The Evolution of Vampires

Fright Night, Twilight, Nosferatu, The Lost Boys, Underworld, and From Dusk till Dawn, one thing in common, they all revolve around vampires. The mystical world of vampires has progressed throughout the years, from Bram Stocker’s atrocious view of the mythical creature, to today’s view of vampires. Currently we view vampires as attractive people with pale skin, unique eye colors, and sometimes skin that sparkles. The characteristics of vampires have changed drastically from the once sinister being. The differences in the three films: 1931 Bela Lugosi film, Van Helsing, and Hotel Transylvania, all show how vampires have developed throughout the years.
In the Bela Lugosi film of Dracula there are clearly many differences from the novel by Bram Stocker. For example, in the film, Dracula’s appearance is much different then that of the description in the novel. In the novel Dracula is described to appear old with pale skin and a white moustache. In the film however, Dracula is portrayed a young looking man with sleek hair and a face clear of any facial hair. In the novel when Dracula is seen in London for the first time, he is characterized as a looking younger than what he used to be. For this reason the directors may have made Dracula in the Bela Lugosi film look young. In the film, Dracula’s castle is displayed as the typical haunted house, complete with spider webs and crumbling stair cases. The book however is almost completely opposite to that of the film. The book describes the castle as being what basically a person would suspect a castle to look like. A normal looking castle would not give rise to suspicions. An eerie castle would make it obvious to the viewers that the owner of the castle was not to be trusted.
As the story of Dracula evolved, new ideas arose leading to changes in the story and the part Dracula plays. In the film, Van Helsing, Van Helsing is shown to be a monster hunter with ambition and courage. This is a huge difference from the novel by