31 Days 31 Horror Movies! Day Ten: Dracula En Espanol (1931)

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Dracula (Spanish-Version)

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uploaded by Manny Castro

American films are popular around the world. Audiences in other countries are accustomed to watching our movies dubbed to their language. In the early days, however, things were quite different. Instead of dubbing a film they would just make a new version for overseas. 1931’s Dracula starring Bela Lugosi is a good example. There’s the classic version that we’re all familiar with and then there’s one in Spanish starring Carlos Villaries. Basically, they would shoot the English version all day and the Spanish version all night. You’d think both movies would be identical since they used the same scripts, sets, wardrobe, etc, but that’s not the case at all. The directors were different, which resulted in different styles, and there was acknowledgments of the different cultures. The English version was directed by Tod Browning who didn’t apply the best technical techniques for his film. The Spanish version was directed by George Melford who liked to move the camera, apply more editing cuts, and provide suitable lighting. Plus, he made changes and additions to the script which result in a longer movie. In addition, since Spain and Latin America weren’t as conservative as 1930’s America, the film is allowed to be more risqué. Females could dress sexier. The sexual overtones could be more direct. So, it can be argued that this is a superior version to the English version that’s considered an important part of the horror genre. Watch it and decide for yourself.