Counting On The Count

Morley Safer Visits Transylvania In Search Of Count Dracula

(CBS)  Count Dracula's homeland, in the Romanian province of Transylvania, was a place Bram Stoker never even visited. But the Irish novelist made the setting for his fictional vampire tale universally famous.

Since "Dracula" was published in 1897, it’s been translated into 44 languages and at least 250 movies. There's been a vampire for every age and taste.

He was a welcome guest for the innocent inhabitants of "Sesame Street," and he was rebuffed by the dishy teenager, Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

This year, Dracula has come back twice. First, in the movie and DVD called "Van Helsing." And now he's on Broadway, in "Dracula the Musical," a lavish, over-the-top production that, try as they might, the critics could not kill.

It's immortality for a man who never lived, but who’s become a nation’s best-known citizen, and best known international tourist attraction. Correspondent Morley Safer reports.

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Approximately 200,000 people a year come to Romania in search of Dracula. There are tours, bazaars, tchotchkes and clubs. Soon, there will even be a theme park.

It may seem silly, but Dracula is the darling of a desperate government. Simona Miculescu, chief diplomatic advisor to the president of Romania, once served in the Washington embassy. She understands the global value of the Count.

"The first moment I had the revelation of the strength of this legend was in America," says Miculescu. "That was the moment when I understood what an impact, what a fantastic impact, the myth of Dracula made all over the world."

"It’s all kind of surreal. Because here you have an Irishman who had never been to Romania, or Transylvania, created this fictional character," says Safer. "And suddenly, it’s become part of the fabric of the folklore of this country."

"Exactly. And we should use that in order to attract tourists," says Miculescu. "Because in this way, we would have the opportunity to tell them the truth about our history."

Though the Dracula we know was Stoker’s invention, there is a murky connection to history, to a bloodthirsty medieval prince named Vlad the Impaler, nicknamed Dracula – devil - who kept Romania out of the hands of Turkish invaders.

"He was the George Washington of Romania," says Andre Codrescu, an American poet, novelist and essayist familiar to listeners of National Public Radio, who was born in Romania. He calls Vlad the Impaler, "the founder of our country."

How did impalement work?

"Impalement worked according to your status. If you were a small fry, a thief, let’s say, you were just impaled on a short stake," says Codrescu. "If you had a certain standing in the community, then they gave you a very tall one, so you could look above the rest."

"[Vlad the Impaler] was a very fierce-looking fellow," says Safer.

"Because he was," says Miculescu.

But the father of the nation had some nasty habits. "I read a story that he would invite people to a great feast and they enjoyed a wonderful dinner," says Safer. "And then, he had them all killed."

"Yeah, cutting their noses, their ears," says Miculescu. "Yeah. I don't want to enter into details."

"Tough love, I think they call it," says Safer.