The real thing about Renfield in the 1931 film, is how dumb conflating him with Harker is. It seems to have been a choice made from an idea that seems to make sense - on the surface: "We'll explain why he's mad, and why he's linked to Dracula!"

But below that surface, it very much harms the fiber of the story. It actually LESSENS Dracula, in a way; his prosaic, obvious dominance of Renfield in the film, is much weaker than the Count's growing influence over him in the novel, by mesmeric means over great distances. And it totally guts Harker; now, the partner of the central character of Mina, becomes almost subsidiary himself.

It's like the "Abnormal Brain" choice in FRANKENSTEIN '31: it seems smart in a facile way, but actually pulls a spine right out of the story: "Ah - of COURSE he'd be a Monster!," instead of the growing despair of the poor character because of his abuse by others, as in Shelley.

-Craig

Monsterkid since the Kennedy Era