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And a classic was born:


1930 : Dracula filming begins

Filming begins on the classic horror film Dracula, starring Bela Lugosi. Lugosi was born in Hungary, where he made a name for himself on stage and screen. In 1921, he emigrated to the United States and in 1927 scored a great stage success playing the title role in the play Dracula. The film version of Dracula was so successful that Lugosi was identified with the role for the rest of his life. He spent the next 20 years starring in horror films. When he died in 1956, Lugosi was buried with his Dracula cape.

at the same time they filmed Bela as DRACULA during the day, they made a SPANISH version on the same set at night.
The Spanish version is different in some very neat ways...more cleavage, and some different dialogue and set dressing..worth a look..some even think the guy who did Renfield in the Spanish version was better..
you also get some unused alternate takes of Tod Browning stuff in the movie too..I think that's a long shot of Bela on the stairs..
By the way, Frank Sinatra paid for Lugosi's funeral...but kept it quiet...

the spanish dracula movie is a magnificent movie.it has some incredible and unique camera angles and movement in it.when bela lugosi stands on the stairs,and welcomes renfield,he just stands there,and the camera is more or less still.but in the spanish version,they created a crane system,so that when dracula appeared on the stairs,the camera was able to move forward,and upwards,straight into the face of dracula.( i think it was when he wa welcoming him...... my dvd player has been broken for a few months ).
Another wonderful bit,is when the three brides approach renfield,you see a lot more of the studio set,and of the brides making totally different movements ( one of the three brides had to come in at night,after shooting the day version of dracula with lugosi,and said it was much better,especially the creepy set at night. ).