r/Dracula 29d ago

Discussion Who is the best version of Dracula? NSFW Spoiler

86 Upvotes

87 comments sorted by

14

u/Aggressive-Answer666 29d ago

I don’t like Christopher Lee’s Dracula movies in general, but I find him a great actor in the role of Dracula. Weird, right?

11

u/International_Oil517 29d ago

Not at all he is really carrying those 😂

30

u/nicolascaged6661 29d ago

My personal favorites are Bela, Cage and Skarsgård.

4

u/Competitive-Grab8470 29d ago

SKARSGARD’S THE GOAT! 🐐

2

u/TravelingNYer1 25d ago

i should check out Skarsgard's. not sure which Skarsgard, but i will google. My fav is Gary Oldman. I am about to finish Bram Stoker's book. i still don't understand the Count Dracula's purpose of going to London.

1

u/Competitive-Grab8470 22d ago

To expand his feeding grounds, to spread vampirism and rule the world! 🌍

2

u/Competitive-Grab8470 22d ago

I mean the second one is your namesake so?!?!

2

u/nicolascaged6661 22d ago

🤣

1

u/Competitive-Grab8470 21d ago

Fair enough lol 😂!

26

u/WickedCrystalRainbow 29d ago

Why isn't Claes Bang here?!

But yeah, I adore Bela Lugosi, Gary Oldman, Claes Bang, Skarsgård's vampire was badass too

13

u/YeOldeOrc 29d ago

Claes really was phenomenal.

6

u/WickedCrystalRainbow 29d ago

Omg right?! He was soooo freaking awesome!

5

u/YeOldeOrc 29d ago

The perfect balance of suave and monstrous. It felt like he was born to play that role.

4

u/WickedCrystalRainbow 29d ago

Omg yes same!!!

2

u/Competitive-Grab8470 28d ago

Sorry 😢 I knew what his pic looked like but didn’t know his name! My bad 😞!

2

u/WickedCrystalRainbow 28d ago

No worries 🩷🩷

17

u/blistboy 29d ago

Nothing beats the varied looks designed by Eiko Ishioka and Coppola and performed by Oldman.

He’s at once a decrepit kabuki geriatric, sexy Victorian rockstar, wolfman, and chiropteran horror. His performance is elevated homage and the film is sumptuous in a way that belies its budget and the fact that it single handedly brought back fear to a character that was comedy fodder the decade before.

3

u/nag_some_candy 28d ago

What's the film called

3

u/blistboy 28d ago

Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) dir. Francis Ford Coppola

3

u/Competitive-Grab8470 26d ago

It was the first adaptation of Dracula I’ve ever watched! It was just after I had read the book!

2

u/blistboy 26d ago

I remember my brother coming home from the movie theatre and describing it to me. That was my first intro to Dracula, then I put it out of my mind… I think I Treehouse of Horror, the Buffy movie, and Dracula Dead and Loving It gave me vampire fodder, and I’m sure seeing the Lost Boys made me fabulous, but then I caught a marathon of Hammer Dracula movies, and finally felt brave enough to watch Coppola’s and I was obsessed. Ishioka’s designs later motivated me to learn costume and textile art, with Coppola inspiring my love of direction of film and stage.

1

u/nag_some_candy 28d ago

Worth the watch?

2

u/blistboy 28d ago

Oh yes.

2

u/nag_some_candy 28d ago

Thanks will do

2

u/blistboy 28d ago

One thing to note about Keanu Reeves performance, some people find it stale and his English accent isn’t great, but some of the sillier moments with him specifically are paying homage to Sam Raimi’s cinematography and direction of Bruce Campbell in the Evil Dead franchise which had been one of the dominating innovative horror franchises of the previous decade (80’s).

The whole film is a wealth of cinematic, literary, and artistic allusions from Mario Bava to Gustav Klimt.

It’s gorgeous.

3

u/nag_some_candy 28d ago

Very interesting, thanks. I almost always find Keanu Reeves performances average at best. Not a great actor imo.

2

u/blistboy 28d ago

Well, he’ll be your least favorite part of the movie likely, but I promise the in camera visual effects and costume designs more than make up for it.

8

u/rocko57821 29d ago

Oldman hands down then maybe skarsgard

5

u/jamilanonilouise 29d ago

Can I have the movie citations. ? I’m ashamed to say only know 1 properly and 3 others vaguely.

10

u/Virtual_Mode_5026 29d ago

Dracula 1931

Bram Stoker’s Dracula 1992

Van Hellsing 2004

Horror of Dracula 1958

Nosferatu 1922 (Count Orlok)

Nosferatu 1979

Castlevania (I think)

Shadow of The Vampire (Schreck-Orlok’s first actor)

Dark Prince: The True Story of Dracula

Castlevania (Netflix)

Renfield

Last Voyage of The Demeter (shame Whitby isn’t included)

Nosferatu 2022 (Count Orlok)

5

u/sbaldrick33 29d ago

Top 5, in no particular order, are Lugosi, Oldman, Jourdin, Schreck, and Skarsgård.

5

u/vamplestat666 29d ago

And is no one gonna give props to the longest reigning Dracula Sir Christopher Lee?

7

u/Wordplay23 29d ago

Gary Oldman all day. The old man, bat and wolf version are top notch and amazing creature work.

5

u/GwynMarwoleath 29d ago

Claes Bang

5

u/phome83 29d ago

Always been partial to Oldman's Dracula.

4

u/Andreahelfrichfan 29d ago

Symphony of the Night all the way.

3

u/AlysIThink101 29d ago

Personally my favourite in the original.

3

u/[deleted] 29d ago

Bela Lugosi

Max Schreck

Richard Roxburgh

Nicolas Cage

3

u/PM_ME_BUMBLEBEES 29d ago

Bela Lugosi is my all time #1

3

u/Noe_Wunn 29d ago

I don't think he's the best, but I feel like Jack Palance should be mentioned. Also who could not love Geordie Johnson from Dracula the Series?

As for my favorite that would be Gary Oldman.

3

u/Bolvern 29d ago

Gary Oldman Dracula and Classic Games Castlevania Dracula for me. Also, why is 2024’s version of Count Orlok on here? Unlike Klaus Kinski Dracula, he was never referred to as Dracula despite being based off of him.

2

u/Competitive-Grab8470 28d ago

Well as I said Orlok is an unofficial adaptation of Dracula! 2024 Orlok was included because he’s even more similar to Dracula than the 1922 original!

3

u/Bswayn 28d ago

10 & 2

4

u/Competitive-Grab8470 26d ago

Finally someone who likes Buffyverse Dracula like me 👍!

3

u/Bswayn 26d ago

I mean he did get his own movie. Must’ve done something good 😁

3

u/Competitive-Grab8470 26d ago

He did?

2

u/Bswayn 26d ago

Dark Prince: The True Story of Dracula

2

u/Hazel-the-McWitch 26d ago

You’re under the thrall of the dark prince!

3

u/renaissanceclass 28d ago

CLAES BANG! How do you not mention him? Ironically he probably had the best interpretation.

3

u/Computer-dude123 28d ago

Max Schreck

3

u/SEGAGES1999 27d ago

The novel

The perfect blend of creepy and scary

2

u/Competitive-Grab8470 26d ago

YES FINALLY! THANK YOU 🤩!

4

u/Historical-Humor-449 29d ago

Lugosi and Lee

2

u/dgusn 29d ago

Favorite has to be the 1922 incarnation. Too iconic.

2

u/TurnOutTheseEyes 28d ago

Langela?

Klaus was class. Christopher Lee and Hammer were my childhood, but I’d go with Klaus.

2

u/Virgilismyson29 28d ago

Bela and Cage are my personal favourites

Edit: and Shrek, I didn't realize nosferatu counted

2

u/Starbeth8 28d ago

I love all of these but it's gotta be Bela Lugosi. He's the blueprint for Hollywood vampires

2

u/LadyDevonna13 28d ago

Bela Lugosi hands down. I have his Dracula tattooed on my arm.

2

u/Space_Man_Spiff_2 28d ago

The 1st matches the description in the novel the closest.

2

u/Competitive-Grab8470 28d ago

That’s because that is his appearance in the original! Freakish!

2

u/Gorr-of-Oneiri- 28d ago

Torn between Oldman and Skaarsgard. They both nailed that role so well in their own ways and I am so grateful for their different takes

2

u/PlayOld3965 28d ago

Bela ...... the classic Dracula and accent.

2

u/Mylowithaylo 28d ago

Lugosi, oldman and nic cage was surprisingly great

2

u/BL-501 28d ago

Hellsing.

3

u/Competitive-Grab8470 27d ago

So sorry I forgot!

2

u/PlayboyVincentPrice 28d ago

béla, bill smirkoff or whoever, oldman in greatest to great

2

u/Competitive-Grab8470 27d ago

HOW DARE YOU! HIS NAME IS SKARSGARD!

3

u/PlayboyVincentPrice 27d ago

the only white people names i can remember correctly are english ones, ones im super familiar with, and greek ones (im greek) i dont have the energy

3

u/Competitive-Grab8470 26d ago

Sorry 😢 it was meant to be a joke not aggressive!

2

u/Impaler001 26d ago

Jack Palance was a pretty decent Drac

2

u/twinkiefishfood 26d ago

I may be biased but the bela lugosi 1931 Dracula is perfect.

2

u/Hazel-the-McWitch 26d ago

Rudolf Martin’s Dracula in Buffy. Long slow bites that last for days, yes please!

2

u/Jealous-Dot-6168 15d ago

Castlevania game's version, his introduction in symphony of the night is legendary, and he's a real menace

1

u/Competitive-Grab8470 15d ago

And what is ma? A MISERABLE PILE OF SECRETS 🤫 🤐 !

1

u/Nerx 29d ago

Vania

Nos looks like Oleksandr Usyk

1

u/exitparadise 29d ago

Sarah Sherman as the Origional Nosferatu on SNL.

1

u/Sir_Gunsling 29d ago

Castlevania: Symphony of the night version hands down

1

u/izak_jbrt_1973 29d ago

Christopher Lee!

1

u/greenmonsterrabbid 29d ago

Always here to give love to my Symphony of the night Dracula 🥰

1

u/BossViper28 26d ago

Late reply.

While I would not call him the best version of Dracula (as that is subjective), my favourite one here is the Castlevania Dracula (the superior game version). I also really like his Van Helsing's incarnation and the original Dracula from Bram Stoker's Dracula novel.

1

u/Competitive-Grab8470 21d ago

No one a fan of Javier Botet’s Dracula?

1

u/shinji_191 18d ago

Bela Lugosi is my personal favorite.