Renfield star Nicolas Cage has revealed how he and his co-star, Nicholas Holt, recreated classic scenes from the original 1931 Dracula film. Cage stars as a narcissistic version of Dracula in the present day, while Holt plays the titular role of Renfield, Dracula's long-standing servant and familiar who no longer wants to work for him. Parts of Renfield are black-and-white scene recreations from the original Dracula adaptation.
Speaking with Collider, Cage detailed how certain scenes from the 1931 version of Dracula were recreated for Renfield. He says that parts of the classic horror film would be played, with Cage and Holt lining their movements and speaking patterns up perfectly with the scenes. Check out Cage's full explanation below:
"Well, it was a bit like ping-pong. So what would happen was, Nick and I would be on set and then they would play, on video playback and sound playback, Dwight Frye. Then we would hear it and then he would ping-pong and recreate it, and then they would do Bela Lugosi and I would hear and ping-pong, and recreate. So it was like “action,” playback, “action,” playback, “action” until we got into this groove. We had to line it up specifically with the frame from the ‘30s classic. So every move had to match. It was a timing and a vocal."
How Renfield Pays Homage To The Original Dracula
Black and white scenes in Renfield paying homage to the original Dracula were first teased in a TV spot for the film. However, Cage's statement reveals those scenes as faithful recreations, bolstering just how much Renfield is going to call back to the Bela Lugosi-led classic. Director Chris McKay previously revealed that he considers Renfield a sequel to the original Dracula, which justifies why the recreated scenes are in the movie.
Unlike Dracula, however, Renfield will focus on the relationship between Dracula's loyal familiar in the present day. Trailers showcase Renfield's attempts at leaving the toxic relationship with his master, underscoring the thematic exploration of abusive relationships in the film. While the film will take place in the present and follows a new storyline, its purpose as a Dracula sequel still means there may be plenty of Easter eggs that pay tribute to the original.
The dedication put toward recreating scenes from the original Dracula shows how much Renfield seeks to honor the original movie's legacy while putting a new spin on Dracula and Renfield's relationship. With the possibility of more surprises throughout the film, Renfield could reference any number of Dracula sequels or remakes produced over the decades. It should prove interesting to see how else Renfield honors the original Dracula.
This article was originally published at Screen Rant.
