They came at night: how a Spanish-speaking cast shot an alternative Dracula after Bela Lugosi had gone to bed

3 February 2021 · The Guardian

James McMahon

Bram Stoker Estate account

Estate summary

James McMahon explores the Spanish-language Drácula made at Universal in 1931 while the English-language production used the same sets by day. He considers Carlos Villarías and Lupita Tovar’s performances, the economics of multiple-language filmmaking and the later rediscovery of this distinctive version.

Published 3 February 2021; later page modification is not the original publication date. The feature describes George Melford’s Spanish-language production on Universal’s sets at night. Its photograph now depicts Carlos Villarías and Lupita Tovar in that actual film.

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Lupita Tovar and Carlos Villarías in a publicity photograph for the Spanish-language Drácula (1931).Universal publicity photograph; photographer unknown. Via Wikimedia Commons.