Dracula (Spanish Version) movie review

The Spanish language version of Dracula was released in 1931, the same as the English language version. In the early days of "talkie" pictures, film companies would film different language versions of movies, filmed on the same sets, as the English versions. With Dracula the Spanish version would film on the same sets, during the night, while the English version was filmed during the day. Because the Spanish crew would see what the English crew would do during the day, and did everything they could to improve upon the English version. The Spanish version of Dracula also uses filming techniques that would revolutionize movie filming for generations to come. For example the scene in which we are introduced to Dracula, in the English version he walks down the stairs to meet Renfield, where as in the Spanish version we see a beautiful shot where the camera fluidly sweeps up the stairs to meet Dracula, there are many other shots that use fluid moving camera shots, during this era camera shots were usually stationary, but this movie changed that. Both 1931 versions of Dracula draw their inspiration from the Bram Stoker novel, the play, and from the original vampire movie Nosferatu. No Dracula will ever be quite as iconic as Bela Lugosi, however Carlos Villarias does an amazing job at it. Though he is not as hypnotic as Lugosi, he actually plays a very elegant, and seductive Dracula. Lupita Tovar is also an amazing and beautiful Eva (Mina in the English version). Also though I am a huge fan of Dwight Frye, I must say that Pablo Alvarez Rubio as Renfield actually upstaged him. All of the characters in the Spanish version were amazingly cast, and the movie is beautiful. Another difference between the two movies is that the Spanish version is sexier than the English version, the women had deeper plunging dresses, that the prude American audiences would have found too sexual and risque, mater of fact in one of the dresses that Eva wears, you can see her nipples through the dress, which would not have been able to pass American conservative censors at that time period. Over all, the Spanish version is honestly a superior version than the English version, even though the English version is more iconic, though the Spanish version from a technical standpoint is actually a superior film. Would I recommend this movie? Yes, absolutely with all of my heart I recommend this amazing film. The English version starring Bela Lugosi is one of my favourite movies, but I would honestly rank the Spanish language version up there with it, it is definitely a must see film.