Short Summary
Bram Stoker’s Dracula is one of the most successful novels in history. The tale of the evil Count has thrilled and fascinated people since its publication in 1897.
The novel has never been out of print and has been translated into thirty languages and sold in over a hundred and twenty countries worldwide. Count Dracula is now regarded as one of the most famous fictional characters in history.
The image of the undead vampire as a symbol of evil is now firmly embedded in our collective consciousness, thanks to Stoker. Paradoxically, Dracula has also become a symbol of forbidden lust thanks to the later portrayals of the character by Bela Lugosi, Christopher Lee, and Frank Langella. This Count would enter the bedroom of some hapless female and awaken their suppressed sexual desires in a barely hidden act of seduction, caressing and biting their neck, the Count’s teeth stained red with the lifeblood of their now-willing victim.
But what of Bram Stoker, the man behind the creation? Sadly, he left no autobiography and precious little first-hand source material for us to better understand his life and inspirations for his writing of Dracula. For most, he is a shadowy or unknown figure, a man long since eclipsed by the character he created.
However, by examining his private journals, notes, and the memories of those who knew him we can piece together an account of his life and learn much about the man who became the father of Dracula.
Written by author and historian John West, this unique documentary narrated by Dacre Stoker - the great-grand nephew of Bram Stoker - looks at the life of his illustrious ancestor, the author of Dracula, one of the greatest horror novels ever written. Using unique illustrations and photos from the time, it will cover his early life, his mysterious childhood illness, his days as a student in Dublin, his successful career as Sir Henry Irving’s theatre manager at the Lyceum, and, of course, how he came to write Dracula, his most famous work.
We will look into how Bram Stoker gathered his research in different libraries and archives and how he utilised the vampire myth that already existed across Europe and North America to bring to life literature’s greatest horror icon, a figure that, over a 100 years later, still has the power to strike fear in us.
Directed and edited by Jason Figgis, award-winning IFTA-nominated film and TV director.
Written by John West, author and film producer.
Narrated by Dacre Stoker, author and great-grandnephew of Bram Stoker.
Original Music by Emmy-nominated composer Michael Richard Plowman.
Extracts from the diaries of Mina Murray are performed by British actress Gemma Gordon.
Jason Figgis (Director)
Jason Figgis is an award-winning IFTA-nominated film and TV director who has had feature work commissioned or acquired by major broadcasters that include Sky One, Sky Arts, Channel Four, Hulu, RTE, Apple+, iTunes, KSM, SVT, Cinedigm, Tubi, Discovery Channel, Amazon Prime, and Lionsgate Studios. This work has been placed in territories that include 150 countries worldwide.
Figgis’ work includes the IFTA nominated Discovery Channel documentary THE TWILIGHT HOUR, the Sky Arts documentary A MAVERICK IN LONDON (featuring Alan Rickman, Richard E. Grant, and Joanna Lumley), the Tubi and iTunes distributed Nikon sponsored documentary SIMON MARSDEN’S HAUNTED LIFE IN PICTURES (featuring Sir John Hurt), Bayview Entertainment / High Fliers Films / Pinewood Studios release THE GHOST OF WINIFRED MEEKS (starring BIFA winner Lara Belmont) and LOVE? (written and presented by Samantha Beckinsale and acquired for distribution by MVD Entertainment Group). Figgis directed the official music videos for the QUEEN OF ENGLAND’S PLATINUM JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS in 2022. He also restored the classic German horror film NOSFERATU for the 100th anniversary (distributed by Bayview Entertainment). Figgis is in production of THE GIRL ON THE BALCONY - the authorised film looking at the life and work of actress Olivia Hussey and has just completed COLIN WILSON: HIS LIFE AND WORK - the authorised six-part series of films looking at the life and career of the prolific writer and philosopher.
Other authorised feature documentary work includes A MAN FOR ALL REASONS - a look at the life and work of former Boston Mayor Ray Flynn, the Manchester City Council sponsored feature documentary SHIRLEY BAKER: LIFE THROUGH A LENS which takes a look at the life of the celebrated English street photographer, DIE STRONG which features Fallacy of Barriers founder and rights activist Lily Brasch and FATHER OF DRACULA which examines the life and work of Dracula author, Bram Stoker. Figgis has just completed post-production on his feature film THE HOUSE AT THE END OF THE LANE starring BAFTA-winning actor Patrick Bergin.
Figgis started his career in TV and film in animation for Murakami-Wolf on the celebrated cult TV series TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES. He went on to work for Steven Spielberg at his London-based Amblimation Studios on the feature classic AN AMERICAN TAIL: FIEVEL GOES WEST which starred James Stewart and John Cleese and then for legendary animator Richard Williams at his studio in Camden, London on the cult classic THE THIEF AND THE COBBLER which starred Vincent Price, Matthew Broderick and Kenneth Williams.
John West (Producer/Publicist/Writer)
John West is a film producer, journalist, publicist, actor, award-winning DJ, and TV presenter and is the author of books and articles on history, crime, ghosts, and folklore. One of his guides, Roman Lincoln, was turned into a BBC Radio Lincolnshire documentary, where he acted as the co-presenter. Other books include studies of Roman York and Victorian murders. His first book on British ghosts - Britain's Haunted Heritage - was published in November 2019. Two new titles, Britain's Ghostly Heritage and The Battle of Gainsborough 1643 were published by JMD Media in April 2022. A new book, Britain's Haunted Land was published in October 2023. In Search of Roman Lincoln is due to be published in 2024. As a journalist, West currently writes for Psychic News and Suffolk and Norfolk Life. His features include celebrity interviews and investigations into famous hauntings from the UK and beyond.
He has worked as a presenter at six radio stations, including BBC Radio Suffolk, and has several hundred shows to his credit. He was Mustard TV's regular studio historian for over three years and appeared on the Norfolk station to talk about subjects ranging from the Romans to The Beatles. He has also been a guest on London Live TV where he discussed Simon Marsden and Jason Figgis’ film about his life and work.
West was a supporting artist on BBC’s Detectorists, Netflix’s The Crown, and feature films, The Personal History of David Copperfield, Grandest Wedding of Royals, Boudica: Queen of War, and Danny Boyle’s Yesterday.
He has been interviewed on BBC London, BBC Manchester, BBC Cornwall, BBC Essex, BBC Norfolk, BBC Suffolk, BBC Lincolnshire, BBC Cambridgeshire, BBC Three Counties, Radio Lincoln, KCOR Radio, RWSfm, Felixstowe Radio, Felixstowe TV, Blythe Radio, Siren Radio, ICR, Deben Radio, Blog Talk Radio, IO Radio, and Minster FM about his books and his interest in history, film, and folklore. He has been the subject of articles in several newspapers and magazines concerning his books and interest in ghosts and history.
In 2018 West teamed up with film and TV writer/director Jason Figgis. He became a producer/publicist on the film, Simon Marsden: A Life in Pictures, going on to coproduce and act in Figgis’ M.R. James-inspired chiller The Ghost of Winifred Meeks. They went on to form Figgis-West, a production company with John co-producing Figgis’ The Grey Man, Clare Island, The Wedding Ring, In Our Day, Mythmaker: George A. Romero, The Black Widow, and Dunkirk 80.
From 2021 to 2023 the team made four documentaries, Maverick, Shirley Baker: Life Through a Lens, Colin Wilson: His Life and Work, and Love? John wrote Shirley Baker: Life Through a Lens and contributed material to Colin Wilson: His Life and Work. John also wrote the narration for Father of Dracula, a documentary about Bram Stoker - now in production. John was also co-producer of the QUEEN OF ENGLAND’S PLATINUM JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS MUSIC VIDEOS in 2022 (directed and edited by Jason Figgis). He also acted as co-producer on the restored classic German horror film NOSFERATU for the 100th anniversary (distributed by Bayview Entertainment).
Dacre Stoker (Author, Presenter)
Dacre is the great-grandnephew of Bram Stoker and the international best-selling co-author of Dracula the Un-Dead (2009) and Dracul (2018). Dacre is also the co-editor of The Lost Journal of Bram Stoker: The Dublin Years (2012). Dacre is a native of Montreal, Canada. He taught physical education and sciences for twenty-two years in both Canada and the U.S. He has participated in the sport of modern pentathlon as an athlete and a coach at the international and Olympic levels for Canada for 12 years. Dacre has consulted and appeared in recent film documentaries about vampires in literature and popular culture. The Real Vampire Files (2010 History Channel), The Tillinghast Nightmare (2014 Historical Haunts), Secrets of the Dead (2015 PBS), Mysteries at the Museum (2017 Travel Channel), Legend Hunter (2019 Travel Channel) and American Vampires (2022 Fox Nation).
He currently hosts tours to Dublin, Ireland, Whitby, England, and Cruden Bay, Scotland, to visit places where Bram Stoker lived, was educated, worked, researched, and wrote Dracula. He also leads groups to Whitby, UK, Cruden Bay, Scotland, and Transylvania to explore both the life and times of the historic Vlad Dracula III and also the locations where Bram Stoker wrote and set his famous novel.
