“I walk among them, a stranger in their midst. A city
teaming with life and I, the angel of death.”
Thus begins “Dracula,” a full-cast audio drama produced by
Bleak December.
As a lifelong fan of audio productions, from the classic radio of Arch Obler’s Lights Out to the newest audiobooks, I am always on the lookout
for new horror selections. So it was with eager anticipation that I approached
this interpretation of Dracula.
The drama stars Anthony D. P. Mann of the Horror ETC podcast
(and so much more) who is also the executive producer. Mann’s Professor Van Helsing drives the story
and his enthusiasm shows through and reassures us that we are in capable
hands.
The supporting cast includes
Steve Spencer, Becca Fryer, Dave Hudson, and Nikolas Yuen, all of whom give solid performances.
The count himself is portrayed by Tony Todd of Candyman
fame. This is perfect casting. Todd’s voice is incredibly rich and his
delivery is both seductive and menacing.
Brent Holland’s original music sets a perfect audio stage
and the audio production itself is top-notch.
Listening with headphones highlights the masterful use of the stereo environment. If this is any indication of the production
values of future Bleak December projects then sign me up; I’ll buy everything
they have to offer
Which brings me to my only criticism of Dracula. It’s just under 30 minutes. Make no mistake, at only $1.99 it’s still an
incredible value but it left me wanting more.
More from Tony Todd, more from Tony Mann.
I want to live longer in the world they’ve
created.
So
to the dear reader I implore: buy a copy
of Dracula, now available at Fangoria Musick.
Dracula, presented by Fangoria Musick and Bleak December
While you are there and in the Halloween mood pick up Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven as performed by Anthony D. P. Mann and Maurizio Guarini (of the Goblins).
The Raven
By supporting these artists we can enable them to make more projects. I, for one, can’t wait for the next offering.
