Universal Studios Monsters 1931 Dracula

the film that gave birth to the most iconic image of Dracula the world has ever known, granted a little known Hungarian actor his big break, and marked the beginning of a whole new cinematic genre The image of Bram Stokers Dracula created by Universal Pictures in 1931, played by Bela Lugosi, is, without doubt, the face that many have since attached to that Irish authors title character. Stokers novel was first published in 1897 and, although a giant of English literature today, made little critical impact upon its release, although what scant attention it did receive was favourable. Sadly, it did not really ever become revered until F W Murnaus 1922 pirated version on film, Nosferatu, long after Stokers death. As a result, Dracula did not make much money for its author. In fact, in the last year of his life, he was so poor that he had to petition for a compassionate grant from the Royal Literary Fund, and in 1913 his widow, Florence, was forced to sell his notes and outlines of the novel at a Sothebys