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In Search of Dracula

Original title: Vem var Dracula?
  • 19741974
  • PGPG
  • 1h 22m
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
308
YOUR RATING
In Search of Dracula (1974)
Trailer 1
Play trailer2:35
1 Video
9 Photos
  • Documentary
  • Horror
A documentary exploring the legends of vampires, using books, paintings and early films on the subject.A documentary exploring the legends of vampires, using books, paintings and early films on the subject.A documentary exploring the legends of vampires, using books, paintings and early films on the subject.
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
308
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Calvin Floyd
  • Writers
    • Radu Florescu(book)
    • Yvonne Floyd
    • Raymond McNally(book)
  • Stars
    • Solveig Andersson
    • Tor Isedal
    • Christopher Lee
Top credits
  • Director
    • Calvin Floyd
  • Writers
    • Radu Florescu(book)
    • Yvonne Floyd
    • Raymond McNally(book)
  • Stars
    • Solveig Andersson
    • Tor Isedal
    • Christopher Lee
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 6User reviews
    • 16Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    In Search of Dracula
    Trailer 2:35
    In Search of Dracula

    Photos9

    In Search of Dracula (1974)
    In Search of Dracula (1974)
    In Search of Dracula (1974)
    Christopher Lee in In Search of Dracula (1974)
    Christopher Lee in In Search of Dracula (1974)
    In Search of Dracula (1974)
    In Search of Dracula (1974)
    In Search of Dracula (1974)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Solveig Andersson
    Solveig Andersson
    • Young womanas Young woman
    Tor Isedal
    Tor Isedal
    • Narratoras Narrator
    Christopher Lee
    Christopher Lee
    • Selfas Self…
    • Director
      • Calvin Floyd
    • Writers
      • Radu Florescu(book)
      • Yvonne Floyd
      • Raymond McNally(book)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Based on Raymond McNally and Radu Florescu's book of the same name, which explores the historical Vlad the Impaler and his influence on the making of Bram Stoker's "Dracula." The film also makes a detour to cover information from Florescu's follow-up book "In Search of Frankenstein." While not mentioned by name, the alchemist referenced who probably inspired Mary Shelley to write "Frankenstein" was the notorious Konrad Dippel. Just as Vlad Tepes has now become essential to the vampire myth, Florescu's research has resulted in Dippel being incorporated into Frankenstein mythology in popular culture.
    • Connections
      Featured in Sneak Previews: Hair/Murder By Decree/A Perfect Couple/The Champ/Buck Rogers in the 25th Century/Love at First Bite/In Search of Dracula (1979)
    • Soundtracks
      Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta
      Composed by Béla Bartók

    User reviews6

    Review
    Top review
    4/10
    IN SEARCH OF Dracula (Calvin Floyd, 1975) **
    I'd long been interested in this documentary on the history behind the archetypal vampire figure due to Christopher Lee's involvement (as both narrator and actor) but also given the fact that director Floyd would follow it with the well-regarded THE TERROR OF FRANKENSTEIN (1975), a faithful adaptation of Mary Shelley's horror classic.

    However, the result in this case is mainly dull and patchy at best: not only were several of the accounts involving "Dracula" novelist Bram Stoker and the inspirations for his creation (chiefly the notorious Vlad the Impaler) already familiar to me – but such other interjections as J. Sheridan LeFanu's equally famous female vampire story "Carmilla", the way the inherently predatory nature of femme fatales drew upon that of the vampire (hence the epithet 'vamp'), or the documentation of a real-life modern-day blood-sucker (who may well have inspired George A. Romero's MARTIN [1978]) felt like padding more than anything else!

    The film's real coup, then, lies in the makers' decision to shoot in authentic locations – which, amazingly, have retained their Old World and genuinely eerie quality. Even so, Lee (who appears as Vlad himself and, of course, Dracula in both an ageing guise – the way he was actually depicted in the original – and, bafflingly, excerpts from the Hammer film SCARS OF Dracula [1971]) looks positively bored throughout, in spite of his typically authoritative voice! Besides, the segment on Dracula's cinematic incarnation – with obvious references to NOSFERATU (1922), Bela Lugosi and, naturally, Lee's own stint in the part – comes across as disappointingly schematic
    helpful•4
    3
    • Bunuel1976
    • Oct 26, 2008

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 15, 1975 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Sweden
      • West Germany
      • France
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • La leyenda de Drácula
    • Filming locations
      • Bran, Romania
    • Production companies
      • Aspekt Telefilm-Produktion GmbH
      • Société Française de Production (SFP)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 22 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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