#vlad țepeș icons

[tianmicons]

[horrorvillaintourney]

DRACULA SMACKDOWN ROUND 1 MATCH 1: Vlad the Impaler (Romanian History) vs. Jeremi Wiśniowiecki (Polish History)

PROPAGANDA FOR VLAD:

"Ok, so he’s not an actual vampire, and when it comes to cruel leaders from Romania he’s definitely topped by Ceaușescu, but I think he deserves a chance to fight all these fictional demons loosely inspired by him"

PROPAGANDA FOR JEREMI:

“he is basically the polish equivalent of vlad the impaler in that he was a warlord prince that impaled people a lot. and also i've heard that he was thought to have some sort of deal with the devil and all that. at least that's what i read in "by fire and sword" by henryk sienkiewicz. he looks cool in portraits but had a loser son who became king of poland”

[marimayscarlett]

What countries would you like to visit and why?

Hi 😊

This is such a lovely and unexpected ask, thanks a lot!

Probably not a lot of people are interested in this, but I'd answer it regardless:

I'd like to visit Japan again. I spend my honeymoon there in 2019 and we traveled for about three weeks through like the centre of the main island of Honshu, but I'd love to visit the north of the island (visiting the area of Aomori) and explore the island of Hokkaido (mostly wanting to visit Sapporo). I adore the japanese culture, history and pop culture a lot and the food is amazing. Plus the japanese people we've met on our travels were incredibly nice and heartfelt!!

Since I was a child, I dreamed about visiting Transilvania in Romania, mostly due to my love for real historical vampire lore and my interest in Vlad III. Drăculea/Vlad Țepeș. Especially visiting several castles (for example the Bran castle) would be on my list. Plus visitng my longest known mutual and bonus aunt to my little one, the iconic @skeysesil 🖤

A country which isn't far from my own but I never came around to visit yet is Czechoslovakia. A lot of my ancestors originated from there and would still live there if it wasn't for WW2, so I'd use my trip to do some family-tree research and especially visit Prague and Brünn.

I'd love to visit Finland someday. Just to explore the country, the nature, walking around Tampere and Helsinki. This country strikes me as such a relaxed and serene one 🤍 Plus meeting the lovely @gloomy-blonde 🤍

Still playing with the idea of visiting China someday (I'm especially interested in the old royal dynastic history of this country) or South Korea (my dad travelled there regularly for business some years ago and really liked it, so I'm also curious). Not sure though yet 😊

[ghovlpire]

                 𝐘𝐎𝐔'𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐊 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐘'𝐕𝐄 𝐍𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐌𝐄𝐓 𝐀 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 - 𝐆𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐋 𝐁𝐄𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄 !

GENERAL

full name:  sibella  țepeș  drăculea .

nicknames:  sib ,  bella .

age:  twenty - three .

gender:  cis  female .

species:  vampire ( dhampir )

orientation:  bisexual , biromantic bc no vampire is het .

date of birth:  july 13th .

place of birth:  transylvania ,  romania .

residence:  evermore .

occupation:  housekeeper  @  hotel  transylvania .

RELATIONSHIPS

parents:  count  vlad  dracula  țepeș  ( father ,  vampire ) ,  lisa  ( mother ,  human / deceased ) .

sibilings:  that's  a  Very  good  question  *eyes emoji* .

significant other(s):  diablo  corvus  🖤🐦‍⬛

PHYSIQUE

faceclaim:  d.anielle  r.ose  r.ussell .

eye color:  green ,  but  turns  red  when  she's  in  vampire  mode .

hair color:  light brown ,  becomes  purple  when  she  transforms .

height: 5′2″

ABILITIES

flight :  sibella  can  fly !  both  as  a  bat  and  in  her  regular  human  form .  it's  a  lot  easier  as  a  bat  though  —  and  more  fun !

transformation :  sibella  can  transform  into  a  purple  bat .  in  addition  to  that ,  she  can  transform  into  a  colony  of  bats ,  which  is  more  demanding  but  looks  very  nice !  she  can  also  use  her  hair  to  mimic  bat  wings  when  transforming ,  as  well  as extend  her  already  long  hair  into  a  cape  of  sorts .  the  best  way  i  can  describe  it  is  as  some  bayonetta  sort  of  thing ,  like  this  concept  design  piece  for  instance .

immortality :  she'll  never  die !  doesn't  mean  she  can't  get  injured  though ,  but  she'll  most  certainly  heal  from  it  at  a  decent  speed .  it's  a  little  scary  to  think  all  her  human  friends  will  pass  eventually ,  but  she'll  just  wait  for  their  reincarnations !

character inspo:  sibella  dracula  ( scooby - doo  &  the  ghoul  school ) ,  alucard  ( castlevania ) ,  misa  amane  ( deathnote ) ,  elvira  ( pop culture icon ) ,  jessica  hamby  ( true  blood ) ,  minako  aino  ( sailor moon )

                                                  𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓'𝐒 𝐖𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐆 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐁𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐘?

HEADCANONS

her full name is sibella țepeș drăculea,  but she gave up on using it just before entering high school. while sibella is very proud of being a vampire, it could get a little annoying explaining how to properly pronounce her name, which is romanian. so she settled for dracule instead of drăculea, and rarely mentions her middle name!

while sibella presents herself as a vampire, she is more specifically a dhampir — the union between a vampire and a human. what this means is that she has all the abilities of a vampire and few to none of their weaknesses. an example of that is the fact that she can walk in the sun, though she's a huge advocate of wearing sunscreen. never leaves home without it!

on a similar note, because her mother is human, sibella doesn't really feel the oh-so-famous thirst for human blood. she enjoys it, it's very delicious, but she doesn't need it to live. in fact, she's recently discovered a drink recipe that tastes very similar to human blood; she calls it her 'v juice'!

sibella's voice is one of the most distinguishing features about her. it's very gentle and sweet, but also a bit raspy and whisper-like. she's not a very loud person, preferring to let her fellow ghoul friends scream and howl!

she is the proud mother of an albino snake named carmilla, and loves to spoil the little creature. carmilla presence helps her feel a little more connected to home. she also has a familiar; a raven called lestat.

she is very protective of her friends, and often takes on the role of mom friend of the group. it just feels like a natural fit to her, and it's been this way with all of her other friends, humans or not, ever since she met the other ghouls.

she's a huge, huge fan of volleyball!  never stopped caring about it, even after high school. she's always looking for a new opportunity to brush up on her skills!

because she's of vampiric nature , sibella might come across as a big flirt. however, that's not always the case. she's just a very kind person and her supernatural allure sometimes makes it come across like she's flirting, though she doesn't mind it much since it often gets people to treat her nicely. who doesn't love to be treated well?!

[cryptonews256]

Is Vlad the Impaler Really the Inspiration for Dracula?

Is Vlad the Impaler Really the Inspiration for Dracula?

In 2015 the Guinness Book of Records named Count Dracula as the most adapted literary figure with, at that time, over 500 productions making use of Bram Stoker’s iconic character. Underneath the cloak and dripping fangs has always been the suggestion that the monstrous Count is based on a true story, that of Vlad Țepeș, Voivode of Wallachia during the 1400s. The nature of this inspiration has…

[pastrysmarts]

Dracula Icons

Please Like, Reblog, Or Credit me in your bio if using

[incorrectsmashbrosquotes]

Ganondorf vs Dracula DEATH BATTLE: Alternate Ending(s)

(Spoilers for the latest Death Battle)

-

Part I: The Winner is Ganondorf

(Dracula, in his demon bat form, plucks Ganondorf from the rubble)

Dracula: You’re right. You’re no man. You’re a pig. Let me hear you squeal!

(Ganondorf, though his power wanes without the Triforce, looks the vampire lord into his eyes and makes his last resort)

Dracula: DORIYAH!!! 

(Ganondorf thrusts his hand forward, and powerful waves of darkness flow from him and into Dracula)

Dracula: GAAAHHHHH!!!

(Dracula drops Ganondorf as he reels back, falling to one knee)

Dracula: (winded, darkness surging in and around him) What…what did you do?

Ganondorf: (struggles to stand, blood dripping from his lip) The Gerudo Death Curse. The very same I used on that accursed tree.

Dracula: You really think… (though the curse is clearly affecting him, he powers through it) …your puny magic is enough to defeat me!?

Ganondorf: No. (he smirks, glancing toward the east horizon) Not on it’s own, anyway.

(Before Dracula can react, he feels a scorching sensation on the side of his face)

Dracula: Aggh! (covering one side of his face, he looks toward the east and his black heart sinks to his stomach as he sees the morning sun rise over the mountains) No… (turns toward the recovering Ganondorf, unbridled rage burning in Dracula’s eyes) NO! You tricked me, you miserable- (suddenly Dracula’s demon bat form erupts into raging blue flame as the sun rises, bathing the dark lord in its’ light as he wails in agony) -AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

Ganondorf: Arrogant old fool… (Ganondorf says as he powers through his injuries, pulling the Sword of the Seven Sages from the rubble and approaching Dracula’s burning, writhing form) I don’t deny your power…but you are no god.

(The combined power of Ganondorf’s curse and the light of the sun has reduced Dracula to a withered, nearly skeletal version of his former self, moaning and whimpering in pain as he fruitlessly crawls away, the sun still burning his body)

Dracula: Aaahhghh….

Ganondorf: You’re nothing but another wretched creature of the night. A foul monster… (he approaches Dracula from the side and kicks him over onto his back) …you don’t belong on this world.

Dracula: (pants, severely weakened to the point where he can only watch as Ganondorf raises his sword and aims for Dracula’s chest)

Ganondorf: DIE!

(Ganondorf plunges the holy Sword of the Seven Sages straight through Dracula’s heart, burying the sword to its’ hilt into the vampire’s flesh)

Dracula: AAAAAAGGGHHHHH!!!!

(beams of both light and darkness begin to shoot from all over Dracula’s body, his eyes aflame as blood pours from his mouth, nose, and ears. Finally, his entire explodes in a burst of pure energy, bits and pieces of the former vampire lord raining from the sky. Ganondorf stands, giving his iconic laugh)

K.O.!

Part II: A New Foe Approaches…

Ganondorf: Your castle has fallen, vampire. No man can challenge my power.

Dracula: But what is a man? A miserable pile of sec-

(Suddenly a dark, eerie portal appears below Dracula, pulling him and his throne in with the force of a black hole. Ganondorf struggles briefly, but he too is pulled in. Soon they both find themselves in the center of a massive stone arena, the sky dark and the sun barely giving any light at all. Despite this, the arena is packed to the brim with spectators, all cheering and hollering as the two evil kings compose themselves)

Dracula: Is this your idea of a joke, wizard?

Ganondorf: (clearly irritated) Do I look amused, bloodsucker?

(Before Dracula can counter, a big, booming voice comes from the other side of the ring, from a hulking figure shrouded by smoke)

???: Ganondorf Dragmire! Dracula Vlad Țepeș! 

(Ganondorf and Dracula look toward the figure)

Ganondorf: And who are you?

???: I, like you, am a great king. A king that rules over his people through power…and darkness.

Dracula: You think flattery will spare you from my wrath? You’ll pay for your insolence with blood!

Ganondorf: (draws the Sword of the Seven Sages) Show yourself, coward!

(The hulking figure begins to step forward)

???: Then I shall waste no time on ceremony. Let the true King of Darkness be decided…

(The smoke subsides and the crowd roars as the figure is revealed to be…)

Shao Kahn: Through MORTAL KOMBAT!!!

ROUND ONE…FIGHT!

[cidolfus-a-trahan]

The very first MonsterClash!

As part of the kick off for my yearly series of horror reviews on my Youtube channel, I dug up the very first review I ever wrote, which was a comparison of the 1931 Universal film Dracula with the 1992 Francis Ford Coppola Version.

Since the video, which you can see here references this article, I had decided to post the full text here rather than link to the original Facebook page that hosted it.

Be warned, this was written long before I started writing film reviews in earnest and has not aged particularly well.

Without further ado, here is the very first edition of MonsterClash

Romney’s Reviews “Reviews I’d want to film but am unable to.” #1: Bram Stoker’s Dracula 1931 vs. 1992

Dracula, his name is known the world over. Many images come to mind when it is uttered. Starting out as a fictitious character in the novel by the Irish author, Abraham “Bram” Stoker, in 1897, this icon of gothic horror has appeared in everything from movies, to television, to even video games among other things. Even the original story itself has been adapted numerous times as stage plays, movies, and games. Now I know what you’re probably thinking, what about Vlad Țepeș? Contrary to popular belief, this Romanian prince was not the direct inspiration for Dracula. According to his working notes, Stoker had the basic outline of the story already layed out before tying in the stories of Vlad the Impaler. Many scholars believe that this is more of an afterthought, but I digress.

What I am here to talk to you about are the two most well know adaptations of the famous novel. The first version being the 1931 version of Dracula directed by Tod Browning and starring Bela Lugosi as the titular villain, and the 1992 version, directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Gary Oldman in the role of Dracula. Both versions have been praised by fans and critics alike. Having now seen both versions, this review shall compare the two, seeing what each one has over the other. From here on in, it shall be category based, so let’s not waste anymore time.

The first category, or round, shall be: Atmosphere

One of the major facets of any horror film is the world it creates and how it pulls you in. This category shall go into the details of setting, sound design, and to a lesser extent music.

1931 version: The settings of this film evoke the imagery we always see when we think of horror films. It shows the quaintness of the Transylvanian village, the eeriness of Castle Dracula and the various undercrofts depicted. The gothic sets are extremely well done, although simple by today’s standards, capture the gothic atmosphere that was most likely what Bram Stoker had pictured. The sound design in this film is minimal at best, more of the focus put on the dialogue. There are a few audio cues inserted here and there, but only to really announce the arrival of Dracula. In the case of music, the version I watched was the version with the added score by Philip Glass, however, I managed to see what I could of the original version. In the original version, the only music in the film served as overture and concluding themes as well as a few diegetic pieces for the music box and the scene at the symphony. In the version with the Philip Glass score, the music overpowers certain parts of dialogue and detracts a little bit from the atmosphere of the film. I don’t know if it’s always the case with this version, but on the DVD I watched it on, the music was too loud and got a little irritating. To me, it seemed as if it was composed more for a silent film.

1992 version: The settings in this film are on the same level as the 1931 version, but Coppola didn’t hesitate to use many colorful elements as part of the sets. However, as it can be seen in both the film and the interviews with the costume designer, Coppola used the principle of “the costumes are the sets”. He uses color to differentiate the different settings, a grim black for Transylvania and a shade of gray for London, and more extravagant colors to express the characters’ personalities. The sound design is a lot more atmospheric and really draws you into the world. However, it is important to note that sound design was on a different level of priority at the dawn of the talking motion picture, but the effort is an added bonus. The music in this film is more present, with the amount of diegetic music greatly reduced. The score of this film functions in the same manner that a film score is usually employed, so there is not much else to say.

Victory Tally

Setting: Tie

Sound: 1992 version

Music: 1992 version

Conclusion: 1992 Version, the atmosphere of this film is a little more complete and is a little bit easier to be drawn into.

Round 2: Cinematography

Where would film be without the camera? Last time I checked, there hasn’t been any film made without a camera, thus the name of the medium, FILM. (Even animation uses cameras people.)

1931 version: The cinematography of this film is what makes some of the moments of this film classic. It shows the grandiose and derelict nature of Castle Dracula, making the halls and undercrofts look even emptier. When you remove the Phillip Glass score, a lot of the shots create the eerie atmosphere we associate Dracula with today. This was what made the film terrifying to most people in its initial run. One of my favorite scenes in this film is the standoff between Van Helsing and Dracula. The shots are simplistic, but in the same fashion as the silent film, the picture is worth a thousand words. The rest of the film is filled with moments like this, again more effective without Philip Glass’s score.

1992 version: You can tell that this film pays homage to the rich film history that Dracula is associated with, at one point even being shot with an old camera, changing the type of film mid- scene from black and white to two color Technicolor and then finally to full color. Everything in this film is shot in a style that is reminiscent of all of the classic horror films, but Coppola also puts his own style into the film with some of the more artistic shots. It achieves it’s eeriness in a completely different way that doesn’t rely entirely on the cinematography, which can be considered either a plus or a minus, depending on which school of thought you come from.

Victory Tally

IT’S A TIE! The Coppola version wouldn’t be there without the standards set by its predecessors.

Round 3: Characters

What’s a story without characters? Not a story, that’s what. They don’t always need to be human, but there are always characters. This round comes in two parts; I don’t feel that need to explain why.

Part 1: Dracula

1931 version: Even though there were versions before this version, the earliest surviving example being Murnau’s Nosferatu, Bela Lugosi’s performance set the standard for how Dracula is portrayed in many other forms of media. A fact that is only known amongst the more hardcore film buffs is that Lugosi got the role because of his performance in the Dracula Broadway play, so he was already adept at his performance when they began performing screen tests at Universal. In addition to his earnest performance, Lugosi had a look that was both alluring and terrifying, reflecting the hypnotic effect a vampire is known to have on people.

1992 version: The way Gary Oldman portrayed Dracula captured both the terrifying elements as well as more of the romantic elements that were brought to the character in the 1979 remake made by Universal. However, some of the terrifying elements were aided by the make-up, cinematography, and the other atmospheric elements. However, when it came to the romantic elements of the character, that is where, in my opinion, Gary Oldman is at his strongest. It may not have been on the same level as Lugosi, but Oldman gave a performance that create another original form of Dracula that has also translated to other media, as well as indirectly serve as inspiration for some “other” vampire lore.

Part 2: The Other Characters

1931 version: The cast of characters is greatly reduced in this version from the original novel, mainly Arthur Holmwood and Quincy Morris are omitted. The dynamic between characters is also changed. For example, the love affairs of Lucy Westerna (changed to Western in this version) are also omitted. Dr. Jack Seward’s character is aged to the same age as Professor Van Helsing and is the father of Mina in this version. Instead of Harker visiting Dracula in the beginning, it’s Renfield who delivers the deed to the Count, the incidents that took place at the castle being the explanation for his madness. The characters that are focused on in this film are Dracula, Van Helsing, and Mina. I say this because they are the only ones who have any real character development. Harker looks as if he was put in just as the love interest and potential victim of Mina, therefore, he has little to no personality in this version. The insanity of Renfield is done incredibly well in this version, capturing the split personality and schizophrenic elements of the character. The suave and intelligent nature of Van Helsing is captured beautifully, making for a character who is almost a badass. The innocence of Mina is a typical female archetype, so it’s not something someone can do wrong unless they try REALLY hard.

1992 version: The characters in this version are a little better developed. In this version, Quincy and Holmwood are present and play a great role in the story. All of the characters in this film have an equal role and are a little closer to the personality of the characters in the original novel. Now the believability of some the characters is thrown in to question, mainly with Harker, played by Keanu Reeves. To his credit, he did give a decent performance, but I had trouble taking his accent seriously at certain points. Mina and Lucy are given more of a personality in this version. Lucy is seen as the flirtatious romantic, toying with her three suitors the way many women do today. Mina is seen as a more headstrong character that has her weaknesses that she tries to keep hidden. Renfield’s madness is on the same level as the Renfield of the 1931 version, but is given more animalistic traits. Van Helsing’s more quirky traits are more apparent and Seward’s ambitious nature shines through in this film. Despite the casting choice, Harker is given more personality in this film and is seen more as the guy who’s in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Victory Tally

Dracula: IT’S A TIE! (This is turning into Telos* people, be very afraid.) The winner can’t be decided because it’s two entirely different schools of thought at work here. It’s a case of classic vs. contemporary. I leave this decision to you.

Everyone else: 1992 version. These characters are a little more fleshed out and developed. They have more personality and make the film feel a little more complete.

Round 3: Story

The purpose of film is to tell a story, whether realistic or fantastic. So let’s take a look at the overall story of both films.

1931 version: The story of this version is a simplified version of the story from the novel. As a result, this gives off the same air as an adaptation of Greek mythology like the original Clash of the Titans. Things are kept simple and treated like a stage play. The pacing of the story does feel a bit rushed at times, with some unexplainable transitions put in to keep things moving. To me, it feels a bit like the cliff notes version of Dracula.

1992 version: This version is a little more complex than the 1931 version and has more events happen overall. The pacing of this is steadier, nothing feels rushed nor dragged on. Now the fact that so much happens may feel a bit stymieing, but it’s not like so much is packed in that it leaves the viewer confused. This seems like a more detailed version of a mythological adaptation that adds subtle nuances here and there to make a more realistic world.

Victory Tally

IT’S A TIE! That’s mainly because it depends on how you want to see the plot. If you want a simple, more mythic version, the 1931 version is a good place to start. If you want something a little more detailed, then the 1992 version may be more up your alley.

Round 4: Faithfulness to the source material

This is a common case of argument for and against a movie based on a book. This round is to show which one is more faithful to the original novel by Bram Stoker.

1931 version: This version has minor deviations throughout. I’ve already mentioned the omission of Quincy and Holmwood as well as the replacement of Harker in the opening scene with Renfield. The climax itself is also different, with only Van Helsing killing Dracula in the undercroft of Carfax Abbey instead of the full party of Harker, Van Helsing, Quincy, Holmwood, Seward, and Mina slaying him back in Transylvania. The other deviations are mainly character based while the main heart of the story, that of a demon terrorizing the civilized world, is kept intact.

1992 version: A good friend of mine put it best with this sentence. “It’s the truest to the novel, but it makes the biggest departure.” It stays incredibly true to the novel, but it’s large departure is the romance between Mina and Dracula, this involves a subplot about Dracula’s lover from when he was alive, Elisabetha, looking exactly like Mina. This was probably added to make Dracula a little more sympathetic, but people tend to be divided about this, especially in recent years with “certain” iterations of vampire lore.

Final Round: Overall

Both films are noteworthy in their own right, but which film is the definitive version of the tale? Looking at the tally so far, although it is close, there can be only one winner.

WINNER

1992

Bram Stoker’s Dracula

Directed by Francis Ford Coppola

Starring

Gary Oldman

Keanu Reeves

Winona Ryder

And

Anthony Hopkins

The 1931 is a classic, but the 1992 version is the more complete film. If you are in the mood for a poetic form of gothic horror, then this is the version for you. I still highly recommend the 1931 version of Dracula since it’s a classic and gives you a great insight into the evolution of the vampire in fiction. This version is also great to watch if you have kids watching with you, while the 1992 version is better enjoyed with a more adult audience.

Well, I hope you have enjoyed this review. We conclude, I shall impart on you the remaining words of a lost speech, given by Edward Van Sloan, the actor who played Professor Van Helsing, after a screening of the 1931 film in its initial run.

“Just a moment, ladies and gentleman…just a word before you go. We hope the memories of Dracula won’t give you bad dreams, so just a word of reassurance. When you get home tonight and the lights are turned out…and you’re afraid to look behind the curtains…and you dread to see a face at the window….well, just pull yourself together and remember, after all… there are such things as VAMPIRES!”

Thanks for reading, and Happy Halloween.

*Telos is an awards show where the students of my high school would submit short films to be judged by outside parties that had film experience. During this particular year, a number of films had tied with one another across multiple categories, so much so that it became a running joke throughout the awards show.

[tianmicons]

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