Nelson Collins, have you seen Dan Curtis's version of "Dracula"? He brings the theme of a lost love reincarnated into the picture, so it's usually thought (by those familiar with Curtis' far superior version) that Coppola and Company took the idea from the TV-movie.
Thanks, Vlad, I do recall that now that you mention it. it has been literally decades since I watched DC's version of Dracula. So, if I have this right, Coppola stole it from DC's Dracula, DC stole it from his own DS, which may have gotten it from Univeral's 1932 The Mummy. Is anyone else's head beside mine spinning yet? lol