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Warning : Major spoilers for Abigail below !
Summary
The succeeder of horror - comedyAbigailproves lamia picture show are animated and well , but it continues an irritating recent style of howDraculais depicted onscreen . Arguably the most iconic monster in all of democratic culture , Dracula has been playedby everyone from Bela Lugosi to Gerard Butler , or Gary Oldman to Adam Sandler . There is a near - infinite number of films , goggle box shows , video game , novel and so forth that have research the myth of the titular bloodsucker , with some depicting him as a tragic hero while others ( in fact , most ) depict him as the ultimate evilness .
Most histrion who take on the vampire only act the character once , with theChristopher Lee Hammer Dracula moviesbeing a rare example of The Count fronting a franchise . In recent years , movie maker have had a tough time attempt to reinvent Dracula for New watcher . Dracula Untoldwas a miscarry franchise starter from 2017 , and the Dark Universe flush it so exhaustively that Universal never got to possible cast for that take on the character .
Abigail ’s father plays a quietly authoritative part in the revulsion film that implicitly sets up a connexion between the graphic symbol and Dracula .
Abigail Is The Latest Vampire Movie To Sideline Dracula
“Abigail’s Father” is Count Dracula in all but name
Abigail continues an irritating trend of movies that sideline Dracula . Movies from the 2020s like The Last Voyage of Demeter or The Invitation include versions of the monster , though in slip like Abigail , they ’re almost mortified to be using him at all .
Overexposure may have rendered audiences incapable of being truly scared by Dracula , specially if late movies are anything to go by . 2024’sAbigailis a Riffian on 1936’sDracula ’s Daughter , where a grouping of kidnappers snatch a on the face of it guiltless vernal girl , only to learn the hard way she ’s a vampire . Abigail’sending scenesintroduce Matthew Goode as " Abigail ’s Father , " a grandiloquent , terrific figure who has " choke by many names " over the X .
In myopic , Matthew Goode ’s vampire is Dracula , yet the film is too coy to say thisaloud . Perhaps this was a wise call , since blurting out the name Dracula may have been distracting at well - or result in interview wander their eyes at the worst . Still , it continues an irritating tendency of movie that sideline Dracula . Movies from the 2020s likeThe Last Voyage of DemeterorThe Invitationinclude versions of the behemoth , though in cases likeAbigail , they ’re almost embarrassed to be using him at all .
Even something likeRenfieldgave Nicolas Cage a splashy part as Dracula , but still only used him in a supporting role . The cinema also made no attempts to make him frightening and instead give up Cage to indulge his hammiest instinct . That ’s not a bad thing , since Cage was the highlighting ofRenfield , but all of the above motion-picture show speak to the same substance issue : repugnance moving picture employ the traditional knowledge of Dracula but are afraid to make The Count himself a main character .
Why Modern Horror Movies Shy Away From Dracula As The Star
Dracula’s leading man days may have passed
The good and bad thing that can happen to a moving-picture show giant is overexposure . Alien’sXenomorph orA Nightmare on Elm Street’sFreddy Krueger were horrifying in their original avatar , but various sequels , spinoffs and plush toy step by step diluted their exponent . This is particularly true with Dracula , who , in addition to being the most famous monster , is also one of the most parodied .
The stereotypical image of Dracula with pedigree - soaked fangs and a pitch-black mantle is wide mocked , and it ’s unmanageable to reconstruct that image into something terrifyingagain after some many decades . Dracula Untoldwas the last straight attempt at building a new enfranchisement around the vampire , and instead of make him shivery , it turned Luke Evans ' version into a hero damned by his own good intentions . However , make Dracula the good guy is an inherently flawed idea for a continue story , since he is essentially a ogre who feeds off the bread and butter to pull through .
So there is the two-fold problem of audiences not finding Dracula shivery , while endeavor to break the theatrical role make him experience kind of lame . What ’s interesting to note is that Goode is actually middling scary inAbigail , despite his limited screentime . This shows that Dracula can still be a terrific figure with the right approaching .
The Best Modern Update Of Dracula Was Found In Netflix’s Castlevania
Dracula gets some respect on the small screen
base on the video game dealership , Castlevania is a Netflix original animated action series that follows the never - ending battle of the lusus naturae - slaying Belmont clan as they keep on to face off against the horde of the dark . When Count Dracula ’s human wife is murdered , his sorrow leads him to fate the world to perpetual darkness . To stop him , it ’ll take a team of three unlikely hero banding together : the last remain Belmont , Trevor , a thaumaturgy - wielding searcher identify Sypha Belnades , and the tortured half - human , half - lamia son of the tally himself , Alucard .
Castlevaina ’s anti - heroic approach to Dracula made him find like a more complex image , and even if his rationale was relatable , it did n’t stop him from feeling like a monster either .
RecentDracula horror movieshaven’t done Bram Stoker ’s brute much DoJ , but a great instance of a fresh take comes from Netflix’sCastlevania . Graham McTavish voice the role , with Dracula being the central baddie of the first two seasons . He was by turn tragic , likeable and utterly remorseless , with his vendetta against mankind sparked by his human wife being burned active by the Church . Castlevaina’santi - epic approach to Dracula made him finger like a more complex soma , and even if his rationale was relatable , it did n’t stop him from feeling like a teras either .
Custom image by Debanjana Chowdhury
Despite being a fixture of the video secret plan - turned - telecasting - serial publication , Dracula is n’t in Castlevania : Nocturne season 1 , but he might have a future Nocturne purpose .
Claes Bang also play the lead in the BBCDraculaminiseries from 2020 , which adapted Stoker ’s novel but took it in unexpected direction . The show received miscellaneous reviews , but Bang ’s charismatic , creepy portrayal made up for some of its faults . BBC’sDraculaandCastlevaniaunderline it ’s potential to take horror icons everybody recognize and still do something interesting and inventivewith them .
The BBC’sDraculaminiseries is presently available to stream on Netflix .
Horror Movies Need To Embrace Dracula As A Star Once Again
A new Dracula needs to strip the concept to its very core
Abigailbeing a smasher might see more vampire movies being greenlit , so one of them must embrace The Count as a leading man again . AbigailandThe Last Voyage of the Demetercherry - picked elements from the myth , but nearlya decennium on fromDracula Untold , Dracula is overdue for another heavy screen reinvention . Director Leigh Whannell gave audiences a great raw spin onThe Invisible Manin 2020 , and while spitballing in an interview withBloody Disgusting , offered intellection on how to reinvent Dracula .
How would I give that fiber today if I was Bram Stoker in 2020 and I just thought of it ? How would it be presented ? You know it would n’t be presented the same style . I do n’t know that I would do a castle in Transylvania . I think I would seek to get at the essence of what induce Dracula scary , which is , to me , what makes Dracula shuddery is his deficiency of mercy . The fact that he might make believe . Like , he ’s not a romanticist . He need to drink blood . What parallel in life can you think of that equate to someone without mercifulness . It ’s a psychopath , ripe ? A psychopath .
Whannell ’s whimsy is thata potentialDraculareboot must strip away the elements bolt out onto the myth after the book was published , and get to the substance of what form him scarey . Easier said than done , but if viewer bump all the accompanying lore surrounding the lamia cheesy or outdated , it ’s better to part novel . That said , it was announce in 2023 that Hammer Horror was being revived ( viaThe Guardian ) , so a new take on Christopher Lee ’s old franchise could be imminent .
After Christoper Lee resign the Hammer Dracula franchise following 1973’sThe Satanic Rites of Dracula , John Forbes - Robertson took over the character for the final entry , The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires .
An Upcoming Dracula Movie Could Be The Big Screen Reinvention He Needs
Robert Pattinson has been linked to Zhao’s “sci-fi Western” Dracula
In 2021 , it was sustain viaTHRthat Chloe Zhao had signed to write and target a fresh take onDraculafor Universal . plot of ground details were scarce , though the story was describe as a futurist , sci - fi Western that made the title eccentric something of an foreigner . In 2023 , unconfirmed reports also linked Robert Pattinson ( The Batman ) to the lead , though the undertaking has rifle quiet since then .
A sci - fi westerly take on Dracula might be the sort of sheer , unexpected direction need to present Drac in a new lightfor consultation . Zhao and Pattinson are a unique conjugation , and assuming he does accept the role , the latter will doubtless bring something different to a well - trodden character . On report , the thought does n’t sound very direful , but if nothing else , it could be the big screen makeover the vampire urgently needs .
Source : Bloody Disgusting , The Guardian , THR
Based on the video game franchise, Castlevania is a Netflix original animated action series that follows the never-ending battle of the monster-slaying Belmont clan as they continue to face off against the hordes of the night. When Count Dracula’s human wife is murdered, his grief leads him to doom the world to eternal darkness. To stop him, it’ll take a team of three unlikely heroes banding together: the last remaining Belmont, Trevor, a magic-wielding seeker named Sypha Belnades, and the tortured half-human, half-vampire son of the count himself, Alucard.
Abigail is a 2024 repugnance thriller directed by Matt Bettinelli - Olpin and Tyler Gillett . The plot follows a group of people who kidnap the girl of a unsafe crime lord only to discover that the little girl is actually a roughshod vampire out for blood . Alisha Weir wizard as the titular character alongside Kathryn Newton , Melissa Barrera , and Dan Stevens .
Abigail is a 2024 horror thriller directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett. The plot follows a group of people who kidnap the daughter of a dangerous crime lord only to discover that the little girl is actually a vicious vampire out for blood. Alisha Weir stars as the titular character alongside Kathryn Newton, Melissa Barrera, and Dan Stevens.
