Dracula: The Un-Dead Goes Platinum

Just when I was starting to think that my cynicism over Dracula: the Un-Dead was misplaced, and that Dacre Stoker (who claims he'd rather go fly fishing and read Tom Clancy than have anything to do with vampires) isn't really just cashing in on his family name to produce an unnecessary sequel (and revision) to his great-grand-uncle's classic--along comes this:

That's right, it's a Dracula: The Un-Dead Platinum Visa card. According to Stoker junior's sales pitch in the official Dracula: The Un-Dead newsletter:

If the Dracula bloodline is in your DNA like it's in mine, you’ll want to carry this exclusive, limited edition Visa Card.

This amazing--did I mention it's a limited edition?--card is yours for no annual fee and low, low interest. And I'll bet you can use it to stock up on all sorts of Dracula: The Un-Dead official merchandise. Oh yeah, and there's a book in there somewhere.

Right.

Cynicism: comfortably back in place.

I'm not sure about anyone else but I'm getting pretty tired of people who are neither writers nor vampire fans writing books about vampires. To paraphrase Jorge Luis Borges, don't write unless you can improve the silence.

Bram Stoker Film Festival

October continues to favour vampire devotees, this time with the Bram Stoker International Film Festival, featuring independent international horror/suspense/sci fi films, documentaries, and shorts. Most of the movies aren't about vampires, but there's still plenty of bloody good entertainment, should you happen to be fortunate enough to be within easy reach of Whitby, England this weekend. Besides films, there's a free all-ages Vampire Walk on the 18th (to be led by "The Countess Dracula herself" Ingrid Pitt); opening night festivities, including burlesque/cabaret performances and The Mocky Horror Show; and guest speakers including the aforementioned Ms. Pitt (Countess Dracula, The House that Dripped Blood), New York Times best selling author G.P. Taylor (Shadowmancer), filmmaker Devi Snively (Death in Charge), author/journalist Gavin Baddeley (The Gospel of Filth), and writer/producer Rod Morris (Dying Breed).

The fourty-four films at the festival are unrated and, therefore, open only to the 18+ crowd. Vampire fans might want to check out:

Blood on the Highway: Dimwitted teenagers mistakenly wander into a Texas town populated by even dimmer-witted vampires. The remaining humans band together and prepare for battle. Directed by Barak Epstein and Blair Rowan.








Dracula, the Vampire and the Voivode: "The first documentary ever to reveal the TRUE story of Bram Stoker and his legendary novel..." Directed by Michael Bayley Hughes.




How My Dad Killed Dracula (short): When two young teens don't believe their cousin's dad killed Dracula, he picks up a shovel and starts digging. Directed by Sky Soleil.





Nightlife: A mockumentary about six vampires and the amateur hunters who stalk them (think reality TV meets The Lost Boys). Directed by Timothy Sanderson.









Orlok the Vampire: From the bottomless pit he came... and was re-imaged in 3D! World premiere. Directed by Keith Carter/F.W. Murnau.







Temptation: A murder victim is turned by a sympathetic vampire, and then has 48 hours to decide whether to kill herself or embrace an eternity of being undead. Directed by Catherine Taylor.









Thicker than Water- The Vampire Diaries Part 1: No relation to the TV series or the books by L.J. Smith. "The family that prays together... slays together." Directed by Phil Messerer.









Day passes for films are £25 and tickets for opening night are £18 (a 4-day pass, including access to the opening night events, is £88). To buy tickets or for more info click here. The Bram Stoker International Film Festival runs from 16 October to 19 October 2009, in Whitby, England. For more info click here.

Dracula: The Un-Dead

The new trend in publishing seems to be making sequels for books that have entered the public domain. That these sequels almost always end up being abysmal doesn't seem to bother anyone. But forgive me if I'm not holding out much hope for Dracula: The Un-dead, even if (or maybe particularly because) it's written by Bram Stoker's great-grandnephew, Dacre (oh yeah, and Dracula historian Ian Holt). The mere fact that Dracula has been made over into a sympathetic character (effectively rewriting the original) is enough to set my skeptic sense tingling. I'll do my best, however, to reserve judgment until I actually get a chance to read it.

In the meantime, you might want to check out this preview, or visit the official website.

Dracula: The Undead by Dacre Stoker and Ian Holt. From Dutton. Available 13 October 2009.