First published in 1897, Bram Stoker's Dracula has never been out of print. Yet most people are familiar with the title character from the movies. Count Dracula is one of the most-filmed literary characters in history--but has he (or Stoker's novel) ever been filmed accurately? In its third edition, this study focuses on 18 adaptations of Dracula from 1922 to 2012, comparing them to the novel and to each other. Fidelity to the novel does not always guarantee a good movie, while some of the better films are among the more freely adapted. The Universal and Hammer sequels are searched for traces of Stoker, along with several other films that borrow from the novel. The author concludes with a brief look at four latter-day projects that are best dismissed or viewed for ironic laughs.

本書は、ストーカーの名作がいかに銀幕の象徴へと進化したかを解剖する、血の通った年代記です。単なる比較論に留まらず、原作の魂を継承しつつ独自の美学を追求した作品群を称えることで、怪物が持つ多面的な魅力を浮き彫りにします。忠実さのみが正義ではないという著者の鋭い洞察は、物語が変奏される芸術的意義を熱く問いかけます。 映像版で歴代の怪演を直感できる一方、書籍の緻密な分析は、映画で削ぎ落とされた原作の深淵な心理描写を補完しています。視覚的衝撃とテキストの思索が共鳴し合うことで、百余年を経ても色褪せない不死の王の真髄が、鮮烈に読者の心に刻まれることでしょう。