Wrong Way Barnabas

[ROBINV]

My then-fiance, Dan, took me to see the Frank Langella version of DRACULA on Broadway back in 1978.  At the end of Act 1, Dracula arranges the lovely Mina on her bed and "goes down" on her throat.  There was a collective, orgasmic-like gasp from the females in the audience, mine included.  What a scene!  What a vampire!  What a fiance--I kept him and now he's been my hubby for 25 years!

Guess when a guy takes you to a play, knowing you're going to drool over another man, you know you've got a keeper.

Love, Robin

[Happybat]

Is there any possibility of agitating to get the Louis Jourdan version available on video or DVD?  Honestly, I can't understand how something like that can be overlooked.

Hello Vlad and others,

Never realizing that Louis Jourdan played Dracula, I followed this thread with great interest.  It sounds like something in the "must see" category.  Here's what I came up with by searching imd.com:

http://www.bbcworldwide.com/specialinterests/content/titles/Dracula.asp

It does seem to be available on DVD although I'm not entirely sure if DVD technology has the same restrictions as video PAL vs. nstc.  Maybe someone can take a closer look at this site and figure that out.

OT:

BTW, for those of you who also love "Columbo", Jourdan made a splendid adversary for my favorite detective in "Murder under Glass".  He plays a murderous, blackmailing restaurant critic with an almost reptilian elegance.  I know that may sound strange,  but that is the description that leaps to mind!   

[Mysterious Benefactor]

It does seem to be available on DVD although I'm not entirely sure if DVD technology has the same restrictions as video PAL vs. nstc.

DVDs are usually region coded. Most DVDs released in England are Region 2, whereas most players in the US play Region 1. So, unless this DVD has no region coding (some don't), or someone has a DVD player on which the region code can be changed (several can - particularly DVD-ROM drives), they wouldn't be able to play it. 

[Philippe Cordier]

Thanks, happybat!

I note that they have a version of "Dorian Gray".  I wonder how that version would be.  I'd like to see a better Dorian than Hurd Hatfield (I thought he was creepy) or Shane Bryant (sorry!).

[Mark Rainey]

BTW, for those of you who also love "Columbo", Jourdan made a splendid adversary for my favorite detective in "Murder under Glass".  He plays a murderous, blackmailing restaurant critic with an almost reptilian elegance.  I know that may sound strange,  but that is the description that leaps to mind!

I'm a big fan of Louis Jourdan. I just happened to catch that episode of Columbo quite recently. I'm not much of a Columbo fan, but as I was flipping channels, I saw Louis Jourdan and kept it there. It was quite an entertaining episode, actually.

Jourdan was the saving grace in OCTOPUSSY, one of my least-favorite Bond movies but for his character. There's one scene where he tells Gobinda, his henchman, to "Get Bond!" He delivers that one line with such intensity I can't help but enjoy it.

--Mark

[Happybat]

[ It was quite an entertaining episode, actually.

Glad you got to see it, Mark.  IMO "Murder under Glass" has one of the best Columbo finales.  Do you know that Msr. Jourdan is 84 now; hard to believe, isn't it?  I wonder what he may be up to these days.  I've always liked him too, although I'm no James Bond fan so I never saw him in "Octopussy".

And Vlad, if you're interested in buying "Count Dracula" from that British site I posted above, it does seem that they have VHS but not DVD nstc formats.  So, it may indeed be available after all!   

[Philippe Cordier]

And Vlad, if you're interested in buying "Count Dracula" from that British site I posted above, it does seem that they have VHS but not DVD nstc formats.  So, it may indeed be available after all!

Huh?      

Is NSTC the American format?  I bought a video from amazon uk a while back and later learned it was something called a PAL format, and I couldn't play it.  Wasted about $30.

My new laptop, which I haven't unpacked or learned to use yet, is supposed to play DVDs.  How does that fit in with what you're saying, s'il vous plait?

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Is NSTC the American format?  I bought a video from amazon uk a while back and later learned it was something called a PAL format, and I couldn't play it.

There is no NSTC vs. PAL with DVDs. As I mentioned a few posts up, with DVDs you have to pay attention to region coding.

My new laptop, which I haven't unpacked or learned to use yet, is supposed to play DVDs.  How does that fit in with what you're saying, s'il vous plait?

The BBC version is most likely Region 2. The DVD drive in your laptop is more than likely set to play US Region 1 DVDs. However, the software that accompanies your drive may allow you to switch regions (mine does). So, definitely check that out before you purchase any European DVDs or you'll simply end up with shiny new coasters. 

[Happybat]

Ugh!  I just realized that what I meant to say is that the site does carry nstc VIDEO formats, but not necessarily US compatible DVDs, which MB rightly indicates is a different kettle of fish altogether.  I'm definitely a DVD newbie!

Mea culpa.