DRACULA Starring Bela Lugosi Screening at Schlafly Bottleworks January 2nd

Ladies fainted in their seats when Bela Lugosi rose from his coffin as a vampire in the 1927 Broadway stage production of “Dracula” that preceded Tod Browning’s timeless 1931 film version that had an equally chilling effect on movie audiences. Playwright Hamilton Deane based his lean script on Bram Stoker’s famous 1897 novel, and introduced horror to talkies. Dwight Frye’s gonzo performance as Renfield, the hapless Brit accountant who first sets foot inside Dracula’s foreboding castle, set the film’s tone of ghoulish insanity. For the well-established lead, Bela Lugosi is positively blood-curdling as he stalks every scene. With his thick native Hungarian accent and dapper tuxedo and cape, Lugosi forever defined the title character. The way he looks, behaves and sounds is truly vampiric. Think of Lugosi saying, “The blood is the life.” Or, “I never drink … wine.” Or, “To die, to be really dead, that must be glorious.” And when he hears wolves howling, “Listen to them. Children of the night. What music they make.” To see DRACULA for the first time, after seeing so many other versions, is to appreciate this first one. Lugosi and his eyes, as well as the sets, the story, and to an extent even the early special effects, make it memorable. DRACULA is a classic not to be missed and you’ll have the chance to see it on the big screen when it plays Thursday January 2, at Schlafly Bottleworks (7260 Southwest Avenue Maplewood, MO 63143). The show begins at 7pm.

DRACULA kicks off a new subseries from A Film Series to promote the practice of Universal Design in the built environment.

Other horror classic in this series coming soon are:

FRANKENSTEIN – February
THE MUMMY – March
THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN – April
THE WOLFMAN – May
ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN – October

Check back here at We Are Movie Geeks for updates on those screenings.

Brought to you by A Film Series, Schlafly Bottleworks, AUDP and Real Living Gateway Real Estate.

Doors open at 6:30pm.

$6 suggested for the screening. A yummy variety of food from Schlafly’s kitchen is available as are plenty of pints of their famous home-brewed suds. Jimmie the bartender will be on hand to take care of you.

“Culture Shock” is the name of a film series here in St. Louis that is the cornerstone project of a social enterprise that is an ongoing source of support for Helping Kids Together(http://www.helpingkidstogether.com/) a St. Louis based social enterprise dedicated to building cultural diversity and social awareness among young people through the arts and active living.

The films featured for “Culture Shock” demonstrate an artistic representation of culture shock materialized through mixed genre and budgets spanning music, film and theater. Through ‘A Film Series’ working relationship with Schlafly Bottleworks, they seek to provide film lovers with an offbeat mix of dinner and a movie opportunities.

The facebook invite for the event can be found HERE

https://www.facebook.com/events/778374212178577/

We hope to see everyone this Thursday night!