Question: Do you believe in the existence of supernatural creatures (ghosts, witches, vampires, werewolves)?

MILLER: The answer is no, I do not believe in supernatural creatures. I am not saying categorically that they do not exist; what
I am saying is that I do not believe that they exist. I say this in the absence of any personal experience or encounter, and the
failure of anyone else to convince me otherwise. As for vampires, I do not believe that they exist as supernatural beings.
However, if one defines a vampire as a person with a craving for blood (without the supernatural powers), then of course they
do exist. But I am sure there are many people out there who would

like to be vampires in the supernatural sense, or who even believe that they are! When I use the word "vampire" in my own
work, I am referring to the traditional definition, the bloodsucker who is endowed with immortality and supernatural powers.

Question: Do you have other interests in horror besides Dracula and vampires?

MILLER: First I should explain just what my interest in Dracula and vampires actually is. I am a scholar whose interest in
Dracula is academic. First and foremost there is the novel itself, one of the most influential books ever written. As a professor
of literature, I am interested in how it came about, its author, and its aftermath as an influence on literature and popular culture.
Another area in which I have done considerable research is the historical Dracula - Vlad Tepes - whose name Bram Stoker
borrowed for his vampire Count. I am especially interested in the Romanian connection: how Romanians view the two Draculas
and the contrast between Western and Romanian perceptions.

While my interest is primarily in Dracula, this naturally expands to the vampire figure in general, including the vampire of
folklore, vampires in literature, and vampires in popular culture. As for other horror interests, I am quite fascinated by the
Frankenstein story, especially as originally presented in Mary Shelley's novel. And I like to read the novels of Stephen King.

Question: When and how was your interest sparked?

MILLER: While I used to watch Dracula movies many years ago (including Lugosi and Lee), my serious interest in this subject
is relatively new. I had been working on the British Romantic poets (Byron and Shelley) and became drawn to "Frankenstein".
Then I decided to explore the lesser known writer of that group, Byron's physician John Polidori who wrote the first piece of
vampire fiction in English Literature ("The Vampyre"). I traced this down through the 19th century culminating in "Dracula" -
and I was hooked! I have been doing serious study of the Dracula phenomenon for about 5 years, during which time I have
lectured on it at many conferences both in North America and Europe, including the World Dracula Congress (Romania), the
Bram Stoker Summer School (Dublin) and the International Conference on the Fantastic in the Arts (Ft Lauderdale FL). I also
teach "Dracula" regularly in my courses at university. And I am in the process of finishing a book about Dracula entitled
"Reflections on Dracula". [This book was finished and published in 1997.]

Question: Why is the vampire myth so universal? Why are vampires so popular today?

MILLER: The fact that almost every culture has a version of the vampire myth suggests that the archetype addresses some
deeply rooted fears and/or yearnings. There are many factors operating here: the attraction to the dark side of our natures; the
fascination with what is forbidden; the

desire for eternal youth and immortality; the centrality of blood in a religious sense. Add to these the sexual seductiveness and
power that have come to be a part of the vampire image and you have a potent combination! I think this latter factor explains
much of the popularity of the vampire today, as well as the desire of many young people in particular to live this alternative
lifestyle. Being a "vampire" (or a Goth, for that matter) is for today's youth what being a "hippie" was for

the youth of the 60s.

The vampire figure has survived in literature and popular culture for another reason. It is a versatile archetype, and can be
shaped and re-shaped to fit any individual artist's own vision. So while we still encounter fictional vampires who are spawns of
Satan (as Stoker presented

Dracula), we also have vampires who are more ambivalent or even basically good. Vampires have invaded every walk of life:
they are detectives, policemen, doctors, professors, etc. If Bram Stoker could come back today, he would be absolutely
amazed!

Question: Do you watch vampire movies?

MILLER: Oh yes! I have watched every major Dracula movie ever made, including some very bad ones. I think the worst one
has to be "Dracula's Dog" - it sucks!! My favorites are the 2 versions of "Nosferatu" (1922, 1979) and the Coppola film "Bram
Stoker's Dracula". However, the one that is closest to Bram Stoker's novel would have to be "Count Dracula" starring Louis
Jourdan, made for BBC-TV in the late 1970s. I also enjoy vampire movies in general. My favorites? "Dance of the Damned"
and "Fright Night" would be on the top of my list.

Then there are vampire novels - hundreds of them. I read as many as I get time for. My favorite authors are Chelsea Quinn
Yarbro and Jeanne Kalogridis. Also high on my list are the two Kim Newman books (especially "Anno Dracula"), Stephen
King's "Salem's Lot". I have a few others listed on my Dracula home page (along with other items that might interest your
readers). Check it out at http://www.ucs.mun.ca/~emiller/

Question: Do you do anything special for Halloween? Do you decorate your home to reflect your interests?

MILLER: I try to make myself scarce during the Halloween period. It is the one time of year when the media suddenly become
interested in the subject, and I usually get 4-5 requests for radio and/or television appearances. I don't mind doing that (in fact I
enjoy it) but I get a little weary of

interviewers who trivialize it and keep repeating the same stale lines (eg. "Should I wear a crucifix while interviewing you?") I
have found that my most successful interviews are those that have not been connected with Halloween. By the way, I don't
dress up myself but I must confess that I am most generous to those "trick-or-treaters" who come to my door dressed as
Dracula/vampires! As far as decorating my home - no. But my office at the university has a number of Dracula-related items: a
huge poster of 100 uncut cards for the Coppola movie, a few souvenirs of Vlad Tepes from Romania, etc.

Question: How are you treated by your peers?

MILLER: My colleagues at university generally respect what I am doing, because they know that my interest is scholarly. Now,
I must confess that I do have a bit of fun with the stuff as well. It is very rare to be able to find a field of research that can also
be so enjoyable. I love it! And my colleagues seem to appreciate that. I do, however, get strange looks from others who ask
me what my area of expertise is. When I say "Dracula", the response is frequently laughter. Once I was interviewed on TV and
the host said, "She looks like she could be anyone's mother, but in fact she's a Dracula scholar". That says it all!

Question: What is Transylvania like?

MILLER: Transylvania is part of the country of Romania. It is known to us in the West primarily because of its connection with
Dracula and vampires, a connection due to Bram Stoker's novel. It puzzles people in Transylvania because to them Dracula is
the historical figure Vlad Tepes (who was not a vampire); the Western concepts of Dracula and vampires are foreign to them.
But Dracula fans are drawn to Transylvania to see the sites mentioned in Stoker's novel, especially Bistritz and the Borgo Pass.
If anyone is interested in details about my trips to Transylvania, I suggest you browse through my home page which has plenty
of stuff about it.

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