There have been plenty of Draculas over the years. Christopher Lee had an admirable run as the undead count, and even Gary Oldman got in on the action. But without a doubt, the most iconic Dracula was played by Mr Bela Lugosi himself. His first appearance is everything viewers have come to expect from the legendary vampire: he's vaguely threatening, with an air of implicit danger about him, but he's also somehow enthralling. The slow zoom draws the audience closer to him, almost against their will, and he bids both Renfield and the audience welcome. By 1931, films had seen monsters of all shapes and sizes on the big screen, but nothing like the elegant, sophisticated creature that slowly descends the staircase in this scene. It's immediately clear that whatever this was, it was new territory.
Audrey Fox is an ex-film student, which means that she prefers to spend her days in the dark, watching movies and pondering the director's use of diegetic sound. She currently works as an entertainment writer, joyfully rambling about all things film and television related. Add her on Twitter at @audonamission and check out her film blog at 1001moviesandbeyond.com.
