supposed to be good in the role of Dracula, but they rip off the reincarnation Dracula-Mina-Jonathan love triangle thing. The costumes are VERRYY steampunk, even though some of the above's costumes were too. I haven't seen this yet (it's only one episode in)...might be okay. But still a rip off.

We'll get back to Bram Stoker later...