Chilling episode well remembered by fans who were terrified by this as children. Eerie music, direction, and images all combine to tell this tale of how Bram Stoker was influenced by the real life Transylvanian ruler Vlad Tepes, whose reported brutal reign and method of punishment are effectively put across, though his descendants claim that it was exaggerated by his conquerors as propaganda. Disturbing elements of deformity and suffering are simply but powerfully conveyed, and captures a wonderful sense of otherworldliness that is palpable. Also shows pictures of various actors who played Dracula, and much use of the silent film 'Nosferatu'.
4 Reviews
Real life can be more horrifying
dtucker866 September 2023
Warning: Spoilers
This was one of the first episodes of In Search Of... that I saw as a kid and next to the one on Haunted Castles it was episode that freaked me out the most. We have all been scared by Count Dracula on the screen whether he was played by Bela Lugosi or Christopher Lee (George Hamilton even spoofed him in Love At First Bite) but the real life story is even more terrifying. Bram Stoker based his fictional Vampire on a Romanian King who was a real prince of darkness who name literally means son of the devil. He impaled thousands of his enemies and even dined among them dipping bread into their blood.
Dated but still good
mm-3923 November 2016
Warning: Spoilers
Dated but still a good episode! Dracula episode starts out about the legend. How film, books and folklore created the mystique behind the man. In Search of becomes a historical episode. The viewer learns about the historical time, and the shaping of Vald the Impailer! The war with the Ottoman Empire and Vlad's brutal victory unfolds into a brutal story. Real life can be harsher than fiction! In Search of goes to Communist Romania, goes on a tour with the minister of culture and visits Vlad's home town. The interviews, background, and cultural surroundings created an interesting episode. Not the most memorable episode, but worth watching. Six out of ten fangs.
Season 1 Episode 16
Michael_Elliott14 June 2016
In Search of... "Dracula" (1977)
Vlad Tepes, better known as Dracula, is the subject of this episode as we take a look at the real person who would eventually be the inspiration for one of the most famous movie monsters. We start off hearing about the original location and then we go into the story of Vlad himself. This leads to various superstitions that are still believed to this day. There's certainly nothing ground-breaking about this episode but it's mildly entertaining even if it has been replaced by much better documentaries on the subject. The actual location shoots were a major bonus.
Episode: B-
Vlad Tepes, better known as Dracula, is the subject of this episode as we take a look at the real person who would eventually be the inspiration for one of the most famous movie monsters. We start off hearing about the original location and then we go into the story of Vlad himself. This leads to various superstitions that are still believed to this day. There's certainly nothing ground-breaking about this episode but it's mildly entertaining even if it has been replaced by much better documentaries on the subject. The actual location shoots were a major bonus.
Episode: B-
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