Summary
The Prince of Darkness. Vlad The Impaler. Alucard. Dracula has gone by many names throughout his various appearances in films, TV, and gaming. In the same vein, he has also had just as many different faces, being played by several different actors over the years.
Along with the surrounding cast, thesetales of gothic horror(and sometimes humor) have secured the characters a legacy few fictional characters can rival. Each actor puts their spin on things to create a timeline of portrayals that is equal parts varied and intriguing.
1931
1979
1992
2014
2022
Renfield
2023
In the original novel, Renfield was a complicated character. After suffering from delusions that led him to become an ally of Dracula, that service would ultimately lead to his undoing. In the films, these manic traits are often put at the forefront to show the devastating powers of Dracula’s willpower.
But there is also a more merciful side to him. In the first film, he begs the doctors of the asylum to allow him to save the life of Mina Harker. Likewise, in Nicholas Hoult’s depiction, the servant of Dracula begins to use his powers for good in an attempt to save the lives of innocents rather than sacrifice them to his dark Master.
1968
1973
Van Helsing
Dracula’s minions take many forms throughout the various interactions of his character. However, one of the most consistent appearances is that of his three brides. Ethereal, beautiful, and loyal to their master, they serve to tempt or harm whoever gets in Dracula’s way. Outside their goals, little about the brides is known, which leaves the movies plenty of freedom in how to interpret them.
In many instances, the brides are silent antagonists, including their depiction in the original 1931 version. However, sometimes they are far more deadly, like in Van Helsing, where they transform into monsters to battle the protagonists.
1958
1970
Dracula: Undead and Loving It
1995
2000
2004
2012
Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation
2018
For every villain as great as Dracula, there needs to be a hero willing to stand up against him. Van Helsing is the wicked count’s greatest foil, a vampire hunter who seeks to bring an end to the evils Dracula spreads to the world. In the orginal novel, his role is more tame as a doctor who is brought in to assist with Lucy’s illness.
But, in the subsequent media, Van Helsing has become famous for his vampire-eradicating prowess. Van Helsing’s role is so vital, in fact, that he is one of the few characters in the original novel to get a movie for himself. Outside his action-packed depictions, Van Helsing is often careful and calculating, which makes him the perfect combatant for someone as intimidating as Dracula.
Jonathan Harker is one of the first characters introduced in the original novel and is slowly introduced to the horror of Dracula in much the same way the audience is. Upon realizing the situation he’s in, Harker barely manages to escape with his life intact. After recovering from his wounds, he joins the other protagonists to kill Dracula.
Despite his role in the novel being relatively straightforward, the character has seen numerous changes in his many appearances. Sometimes he fails to escape the castle and is killed; other times, he becomes a servant of the count. However, of all these portrayals, easily the most infamous isKeanu Reevesas Jonathan Harker. Much of this stems from criticisms of his British accent, which certainly leaves a lot to be desired.
2006
The Invitation
Lucy Westenra is one of the tragic victims of Dracula and displays his true evil. A young woman about to become a bride, she is attacked and infected with vampirism. When she rises again, it is to hunt children, which requires the main characters to step in and put her down. Her killers include her three suitors, men who loved her in life and hoped to give her soul peace in death.
Her different appearances alter her character slightly, either painting her as more promiscuous as in Bram Stoker’s Dracula, or by making her vampirsim lead her to a closer relationship with Dracula. Lucy is a character that can actually benefit from modern reimagining, adding complexity to her character as seen in films like The Invitation.
1951
2003
Penny Dreadful
Mina Harker starts the story as the fiancé of Johnathan and Lucy’s best friend. Throughout the dark tale, she sees her best friend turned into a monster and her future husband nearly killed by the very same evil count. Stirred to fight against him, she joins the rest of the protagonists in their effort to kill Dracula.
Over the years, Mina and Lucy have traded places often as to who will be the victim. But when she does get her time to shine, Mina often proves to be a worthy ally in the fight against darkness. In the original story, it’s her skills that provide the information needed to attack Dracula. But in other stories, like 2003’s League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, she gets to act in an even more hands-on role as a warrior against evil.
1945
1987
Dracula: Dead and Loving It
Nicholas Cage
Dracula stands as not only one of the most iconic horror characters of all time, but also asone of the most recognizable monstersin all fiction. In the novel of the same name, Dracula was a villain who sought to spread his evil and nearly got away with doing so. But the collective efforts of the protagonist proved to be enough to kill the vampire count and end his reign of terror.
Dracula has proven over the last century to be an extremely malleable character. In some instances, actors invoke the dark, horror origins that captured the attention of readers and movie audiences in the early 1900s. Others choose to lend more class to the character, creating the image of the more suave and seductive vampire. But whether they choose to go for laughs, screams, or something else entirely, nothing will be able to take away from Dracula’s legacy in media.
