Happy Halloween, boils and ghouls and non-boonary fiends! What better time to light a candle, put on some Bauhaus, and immerse ourselves in Gothic horror by way of Depression-era filmmaking.
Count Dracula first appeared in Bram Stoker's 1897 novel and quickly became a pop culture touchstone. Film adaptations were quick to follow, some unlicensed and German. But the definitive portrayal came in Tod Browning's 1931 classic starring a then little-known Hungarian actor named Bela Lugosi. Lugosi had been a stage actor prior to World War I, and after the defeat of the Central Powers and a failed socialist revolution in Hungary, Lugosi found work in the Weimar Republic before eventually moving to the United States. He first played Dracula in stage productions on Broadway and on the West Coast. Because Browning's production was an adaptation of the play and Lugosi already fit the part like a glove, the choice was obvious. Although the Count has been played by luminaries ranging from Sir Christopher Lee to Sir Gary Oldman to Sir Leslie Nielsen, nobody is as synonymous with Dracula as Bela Lugosi. Which is wild because he only played him twice, and the second time was to meet Abbott and Costello.
Count Drac anchored the first wave of Universal Monsters Reaction+ figures, released last Halloween. He shows some of the hallmarks of earlier Reaction+ figures, like a swivel neck and somewhat tube-like arms and legs. It works in this case to represent the Count's impeccably tailored suit. His suit is glossy black while his shirt and vest are matte white. His signature amulet hangs from a blood red ribbon. His skin is very pale and his left hand is accented by a ring. The likeness of Bela Lugosi is very strong, and yet it still looks plausibly old-school, yet certainly sharper than anything that was put out back in the era this figure represents. And it better be, because they had to pay extra for that.
One of the hurdles that any companies making Universal Monsters figures will face is Dracula's likeness. See, the Lugosi estate has kept tight control over the likeness of their departed patriarch over the years. You can make a pale fella in a cape all you want, but if you want to make a Dracula figure that actually looks like Dracula, you've got to pay up. Many manufacturers have opted to skip this step, but this figure comes fully licensed and fully Bela'd. What does the Lugosi estate consist of now? The man died in 1956. "Bela Lugosi's Dead" is itself almost fifty years old. We're talking about some elderly grandchildren and a gaggle of lawyers, maybe just the lawyers. It's kind of like the Siegel and Shuster estates hounding DC for money every time there's a high-profile Superman project. Stop seeking paydays for things you had nothing to do with. Other people are busting their asses. Ahem.
The Prince of Darkness comes outfitted with a swank two-sided cape, red on the inside and black on the outside, with a high collar. It's attached around his neck by a cord. You can probably remove it, but I haven't because what's the point of stretching out the elastic? Maybe if you need to customize a Lon Chaney Phantom of the Opera (wave 3--Phantom, Invisible Man, Metaluna Mutant? A girl can hope). He also comes with an ornate candlestick holder with a dripping lit candle that can fit rather loosely in either hand.
As I noted in my Frankenstein review, I've never really owned figures of the classic Universal Monsters before these, even though I have an interest in classic Hollywood and cult cinema. But obviously these really fit with my vibe and collection preferences. Dracula is one of the biggest icons of not just horror, but literature and film in general, and Lugosi is practically synonymous with him. Super7 did a great job with this figure. If you're a 3 3/4" or retro collector, you can't do much better.
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