Dracula (Spanish) (1931)

Drácula (1931), directed by George Melford.

This is a Spanish version made on the same sets as the English one -- Dracula (1931) -- with the same costumes and (translated) shooting script, but with different cast, crew and director. They would watch the English rushes from the day, then try their own interpretation when shooting at night.

The English version is a bit better, although this one has its virtues: it is quite a bit longer -- they retained scenes cut from the other one, but made cuts of their own. We get to see the vampire attack on the ship's crew during the storm. The women are dressed a bit sexier.

The lead lacks Lugosi's sinister charisma. He seems affable and smiles too much, although now and then he gives a good twist to a line, for example: "A worse fate than death awaits man." With Lugosi it is a veiled threat, here it is a somber self-reflection.

This is on the same DVD as the English version. Spanish language with selectable English subtitles. Some of the surviving film stock is better, some worse. Sparse score.