Are Vampire Stories Sexist?

Consider the scene most expected in almost any vampire film. A supposedly virginal young woman opens her eyes in the middle of the night. She gets up, her translucent gown billowing slightly as she moves in the moonlight. Then she opens the window before returning to the bed, lying down in expectant terror. A fully…

Favorite Brides of Dracula

The vast majority of Dracula films and television shows show the Transylvanian Count either transforming or having transformed some stunning female into one of the undead.  The more faithful versions include his three brides in the castle.  In Francis Ford Coppola’s version their status became more clear.  With flimsy clothes, haunting a bedchamber with enough…

Vampires – An Avatar of Sin

When vampires first drifted, shadow-like, into popular literature in the early 1800s, this denizen of ancient folklore became an incarnation of the Nightmare Stranger–the alien ‘other’ who presented a threat to civilization itself. It was death reaching out to infect the living. The foreigner who defiled virtuous women. A pagan invader thriving where the light…

The Secret Life of Abraham Van Helsing

Last year I was discussing possible casting choices in “Dracula” with a friend. My choice for Professor Van Helsing caused her to do a take. Michael Gambon, she said, was too old. Then I did a take. Van Helsing of course is indeed an elderly man. She didn’t realize that, and was shocked at the…

Dark Shadows – Ahead of its Time?

Fans of haemovores everywhere probably already know that Johnny Depp has plans to reunite with Tim Burton in a motion picture adaptation of the cult t.v. series “Dark Shadows.” The whole idea of Depp as a vampire no doubt has sent many a heart aflutter. Quite understandably! It is one of those ideas that seems…

Vampires.Com Salutes Vincent Price and Christopher Lee Part Two

Welcome back to our special Vincent Price, Christopher Lee double feature. In part one we focused on the life and career of Vincent Price. We now salute Count Dracula himself, Christopher Lee. Christopher Lee was born in Belgravia, Westminster, England and made his movie debut in 1947 in the film Corridor of Mirrors. He began…