Summary:
The novel, Dracula, by Bram Stoker and the adaptation to film, of this same novel differ for obvious reasons. The dates they were released, the audience they target and the fact the novel relies on imagery created by the mind and immaculate writing skills to create such imagery where as the film relies on visual imagery and in the same respect immaculate film techniques.
The novel, Dracula, by Bram Stoker and the adaptation to film, of this same novel differ for obvious reasons. The dates they were released, the audience they target and the fact the novel relies on imagery created by the mind and immaculate writing skills to create such imagery where as the film relies on visual imagery and in the same respect immaculate film techniques.
A pivotal scene in both the novel and the movie, where the Count sucks minas blood and then she sucks his in order for her to become an immortal, is not only portrayal of the turning point in the story of Dracula but also displays their differences and similarities in order to achieve the desired affect for the prescribed target audience and invisionary of its creators.
In the book, Jonathan Harker and Mina account for this scene. The Count enters the room in which Mina is sleeping and attacks here violently. With his left hand he holds Mina's hands tightly together, crushing them with his overbearing strength, and with his right hand, grips the back of her neck, pointing her head face down. This creates a parallel for modern readers, comparing this attack to the act of rape or sexual abuse. When he forces her to drink from a wound on his bare chest, and speaks of glee about being rewarded for his exertions an obvious sexual overtone is established and suggests sexual union. Mina becomes the instigator and presents and with a sense of perverseness it suggests a mockery of a mother nursing a child juxtaposed to the insurance of Mina's death with the feeding of his blood to her
Although the approach different in the movie this sexual undertone is still established and somewhat more obviously, contemporised for the modern audience. Mina and the count have fallen in love and instead of fear striking the heart of mina when the count enters, and anger and aggression from the count himself, as the novel, they are attracted to each other by love and lust. Before any of the feeding occurs they kiss and even when she finds out it is Dracula, Lucy's murderer, her feelings are not altered "I love you. God forgive me I do!" This scene is purely based on sexual tension and incomprehensible love, which renders the choice that Mina, is given to whether she wants to become a creature of eternal life. In the movie this sucking of his blood is rather out of love and to create life, from death for her old life, where as the book murmurs death with the creation of immortality.
The characters of both Dracula and Mina differ greatly in both the novel and film. In the book Dracula is portrayed as vicious, heartless, not just physically, and rage driven. In this scene, he approaches Mina with no sense of emotion and his power remains overbearing. His powers cannot be matched and no sense of humanity is left in him. His task seems clear and is only disturbed with the entrance of the men into Mina's bedroom.
In the movie, however this 'task' is unclear as he is faced with overpowering emotion, which becomes his weakness. For the movie to entrance the audience attract modern day viewers, romance must be prevalent. Through this scene the romantic interaction between Mina and the count is immediately established. Dracula is not cold hearted but merely an understood man, who has fallen in love. A sense of humanity, in Dracula, is conveyed to the audience when Mina is sucking his blood and he stops her saying "I love you to much to condemn you." The audience is able to sympathise with the count and instead of being entranced by the allusion of death, anger and hatred, which the novel relies on the audience is attracted by the human emotions which the characters, especially Dracula goes through.
The character of Mina in both the book and movie, undoubtedly differ to suit the reaction of the audience and their relation to this character. In the both texts, Mina is the ultimate Victorian woman, expected to embody the virtues of this age. Apart from this the character of mina takes a different turn in the novel and film. In the novel Mina's sexuality remains enigmatic throughout and she does gives voice to anything resembling a sexual desire or impulse, which enables her to retain her purity. This purity is threatened, when she realizes the count's seduction and when she is drained by Dracula, then is forced to drink his blood. The suspense, which is created in this moment as to whether she will be stripped of her purity and if it can ever be restored, creates a sense of doubt in the reader's mind and anxiousness amongst the characters as well as the reader. After Dracula escapes by transforming into a mist, mina retreats into a hysterical sob, clutching her broken fists. The innocence of her character is reinforced and her femininity is highlighted. When she requests that Jonathan remain by her side to look after her, this damsel in distress aspect is emulated. The reader can undoubtedly relate to this and empathise with the character of Mina. How ever for modern day readers this moment in which Mina has become vulnerable and turns to Jonathan, can be seen as the stereotypical portrayal of a female and for the modern day audience of this story the movie takes a different approach to Mina's reaction and how she deal with the repercussions.
We are only human, and so is Mina and these sexual desires as she yearns for Dracula in this movie, are what entrances the audience and makes it that much more believable, not one person is immune to desire. Mina's portrayal in the novel is that of a 'good girl' where as in the movie she is less pure than we think, with her unlawful desires and impulses. This gives way for a more 'human' character and the audience have an easier job identifying with mina at the moment where she is sucking blood from Dracula's chest, Dracula stops and it is Mina who now has the power and justifies her means to become immortal by saying "take me away from all this death."
Although at this moment a change in power occurs, while Dracula transforms into mounds of rates, she screams in discontent "unclean, unclean!" with this she has realised that with the rats, uncleanliness, so to is Dracula and this has infected her.
Mina also says this same line, but expressed with anger and goes on to say, "I will not kiss or touch him." In contrast to the Mina in the movie, she is outraged that she let herself become vulnerable to the count.
The Mina in both the novel and film, posses the qualities of a female but what is portrayed more depended on the time and its target audience. As the Mina in the book, was much more strictly stereotypical for than time where as the Mina in the movie possessed much more humanly like characteristics, which the modern day audience can relate to.
The costuming in this scene play a very important role as they are specified according to the characteristics of both the count, dark suit, and Mina, white dressing gown in the scene. The moment where the red blood stains Mina's white gown, symbolizes her no longer pure nature. In the novel this is represented by the descriptive words used to describe how the blood has fallen on her face.
The technique of the juxtaposition between Mina sucking Dracula's and the men destroying the boxes, emphasizes that with the destruction and hatred there is love and eternal life. In the book this aspect is not emulated to this extent.
In the movie the music, assists in creating the atmosphere and in this pivotal scene, the music is orchestral and striking giving a feeling of suspense and emphasizes a turning point in the movie. The novel however establishes the mood, with descriptive language of everything observed to create a mood.
The lighting also assists in establishing the mood of this scene and helps in differentiating between good and evil. Mina surrounded by light and the count retreated to the darkness, with only the redness of his devilish eyes remaining. The book is constricted in a sense and relies on the language and the way each pivotal character is described.
Through the obvious, textual difference, film and novel, the approaches to this story have obvious differences as well as similarities and the way they have been portrayed to the desired audience, depending on the time of its release have acquired successful results. This scene between Mina and Dracula, plays an important and pivotal role to the story as a whole and the way it was adapted to film reveals the brilliant techniques used in both he novel and movie.
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