Dracula

'Dracula' by Bram Stoker is a novel that doesn't want to be ignored. As I read the story I found it hard to quit reading when I finished a chapter. I finished the novel last night.

The book tells of a group of friends struggling to defeat the vampire Dracula. It is written as a collection of diary entries and letters. The format helps to focus this already tight story and build on the suspense. It also serves to introduce the characters.

Stoker managed to create a darkly intriguing tale of seduction/corruption (in the case of Lucy) and conflict (between the group and the vampire). The tension builds and then races towards the final confrontation. The story is a real 'page turner'. I enjoyed reading this novel. I had read it many years ago but had forgotten some of the detail.

One aspect of the story that I found interesting was the setting. Part of the action takes place in the town of Whitby in Yorkshire. Having visited Whitby in 1980 I found I could visualize the scenes really well. It was fun imagining where I had been in relation to the events in the story.

The various films based on it had influenced my memory of the story. The first movie I remember was a television adaptation on CBC. I was young and frightened but I managed to see the whole movie - at least what I could see from between my fingers or from the kitchen.

I remember two variant vampire movies that I enjoyed: Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter and Blacula. These weren't the best films but they were different from the rest.