Comparing Dracula And Bram Stoker's Dracula

Katelyn Poniatowski

Professor Kanicki

English 212

18 November 2013

Dracula Film and Movie Comparison

Most anyone will say that a book is always better than a movie. This is simply due to the fact that it is impossible to fit every detail that a book can hold into a two-hour long movie. I was beyond surprised to discover that this was not the case when comparing Bram Stoker’s Dracula novel and Bram Stoker’s Dracula the movie. I found myself preferring the movie rendition. There were many differences between the two. Most however were minor, such as Jonathan not being warned about Dracula when he went to Transylvania, and how Renfield had previously gone to visit Dracula (Bram Stoker’s Dracula). However, I believe that these are very
minor in comparison to what I see as the key difference between the two. This difference comes from the movie’s addition of the storyline of Vlad Dracula. Because of the addition of that story it not only helped immensely by developing the character of Dracula further and give more insight about him, but it also added a reasoning behind why he did the things he did.
From the very beginning of the movie the viewer is immediately drawn into the tragic love story between Vlad and Elisabeta (Bram Stoker’s Dracula).
It begins with the horrific tragedy of the Order of the Knight member, Vlad, who returns from war after a victory against the Turks to find that his one true love has committed suicide after believing he was already dead. Vlad sees no justice in his fate and believes God has betrayed him; therefore, he renounces him. Immediately, Satan and vampirism seize him, and he begins on a mission of bloodlust. This entire section sets off a chain of events that is not present in the book, all revolving around the fact that Dracula could at one time love. It is my opinion this changes everything known about him in the book. Immediately, he is seen as a broken hearted individual who had an unfair force act upon him. It is true that although his actions are from this point onward horrific, they at least are now seen in a more understanding
way. Dracula’s mission from this point on is based entirely on his love of Elisabeta.
He is avenging her death, and doing the devil’s work because he has turned so far away from God. What is ironic in the movie is that as soon as Dracula sees Jonathan’s picture of Mina he knows that she is the reincarnation of Elisabeta, and Jonathan is essentially giving her away to him, or back to him in Dracula’s mind (Bram Stoker’s Dracula). Now he has a new reason to attack people. His love for her is the driving force of the attacks on Lucy, and why he eventually appears to Mina herself. From their first meeting in street, their love is everlasting. Nothing will tear them apart, not even Mina’s marriage to Jonathan. This serves to highlight just how much information was not present in the book. It sheds an entirely new light on Dracula’s attacks. They were never pointless in this rendition of the classic Dracula, and because of this storyline it helps to tie every loose end together
perfectly. It is very ironic that towards the end of the movie that Mina is the one who ultimately has the job of killing off Dracula. Even though the task seems hard between the two lovers it must be done in order to not only save every one of Dracula’s future victims including Mina herself, but to also save Dracula from all of his pain and heartbreak. The camera angle focuses in on a picture of the Vlad and Elisabeta, which symbolizes the couple finally going off to heaven together (Bram Stoker’s Dracula). This shows that their love will live forever. I believe that this ends the storyline of Dracula, better than in the novel. He is not just simply killed and Mina is saved (Stoker 424). He has finally made his peace with God, and he can be reunited with his one true love, Elisabeta (Bram Stoker’s Dracula). This means that their love is even stronger than death. This adds to the character of Dracula and his entire role throughout the course of the book and novel. In conclusion, although the novel Dracula had many things that the film did not, it did not do the justice of emphasize the character of Dracula well enough in my opinion; therefore, key details were left out of it. After completion of the novel, one may have felt as if there was never quite a true meaning behind why Dracula did the things he did, and why he was the person he was. After seeing Bram Stoker’s Dracula the movie all those questions were answered. It also holds true that perhaps the readers disliked him less in this film version of Dracula because, although still horrible, his actions were somewhat more justifiable. This is because he did it for his one true love, who was cruelly taken away from him. After all, most people would do anything for love.

Works Cited
Stoker, Bram, and Elizabeth Kostova. Dracula. New York: Back Bay, 2005. Print.

Bram Stoker 's Dracula. Dir. Francis Ford Coppola. Perf. Gary Oldman, Winona

Ryder, Keanu Reeves, Anthony Hopkins. Columbia Pictures, 1992. DVD.