I watched "Dracula" last night just to see DWIGHT FRYE

[Steve Hoffman]

And his 1000 watt stare!

[Steve Hoffman]

I just love that guy. Did you know he died in 1943 at the age of 43 three days before he was to start work on "Wilson" for Fox? Very sad.

However, he is remembered for Frankenstein and Dracula more than some actors are remembered for an entire lifetime of work!

[Steve Hoffman]

As Fritz in "Frankenstein".

[MagicAlex]

I watched this last night too. Frye did do a great job...scared the hell out of me when I was a kid. One thing that came to my mind as watching him was...David Bowie. Strange but I saw a resemblance.

[RDK]

Frye nearly steals that movie from Lugosi. He's so damn creepy. Lots of great character actors in those old Universal horror flicks. My favorite is Maria Ouspenskaya in The Wolf Man: "The way you walk was thorny through no fault of your own, but as the rain enters the soil the river enters the sea, so tears run to a predestined end. Your suffering is over. Now you will find peace for eternity."

Hey Steve, ever see the Spanish/Mexican version of Dracula that was shot at the same time on the same sets after the American crew went home for the night?

[mcow1]

Originally posted by RDK

Hey Steve, ever see the Spanish/Mexican version of Dracula that was shot at the same time on the same sets after the American crew went home for the night?
It's a bonus on the Dracula DVD, if I remember right. Which, I find, is now out of print.

[guy incognito]

I was gone for fourteen days,
I could have been gone for more.
Held up in the intensive care ward,
Lying on the floor.
I was gone for all those days, but,
I was not all alone.
I made friends with a lot of people,
in the danger zone

See my lonely life unfold,
I see it every day
See my lonely mind explode,
Since I've gone away


- Alice Cooper, "The Ballad of Dwight Frye"


He was also in the original, 1931 version of The Maltese Falcon, as the gunsel Wilmer Cook (the role played by Elisha Cook, Jr. in 1941).

[Gary]

Guy, that Alice Cooper song is the first thing that popped into my head when I read the thread title! I had no idea there was a real person named Dwight Frye!

Thank you for that very interesting tidbit! :)

[Ken_McAlinden]

Here's a shot of the almost as odd looking Pablo Álvarez Rubio as Renfield in the Spanish version of Dracula. It was shot at night while the English language version was shot simultaneoiusly during the day. It's also a bit longer with a few added subplots and a more languid pace.
http://www.cinefantastico.com/terroruniversal/imagen/span03.jpg

The out of print DVD was great. It included the English version, the Spanish version, and an optional version of the English version with a Philip Glass score.

Regards,

[Togo]

The spookiest part for me is when Dwight is discovered on board ship protecting his master's coffin en route to London.

He then breaks into that REALLY creepy laugh with that evil look on his face..."nerh, her, her, her, her" or something to that effect!!!!

It may be hammy but I love it!!! :cool:

[dwmann]

Originally posted by Gary
Guy, that Alice Cooper song is the first thing that popped into my head when I read the thread title! I had no idea there was a real person named Dwight Frye!

Thank you for that very interesting tidbit! :)


Cooper wrote the lyrics after seeing Frye in "Dracula" after an unplanned stay in a rehab hospital.

[Hawkman]

Originally posted by RDK

Hey Steve, ever see the Spanish/Mexican version of Dracula that was shot at the same time on the same sets after the American crew went home for the night?

Great stuff! Much creepier and their 'Renfield' is much more manical. It seems less of a filmed stage play and more of a movie than the Lugosi version.

[Gary]

Originally posted by dwmann
Cooper wrote the lyrics after seeing Frye in "Dracula" after an unplanned stay in a rehab hospital.

And who said that "X" is bad for ya? :D

Thanks, Dwmann!

Sorry, Alice. Just kidding! I looove your music and sense of humour!

[lil.fred]

Originally posted by Hawkman


Great stuff! Much creepier and their 'Renfield' is much more manical. It seems less of a filmed stage play and more of a movie than the Lugosi version.

Quite agree -- and the Mexican cinematographer is more in touch with European trends in photography -- moving camera, expressionistic shots! Not to be missed!