Although vampires were nearly ruined for everybody, there’s something about the creatures of the night that refuses to die. Of them all, Dracula is still the king, no matter what anybody says (go mope somewhere else, Edward). Few characters have been played by so many actors, in so many different ways, and continue to be reinvented constantly to stay fresh and vibrant throughout the years. These are a few of our top iterations of everyone’s favorite Transylvanian terror.
Dracula (1958)
Christopher Lee’s role as Dracula in this 1958 Hammer horror film of the same name is definitely one of the best and remains a standout role for Lee in a career filled with incredible movies. Peter Cushing, perhaps best known for his role as Grand Moff Tarkin in the original Star Wars, is at his best as Professor Van Helsing, a role he would go on to reprise in several other Hammer films. Lee died earlier this year at the age of 93, so you owe it to him, and yourself, to go back and catch up on some of the actor’s best work.
Dracula (1931)
It wouldn’t be a Dracula list without arguably one of the most famous portrayals of all, the 1931 Universal film. Bela Lugosi might be dead but this role will live on forever. Dracula broke new ground and set new standards not only for horror movies, but film-making in general with its moody atmosphere and dramatic lighting. Director Tod Browning would also go on to direct the carnival classic Freaks the next year.
And did you know that there was even an online battle arena game featuring Dracula and other favorite horror characters called “Universal Monsters Online”? This Examiner piece says that the game was shutdown in 2013 after only a year of being on the market. It’s a shame because it’s only really been in the last two years that MOBAs have become popular, and we totally would have been down for a “Heroes of the Storm” type game with our favorite Universal Monsters.
Hotel Transylvania (2012)
We’ll admit, we were shocked by how much fun we had with Hotel Transylvania. But with Genndy Tartakovsky (of classic Cartoon Network shows like Dexter’s Laboratory and Samurai Jack) on board, you know you’re in for a fun time. As any die-hard fan of the old Universal and Hammer horror films will tell you, there’s a certain nostalgia for the way classic characters like Dracula and the Wolfman are presented that allows them to cross over well to more family friendly fare. Adam Sandler is bearable as Dracula but we can just imagine him spending his entire time in the studio doing his old “Opera Man” bit from SNL. Thankfully, Tartakovsky is able to make these movies fun and silly enough while packed with enough Easter eggs that even the most jaded horror fan will have a hard time not cracking a smile or two.
The spooky twists on classic hotel activities—like bingo with the replacing of balls with skulls and Halloween-themed bingo cards—reminded me a lot of the game variations on Gala Bingo. The site has its own different themes and twisted takes on classic games featuring different settings like the X-Files-style UFOs and aliens of “Area 75.” Halloween is big business and these days, every online game worth its salt is going to have some kind of holiday event to stay relevant throughout the month. An article by Geek Snack said the fall-time Hotel Transylvania franchise has already been so successful that there are plans for a third movie after topping the box office with the release of Hotel Transylvania 2 last weekend.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
It’s hard not to love the epic grandeur of Francis Ford Coppola’s 1992 take on the legendary bloodsucker. The eerie ambiance, grandiose sets and ornate costumes are just as mesmerizing and affecting as Gary Oldman’s performance as the fabled Count Dracula.
Keanu Reeves isn’t half as bad as people say in his role as Jonathan Harker and gravel-voiced singer Tom Waits is awesome as the demented Renfield. According to this Bloody Disgusting report, the modern classic will be getting the Supreme Cinema Series treatment on Blu-ray later this month with some additional behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with director Francis Ford Coppola.
Blood for Dracula (1974)
Paul Morrissey’s art-house take stars German film-legend (and Werner Herzog pal) Udo Kier as the titular Count Dracula and Andy Warhol “star” Joe D’Allesandro also features. The movie is also produced by Andy Warhol, and it remains a cult-favorite of weirdo horror. Personally, I like this one much more overall than its sister film, Flesh for Frankenstein.
You’d be hard pressed to actually qualify Blood for Dracula as a horror film per se but the movie is just so bizarre that it’s achieved a level of underground infamy among the true vampire devotees. Udo Kier is equally terrifying, unsettling and hilarious in his role as Dracula. There’s also the added bonus of an on-screen cameo by Roman Polanski that makes this a little-known vampire movie that’s definitely worth your time.
