Join us for UK Dracula Film Festival

2024 sees the first running of the UK Dracula Film Festival, taking place at QUAD in Derby and marking the 100^th anniversary of the first ever adaptation of Dracula, which happened in the city in 1924.

The UK Dracula Film Festival will be an essential stop for lovers of Stoker’s creation, serving up a range of classic film screenings, cult classics and obscure gems showing how the world’s most famous vampire has evolved in the last century. The event presents two expert talks, with local film historian Darrell Buxton exploring the comedic side of Dracula and Kieran Foster exploring the many unmade Hammer Dracula movies.

Among the most acclaimed movies will be the 1931 Dracula, with a career-defining performance from Bela Lugosi, based on the Derby Dracula first seen at the Grand Theatre in 1924.

For lovers of cult cinema, we’ll be serving up a foray to the Old West with Billy the Kid vs Dracula, as well as a late-night double bill of 70s offerings Blacula and Scream Blacula Scream. We’ll also have two female Draculas gracing the screen with Countess Dracula and Dracula’s Fiancee as part of the event.

We’ll also be looking at the more funny portrayals of the vampire, with 80s favourite The Monster Squad, 60s curio Mad Monster Party? and comedy classic Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein.

Festival co-ordinator and University of Derby Associate Lecturer Alex Davis said: “The visual appearance of Dracula was forged in Derby, which we are raising awareness of with this event. If you are a lover of vampires – whether it is horror, comedy, or something in between – then the UK Dracula Film Festival is the ideal weekend for you.”

“I’m really looking forward to spending a weekend with the Count this September. Filmmakers across the world have reinterpreted the character in so many unique and delightful ways it’s going to be a real treat to see them up on the big screen, in Derby, where they belong.”  said Adam J Marsh, UK Dracula Film Festival Programmer and QUAD Film and Cinema Manager

Passes are available for the full weekend event, as well as tickets being available for individual films throughout the weekend. For more information on the event, or to book your tickets, visit https://www.derbyquad.co.uk/season-festival/ukdracula/ or call 01332 290606.

Dracula Returns to Derby is an Arts and Humanities Research Council-funded research project led by the University of Derby. The project marks the premiere of Hamilton Deane’s adaptation of Dracula, which happened in Derby in 1924. Unlike the monster of the novel, this Dracula was suave and charming, dressed in a dinner suit and opera cloak. The project investigates how the character changes, from the Derby Dracula that influenced Bela Lugosi’s famous interpretation, to the current friendly owner of Hotel Transylvania. Like us on Facebook @thederbydracula and Instagram @derbydracula.