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Here on The Cult of Me we're joining in the fun! We start the proceedings with a guest post from Noree Cosper comparing the story of Dracula in novel and film.
Dracula: Novel vs.
Movie
Prescription for Delirium is a world built on
several mythos, one of the most prevalent being Dracula. I have the descendants of Abraham Van Helsing in the story
after all. So, let’s do a comparison of the novel Dracula and Francis Ford Coppola’s movie version. I’m sticking to
one movie because there have been so many and we would be here all day. Plus, I
grew up on this one. Here are the basic characters.
Dracula:
Novel: The book was written as a series of journal entries and newspaper
posts so Dracula is seen through the eyes of the other characters, mostly
Jonathon Harker. When first introduced, Dracula dons an air of cordiality,
welcoming Harker into his home. He is very passionate about his warrior
heritage. He speaks of his pride in how the Szekely people are infuse with the
blood of heroes and he claims to admire the British Empire and its people.
However, in truth Dracula is prone to fly into fits of rage and he holds quite
a grudge. In fact, it wasn’t love that caused him to target Mina. It was
vengeance against Abraham Van Helsing and the others for hunting him.
Movie: Dracula was played by Gary Oldman. He is still a passionate man, er
vampire, though you see this more through his hatred directed towards God. You
can still see hgis vindictive nature in his actions against Lucy Westerna.
However, you also see more of his seductive and romantic side since the story
focuses on his love for Mina. Coppola
also gives you a side to sympathize with and there is a lot more depth in this
Dracula rather than the novel. (I know it’s a strange turn.)
Jonathon Harker:
Harker is pretty much the same in both book
and the movie, though you see more of his personality in the book. This may be
because Keanu Reeves was cast in this role. He travels to Transylvania as a
solicitor to act as a real estate agent for Count Dracula. In both Dracula
welcomes him in but keeps him a prisoner to die to his brides once he’s
outlived his usefulness. Harker manages to escape and join the others in their
hunt. In the book, you do see his distress over Mina becoming a vampire more
than the movie.
Mina Harker:
Novel: I think I like Mina more from the book. She is a school mistress
and a proper Victorian lady, but she is intelligent. After Lucy’s death and the
hunt for Dracula begins, it’s Lucy who compiles the clues together to help find
him. It’s also Mina’s idea for Van Helsing to hypnotize her and learn what
Dracula plans after she is bitten.
Movie:
Copolla really focuses on the star-crossed romance
between Mina and Dracula, which wasn’t in the novel. This was actually taken
from a tale of Vlad Tepes’s first wife. He name wasn’t know but she did commit
suicide. The following is the oral
narrative from the village of Aref (as found here):
"It is said that Vlad the Impaler had a kind and
humble wife with a heart of gold. Whenever Vlad took his sword and led his army
into battle, his wife's heart grew sad. One night a strange thing happened. An
arrow entered through one of the windows of the fortress and put out a candle
in their bedroom. Striking a light, she discovered a letter in the point of the
arrow which said that the fortress was surrounded by the Turks. Approaching the
window she saw many flickering fires in the valley. Thinking that all was lost,
and without waiting for her husband's decision, she climbed up on the wall of
the fortress and threw herself into the Argeş River."
So, back to Wynona Ryder’s portrayal. This
Mina became obsessed with the love of her past life and it felt more like she
was marrying Harker out of duty. She welcome Dracula’s embrace and only in the
end did she realize she had to give him peace.
Abraham Van Helsing:
Novel: Van Helsing is called by Dr. Seward of his knowledge in obscure
diseases. In fact, his knowledge of hunting vampires is downplayed until after
Lucy’s death. It seems to only things he’s read about in books.
Movie: Played by Anthony Hopkins, he is portrayed as more experienced in
hunting and comes off as a little eccentric. He becomes excited when he deduces
that Dracula is the fiend plaguing London.
Lucy Westerna:
Novel: Poor Lucy, always the victim. She is praised for her beauty,
purity, and sweet nature. She is proposed to by Quincey Morris, Dr. John
Seward, and Arthur Holmwood on the same day, but it’s Arthur’s that she
accepts. Lucy suffers from sleepwalking which leads her away from the safety of
her bed and into the night where Dracula feeds upon on her. Her growing anemia
worries her loved ones and they call Dr. Van Helsing. Still, they are unable to
save her and she becomes a vampire. She is killed by Holmwood with the help of
Van Helsing, Quincey, and Dr. Seward.
Movie: Lucy is eroticized, often becoming bold and referring to sexual
innuendos. Her sexual tendencies are her
downfall as she is seduced and raped by Dracula which leads to her
transformation to a vampire.
John Seward:
Novel: Dr. Seward is the administrator of an asylum near Carfax. He is in
love with Lucy but is turned down when he proposes to her. He remains devoted
to her and vows to destroy Dracula along with his best friends and rivals,
Quincey Morris and Arthur Holmwood.
Movie: He is still a doctor, though he is named Jack instead of John.
Also, it shows he’s a drug user.
Quincey Morris:
So he’s pretty much the same in the book
and movie. A rich American from Texas, Quincey describes himself as a teller of
tall tales and a “rough fellow, who hasn’t perhaps lived as a man should.” He’s
best friends with his rivals for Lucy’s love. Though she refuses his proposal,
she continues to love her. Quincey is mortally wounded in the final battle
against Dracula. Jonathon and Mina Harker name their son after him in honor of
his sacrifice.
Arthur Holmwood:
Arthur is engaged to Lucy Westerna and best
friends with his rivals. He is the one who stakes Lucy after she becomes a
vampire. He is pretty much the same in both except during the story in the
book, his father dies and he succeeds him as Lord Godalming. This shows him to
become less emotional.
R.M. Renfield:
Novel: A lunatic in Dr. Seward’s asylum, he falls under Dracula’s power
and helps him. He has an attack of conscience when meeting Mina and tries to
fight Dracula. He is mortally wounded and dies after revealing the truth to
hunters.
Movies: Renfield is Harker’s predecessor and is driven made under Dracula’s
influence.
A
Prescription for Delirium
Ninety years ago, Gabriella di Luca
promised to protect the family of her dying lover. She failed to keep that
promise. She was too far away to stop
the devil that murdered the eldest Van Helsing son. Years later, Gabby learns
the devil has resurfaced. She arrives in Hampton, TX, determined to stop the
devil before it can lay a bloody hand on the remaining three brothers.
However, madness is spreading through
Hampton. She suspects the devil is using this madness to test a drug which has
a side effect of demonic possession.
Gabby rushes to end the source of the madness only to fall victim to it.
For a woman cursed with eternal life, dying is no threat. However, Gabby must
stop the devil's plot or risk losing her most precious possession: her mind.
A Prescription for Delirium is free
during the Blogger Book Fair, July 22nd-26th!
Get Yours Now:
About Noree Cosper
Noree Cosper loves writing about magic
in the modern world. While growing up in Texas she constantly searched for
mystical elements in the mundane. She buried her nose in both fiction and books
about Wicca, Religion, and Mythology. Everyday became an adventure as she joined
a group of role-players, acting out her fantasies of vampires, demons, and
monsters living in the world.
She embraced her nerdom wholeheartedly.
Noree grew, but never left her love for
fantasy and horror. Her dreams pushed her and her hand itched to write the
visions she saw. So, with her fingers on the keys, she did what her heart had
been telling her to do since childhood. She wrote.
Thanks for hosting me, Michael.
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