June '09 in Classics!

[TiggerBear]

---

dulcinea3 wrote:

---

ConnieK wrote:

Excellent!  I'm so pleased to hear from so many of you!  Chris--Thanks a bunch for mentioning those annotated editions and with your comments about each.  That will be so helpful for our members!

I thought I'd mention our selection over in Teen Reads.  Some of the so-called "Twi-hards" might enjoy reading it along with us.  What do you think?

---

I'm not sure which it would fall under, but you might also try the sci-fi and/or paranormal boards, too.  The more, the merrier!

---

Paranormal, definatly those of us in paranormal.

[marciliogq]

I completely disagree with you about a not scary characteristic in Dracula. But opinions are opinions.The descriptions are particularly grim and dark, the atmosphere is scary at all and too terryfying. The paths to the castle, the meeting with Dracula and all of his physical description is fantastic. If I had read this book in my childhood perhaps I hadn't had good nights of sleep.

---

MissJoMay wrote:
This may seem kind of silly, but as someone with a highly overactive imagination, I was hoping someone who has read Dracula could tell me how scary it is.  Am I going to be able to sleep at night when my roommate is gone? How does it compare to something (in scariness) like Frankenstein?

---

TiggerBear wrote:

How timid are you?

It's not scary at all, really. But if you found Frankenstein scary, you'll find Dracula scary. 

And yes I have an over active imagination too, but I didn't find it scary even when I was 10 so..

[TiggerBear]

---

marciliogq wrote:
I completely disagree with you about a not scary characteristic in Dracula. But opinions are opinions.The descriptions are particularly grim and dark, the atmosphere is scary at all and too terryfying. The paths to the castle, the meeting with Dracula and all of his physical description is fantastic. If I had read this book in my childhood perhaps I hadn't had good nights of sleep.

---

MissJoMay wrote:
This may seem kind of silly, but as someone with a highly overactive imagination, I was hoping someone who has read Dracula could tell me how scary it is.  Am I going to be able to sleep at night when my roommate is gone? How does it compare to something (in scariness) like Frankenstein?

---

TiggerBear wrote:

How timid are you?

It's not scary at all, really. But if you found Frankenstein scary, you'll find Dracula scary. 

And yes I have an over active imagination too, but I didn't find it scary even when I was 10 so..

---

Indeed everybody is different. But I grew up with ghost stories as normal fare. 

[dulcinea3]

I was probably about 12 when I read it; I'm not sure if I have reread it since then or not.  I'm sure it was scary, but that's what I would have wanted.  I was already really into horror movies and creature features at that age.  The scariness is what I enjoyed, but it never bothered me or made me lose sleep.

[ConnieAnnKirk]

---

dulcinea3 wrote:

I'm not sure which it would fall under, but you might also try the sci-fi and/or paranormal boards, too.  The more, the merrier!

---

Good idea, dulci!  Thanks!

[Ryan_G]

If anyone can get ahold of Radio Spirits On The Air's release of Orson Wells' Mercury Theater on the Air radio broadcast of Dracula, you won't regeret it.  It is one of the best radio broadcasts I had ever heard.

[ChrisJT]

---

Ryan_G wrote:
If anyone can get ahold of Radio Spirits On The Air's release of Orson Wells' Mercury Theater on the Air radio broadcast of Dracula, you won't regeret it.  It is one of the best radio broadcasts I had ever heard.

---

Ryan_G -- that's a great suggestion.  I found the broadcast online here at archive.org (it is a non-profit that collects a wide degree of material in the public domain.  I downloaded 64Kbps MP3.  You can also listen directly from that page.  It's a wonderful adaptation (very scary!)

[Ryan_G]

Chris,

I'm glad you liked it.  It is one of my favorite things to listen to.  Agnes Moorehead is in it as well and she is one of my all time favorite actresses.

[Oddbit]

What a coincidence I just bought The New Annotated Dracula by Leslie Klinger!  Dracula is one of my all time favorites and got me hooked on vampire movies.  I can't believe it has been 30 years since I first read this book.  Looking forward to our discussions as I reaquaint myself with this classic.  And yes, I also think it is one scary book.

Oddbit

[TiggerBear]

Well I spread the word over in paranormal. So perhaps a few will visit.

[ConnieAnnKirk]

---

TiggerBear wrote:
Well I spread the word over in paranormal. So perhaps a few will visit.

---

Thanks, TiggerBear!

[Ann63]

I am actually listening to an audio form of Dracula right now and I am thoroughly enjoying it. I can see why it has withstood the test of time. The writing is very vivid and the plot is gripping (even though I know the basics of it from the various films I have seen).

I keep reminding myself that when it was first published, it was all new to the readers. Nowadays, we see vampires in all forms of entertainment, and many different interpretations of the original story as well.

In films, I prefer the first version starring Bela Lugosi (although I always enjoy Christopher Lee).

[ConnieAnnKirk]

---

Ann63 wrote:

I am actually listening to an audio form of Dracula right now and I am thoroughly enjoying it. I can see why it has withstood the test of time. The writing is very vivid and the plot is gripping (even though I know the basics of it from the various films I have seen).

I keep reminding myself that when it was first published, it was all new to the readers. Nowadays, we see vampires in all forms of entertainment, and many different interpretations of the original story as well.

In films, I prefer the first version starring Bela Lugosi (although I always enjoy Christopher Lee).

---

Thanks for joining us, Ann!  I can see how Dracula would lend itself perfectly to an audio version.  It reads almost like an old radio play, you know?  Add an interesting voice to do the narration and some spooky music, and it could be really fun!

[Ryan_G]

Connie if you go back to the begining of this thread I talked about and someone else posted a link to a Orson Wells radio play of Dracula.  I own it on CD and it is wonderful.  Everyone should listen to it, the link that the poster gave (sorry can't remember the name) lets you listen to it for free.

---

ConnieK wrote:

---

Ann63 wrote:

I am actually listening to an audio form of Dracula right now and I am thoroughly enjoying it. I can see why it has withstood the test of time. The writing is very vivid and the plot is gripping (even though I know the basics of it from the various films I have seen).

I keep reminding myself that when it was first published, it was all new to the readers. Nowadays, we see vampires in all forms of entertainment, and many different interpretations of the original story as well.

In films, I prefer the first version starring Bela Lugosi (although I always enjoy Christopher Lee).

---

Thanks for joining us, Ann!  I can see how Dracula would lend itself perfectly to an audio version.  It reads almost like an old radio play, you know?  Add an interesting voice to do the narration and some spooky music, and it could be really fun!

---

[ConnieAnnKirk]

---

Ryan_G wrote:
Connie if you go back to the begining of this thread I talked about and someone else posted a link to a Orson Wells radio play of Dracula.  I own it on CD and it is wonderful.  Everyone should listen to it, the link that the poster gave (sorry can't remember the name) lets you listen to it for free.

---

Geez, Ryan--I remember that now and may have even commented about it!  Ha!  Thanks so much for the kick in the head! 

That said, though, is it an adaptation of the novel, rather than a reading of the novel itself?

Message Edited by ConnieK on 06-11-2009 03:14 PM

[Ryan_G]

It's a radio play.  It's actually Orson Wells' first radio production for his Mercury Theater.  It's a hour long adaptation that is wonderful.  Orson Wells plays both Dracula and Dr. Seward (I hope I have that right) and Agnes Moorehead is Mina.  I have the CD dowloaded to my iPod and will at times will listen to it as I'm going to bed.

---

ConnieK wrote:

---

Ryan_G wrote:
Connie if you go back to the begining of this thread I talked about and someone else posted a link to a Orson Wells radio play of Dracula.  I own it on CD and it is wonderful.  Everyone should listen to it, the link that the poster gave (sorry can't remember the name) lets you listen to it for free.

---

Geez, Ryan--I remember that now and may have even commented about it!  Ha!  Thanks so much for the kick in the head! 

That said, though, is it an adaptation of the novel, rather than a reading of the novel itself?

Message Edited by ConnieK on 06-11-2009 03:14 PM

---

[ConnieAnnKirk]

---

Ryan_G wrote:
It's a radio play.  It's actually Orson Wells' first radio production for his Mercury Theater.  It's a hour long adaptation that is wonderful.  Orson Wells plays both Dracula and Dr. Seward (I hope I have that right) and Agnes Moorehead is Mina.  I have the CD dowloaded to my iPod and will at times will listen to it as I'm going to bed.

---

As you're going to bed???

[Ryan_G]

Don't ask

---

ConnieK wrote:

---

Ryan_G wrote:
It's a radio play.  It's actually Orson Wells' first radio production for his Mercury Theater.  It's a hour long adaptation that is wonderful.  Orson Wells plays both Dracula and Dr. Seward (I hope I have that right) and Agnes Moorehead is Mina.  I have the CD dowloaded to my iPod and will at times will listen to it as I'm going to bed.

---

As you're going to bed???

---