Numerous films of Dracula have appeared, most of which make little attempt to follow the plot of the novel. The first film version was the German Nosferatu, a silent film made in 1922. Because it was an unauthorized adaptation, its director, F. W. Murnau, changed the setting and the characters’ names, but the plot is largely unchanged.
More familiar is the 1931 film version of Dracula, directed by Tod Browning and starring Bela Lugosi. Lugosi became identified with the role of Dracula and went on to star in many more vampire films. At his request he was buried in his vampire cape. Unlike the Nosferatu vampire, Lugosi’s Dracula was attractive and charming, establishing the image of the vampire that appears in numerous films.
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