#dracula pages of a virgin's diary | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

maroonghoul · 7 months

Text

Terror Time 2023!: Days 1 thru 6

Alright! Meant to start a few days ago, but got busy. Here we go!

Dracula: Pages from a Virgin Diary Sometimes, I like starting my annual marathon with one of the many adaptations of Dracula. I was considering the Coppola movie from 1992, but the more I thought about how much I don't like the actual story changes from the book in that one, despite the title. (Mostly how it treats the female characters), I switched it with this one. Turns out those themes were here too, but unlike with the other movie, at least it was made by a director who admits he's doing something different with Dracula, and not claiming he's doing the definitive version only to not do so. That was interpretation. This is almost a parody, what with the opening montage nailing the uncomfortable themes of the original, and the Count literally seducing people with all his (stolen) money!

If any horror story lends itself to ballet, Dracula naturally makes the most sense. I'm only surprised to not hear at least a little nod to Swan Lake in there. I don't know if it's a rights thing or it would've been distracting, but oh well.

Telling the story out of order like this is pretty interesting. Introduces the vampirism more gradually and saves Transylvania, arguably the best part of the story, for the middle. Bit of a shock that this version rushes through that, but I guess you couldn't justify dancing while looking over legal documents.

But yeah, surprisingly this does make a better argument for why Dracula might be the real good guy better then Coppola's did. Maybe because the light dialogue leaves a lot more open, but it can be argued what's done with Mina and Lucy is either more consensual or more due to the normal men's biased outlook. They only think their nightmares are over by the end. But history can show it has only begun. Once you've had a taste of Chinese ballet dancing Dracula, you can't really go back.

Body Bags (1993) This theming on this one's a bit weird. Stories one and three are about serial killers, and two and three are about surgical implants gone wrong. You would think that if these themes weren't there, or one was present in all three (besides of course, at least one person has to die to fit the framing device). I mean, at least the nature of the horror is a bit different each one. First one's a slasher, second one is sci-fi with aliens it turns out, and the third is supernatural in the form of possession. But, from what heard is right, these segments really were the only one's from this rejected TV show that worked. the framing device is fun, even though it's surreal to see John Carpenter on screen for once. as for the stories themselves;

The Gas Station these places are scary enough to be at for long amount of times even without the crazed killer. I relate too much to that whole bit with the keys. Last note is slasher settings usually are one of two types; either the character is invading area the slasher is more familiar with or vice versa. Kudos to this one for making us think it's the second one while it's more of the former. Also, yay Sam Raimi cameo!

Hair Easily the least effective, but it at least makes me feel better about losing my own hair. Though that jazz music is really out of place. Just does not work.

Eye I think I saw this remade in the second V/H/S movie. But at least why it's scary is a bit different each time. Also, the inciting incident makes me like to pretend it's Dr. Strange's origin gone even more horribly wrong. I get why it's making him see visions of the dead killer's life, but does it possess by infecting his bloodstream or something? I feel bad for his wife and I also feel bad he ever got to play one last time when he felt like he had hope again. I guess they didn't have enough money to film at an actual baseball stadium.

The Blackcoat's Daughter The slowest burn of a horror movie I think I've ever seen since the Invitation. I didn't have any clue as to what the threat was until she called that nun the c-word. That kinda gave away the whole game, especially funny considering what I rewatched a few days later, as you can see. But yeah, once you see exactly where it's been leading up to, it sticks with you. The second part does too. Like the darkest possible Exorcist sequel you could've gotten without including a demon. Just goes to show rehabilitation and therapy are just as, if not more, crucial to get right as the actual saving.

Night of the Living Dead 1990 I haven't seen the original in about 14 years, so I can't do much to compare the two. Most of what it does different is cool, especially where the first zombie comes from. Other parts were making them more consistent with established zombie lore, but I'll still miss that trowel kill. There's still not as many zombies as most films that came after this one, but these are actually some of the scariest looking zombies I've seen in a while. I would've liked if just a little bit more of it was set at night, though.

How it changes the characters is a bit of a mixed bag. Yes, it's cool to Barbara a lot more competent. And I even liked how her arc to be tougher and less of a "helpless woman" has just led her to a world filled with toxic masculinity. That bit actually aged well. Less so what happened to Ben, though that's not Tony Todd's fault. Mostly how they changed his death. Sure, it meant they shifted his original death to Cooper who deserves it more, but sadly the original still resonates more in our world.

So yeah, an effective update of the story for the 80s/90s. But not too much for now.

The Exorcist I'm still on the fence over whether I'm going to see the new one. Luckily, this anniversary screening can tide me over.

Watching this now, I think a big reason why it's easy to consider this the greatest horror movie of all time (not the scariest movie of all time. That's different), is that most of it's scenes feel like a film rather than a movie. That might seem like a weird distinction, but it's the best to describe it. Friedkin pretty much directed every Regan-less scene so realistically and down to earth, more so then even in the most mature and sophisticated horror films made today. I know that sounds like an insult, but it's because those films go heavy on the atmosphere. Here there is none for the most part. Only character.

Of course, that changes with Pazuzu itself. I get the feeling most films, back and then or today, horror or otherwise, would either make it more ambiguous or more arthouse. This kind of performance you expect to see in more campy horror movies that aim for the cheap seats, but it's here in a movie with very down to earth 1970s filmmaking. Sure, it's laughed at now because we're all familiar at it or we're just in shock. (Or there are actually a lot of non-possessed kids who act like this), but I think that juxtaposition is why it's still leaves as big as an impact as it does.

You do it all subdued, people just look at the film as art. You do it like cheap shockfest, no one but the established horror fans will pay attention to it. But here, the world actually feels normal, and Pazuzu is made as urgent a threat as humanly possible to it. Hell, you can argue Linda Blair's, and Mercedes McCambridge performances being cranked up to 11 compared to everyone else works so well, because it's literally a different species pretty much.

Sure, a lot of horror is about the nasty surprises the world turned out to have had all along. But the first part of that is a clear idea of what we thought the real world is before it's upended like this. A lot of horror movies play like we feel like we're observing theses events from outside. That can be played with brilliantly, but I do feel the best one's are the ones who place as close to the level the characters are when experiencing. The Exorcist is one of the best films to have done that, so that's why I think it has landed as so many lists of the best Horror films of all time.

I leave what it says about faith, demons, and the belief in god to those more knowledgable in such subjects then I am.

Crimes of the Future Not really a horror movie, at least not to the extent The Fly, VideoDrome, or even the Dead Zone is. But it's definitely a Cronenberg movie.

I missed the bioengineered technology, even though no company today would make such things. But outside of that, I was expecting more of this to make me feel sick or at least wince. But most of the gross stuff is biopsies or body piercings taken to the next level. Not exactly Jeff Goldblum losing body parts one at a time, but considering what I think the point of this story is, I think it's intentional.

I relate so much to Saul at the start of this, considering I came down with some really bad acid reflux earlier this year. I'm not sure his solution is right for me, metaphorically speaking. But maybe I need to apply it to something else in me. Cronenberg for so long made films about the worse things that can happen to the human body. Maybe the reason he took a break from that until now, is he got a lot of time and step back, think, reflect, and maybe made peace with a subject that is still very much considered his oeuvre. The moral of the story; learn to get comfortable in your own skin. Or accept what makes it different from what society tells you it should be. Learn to live and make peace, even if it means you won't fit in.

Extra point here; I think I understood why Disney timed it so the Ahsoka season finale came out in October. It's the episode where they're fighting space witches controlling ZOMBIE STORM TROOPERS! Rad!

Until next time...

#Body Bags 1993 #the blackcoat's daughter #Night of the Living Dead 1990 #the exorcist #crimes of the future #Dracula pages from a Virgin Diary

1 note · View note

facesofcinema · 1 year

Photo

Dracula: Pages from a Virgin’s Diary (2002)

#2000s #actor cindymarie small #dir guy maddin #dp paul suderman #cat horror #cat musical #canadian #monochrome #superimposition #earrings #flowers #lipstick #submission #dracula: pages from a virgin's diary #dracula pages from a virgin's diary #dracula: pages from a virgin's diary 2002 #dracula pages from a virgin's diary 2002 #guy maddin's dracula

1 note · View note

ulrichgebert · 1 year

Photo

Guy Maddin, Erfinder und Großmeister des kanadischen surrealen, von Hand eingefärbten, wackeligen Kunstfilms verfilmt ein Dracula-Ballet des Royal Winnipeg Ballets (nicht dieses hier, sondern eines zu Mahler-Melodien), wie zu erwarten nicht als abgefilmtes Bühnenwerk, sondern als beherzt expressionistischen Stummfilm. Obwohl naheliegenderweise mehr getanzt wird, als üblich (andererseits aber auch wieder weniger, als man im Ballett erwarten würde), ist es einer der besseren Dracula-Filme geworden, und verblüffend akkurat; Quincy kommt vor.

#Dracula: Pages from a Virgin's Diary #Zhang Wei-Qiang #Tara Birtwhistle #CindyMarie Small #David Moroni #Film gesehen #Guy Maddin #Ballett #Mark Godden #Gustav Mahler #Vampire #Dracula

0 notes

bens-things · 2 years

Text

Dracula: Pages from a Virgin’s Diary (2002) dir. Guy Maddin

#Dracula: Pages from a Virgin’s Diary #Guy Maddin #movie night #spooktober

0 notes

hotvintagepoll · 21 hours

Note

apologies if this is too off topic chronologically, but i was pondering what tone i want this dracula i'm casting to have and it occured to me that people here might like to know about canadian legend guy maddin's dracula movie (dracula: pages from a virgin's diary, the whole thing is currently on youtube) which is shot in the visual style of a silent movie with some wild stylistic flourishes, and also is a ballet and has a SUPER hot dracula. here's a trailer! https://youtu.be/g_-JUsEPsho

guy maddin's whole deal is basically "what if i just pretend the silent era never ended and keep making movies like that", a great example is the 6 minute short "heart of the world" (also on youtube https://youtu.be/1swHMvMlg_g) which uses the techniques of russian silent cinema and crams an utterly bonkers amount of pulpy plot into its brief running time

anyway back to gravely contemplating who i want for jonathan harker :D

I'm late to this ask but how neat! (tws for some freaky stuff and a lot of flashing in the videos above—if you've seen Metropolis it's a very similar vibe.)

#asks #dracula daily

72 notes · View notes

creativepup · 1 year

Text

Was doing some research and discovered there have actually been several ballet adaptions of Dracula:

Michael Pink's Dracula - this version was developed in 1997 for the book's centennial, and also happens to be the version I'm familiar with (it's great 🦇). Follows a streamlined version of the book plot, Quincey is there, Seward gets combined with Van Helsing. There's a cool bit of choreography in the middle where Dracula goes upside-down climbing some scaffolding.

Krzysztof Pastor's Dracula - based off of Coppola's film Bram Stoker's Dracula (which greatly deviates from the book plot). Mina is a reincarnation (?) of Dracula's long-lost wife from before he became a vampire. Has won multiple performing arts awards.

Ben Stevenson’s Dracula - Set entirely in Transylvania in the 1800s (although Renfield is still there). Vampire brides fly around the stage, and Dracula gets sone epic bat wings.

Gary Taylor's Dracula - like Pastor's version, this is a Dracula/Mina love story from Dracula's POV.

David Nixon's Dracula (Northern Ballet) - Sexy Dracula TM. Opens with Dracula emerging nude from his coffin. Also features the blood transfusion and a Seward & Renfield number.

Lynne Taylor-Corbett’s Dracula - Inspired by the 1931 Bela Lugosi film, though costumes definitely taking their own route. Designed to accompany a ballet adaptation of The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allen Poe.

William Starrett's Dracula: Ballet with a Bite - Execution style varies from year to year (at least one year took a modern dance approach), though the storyline remains consistent. Includes Lucy getting staked.

Gonzalo Galguera's Dracula - another Sexy Dracula adaptation, although less Halloween-store-variety and more leather.

Honorary mention: Dracula, Pages from a Virgin's Diary - a Dracula ballet in movie form, shot silent-film style. Switches the order of Lucy and Johnathan's encounters.

If anyone knows of any additional versions out there, let me know and I'll add them to the list!

#also lmk if you have any additional performance comments! I only know the Pink version directly #dracula #dracula daily #dracula ballet #bram stoker #coppola

282 notes · View notes

uselesstwinkharker · 1 year

Text

For Dracula fans looking for less well-known film adaptations:

Drakula İstanbul'da (1953) - The Turkish one. Not the most thrilling but pretty close to the plot of the book.

Zinda Laash (1967) - The Pakistani one. Kind of a musical. Plot is extremely similar to the Hammer version and the ending is just as insane.

Dracula (1968) (from Mystery & Imagination) - A pretty slow TV version. Not exciting but good enough.

Cuadecuc, Vampir (1970) - A weird-ass art movie made mostly from behind-the-scenes footage of the 1970 Count Dracula.

Hrabě Drákula (1971) - The Czech one. Haven't seen it in a while but I remember it being solid.

Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1973) - The Jack Palance one. One-sided reincarnated wife situation. He does a Godzilla scream.

Bara no Konrei ~Mayonaka ni Kawashita Yakusoku~ (2001) - A pretty loose version made by Malice Mizer.

Dracula: Pages from a Virgin’s Diary (2002) - A ballet version.

Dracula’s Curse (2002) - All I remember about this movie is that it kind of sucks.

The Vulture’s Eye (2004) - A modern-day version set in Virginia. Low budget but unique and pretty good.

Alucard (2008) - THE singular most faithful-to-the-book version. Don't let the literal $1500 budget scare you off I swear to god it's perfect

Dracula (2009) - Maybe the worst one ever. So bad it's actually unbelievable. It's like a Birdemic vibe but totally incomprehensible. HIGHLY recommend

Dracula, Lord of the Damned (2011) - A wild semi-animated version with sort of a comic book vibe.

Terror of Dracula (2012) - Another low budget one that I don't remember much about, but it's decent enough for what it is.

#dracula #scheiße

387 notes · View notes

moveslikekeithrichards · 1 year

Text

#tiddytaco #dracula #zinda laash is fuckin Crazy bro #the amount of whole entire musical numbers. the dracula car chase/fist fight #the extremely long driving scene featuring a whimsical-ass version of la cucaracha #that part where the vampire lady is doing a sexy dance long as hell & aqil just stands there with his arms crossed .

92 notes · View notes

scribblescrabbledepartment · 8 months

Text

summer movie log many rewatches many first times

[ID: a page covered in receipts, chopstick wrappers, and scraps of paper. written on the scraps of paper are the titles of numerous movies, and a label says "summer 2023."]

titles under the cut

Curse of the Demon (1957) Renfield (2023) Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) Count Dracula (1977) Short Circuit (1986) Apocalypse Now (1979) Dracula (1979) The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) The Graduate (1967) Bram Stoker's Van Helsing (2021) THX 1138 (1971) Ghoulies (1984) The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966) Dog Day Afternoon (1975) Burn After Reading (2008) From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) Ghoulies II (1987) Pulp Fiction (1994) Van Helsing (2004) The Uninvited (1944) Quadrophenia (1979) The Blues Brothers (1980) Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979) Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985) In the Heat of the Night (1967) Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995) Westworld (1973) The Muppet Movie (1979) Bara no Konrei ~Mayonaka ni Kawashita Yakusoku~ (2001) The Devil's Advocate (1997) The Conversation (1974) Dracula: Pages from a Virgin's Diary (2002) Dracula's Curse (2002) The Deer Hunter (1978) The Vulture's Eye (2004) Dracula (2006)

#collage #journal

27 notes · View notes

twistedtummies2 · 6 months

Text

Top 10 Van Helsings

Since I'm a Dracula mood this evening, I figured I'd do a quick list related to arguably the most notable character in the novel besides the Count himself: Professor Van Helsing. In the book, Van Helsing is not Dracula's arch-nemesis proper, nor is he a professional monster hunter. Instead, he's simply a friend of some of the other heroes, whose great advantage is simply that he knows the lore of vampirism, and has an open enough mind to accept something other than scientific logic. In a way, the Van Helsing in the novel is similar to characters like the Doctor from "Doctor Who," or Sans from "Undertale": he often seems comical and clownish, but underneath this apparent buffoonery, he is stone-cold and very mysterious. We don't exactly know why or how Van Helsing has all the knowledge he has, and that, plus the duality of his personality, makes him compelling.

In other media and various adaptations, a lot of this is jettisoned, but that doesn't necessarily make these other versions bad. In fact, some takes on the character, I would argue, surpass the book, as they make the battle between the main antagonist, and the leader of the protagonists, much more personal and interesting. With all the sympathetic takes on Dracula out there, as well, the line between good and evil becomes more blurred, also, which only adds to the intrigue.

I'm going to make this a description-less list; just names, pictures, and credits. I'm making it very spur-of-the-moment. XD With that said, here are my Top 10 Favorite Portrayals of Van Helsing!

10. Christopher Plummer, from Dracula 2000. (This version blurs the line between good and evil a fair bit. I think it's mostly Plummer who makes me like this one so much.)

9. Goofy, from Disney's Dracula. (Because the fact this EXISTS is more than enough reason.)

8. Laurence Olivier, from the 1979 Universal Film.

7. Hugh Jackman, from Van Helsing. (This version has almost nothing to do with the original, but when I think of the name "Van Helsing," I think of him and this movie, so he gets some credit.)

6. Anthony Hopkins, from the 1992 Film.

5. The Version from the 2006 BBC Radio Version. (The actor is strangely uncredited, and I've yet to identify them.)

4. Herbert Lom, from Count Dracula (1970).

3. Frank Finlay, from the 1977 BBC TV Version.

2. Edward Van Sloan, from the 1931 Universal Film/Dracula's Daughter.

Peter Cushing, from the Hammer Horror Series.

HONORABLE MENTIONS INCLUDE...

David Moroni, from Dracula: Pages From a Virgin's Diary.

Walter Ladengast, from Nosferatu the Vampyre.

David Suchet, from the 2006 BBC TV Movie.

Nigel Davenport, from the 1973 TV Movie.

#list #countdown #top 10 #favorites #best #horror #halloween #dracula #van helsing #professor van helsing #actors #acting #tv #comics #movies #film #radio

8 notes · View notes