Louis Jordan - was he miscast?

I think Jourdan made an excellent Dracula.

He was very subtle in his menace. He didn't try for the more over-the-top theatrics of Gary Oldman, the animal savagery of Christopher Lee, or the stagey performance of Bela Lugosi.

The closest comparison to Louis Jourdan's performance was Frank Langella's in the 1979 film Dracula. He have a more romantic approach to the role.

Jourdan gave a more literate performance. He appeared normal, but always had something lurking underneith -such as when he effortlessly carries in Harker's heavy truck, or when he calmly drops the mirror out the window.

I think that Jourdan's performance was effective because he was so restrained and subtle. Whenever I read the novel, I visualize Jourdan as Dracula. I think he has given the best performance as Dracula to date. Admittedly, his is not the most well-known. (That distinction is still held by Bela Lugosi). However, he gave a performance closest to how the character comes across in the book.

I thought Jourdan was excellent and particulary agree with R T C about Jourdan's transformation from suave to unsettling. The first and only time I have seen "Count Dracula" was when it played on PBS in '77. I watched it with my wife (now ex-wife but I digress) and to this day whenever the subject of Dracula might come up (remake, Halloween, etc) she still will say that this was the best Dracula ever. And it's Dracula's appeal to women that gets his foot in the door (or in this case, window). The only two scenes I can remember from that viewing in '77 is Jourdan crawling down the wall and also when the Count pulls a baby out of a bag for a late night snack for his posse. Both very, very unsettling.

Ok, this is the first time I have responded to a posting here, but, having watched the original airing on PBS, at age 22, and having been so affected by it, I feel I must put in my two cents worth. First, let me state that, for me, Louis Jourdan was perfectly cast in this 1977 version. He was completely, as was the entire movie, sexual. (As mentioned by wayne138, the orgasmic scream.) When Dracula tears open his shirt, slowly drags his finger across it and Miss Mina is forced to drink, well come on, you don't have to be Fellini to figure that one out do you? One has to remember this was 1977, not 1997. For this time period this was a very shocking film. Women did not go around in films on television draining a man to the point of Jourdan’s expressions in this version. I haven’t been able to see it since 77, and I still remember it very well. No, not who played Mina, or Jonathan or Van Helsing. I remember Louis Jourdan. He became Dracula forever for me that night. No one has come close since, and as you all know there have been many attempts. Sidebar: this is also the only film that had given me nightmares since I was a child, and that from the scene where Dracula lifts the baby out of the bag and holds it up for his ‘brides’ as their reward, at least this is the way I remember it. Again, don’t forget when this film was made, it was way ahead of its’ time. Louis Jourdan; suave, sophisticated, sinister, subtle, sexual and very unsettling. He brought the legend to a new intensity that has not been matched since.

Are you insane? Louis Jordan was fantastic as Dracula: opening his eyes and taking the first breath of the night, crawling down the castle wall, the abject terror he inspired in Renfield (who was also excellent), the way he said, "Fools"... I haven't seen this since it first aired and it is still fresh in my memory. Lugosi was possessed, Lee owed a lot to prosthetics and make-up, Langella was grandstanding, and Oldman - please. Jourdan delivered a nuanced interpretation which ranks right behind Lugosi, in my opinion. The production as a whole was innovative (his face filling up and flooding the room) and compelling.

He Was The Best Dracula Period

I think Louis Jourdan was perfect for the role at the time. He was subtly wicked, charming, winking at Jonathan Harker's demised situation. He was cold yet having the charisma to beat Lucy and Mina's heart. I wish PBS would show this movie again. The last time I had seen this movie I was about twelve years old on Halloween Night.

Was Louis Jourdan miscast as Dracula? Yes, he had matinee idol looks, he had suave sophistication, but did he send shivers down your spine? Could he create forboding and fear in the viewer?

Imo, he wasn't, and did he scare me, no Dracula never really has, I just always find it fascinating more than scary watching him "take" his victims and having this hold over them which is what Louis Jourdan did in this, also doesn't hurt if you're in your 50's and still looking good!

"I promise you before I die, I'll surely come to your doorstep"

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