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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Solid Film History, May 1, 2011
This review is from: The Romance of Dracula; a personal Journey of the Count on celluloid (Kindle Edition)
I've been a vampire fan since I was a first-grader running home to watch the Gothic soap opera, Dark Shadows. It was with great pleasure that I read Charles Butler's take on many of the films that I grew up with. In his book, The Romance of Dracula, Butler explores his personal connection with the cinematic journey of Bram Stoker's iconic count, from the silent era to the present day, in a conversational yet authoritative tone. The book begins with a thorough discussion of the novel and then moves on to explore the various screen treatments of Dracula from the Murnau silent classic, Nosferatu, to an examination of contemporary vampire films (with nary a mention of Twilight). The author begins each chapter with a scene-by-scene synopsis of each Dracula film and then finishes with his no-holds-barred review of script adaptation, direction, cinematography and acting performance. I for one found his critical stance on the Coppola Dracula of the nineties to be on the money and agree wholeheartedly with his praise for the imaginative Shadow of the Vampire. Fans of Hammer horror (and actors Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing) won't be disappointed at the in-depth look at these films. Butler peppers his reviews with entertaining insights and anecdotes. The reader may be surprised to find that with all of the adaptations of Dracula, few are true to the source material in either story or portrayal of the count. A notable example pointed out by Butler is the Bela Lugosi version produced by Universal, which is based on the stage play. Even though I once worked for Universal, I didn't know there is a Spanish language version of this film, starring a different cast that was produced for the European market. This book will be enjoyed by film and vampire buffs alike. After reading Mr. Butler's book, I've added to my list of must-see vampire films. It's clear that The Romance of Dracula was written with someone who has a true passion for the genre. I appreciated the solid film history and research of the topic.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Informative and a must have for any Dracula fan, March 30, 2011
This review is from: The Romance of Dracula; a personal Journey of the Count on celluloid (Kindle Edition)
Being a classic movie buff, I couldn't wait to finish reading The Romance of Dracula: a Personal Journey of the Count on Celluloid. Many people, such as myself, love to write or read about vampires. Many though, especially those in the younger age group, have never sat down to read Bram Stoker's fascinating novel. If Dracula hasn't been in your reading repertoire, you need to add it FAST! The book is a classic and, if you're into a little bit of voyeurism, Dracula is for you. Written as a diary, the reader is drawn into the macabre world of the undead. The fascination with Bram Stoker's book brought entranced readers the world of the movie vampire, which has thrilled and fascinated everyone since the beginning of the last century. Mr. Butler's The Romance of Dracula accomplishes the same fantastic feat! Reading Mr. Butler's book, I found myself spending time on the computer hunting down each of the flicks that he mentioned. Many are back on my purchase list, and I'm eager to see the films through the author's descriptive eyes. In the past 15 years, the world has begun to think of vampires as exotic, handsome men and women that have the capability to make their victims bare their throats with an eagerness that rivals anything imaginable. In the past, both in the world of the movies and Stoker's novel, things were a wee bit different. For one, the past was filled with vicious but entrancing bloodsuckers that had one intent in life...to drain a person dry. There wasn't any forever romance, all-consuming love, or a vamp that could grace the cover of a GQ magazine. Butler, blissfully, ignores the vampires of today and focuses on the traditional, when vampires were in a league of their own, and intent on making the world suffers for their immortality. Butler's book is an insightful and in-depth review of Stoker's demon, filled with facts around the formation of this iconic character that has entranced the public beyond the written word. I've read Dracula, but Butler brings to the forefront so many facts that I had overlooked or forgotten, especially the slew of historical and character notes. Did you know, or have you asked? --- The count and Van Helsing are the only two characters described in the entire book. Why was Harker visiting the count? Exactly who was Renfield? Neither Mina nor Lucy had true definition. Everything about the two ladies is assumed The count is abusive toward everyone, especially women--far from the loving image of Edward Children are out-right delicious. In addition, women don't ever fall madly in love with him! In The Romance of Dracula, the author goes into fantastic detail about the legend behind the story and the evolution of the bloodthirsty count. In the past, such as in the 1922 German-made movie Nosferatu, Count Orlock (the vampire) is ugly beyond all imagination. For some reason, though, the charm is there, as well as the chill. For fans of classic movies, Nosferatu is a must to see! Mr. Butler continues The Romance of Dracula, and the thrill that the ultimate bad boy of the world has had on cinemagoers for over a century, with delightful insights into the various movies produced. I enjoyed his commentaries and his systematic walk-throughs on each film and the character's behavior throughout his analytical reviews, as well as the mistakes that he captured in each of the films. Precisely research, magically in-depth, The Romance of Dracula is a must have for any vampire fan! 5 awe-struck stars!
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Survival Guide, March 13, 2011
This review is from: The Romance of Dracula; a personal Journey of the Count on celluloid (Kindle Edition)
The Romance of Dracula is a book I want to describe as a survival guide. It includes quotes, reviews, details synopses of not only the original novel Dracula, but a number of movies based on the vampire classic. When I read his references to PLAYS as well, I was simply smitten. According to Charles E. Butler, he wrote this title in order to explore why he loves the Dracula genre. I personally fell for him when he confessed that vampire literature comprises one-third of his bookshelf. As usual, I will get straight to why I loved reading this book. First, it reminded me how sad it is that there are still so many vampire genre fans that have not read Dracula. If you read this book, be careful, because at some point in the detailed review of Bram Stoker's classic, you will want to read the book if for no other reason than to compare it to the movies. I'll talk about a moment I had with this book that made me feel the need to re-read Dracula. For some reason, the following author quote did it: "...Dracula will never be as one remembers from his literary beginnings or what the reader can recall whilst growing up. Film and book are two very different mediums, but Dracula is one of the few characters on the screen to always be matched with the name of Bram Stoker." This quote had me trying to accurately describe Dracula from the first reading- all those years ago. One of the images that flooded my mind was "The Count" and his "Bah-ha ha." The sesame street Count. Yes, the bat...in the cape...and the scary castle... that teaches kids to count. Okay, now that that's over with... The writer has done something very special here. His opening was my favorite part of the book, and his review of the original novel is breathtaking. It sweeps you up with a fervor. With a series of Dracula quotes and subsequent musings that are at times jaw dropping and at others, down right entertaining. If you are a fan of the Count, you probably won't always agree with Butler's point of view, but his insights are worth reading.This is a rare gem for any fan of Dracula horror flicks, all things vampires, and lovers of the original Dracula that started it all. I'll end with my personal favorite except from this book: You think to baffle me, you - with your pale faces all in a row like sheep in a butcher's? You shall be sorry yet, each one of you! You think you have left me without a place to rest; but I have more. My revenge is just begun! I spread it across centuries, and time is on my side. Your girls that you all love are mine already; and through them you and others shall yet be mine - my creatures, to do my bidding and to be my jackals when I want to feed. Bah!" The only addition to that line of dialogue could be a resounding Bwah ha ha! of laughter as the Count twiddles the end of his waxen moustache with a white-gloved thumb and forefinger. As in the better translations on the screen, Dracula takes his food by the sheer force of his personality and, in the novel, he is never described as being sexy or even physically attractive to women. Jonathon Harker had already unkindly testified to his halitosis and, further in the novel, Mina Harker (Charles E. Butler)
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