Edward Van Sloan

Dracula (1931) Review

Excellent

Bela Lugosi stars as the man who "Never drinks -- wine" in horror's most renowned motion picture. Alas, the lack of music and a long 45 minute stretch that consists of nothing but Lugosi-less parlor room debates about the nature of vampires takes away from the movie, though it still remains as a classic of the genre. While Lugosi is of course memorable, don't forget Helen Chandler's Mina, who communicates more through her eyes than virtually any other actress caught on film.

Frankenstein (1931) Review

By Christopher Null

Very Good

A little talky and with limited action, James Whale would outdo himself with Bride of Frankenstein, four years later. But from 1931 to 1935 we can assume that audiences cowered in fear before the best and most terrifying horror films ever made, this and Dracula, which arrived the same year. Now a classic part of scream culture, Boris Karloff (credited here as "?") literally stumbles his way through a role that would define his career, a perfect portrayal of literature and cinema's most misunderstood monster. (Hey, if you were made out of corpse parts, you'd be mad, too!)

Dracula (1931) Review

By Christopher Null

Excellent

Bela Lugosi stars as the man who "Never drinks -- wine" in horror's most renowned motion picture. Alas, the lack of music and a long 45 minute stretch that consists of nothing but Lugosi-less parlor room debates about the nature of vampires takes away from the movie, though it still remains as a classic of the genre. While Lugosi is of course memorable, don't forget Helen Chandler's Mina, who communicates more through her eyes than virtually any other actress caught on film.