[Sinister]

We have a battle for Undead primacy in this one, fiends! Bela Lugosi exits his crate to battle Christopher Lee when we pit Dracula (1931) against Hammer's Horror of Dracula (1958). I suspect this one is going to be a closer battle than the last, but I suppose we'll see what we'll see, eh?

Get voting for your favorite film and favorite version of the Count. The polls are now open.

 

[dougspaulding]

Tough one, almost a toss-up. Universal's was just weak enough and Hammer's just strong enough to make it a contest. In the end, however, I had to go with the '31. Why, you ask? Simply because of what it meant at the time, and, as much as I admire Lee, Lugosi is Dracula!

 

[Zombie-F]

Tough one, almost a toss-up. Universal's was just weak enough and Hammer's just strong enough to make it a contest. In the end, however, I had to go with the '31. Why, you ask? Simply because of what it meant at the time, and, as much as I admire Lee, Lugosi is Dracula!

What he said.

Wish I could have voted on the last one. The Hammer version of Frankenstein just arrived today from Netflix and I was going to view it tomorrow morning and vote.

 

[Frighteners Entertainment]

Tough one, almost a toss-up. Universal's was just weak enough and Hammer's just strong enough to make it a contest. In the end, however, I had to go with the '31. Why, you ask? Simply because of what it meant at the time, and, as much as I admire Lee, Lugosi is Dracula!

What else can you add, but I agree.
Jeff

 

[Sinister]

I can add plenty. The '31 version is dull in some spots and unintentionally comedic in others. For instance, when Lugosi is trying to hypnotise Van Helsing in the drawing room, he says to his intended victim "Come here." I think the Count's speech would have been something a bit more eloquent shall we say instead of emitting something that sounds like they just didn't know what to put in the script. And the part where Harker is trying to drive off the bat that is "menacing" Mina and she keeps saying "What?" is a hoot that I'm sure the director Todd Browning didn't intend. I'm not really downing Lugosi's performance, but Christopher Lee's is far and above better. It was aalso the first time in cinema you actually got to see Vlad Dracula's fangs making him all the more horrifying. If there's a real stand out performance in the '31 version, it's Dwight Frye's maniacal blueprint for Kubrick's Jack Torrance, when he portrayed Renfield. I thnk you guys who have voted for Lugosi really need to go back an re-watch Horror of Dracula. While I agree with the last match-up's victor, I am really puzzled at how this one's turning out. IF anyone can irrefutably explain to me where Lugosi outclasses Lee as the Count and how the earlier film is better than the latter, I'll change my vote. I just don't believe it's possible.

 

[Zombie-F]

I've said it before... Lee grew into the role. I don't think his performance as the count in Horror of Dracula was that great. He didn't have the booming voice or menacing presence he eventually became famous for in this movie. And I'm not saying the later Dracula movies with Lee were good either, it's the middle ones that he really came into the role fully.

Horror of Dracula is rather slow in many places... I guess that British films in general don't hold my attention very well (with a few exceptions).

 

[dougspaulding]

IF anyone can irrefutably explain to me where Lugosi outclasses Lee as the Count and how the earlier film is better than the latter, I'll change my vote. I just don't believe it's possible.

But we don't want you to change your vote - that's the purpose of the thread - to compare varying opinions and eventually pick a winner. Your vote is just as important as mine.

 

[Sinister]

I would like to know who put in the other vote for Lee (so far) and Hammer.

 

[RAXL]

Hey, look at me. I tied it at three.
As much as the Universal Drac is a classic, and I admit it is, the Hammer flicks are just...better. There is more action, more excitment, more blood, more boobs, more...goodness.
And really, as iconic as Lugosi is, you can't beat Lee and Cushing matching wits with each other.

 

[scarface]

I just cant vote against him!!! MWAAAAA!!!

 

[Sinister]

A bit past the mid-week warning, I know, but you guys know this is here. Anyway, Universal is taking this particular tourney so far with one film under its belt and another fast looking that way. You have two days tops before we move on, so if you want to vote for Lee/Cushing, now would be the time before the chance is gone forever...

 

[Sinister]

Though this match-up wasn't as one sided, Universal is still ahead in ranks. Dracula turns into a bat on a string and flies to the quarters to face off against ol' boltneck, and we move onto Round Three.