The next day the ship was being examined and searched for clues as to why some of the ship men were a bloody mess. When showing the crew member who was steering the boat the camera focuses on the string of rosary beads that were held in his hand. (Of course they did this because it was hinting that this something vampires do NOT want to see) Just like in Bram Stoker's version of Dracula, Reinfield and Dracula have a connection and he is the only one who truly knows what Dracula can do. Unlike Reinfield, everyone is very naive and unaware of what the Count is capable of and don't see him as a threat while as the viewer you are sitting there frustrated wanting to tell them Dracula is indeed a vampire. The difference between this film and Bram Stoker's Dracula, is that now all the characters are related (Van Helsing is the father of Mina and Dr. Seward is the father of Lucy) and Mina is now seen as the weak female role giving into Dracula's temptation.
While everyone is sleeping the Count pays Mina a visit, unfortunately Lucy had left the room to go rendezvous with Jonathan. (This is where I noticed even though Jonathan and Lucy are together Lucy and Mina were sleeping in the same bed rather than her and Jonathan) Dracula climbs down the side of the house to sleeping Mina, the bedroom door is locked and the Count was trying to open it but couldn't. Mina awakes frightened to see fog and the door handle jiggling back and forth, Dracula removes a piece of glass from the door, sticks his hand in and unlocks it. After Mina realized it was the Count she started unbuttoning her nightgown, but it was as if something came over her because before she didn't want to unlock the door so this scene makes it seem as if the Count is taking advantage of vulnerable Mina. Lucy finds Mina with two puncture wounds on her neck gasping for air, sadly Mina dies. Shortly after a woman in the asylum claims a woman resembling Mina has taken and murdered her baby, which she did. This takes away the innocence of the mother and her child's bond (this made me ask myself why does a woman in a insane asylum have her child with her in an unsafe place?). Van Helsing and Dr. Seward need to find Mina and kill her to stop the madness of her taking another child and when they do she appears as a horrifying human like monster. Van Helsing finds Mina and she repeatedly say "Come papa, come" but he does not fall for it and he kills her feeling horrible for seeing his daughter that way.
After all of this mayhem Jonathan visits the Count at his castle, one of their conversations stood out to me. Dracula and Harker talk about Jonathan marrying Lucy and Harker said to the Count "If I could ever persuade her to settle down long enough." and the Count replied "She is stronger than most women." They make it seem that women are easy to sweep of their feet and that they should be eager and willingly to need a husband which makes them seem weak. While they were searching for Mina, Lucy is bitten by the Count. During this scene, Dracula arrives in her bedroom and tells her she will be"flesh of his flesh, blood of his blood" making him seem possessive over Lucy and owning her. Lucy never objected to Dracula and he proceeds to remove the jacket over her nightgown, sweeps her off her feet, and places her on the bed. Dracula tells her he needs her blood and begins to kiss her breasts and chest area. While she is being bitten Lucy is moaning and there is a red background just showing their silhouettes as a "sexual interaction" between the two and a euphoric orgasm like experience for Lucy. The Count then cuts his skin at his breast telling Lucy to drink his blood, which again is taking away the virtuous act between a mother and her child during breastfeeding, instead of nourishing with breast milk it is blood. Jonathan comes to surprise her in the middle of the night and finds Lucy at the end of the bed with arms wide open as if she was disturbed but willingly to give into a intruder. He calls for help from Van Helsing and Dr. Seward and they realize Lucy has the same puncture wounds as Mina.
Wrapping up the the film, Dracula comes into Van Helsing's room,Van Helsing was standing by a mirror and never saw the Count's reflection as he was entering the room quietly. Dracula throws a vase at the mirror smashing it and claiming he "dislikes mirrors" Van Helsing proceeds to grab garlic and a crucifix angering Dracula and he takes shape of a wolf and takes off. The Count takes Lucy to his castle where they sleep together in a box of dirt on a ship. Van Helsing and Jonathan determined to find them aboard the ship. Van Helsing attempts to stab Dracula, but fails and the Count stabs Van Helsing. Jonathan shots the Dracula, but bullets will not harm a vampire, Van Helsing manages to hook the Count in the heart and send him out into the sun and he disintegrates. Lucy grabs Jonathan as if her innocence is back and she is ridden of sin, Dracula's cape flies into the ocean water and a wolf howls and the camera focuses on Lucy's face and you are left feeling unsure of if Dracula is truly dead and Lucy is restored to her normal self. This portrayed that Lucy is still unclean after being touched by Dracula and knowing what monster he has made her she is still fine with what he had made her become. This became one of my favorite films I have saw of Dracula, because of it's suspense and horror and because of Frank Langella who portrayed the most perfect Dracula.
I've never watched this movie before, but your description makes it sound really interesting! I'm definitely going to need to check it out! It's really strange that they switched Mina's and Lucy's roles. I can't help but wonder why the director would choose to do that?
ReplyDeleteI really liked the way you analyzed the ending of the film. I think it's interesting how it ended ambiguously, both literally and metaphorically. I liked how you mentioned about how Lucy and how she is "unclean" after her encounter with Dracula. I probably wouldn't have picked up on that. I love how you were able to connect the things we discussed in class to this movie! Great job!