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Draculaalways come back . Even when he meets the business end of a stakes in his film , he does n’t stay down for long . The pop culture landscape is perpetually shifting , but one constant is Dracula — whether he ’s envisage as a ancestry - fellate fiend , a hopeless romantic , or both .
In fact , there are two remarkable new interpretation of the fiber on the skyline . Netflix and the BBC are partnering on anew adaptation of Bram Stoker ’s classic novelfromSherlockcreators Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat . In addition , Tricia Helfer , who famously play Number Six in theBattlestar Galacticareboot , will take on the role in thefourth time of year ofVan Helsing . Before these Modern actor join the rank , we ’re looking back at Dracula ’s past . Here of the 5 just and 5 worst Dracula carrying out since the captain lamia first started haunting our screen .
WORST: RUDOLF MARTIN — BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER
Buffy the Vampire Slayeris one of the best TV display of all time , and the fact that it centered on a young lady whose destiny is remove vampires makes that fact all the more astonishing . Buffy encountered a lot of vampires over her time as the Slayer , so when Dracula add up to Sunnydale , it was a vainglorious deal . Their encounter was appropriately hype by the connection and the episode " Buffy vs. Dracula " served as the show ’s 5th season undoer .
Yet Rudolf Martin ’s Dracula was n’t incisively a ace awful vampire Billie Jean King . The show envisioned him as a foppish elite group instill with his own fame . WhileBuffycommented on many tropes , this Anne Rice - wannabe Dracula was a letdown . There was no question that Buffy would get him in the end .
BEST: CHRISTIAN CAMARGO — PENNY DREADFUL
Over three seasons , Penny Dreadfulfeatured all form of literary monster . It was only a matter of time before Dracula shew up , and when he did , he proved he was deserving the wait . On the show , Dracula ab initio presented himself as a zoologist advert Dr. Alexander Sweet to court the main character Vanessa James Merritt Ives . Of course , it was a manipulation . Yet even when Vanessa discovered who Dr. Sweet really was , it was hard to tell what his purpose in truth were .
Christian Camargo ’s Dracula was tempting and menacing in equal measurement . To Vanessa , he present himself as an upstanding patrician whose interest in ban tool made him intriguing . Yet when he was n’t with Vanessa , he was circuitous , manipulative , and prone to violent ebullition . Camargo played the character as a fascinating teaser that subsist up to the mental image of vampires as both romantic and horrific .
WORST: DOMINIC PURCELL — BLADE: TRINITY
Blade : Trinitywas the worst entry in theBladeseries for many reasons , but among them is its portraying of Dracula . pit Blade against Dracula was imagine to be the ultimate lamia showdown . However , this Dracula did n’t come across as much of a threat . rather , he was a meathead who went by the name Drake and favored shirt with plunging neckline that permit him show off his pectoral muscle .
Dominic Purcell , who played Dracula in the movie , has since become a even on the CW ’s DC seriesLegends of Tomorrowwhere he regularly sends up his beefcake show . His public presentation on that serial is delightful . InBlade : Trinity , though , the writing locked Purcell into a version of Dracula that lacked any of the witching menace or scheming intelligence fans expect of the graphic symbol .
BEST: GARY OLDMAN — BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA
Bram Stoker ’s Draculais a gorgeous - looking film that sticks more nearly than many version to its reference material . The movie was sanguineous and romanticist and melodramatic , sometimes all at the same time . Much of that was thanks to Gary Oldman ’s livewire performance as the immortal Count .
Oldman could be dreadfully vicious as his grapheme bosom his vampire nature . Yet underneath that was a tragic image who had seen too much over his long life to manage about anyone — until he encounter the one mortal who could change that . While the pic had some undeniably empty-headed minute , Oldman never let his Dracula get too hammy . Instead , he give an emotionally nuanced performance that smooth over some of the movie ’s cheesier share .
WORST: RICHARD ROXBURGH — VAN HELSING
The 2004 filmVan Helsingwas meant to re - imagine the famous lamia hunting watch as a swaggering hero who stand up against all the force of darkness . Of of course , his primary nemesis was still Dracula . This Dracula was obsessed with bring a gang of vampire baby into the world . The whole thing was weird and not specially interesting , and the ill - executed CGI did n’t make things any better .
Meanwhile , Richard Roxburgh as Dracula made the whole thing even more of a head - scratcher . Roxburgh played Dracula with all the camp of someone who believed they ’re play in a satire . The trouble was none of the other actors got the memorandum . So Roxburgh seemed like he was in an totally unlike movie , sidle around and doing everything but chew the scenery . The movie wanted us to conceive he was scarey , but his performance was right smart too over - the - top to intimidate anyone .
BEST: FRANK LANGELLA — DRACULA (1979)
The 1979 variant ofDraculais less well - known than some of the other entries on this inclination . Yet , it deserves its place in the pantheon of must - watchDraculafilms . Not only are its visuals beautiful , it ’s the first flick to fully embrace the sensuality of the iconic character .
Frank Langella‘s Count was romantic and compelling . He gracefully stalk his victim in a way that made it clear they would succumb to him volitionally — and enjoy it . viewer ca n’t aid settle for him , even though we really should know well . The movie is a trivial dated now , but for Langella ’s execution — and the sumptuous visuals — it ’s well worth a watch .
WORST: UDO KIER — BLOOD FOR DRACULA
The Andy Warhol - producedBlood for Draculafrom 1974 puke Dracula as a esurient vampire do-or-die for bread and butter . Unlike the romanticistic danger many of the best Dracula performances projection , Udo Kier ’s Dracula is loathsome and depressing .
This Dracula must feast on the blood of Virgo to pull round and food for thought ’s been scarce . So , get what he needs is his main focal point . When he is n’t asking young woman if they ’re virgins , he ’s whine anxiously about his situation . The motion picture is imagine to be quirky and artsy , but ultimately it ’s just no fun .
BEST: CHRISTOPHER LEE — HORROR OF DRACULA
In 1958 , Hammer returned Dracula to relevance withHorror of Draculastarring Christopher Lee in the title role . Without Lee , the film may not have succeeded . The role player did n’t have many line in the pic , so Lee rely on his animalism to make the character work . In the summons , he made the Count dead his own , exuding beast magnetism and genteel sang-froid with every glimpse and motion . It also helped that , at well over six feet tall , Lee was an inflict bearing who predominate over everyone .
Horror of Draculanot only vaulted Lee to stardom , it spawned eight subsequence , cementing his word-painting of the lamia as ingenious , calculating , and captivating in the head of the movie - going world . Lee utterly commanded the screen . When his Dracula appears it ’s unacceptable to take your optic off him .
WORST: GERARD BUTLER — DRACULA 2000
Dracula 2000is a Dracula movie that could only have been made during the era ofThe Matrix . excessively serious and full of pretty young thing , the film also put a unparalleled spin on the traditional Dracula story ( spoiler qui vive ! ): this Dracula was in the beginning Judas Escariot and he ’s still got one heck of an ax to labour .
While that explain why religious icons and flatware could ache him , it did n’t explain why he was so irresistible to women . Gerard Butler present the character as a broody cardboard cutout without an oz. of charisma or danger . Today , the picture show and Butler ’s execution come across as laughable .
BEST: BELA LUGOSI — DRACULA (1931)
The original is still the best . Bela Lugosi was the very first actor to portray Dracula in the movies in 1931 ( we ’re not reckon 1922 ’s Count Orlok fromNosferatuhere ) . All these years afterward , his execution is still the gold - monetary standard , setting our expectations for what a stereotypical lamia looks , acts , and sounds like . Lugosi ’s onscreen lamia was also the first to demonstrate the thin line between horrendous and enticing , playing with the way this figure could evoke both feelings in viewing audience ’ nous .
Although it ’s believe a classic , the movie has n’t get on well . Today many of its conniption do across as awkward and stagy . Yet without Lugosi , it ’s knockout to imagine the moving-picture show would work at all — much less Pb to a string of popular ecumenical behemoth movies . And Lugosi did it all without CGI or special issue of any variety . For proficient or worse , the Hungarian - born actor will forever be relate with Dracula .
NEXT : WILL DRACULA UNTOLD 2 HAPPEN ? DARK UNIVERSE FUTURE EXPLAINED
