(Jewish Group) 125 years later, is Dracula antisemitic -- or is he just another vampire?
This year marks the 125th anniversary of the publication of Bram Stoker’s horror novel “Dracula” and the centenary of “Nosferatu,” the classic silent film inspired by it. Should Jewish readers kvell along with all the Transylvanian wannabes who adore everything vampirish?
The Tel Aviv Cinematheque is commemorating the anniversary of Stoker’s book with a special festival of vampire movies. As the Jerusalem Post cheerily announced earlier this month, the “celebration of all things bloodthirsty and undead runs until May 16.”
The cultural impact of “Dracula” in hundreds of films, TV adaptations, video games, animated cartoons, comic books and dramas, is undisputed. Yet in recent decades, academic researchers and bloggers have repeatedly published claims that antisemitism, itself often bloodthirsty and undead in today’s world, can be discerned in the pages of “Dracula.” Juxtaposing “Dracula” and Jews somehow seems incongruous, as the comedian Bill Hader showed on “Saturday Night Live” a few seasons ago, jocularly mentioning a Jewish Dracula named Sidney Applebaum.
As is often the case, readers and filmgoers see what they wish to see in any text or film. In “Nosferatu,” a manuscript page is fleetingly shown with mystical symbols on it, including a six-pointed star and what may possibly be a few Hebrew letters amid dozens of other signs.
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Interesting. I have seen this argument made before. I have also seen Jews portrayed as vampires, but had it 'splained to me that I wasn't really seeing what I was seeing.
= new reply since forum marked as read
He was explaining the 'appearance' of the Italian in Italy (dark swarthy) lead to the demonization of Italians who were Jewish with this blood libel stereotyping in the late 1930's and the concept of Aryanizing Italians.
Literally - a Blood Libel depiction of citizens of Italy who were Jewish. 
80 years later - if you say to my husband or his siblings - even my late in-laws (Immigrant - just got citizenship in November) that he is 'white' - he takes offense. He's Calabrese and they didn't go along, to get along with Duce and Hitler on that. His older brother's DNA testing was very interesting to say the least.
I haven't seen it in years. The one that makes me laugh was "Love at First Bite".
Dr. Jeffrey Rosenberg: [triumphantly] Well, Count, what do you say to that?
[Pulls out a Star of David]
Dr. Jeffrey Rosenberg: [Dracula hides his face, then realizes what it is and removes his hands]
Count Dracula: I would say, leave Cindy alone and find yourself a nice Jewish girl, Doctor!
Dr. Jeffrey Rosenberg: Huh?
[looks at star]
Dr. Jeffrey Rosenberg: Ah shit! It's the other one, isn't it?
