Synopsis:

After viewing an initial cut of director Tod Browning's Dracula in late 1930, Universal Pictures president Carl Laemmle, Sr complained that the film gave him the "Heebie-jeebies" and ordered that it be re-edited. Several minutes of film were cut and a number of scenes were rearranged, resulting in numerous continuity errors and giving the third act a glacial pace. Although the missing footage remains lost, this edit restores the continuity established in the original shooting script (and Melford's simultaneously shot Spanish-language version of Dracula) eliminating most of the continuity errors and quickening the film's pace in the third act. Two versions of my fanedit are available on the DVD. One using film elements taken solely from the release version of Browning's film (the "purist" edition), and a second incorporating additional cut scenes and alternate footage taken from the Spanish-language version of the film directed by George Melford and shot on Browning's sets at night.

Intentions:

Restore the film to the continuity of the shooting script.

Change List:

Cutlist (version made with Browning elements only): 00:00:00 - 00:29:51 No significant change. 00:29:51 - 00:31:28 Fade in on scene set in Van Helsing's lab. 00:31:28 - 00:32:45 Fade in on gate to Seward's sanitarium, followed by scene in Renfield's room with Renfield and Martin. 00:32:45 - 00:36:24 Fade in on scene set in Seward's office. 00:36:24 - 00:52:21 Fade in on Mina recounting her dream and subsequent scenes. Deleted repeated footage of Dracula rising from box at Carfax Abbey. 00:52:21 - 00:53:19 Cut to scene set in Renfield's room where Dracula appears outside window. 00:53:19 - 00:55:13 Van Helsing, Harker, and Seward in library, joined by Renfield. Seward calls Martin to tell him Renfield has escaped again. 00:55:13 - 00:56:28 Dracula's first visit to Mina's bedroom, included portions of later scene where Dracula hypnotizes nurse, deleted repeated footage of bat at window. 00:56:28 - 00:59:05 Van Helsing, Harker, Seward, Renfield in library. Others leave as Dracula confronts Van Helsing. 00:59:05 - 01:00:57 Harker visits Mina upstairs on terrace. 01:00:57 - 01:02:48 Conclusion of Dracula's confrontation with Van Helsing in library. 01:02:48 - 01:13:56 Conclusion of scene upstairs on terrace, Dracula's second visit to Mina's bedroom (slightly reworked to disguise missing footage used to support Dracula's first visit to Mina's bedroom), chase to Carfax Abbey and dispatch of Dracula.

Additional Notes:

Edited using Sony Movie Studio Platinum 13.0.

Other Sources:

Dracula Blu-Ray Dracula: Spanish Blu-Ray

Special Thanks:

The members of the FanEdit community.