MovieChat Forums > Dracula (1958) Discussion > Love this movie, but here's my problem.....

Love this movie, but here's my problem.....

posted 11 years ago by ygorswhiskey
11 replies | jump to latest

Ok, so the final scene.... Dracula and Van Helsing fighting.... Peter Cushing is apparently somewhat tall but his look is frail and thin, whereas Lee is huge, like 6'5".... I know from experience what a height difference like that can mean in a fight between mortal humans.... considering that Van Helsing was an intellectual, not a soldier or tough guy and Dracula is an undead vampire! shouldn't Dracula have been able to completely manhandle his opponent? The fight just seemed ridiculous and implausible.... love this film, but like Risen from the Grave, Prince of Darkness and even Scars a bit better.

[–] wansze_theresa 11 years ago

Now that you mentioned it, I kinda agree with you...sigh not a very logical arrangement of the fighting scene...

Drac is supposed to be like...having the strength of twenty men during night...

[–] NBVautrain 11 years ago

It's still a movie where the good guy wins and the bad guy loses.

A shining rewards a small journey backwards in time brings.

[–] utfan62 11 years ago

Remember it was daylight when they were fighting. According to Stoker's Dracula he lost all special powers during daylight.

[–] Prichards12345 11 years ago

At no time in the movie is it suggested that Dracula has the strength of 20 men, although of course this is in the novel In fact the film purposely demythologises the vampire. Dracula can't change into a bat or a wolf or mist, etc. Hammer stripped him of his supernatural powers (probably due to budget reasons and the desire to make it more realistic to 50s audiences). So yeah Dracula is strong but not superhumanly so.

Hammer did change this in their very next vampire movie, of course, Brides of Dracula....bats galore!

"Pardon me my ear is full of milk."

[–] mill722002 11 years ago

Yea, it bothered me too that Dracula is running away from Van Helsing. It was also poorly done in the 1931 film where Lugosi knows Van Helsing is following him, yet goes to sleep in his coffin, leaving him to an easy death

[–] theblackestmagic 10 years ago

I believe that he was really running away more from the rising sun than he was of Van Helsing, even though Van Helsing was the other reason he was fleeing. I'm sure that Dracula knew about Van Helsing's expertise as a vampie hunter and also knew how immensely driven and determined he was to put an end to him. Dracula did not want to get into a confrontation with Van Helsing with the sunrise being only moments away. But of course he ended up doing just that after he was basically cornered by the doctor and it ultimately led to his very own destruction.

"Life IS pain highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something".

[–] strangenstein (683) 5 years ago

“Yea, it bothered me too that Dracula is running away from Van Helsing.”

Dracula has no other option than to run when he discovers the hiding place for his coffin has been discovered. It’s getting close to sunrise and staying at that location would mean certain doom. Van Helsing would simply stake him.

As far as him running when they’re at the castle, at that point sunrise is just moments away. Dracula knows he can hide in the castle vaults for years (alluded to by Van Helsing). Dracula is a predator AND a survivor.

[–] david-sprawson 11 years ago

SPOILERS ALERT - I don't think you can call it a fight - Dracula grabs Van Helsing by the throat and starts to choke him, Van Helsing fakes being unconscious and Dracula releases his grip to bite his victims neck and is pushed away. There is no further contact - Van Helsing sees that the sun has risen and pulls down the curtains to destroy Dracula with the sun's rays.

[–] ygorswhiskey 11 years ago

Interesting idea that Van Helsing faked it... still don't like the Count being so easily outsmarted.... he should know how to strangle a fella.... but interesting idea... I'll hafta watch again and see how it fits

[–] NBVautrain 11 years ago

I agree, I always thought Van the Man faked Vlad out of his jock at the end.

A shining rewards a small journey backwards in time brings.

[–] 11 years ago

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