JohnHowardReid Copyright 1931 by Universal Pictures Corporation. Madrid premiere: 20 March 1931. Mexico City opening: 4 April 1931. General release in Spain: 28 May 1931. 104 minutes. COMMENT: Lupita Tovar comments in her introduction to Universal's DVD release that everyone involved in this movie didn't just want to make a Spanish-language version of Dracula, they wanted to make a better version. Believe it or not, in this aim they have admirably succeeded. Although filmed on exactly the same sets, this film runs a whole half-hour longer. Some scenes are actually shorter (the shipboard sequence) and one or two have been eliminated (the flower seller), but most run for greater length with absolutely no loss of tension at all. Instead they all generate a powerful increase in audience suspense and involvement. This is due to the combined efforts of imaginative scripting (what a masterstroke are the creaking doors in Dracula's castle!), engrossing acting (I thought Villarias far more menacing than the stagy Lugosi who is forced to rely on artificial devices like make-up and lighting to supplement his appropriately oily voice), stylish direction (Browning's compositions often seem amateurish by comparison) and superlatively noirish photography which strikes exactly the right balance between moody atmospherics and the audience's need to see what's going on (I found Freund's photography often a bit too dark-at least in the current DVD release). So far as the other players are concerned, I thought the lovely Lupita Tovar an equal match for Helen Chandler, that Arozamena filled Van Sloan's shoes more than adequately, and that the rest of the players led by Pablo Alvarez Rubio (as the demented Renfield) and Barry Norton (as our heroine's fiancé) were far and away superior to their counterparts in the Browning version. AVAILABLE on DVD through Universal. Quality rating: Ten out of ten.

jacobjohntaylor1 This is great movie. It the same script has the one with Bela Lugosi with s.p.a.n.i.s.h actors. In not as good as the Bela Lugosi version. But still this is a great movie. It has a great story line. It is very scary. It is one of the scariest horror movie of all time. It based one of the the best horror stories ever told. The acting is not as good has the Bela Lugosi version. But still it is good acting. If you like scary movies then you need to see this movie. It is a a true horror classic. This movie is a must see. I need more lines. And I am running out things to say. This one of the best vampire movies ever made. Great movie.

gavin6942 Centuries-old vampire Dracula (Carlos Villarias) preys upon the innocent Eva (Lupita Tovar) and her friends. This film is somewhat legendary. Although it was not uncommon for films to be made in multiple languages, this is the one that most people seem to be familiar with. In a fraction of the time, and working in the middle of the night, this crew put together a film that in many ways is superior to the Browning release. Although some shots are a bit rough, probably due to the lack of time for retakes, there is a clear indication that the director was trying to improve upon Browning's work with some clever camera angles and moving shots.For me, what really seals the deal is Pablo Alvarez Rubio as Renfield. I have loved Renfield in every incarnation of "Dracula" from the novel up through modern versions (such as Tom Waits in Coppola's take). But Rubio may be among the very best, pushing the visual madness to its limits. A shame his career is otherwise very undistinguished.Sadly, Tovar's grandson Chris Weitz is known for directing "New Moon" (2009), part of "The Twilight Saga". How can one family make such a great vampire film (despite its flaws) and also one of the worst? A real shame.

AaronCapenBanner Unusual film in that it is a Spanish language version of the Bela Lugosi film, made at the same time and on the same sets as the 1931 film, only with an entirely different cast and crew. Actually, it was directed at night, while Tod Browning made his during the day. Plot is exactly the same, though differently staged, and in some ways is an improvement, being more atmospheric and effective, even though it is nearly 30 minutes longer! What's missing is a lead actor with the talent of Bela Lugosi, and that's a big deal. Universal Studios apparently did it this way once, and resorted to dubbing in the future, which would certainly be simpler...