Dracula, the iconic father of all vampires, has been subject to a lot of interpretations over the years. Some on-screen interpretations are outstanding while others leave you wishing that you hadn’t bothered watching it. While the scripts play a large role in how the character comes across, the actors are the ones remembered as the best and worst. Here are just some actors that have portrayed the famous vampire over the years.
Christopher Lee In Horror Of Dracula
Christopher Lee is one of the best Draculas of all time and made the character his own in this movie. Horror of Dracula did not have many lines for this great actor who relied on his physicality to bring the character to life. He was able to bring both the charm and terror that embodies the vampire.
When this movie came out in 1958, it was so popular that it spawned eight sequels. Christopher Lee was so good in the movie that he reprised his role in six of them. The command Lee has on-screen makes it hard to take your eyes off him in this role.
Bela Lugosi In Dracula
Before Christopher Lee made the role his own, Bela Lugosi was Dracula. Lugosi is the original and, for many people, still the best. The 1931 movie set the standards for pop culture vampires and his future Dracula roles would cement the vampire stereotype.
Lugosi was the first actor to bring the thin line between alluring and frightening to the screen. While the movie can seem awkward now, Lugosi was able to pull off this character without any of the special effects available today. This Hungarian-born actor was able to make you love the character while still fearing him.
Gary Oldman In Bram Stoker’s Dracula
Bram Stoker’s Dracula is a visually alluring movie that stays closer to the book than most of the other adaptations out there. The movie captures the mixture of horror, romance and melodrama from the book. The movies ability to do this is based greatly on the outstanding performance of Gary Oldman as Count Dracula.
Oldman can bring the evil of the character out during his more vampiric moments. However, he is also able to show the tragic figure that lies beneath the pointed teeth. The silly moments in the film lighten it slightly, but Oldman never allows his Dracula to become too cheesy. The emotional performance makes this one of the best vampire movies to watch.
Luke Evans In Dracula Untold
In a very different take on the story of Dracula, Luke Evans shines as the Count. The movie is a fantasy retelling of the story of Vlad the Impaler who is believed to be the basis of Dracula. The story tells how Vlad becomes a vampire to protect his family and kingdom after making a deal with a demon.
While many feel the movie itself was too far in the fantasy-action genre for Dracula, Evans was able to play the titular role well. His ability to bring out the protective nature of the character and his menace makes the movie a delight to watch. While this performance is far away from what we expect of Dracula, it is still a good adaptation to watch. For horror fans who want to experience a spooky vampire slot game, then you can gamble on the Ooh Aah Dracula slot game at Pink Casino.
Leslie Nielson In Dracula: Dead And Loving It
Mel Brooks was responsible for a lot of great movies, but for many Dracula: Dead and Loving It was not one of them. Casting Leslie Nielson in the title role of Dracula set this movie up for greatness. However, the movie did not come together and left Nielson’s performance seeming to be over the top.
While Nielson’s performance is not expected to be the same as Lee, Oldman or Lugosi, it crosses the line from funny to ridiculous. Seen as one of Mel Brooks’ weakest films it is also one of Nielson’s weakest performances.
Gerard Butler In Dracula 2000
Another movie that put a different spin on the origin of Dracula, Gerard Butler’s performance as the count is considered one of the worst. Unable to bring the danger and charisma of the character, Dracula is left as a flat character without any dimension. The movie is overly serious while filled with pretty actors unable to bring the characters to life.
Dracula has been played by many actors through the years with some offering better performances than others. Christopher Lee and Bela Lugosi are still considered the best with Gary Oldman following closely. Gerard Butler and Leslie Nielson often have the dubious honour of being viewed as the worst.
