The Best Known Dracula Movies

Bram Stoker’s influential novel, Dracula, has inspired a ton of movies… seriously, there are SO many Dracula movies. I mean, if you type “Dracula” into the IMDB search bar you get well over a hundred results. While I’m sure there are a bunch of real gems in those results, I’m going to stick with a couple of the most popular and beloved of all Dracula flicks.

Nosferatu (1922)
Director: F.W. Murnau
Lead Actor: Max Schreck

This was the first big interpretations of the famous novel. Since the writer and director didn’t have the rights to use Stoker’s actual characters they switched it around a bit, turning Count Dracula into Count Orlok.

Dracula (1931)
Director: Tod Browning
Lead Actor: Bela Lugosi

It was this movie we have to thank for the modern day vampire stereotype. This is where we got coffins, bats, satin capes, slicked back hair and all of that. Bela Lugosi’s portrayal of Dracula has lasted decades and is still going strong.

Dracula -aka- Horror of Dracula (1958)
Director: Terence Fisher
Lead Actor: Christopher Lee

According to Christopher Lee, “Hammer’s Dracula, the first Dracula film to incorporate fangs, blood, and red eyes, brings the best Dracula to the screen.” This movie was huge and still is – so much so that most people still recognize screenshots taken from the film.

Dracula (1979)
Director: John Badham
Lead Actor: Frank Langella

This film also features a face we all know well, that of Langella’s Dracula. This Dracula flick doesn’t really follow Bram Stoker’s novel well at all but it’s still an interesting interpretation, one that has many fans.

Dracula (1992)
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Lead Actor: Gary Oldman

This Dracula film is probably the most popular of them all. Staring not only Gary Oldman, but Winona Ryder, Keanu Reeves and Anthony Hopkins. This was a big budget flick that gained a very large fan base and three Oscars.

– Moonlight

By Moonlight

Moonlight (aka Amanda) loves to write about, read about and learn about everything pertaining to vampires. You will most likely find her huddled over a book of vampire folklore with coffee in hand. Touch her coffee and she may bite you (and not in the fun way).

8 comments

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  3. They are all great. Well, Nosfearatu is dated and merely good, not great. Both English and Spanish versions of 1931 movie are deserved classics, 1958 has NOT best Dracula but it is a masterpiece, 1979 movie struts it´s stuff with lot of style, atmosphere and energy, and 1992 version has gorgeous fruitcake look and it is lot of fun. Newer vampire stories seem often so… dull compared to these films.

  4. So many movies are named Dracula!! Well, of course I know why but STILL!! I haven’t checked out any of these movies, but if it’s not on On Demand, well, there’s not a big chance that I will ever get a chance to see them. (*sigh* Stupid dad….)

  5. what if in reality one wanted to become a vampire, live like one and actually do what vamps do.. not trhat whole twilight crap but the stereotypical stuff that we have seen on the media about vampires?? how does one go from being human to beung an actual vampire??

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  7. “I have something for you to think about, becoming a DARK DROW-DRIDER: a being that when becoming provoked surpassed anger are excitement turns into a full blown DRIDER and chokes the life out of their enemies with their eight creepy spider legs are snaps the enemies neck upon contact and them and their other DROW kin feast on the dead at a DROW feast. I know, I know, that’s really gross, but it’s oh so exciting. I love me some drac too, and I applaud all authors that tell such creepy and dark tales about the half bat, half man. Well, when I think of Dracula, I think of fog seaping up from the grounds and voices whispering the names of both dracula and mrs. Lucy his blood thirsty whore and a dark night where all the dead including Dracula met in a beautiful and dark creepy garden to party and feast on the living.

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