All-Action Classics No. 1: Dracula [Paperback]

I've read the original story of Dracula twice now, and this version of the story once, and I think it does a pretty good job of capturing the sort of disturbing, alluring quality that we receive in the novel.

Mucci follows the story very well, without simply taking everything word for word, and had a pretty good idea of what scenes to shorten, which to dwell on and which to change.

I'm sure there are those who might call Caldwell's artistic style simplistic, and maybe it is, but it still brings the characters to life (and death...and undeath, for that matter) and there are some scenes that actually appear scarier than they were when I first read them, so I think he did a very good job.

That in mind, there were so drawbacks here and there. First off, one of my favourite scenes in the novel, where Jonathan Harker sees the Count crawling lizard-like down the side of his castle to his tomb, was badly portrayed. We were shown the act from a distance, I had to look over it several times before I could be sure what they were trying to show us. And another thing: Dracula is supposed to get younger as he feeds, and although we do see some really cool (and monstrous) sketches of him in his youth, these are shown in flashbacks. I personally would have liked to see the Count as he got younger and younger. That would've added just another creepy coin to the coffer for me.

I realize I've written in more detail about the bad than the good, but don't let that deter you. If you're looking for an animated version of the classic story, for you or for someone else, I highly reccommend this.

Just remember, the dead travel fast, and as you're reading, don't be surprised if you start to feel something behind you...