Vampires and Their Types

When it comes to vampires I have a couple of set stereotypes that I tend to sort them into. The first is the Van Helsing(2004 Film) Vampire, and this set the standard for the more horror Vampire stereotype. Full disclosure this film is one of my top three favorite movies of all time, and I watched it almost religiously through my school years to up to this day. I loved the grand scale adventure aspect of this film as well as how it tied in the top three horror monster icon elements. Frankenstein’s Monster was a very nuanced and interesting character, especially considering how he had been portrayed in all previous films. And I like that even though they went with the more standard monster appearance they still kept him a likeable and sympathetic character which now that I have read Frankenstein by Mary shelly I feel is a closer homage to the feelings I got from that book. The were-wolves too were portrayed interestingly, still a wild near untamable beast, but reined in by Dracula’s control over them. To be honest though out of the three archetypes I felt they were the least developed past their origin and to be honest it works well enough for the story. 

Now Dracula. This movie does an absolutely amazing job of developing his character. He’s an emotional person, pissed off when his wives and children truly die, desperate for the Monster to bring his unborn children to life, down-right sassy and smug when he comes out before the finale.  Hell the scene where he meets van helsing for the first time is one of the funniest scenes in the movie in my opinion. He’s so overdramatic and charismatic its amazing and I can see why he actually has three wives that seem to share a decent relationship with him given the time period. But my favorite part is that he is still a monster and its very clear, especially when he drops the façade of humanity and actually transforms into a huge beast that’s absolutely terrifying to look at. 

Now on the other side Dracula Untoldit a great vampire movie in which you have a more “Monstrous” Dracula as a hero instead of the villain. He’s less terrifying than Van Helsings Vampire, though his creatore fills that aspect a bit better. Once again in this movie they create a developed character, who struggles against his nature, mostly in the case of wanting to protect his family. He agrees to become a vampire to protect them and his kingdom. This movie does an excellent job of creating a more heroic vampire, while still showcasing the horror of vampires, specifically when Dracula makes his vampire army to go save his son from the Persians. 

Mary Shelley's Frankenstien

Reading Frankensteinby Mary Shelley was an interesting experience, especially after growing up in this modern age where everyone and their pet knows what the Frankenstein monster is. Ill admit one of my personal favorite movies is the Hugh Jackman Van Helsing film, that features a mix of Dracula and his wives, werewolves, and Frankenstein. So, I went into this reading feeling like I would easily understand the story plot and only have to translate it to modern speak and fight through the boredom since its obviously not going to be as action oriented as what I was used to. 

            Needless to say, I was very very wrong. Not in that the basic plot line wasn’t what I was expecting, but it was far more interesting to read than I imagined, and I genuinely felt pity for the monster. 

            During the story victor is plagued with nightmares and warnings from the Monster, which helped establish the gothic Omen/Vision tropes. To the reader it is fairly clear of the potential things that could happen and were are forced to watch with dreed when the Victor makes his mistakes. 

            And the horror trope of parental conflict takes center stage in this entire story, with Victor being the neglectful Father, and the monster the constrained child. He created this creature and cast them aside, wishing to abandon that which he had cursed with life. To be honest I’d be pissed too. Though most of the people I know  think of Victor as the victim, he truly isn’t after reading the book. It was he who set the creature loose, and he who is responsible, and I was pleased to read that that was how he felt.