Todd was nervous. He hadn't been enthusiastic about the project that Universal Studios had handed him,

but it paid the bills. Truth be told, he was just glad to have a job. The 1930s might have been

the golden age of Hollywood, but that was partly because

America was in the throes of the Great Depression. Escapism was becoming a favorite American

pastime. Theaters opened across the country, and the film industry thrived during the economic

collapse. But Todd was also a superstitious man, so when he learned that the Roxy Theater in New York

City wanted to release his film on Friday the 13th, he urged them to change the date.

In the end, the Roxy granted Todd his wish.

On Thursday, February 12th of 1931, moviegoers pack sidewalks outside of the theater, hoping to snag

tickets to his latest creation. For 85 minutes that night, the audience found themselves transported

to a mountaintop in Europe. They were immersed in a powerful visual spectacle, complete with

clever cinematography, haunting soundscapes,

and Bella Lagosie's legendary method acting. How legendary, you ask? Well, when he died,

he was buried in a black silk cape, just like his character in the film. And of course,

Dracula was a smashing success. The film forever changed the

movies and the monsters we see there. It's reported, in fact, that numerous people in the

opening night audience fainted from fright. While it's hard to imagine now, scary movies were

major risks for studios back then. But in large part due to

Dracula's success, movie makers realize something important. Fear makes money. It was true then,

and it's still true today. The psychological effects of fight or flight can be intoxicating

after all. And who doesn't love a good adrenaline and

dopamine brain cocktail, right? It's a trick of evolution. We like to be scared, in tightly

...