'Look who's got a case of dark prince envy': Dracula, televisuality and the golden age(s) of TV horror

TY - JOUR

T1 - 'Look who's got a case of dark prince envy'

T2 - Dracula, televisuality and the golden age(s) of TV horror

AU - Abbott, Stacey

PY - 2017/10/1

Y1 - 2017/10/1

N2 - While Dracula’s presence within the cinema has fuelled extensive scholarship, little attention has been played to his role within television. Where television adaptations are discussed, the analyses are primarily removed from their televisual contexts or discussed as anachronistic, their televisuality used to reaffirm the notion that within a world of modern horrors, Dracula isn’t scary any more. In contrast, this essay examines the relationship between Dracula and television with a specific focus upon Dracula’s contribution to a changing landscape of televisual horror. The essay focuses its analysis upon two key periods of TV Horror —1950s-1970s and post-2000—, examining the role that Dracula plays on TV and considering how it embodies the increasingly provocative nature of horror. It examines the role that Dracula plays within children’s, family, and prestige drama. It considers how Dracula adaptations interrogate the uncanniness of the televisual medium. It examines the impact of the seeming over-familiarisation of Stoker’s Count by challenging the perception that this familiarity has neutered Dracula as an icon of horror. Instead the essay argues that television offers a space in which Dracula continues to function as horror, destabilising questions of normality and the comforts of quality television programming. © 2017, Horror Studies. The attached document (embargoed until 28/10/2018) is an author produced version of a paper published in Horror Studies, uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self- archiving policy. Some minor differences between this version and the final published version may remain. We suggest you refer to the final published version should you wish to cite from it.

AB - While Dracula’s presence within the cinema has fuelled extensive scholarship, little attention has been played to his role within television. Where television adaptations are discussed, the analyses are primarily removed from their televisual contexts or discussed as anachronistic, their televisuality used to reaffirm the notion that within a world of modern horrors, Dracula isn’t scary any more. In contrast, this essay examines the relationship between Dracula and television with a specific focus upon Dracula’s contribution to a changing landscape of televisual horror. The essay focuses its analysis upon two key periods of TV Horror —1950s-1970s and post-2000—, examining the role that Dracula plays on TV and considering how it embodies the increasingly provocative nature of horror. It examines the role that Dracula plays within children’s, family, and prestige drama. It considers how Dracula adaptations interrogate the uncanniness of the televisual medium. It examines the impact of the seeming over-familiarisation of Stoker’s Count by challenging the perception that this familiarity has neutered Dracula as an icon of horror. Instead the essay argues that television offers a space in which Dracula continues to function as horror, destabilising questions of normality and the comforts of quality television programming. © 2017, Horror Studies. The attached document (embargoed until 28/10/2018) is an author produced version of a paper published in Horror Studies, uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self- archiving policy. Some minor differences between this version and the final published version may remain. We suggest you refer to the final published version should you wish to cite from it.

U2 - 10.1386/host.8.2.183_1

DO - 10.1386/host.8.2.183_1

M3 - Article

SN - 2040-3275

VL - 8

SP - 183

EP - 204

JO - Horror Studies

JF - Horror Studies

IS - 2

ER -