Various Thoughts While Watching the Original Dracula Film for the First Time
The slightly dorky tourist that they open the movie with is oddly endearing. (Fun fact: apparently she was the producer's niece and outlived the rest of the cast.)
I thought this was actually following the book pretty closely before I realized that "Jonathan" was actually Renfield of all characters. But it kind of works, using Jonathan's arc from the novel as an explanation for how Renfield becomes Dracula's insane servant.
Nosferatu had a hyena, but the real Dracula has armadillos infesting his castle. WTF (affectionate).
The scenery is actually really good.
Why did they change the name of the ship to the Vesta? They even kept the Classical goddess theme, but was the director like "no, it's gotta be my favorite goddess and Vesta > Demeter."
Half of Dracula's dialogue is just *INTENSE STARE*
Stop showing that bat, it's so fake that it's turning your moody horror into a comedy.
JoMina is the official couple, but I think I can see the seeds of DracMina. It's very much framed like Dracula is seducing her away from Jonathan John.
Similarly, while Van Helsing is still mostly a scholar and mentor, he's steely enough that you can see the genesis of the Badass Vampire Hunter that he becomes in later adaptations.