Costume / Character Analysis: Film Draculas Through the Years

[earthspirits]

There's been many Dracula inspired vampire films made over the years, too many for the scope of this essay. Instead I'll focus on those that attempted to stay closer to Bram Stoker's 1897 novel.

Bela Lugosi - "Dracula" 1931

The 1931 film was the first official screen adaption of Bram Stoker's novel. Here Dracula is presented as a suave tuxedo-clad villain, who transforms from charming to threatening, depending on the scene. Not that I find Bela Lugosi the least bit threatening or sexy. At any rate, his is the prototype for many of the Dracula films that followed. It's unknown if Ed Ware and Vera West designed Lugosi's costume or if he simply made use of his own personal evening wear.

Fun Fact: Lugosi wasn't the first choice to play Dracula. The role was originally offered to Conrad Veidt. He turned down the role because he was concerned about his German accent and speaking the lines in English. What a shame, as with his tall slender frame, large expressive eyes and intriguing accent, he would have made an alluring and sinister Dracula. One has only to watch his other turns as villains to see just how amazing he would have been in the role.

Conrad Veidt
 

 

 

 

 

Christoper Lee as Dracula

 

Next up, British actor Christoper Lee. Tall, imposing and strikingly handsome, he made several Hammer films as Dracula. The first was "Dracula" (1958). This version of the count, while not romantic, portrays a dark, brooding sexuality, with an emphasis on the horror aspects of the character (glowing red eyes, fangs, and lots of blood).

Despite my fondness for Lee, there's a drawback to his Dracula. Except for a few lines in the first film, he never speaks. The reason is interesting. In Lee's own words: "[My lines] were not Bram Stoker. This was a great fight I used to have over the years with Hammer. I kept on saying, 'Why don't you use Stoker's words, Stoker's dialogue?' if you like. Oh no no no. So somebody used to write lines like, 'I am the apocalypse,' beyond belief."

While the lack of dialogue contributes to a more monstrous portrayal, it's nevertheless disappointing, because Lee's beautiful deep voice would have added so much to the role.

Costume wise, his Dracula follows in Lugosi's footsteps: Elegant black evening attire with the traditional cape. Molly Arbuthnot and Rosemary Burrows are listed as "Wardrobe" for this film.
 

 

 

 

Jack Palance - "Dan Curtis' Dracula" 1974

 

 Dan Curtis (who brought us 1960's gothic soap "Dark Shadows") threw his hat into the Dracula ring in 1974. Palance as the count brings horror as well as pathos. In this adaption, the character is explicitly linked with the real Vlad the Impaler and the reincarnation motif is introduced. This Dracula seeks his long lost bride, although here she's Lucy, rather than Mina. He transforms his beloved into a vampire and goes berserk with rage and grief once she is dispatched by Van Helsing. There's even a portrait of Dracula in his Tepe's persona.

Costuming once again follows the evening wear tradition (designed by Ruth Myers).

 

 

 

Louis Jourdan - "Count Dracula" 1977

 

The 1977 BBC adaption brought us another handsome Dracula, although basic plot and characters stayed closer to the original novel (with some differences). Louis Jourdan's French accent adds a certain allure to his portrayal. His black costume is more casual than those of preceding counts. I was unable to discover the name of the designer.
 

 

 

Frank Langella - "Dracula" 1979

 

Dracula remains handsome and once again becomes a romantic in 1979's "Dracula". Basic elements of Stoker's plot stay, although character names are transposed and some characters are combined / compressed. Once again, Langella's costume mirrors the Lugosi tradition of black and white evening clothes. The Victorian era costumes for the film were designed by artist Edward Gorey.
 

 

 

 

 

Gary Oldman - "Bram Stoker's Dracula" 1992

 

And at last, we come to my all time favorite Dracula - Gary Oldman. The 1992 adaption stays closer to the novel, although it differs with its focus on the doomed love of Vlad Dracula and Elisabeta / Mina. In my opinion, the reincarnation / love motif is handled much better here than in the 1974 film with Jack Palance.

Gary is absolutely brilliant as Dracula. He handles each persona perfectly: Honorable warrior prince and devoted husband - Elderly grieving vampire - Ruthless predator and monstrous human / animal hybrids - Handsome romantic lover. His scenes with Winona Ryder as Elisabeta / Mina are beautifully acted, tender, loving and heartbreaking, with the two displaying wonderful chemistry with one another.

I've discussed his Dracula costuming in an earlier post, and it's nothing short of spectacular, as is the make-up artistry used to transform him into the elderly and monster versions of the character. The costuming was designed by Eiko Ishioka, who won a well-deserved Oscar that year for her work.

 

 

Comments

[bleodswean]

Nicely done, G! I would love to know how Bela's Dracula became so well coifed and dressed. It's amusing because now reading the novel, it isn't in there at all. AND that "look" has become the stereotypical Dracula image - from Bela's Count to Sesame Street's Count!

[earthspirits]

Thanks, E - glad you enjoyed! Not sure why / how they decided to costume Bela for the role, unless perhaps he suggested it himself? But yes, old-fashioned evening attire (and that cape!) are now de rigueur for most versions of the character. I'd forgotten about Sesame Street's vamp. You're right, he's very much a Bela take-off.

[erimia]

Very thorough! I'm not a fan of the stereotypical Lugosi design - I think it doesn't work for anyone but Lugosi, and often looks like a Halloween costume. From the ones you listed, Jourdan's clothing is probably the closest to that of the novel's Dracula, which I always imagined as very austere and understated. But I like some more ornate versions too, like the costuming of Thomas Borchert in the 2021 Ulm staging of the Wildhorn's Dracula musical.

[erimia]

Although Dracula in the novel does wear a pair of white gloves at one point. I don't if these were meant to be evening wear or are just something rich people could wear as everyday wear, but in any case it shows that he can also dress fancier. And him wearing a summer boater hat in autumn also shows that his clothes don't always fit the occasion, which would also be true for him going everywhere in evening clothes in the movies.

[earthspirits]

Thank you! Yes, the tux attire does have a very Halloween costume vibe for the Draculas that followed Lugosi.

I liked Jourdan's costume, understated, but classy in its own way. Will have to check out pics of Borchert!

[smokingboot]

Some of these are such beautiful Draculas, thank you for this post! I had no idea about Conrad Veidt. He would have utterly captivated me!

[earthspirits]

You're most welcome!

And I agree about Veidt. He'd have been so much more intriguing than Lugosi.