Monster of the Day #384

“When are you going to hit the chore jar?”
“I need a new dress! I’ve been wearing this one forever!”
“Oh, I’m sure I told you, but our moms are coming to visit. Just for a few weeks.”

  • Flangepart

    One more reason Dracula decided poligomy was a bad idea.

  • Mr. Rational

    I just didn’t find this movie all that great.

  • Ericb

    “And now we have the pleasure to present Victoria’s Secret’s new line of negligee for the undead!”

  • Anonymous

    get a couple of drinks in them and these girls are actually quite a lot of fun. 

  • Only problem is that they don’t drink… wine.

    They drink whiskey.  Glenfiddich 50 Year Old only,  as those girls ain’t cheap.

  • Sandy Petersen

    It’s fashionable to dis this movie nowadays because it’s so slow, but it really isn’t a bad vampire movie. The actors are all good. The plot builds up just fine. The cinematography is adequate, though not inspired. And it’s not as slow as its reputation.

    I tried sitting through The Help to please my wife. Now THAT’S slow.

  • Food

    What I disliked most about this movie was Renfield. After he gets vampirized, he serves no plot function but keeps showing up to mug his ass off. The first shot of him grinning up the stairs of the Vespa was excellent to show that this guy’s hopeless; but then the movie keeps throwing him at us, and each time I’d be thinking, “Da f**k are YOU doing here? Get lost already!”

  • Anonymous

    The movie’s fine but the lack of score is really jarring for modern audiences who aren’t used to 5 minute tracking shots with no sound.

  • Flangepart

    Ya know, it is interesting how much our attitude towards old films changes.
    The ability to create fast moving, detailed scenes due just to improved camera systems, has mad it a deliberate challenge for modern people to relax, have  some…wine…and enjoy a ‘slow moving’ movie.

    And I do speak for myself, as I’ve been infected with ‘Cinematic ADD’ as much as the next guy…say, EricB or Cullen.

  • Anonymous

    Well at least they’re not the Master’s harem (Manos).

    I couldn’t get into the movie because it didn’t have enough explosions…

    Really, personally I love this film, maybe the Spanish version is better in some ways but I can watch it over and over.

    Only thing I don’t get is the amardillos in Drac’s tomb, ok the director I think was from Texas but still WTH??? If he were an Aussie would he have stuck a koala in there???

  • Ericb

    Actually most modern films give me a headache.  My favorite film maker is Sergio Leone.  His films are so slow and methodical that I’ve dubbed them  “ambient westerns.”

  • Anonymous

    My theory is that as a potentate of sorts back in his mortal days, Dracula was feted with rare and exotic gifts from supplicants. (Much as Sandy Petersen is in modern times.) The armadillos are descendants of such.

    Can’t explain the giant bee, though.

  • Rock Baker

    Was it supposed to be a giant bee? Every time I saw the picture, I thought it was a regular-sized bee crawling out of a tiny decoration shaped like a coffin. I’ll grant you that doesn’t make sense either, though.

  • Food

    On the commentary track by some film historian whose name I can’t remember (i’ll look at it tonight), it’s said that there was a prohibition on filming rats back then. So armadillos/oppossums were used as stand-ins for rats.

  • Rock Baker

    Because so animal suggests a rat so much as an armored pig.

  • Sandy Petersen

    I can guarantee you that plenty of films before and after Dracula had rats appearing in them.

    Also it is a well-known fact that armadillos are endemic in Transylvania . Just note the armadillo in One Million B.C. (Vic Mature version) which was doubtless Transylvania because Lon Chaney was in it. Also note Monster Squad.

    Though I liked Renfield, I agree that the Renfield of Nosferatu is way better and crazier.

  • Flangepart

    Ah, but look how deep he a foundation he laid for Artie Johnson.

    “Master, there are some people at the door…I, I think they’re from the government.”

    “How can you tell?”

    “They’re wearing shoes.”

  • Anonymous

    Works for me Ken, though now I’m afraid I’ll have nightmares of vampiric armadillos…..

    Zoltan has nothing on those suckers.

    I forgot about the bee and the coffin- don’t get it either.