Drácula (George Melford, 1931)

Produced at the same time as the English-language version, this Drácula was intended for Spanish language audiences.

Longer than the English-language version, and in some ways more sophisticated - it explains some of the narrative jumps, and - particularly through the costuming - leans toward the eroticism the original only hints at.

While the script is essentially the same, the blocking and setting of the scenes are more varied, and the film benefits from a more dynamic use of the camera.

Part of the reason was due to the way the way this film was made: George Melford would review Browning’s rushes every day, and it is fascinating to juxtapose how different his version is. 

The acting overall feels more naturalistic - while he is not as iconic as Dwight Frye, Pablo Alvarez Rubio feels more human and pathetic as Renfield. Lupita Tovar (who passed away at 106 in 2016) is winning as Vera/Mina.

The one person in the cast who suffers in comparison is the lead: Poor Carlos Villarías does his best, but it is hard to shake Lugosi’s shadow.

One wishes they had gone for a more distinctive interpretation - he tries to replicate Lugosi’s glower and smirk, but it feels like cosplay.

My personal highlight was the Demeter sequence - it is not much longer than the Browning version, but it is far more atmospheric, as terrified crewmen stare at the camera (Dracula’s POV) while Reinfield cackles in the background.

As a film, the Spanish language Dracula is far superior to the Tod Browning version.

But it is based on the same source material, and suffers from a similarly stage-bound finale.

I would be keen to revisit the film without its more well-known predecessor in mind, but the film is so much more interesting as a study in contrast, as different teams of filmmakers tackle the same story.

Related

Dracula (1931 Anglo version)

Dracula (1979)

The Last Voyage of the Demeter

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