Maybe part of the reason for its appeal today is that we are also living in an age of fear and anxiety, approaching not only the end of a century but the end of a millennium. The fact that I am a Dracula scholar has elicited a variety of responses, not all of which have been flattering. Part of the problem is that the whole Dracula myth has been so trivialized by popular culture and the media that few people can take the topic seriously. Some of my most intriguing encounters have come from media interviews. Few reporters can get through an introduction or an interview without seeking refuge in stereotypes.
Punsters strive desperately for new plays on words.
The public lecture circuit has also provided a few unusual experiences. I always try to give advance notice of what I will cover to discourage people who are looking for sensationalism. This lecture, by the way, was given in a church hall, with slides of Dracula projected on a wall next to a large cross. When I gave the show at a local Arts Centre, I prefaced my presentation with a comment that I would not be focusing on real vampires, at which point several members of the audience got up and left. I am also the recipient of some very strange mail.