News

From posthumous footage of a cloaked Bela Lugosi stumbling through graveyards in “Plan 9 From Outer Space” to David Niven appearing in blackface at the end of “Vampira,” Dracula has endured far worse over the years than anything director Radu Jude can do to the character. But that doesn’t stop the cinematic prankster from trying to make his epically sloppy, almost-three-hour “Dracula” into the most exploitative interpretation of the character yet — a position Jude adopts on purpose.

After debuting his relatively respectable decline-of-Western-civilization satire “Kontinental ’25” at the Berlinale in February, the prolific Romanian auteur unleashes a second 2025 project at Locarno, where his rowdy “Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World” debuted two years earlier. An outrageous celebration of visual storytelling in all its forms, from TikTok to silent film, Jude’s chaotic anti-art statement is the first “Dracula” designed to suck.

So you can...

Dracula is back on the big screen with a vengeance, courtesy of none other than Romanian provocateur Radu Jadu (Kontinental ’25, Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn, Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World). Befitting the iconoclastic filmmaker’s reputation, of course, he is taking you on a bloody wild and absurd, dare we say — insane — cinematic ride to explore the legendary cinema myth in Dracula, world premiering in the competition program of the 78th edition of the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland on Aug. 10. In the process, he aims to not only dissect Dracula, but cinema itself.

In fact, with the movie made on Dracula’s home turf, namely Transylvania, Jude really sinks his teeth into the most famous vampire and different dimensions of his image, as well as AI. After all, the film shows a young filmmaker working with an AI system to craft various filmic takes on Dracula.

If you’ve ever rooted for a brooding guy with scissors for hands or found yourself strangely obsessed with a skeleton falling in love, well, congrats, because you’ve officially entered the wonderfully weird world of Tim Burton.

The man, the myth, the maestro of macabre, Burton has been serving us with his spooky yet sweet cinematic goodness since the 1980s. From creepy Christmas towns to gothic fairytales and even a Batman who low-key looks like he shops at Hot Topic, Burton’s movies have never been your average Hollywood fare. They’re literally whimsical, weird, and wickedly fun. And well, that’s exactly how we love them, ain’t it?

While the 2000s had some Burton misses, he came roaring back in 2024 with Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the sequel we didn’t know we still needed. And guess what? He’s not done yet. Burton teased that he’s diving back into animation.

It was back in April that John Carpenter finally received his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and he’s not the only horror legend who’s part of the 2025 class of honorees.

As we learned last June, Robert Englund is also getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, joining fellow horror acting legends including Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney and Bela Lugosi!

We knew it was coming but we didn’t know when it was happening, but a story posted by Englund himself today indicates that he’s getting his Walk of Fame star on Halloween Day!

The celebration of Englund’s career looks to be taking place 10-31-25 at 11am.

Englund had tweeted when the news was first announced last year, “Woke up this morning to discover I’m in great company in the Hollywood Walk of Fame class of 2025. Just to hear my...

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Everybody knows Batman, partly due to his enduring star power as a cinematic icon. But far fewer people have ever heard of the Black Bat. The same year the Dark Knight debuted in "Detective Comics" #27, this almost identical crime-fighter was introduced in the July 1939 issue of pulp magazine "Black Book Detective." When I say the Black Bat was almost identical to Batman, I mean it. Black Bat dressed in all-black, donning a coat designed to mimic bat's wings and strike fear into the hearts of criminals. Interestingly enough, this character's origin differed significantly from Bruce Wayne's, but it was strikingly similar to Batman villain Harvey Dent/Two Face, in that former District Attorney Anthony Quinn was blinded by acid before adopting his crime-fighting alter-ego.

At the time, the man credited with creating Batman, Bob Kane, claimed he had no prior...

Dracula, Bram Stoker's 1897 novel, endures as a towering monument of gothic literature, its shadow stretching across centuries and cultures. With a mesmerizing blend of horror, sensuality, and dark romanticism, the Count has seduced generations of readers and filmmakers alike, from F.W. Murnau's silent nightmare Nosferatu (1922) to Bela Lugosi's haunting gaze in Dracula (1931).

Christopher Lee starred in Hammer's Dracula movies, his sanguine presence on full display in ten films, cementing the Count's cinematic immortality. Later, Francis Ford Coppola's opulent 1992 adaptation draped the tale in velvet and tragedy. More recently, Robert Eggers breathed eerie life into the legend with a new Nosferatu. Each adaptation reflects each era's fears and fascinations, but the Count's hypnotic pull remains undiminished.

However, not all Dracula adaptations are kissed by moonlight, and in fact, there is a new movie coming out that is drawing the ire of critics.

Abraham's Boys: A Dracula Story...

Professionals in the used car sales industry often don't generate sympathy, at least under traditional pop culture depictions. But how would you feel if a one ended up framed for murder and had to deal with supernatural forces? You'll need to watch the upcoming scare film Covet, a unique horror film with some truly inspired casting.

Two Horror Icons Team Up

Covet is guaranteed to draw interest from horror fans as the film features a new cinematic team-up with Kane Hodder and Bill Moseley. Hodder will play the trouble-plagued car salesman trying to prove he didn't murder his mistress. Moseley will appear as Sheriff Troy, but it is unclear whether he'll play a skeptical law enforcement officer, akin to Tommy Lee Jones in The Fugitive (1993), or a menacing misfit, similar to R. Lee Ermey's Charlie Hewitt from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006).

Details about the film are sparse,...

Zombie movies have shuffled, sprinted, and slithered their way into almost every cinematic corner you can imagine. Sure, horror is their home base — all that moaning and munching kind of lends itself to scares — but the undead have a real knack for multitasking. Zombie movies aren’t just about scares and screams anymore.

They’ve taken on all kinds of wild and wonderful forms — from heartbreaking love stories and dark comedies to creepy, quiet tales and full-blown action-packed chaos. While some still stick to the classic horror vibes, others break all the rules and create something totally unexpected, sometimes weird, sometimes sad, and often surprisingly funny.

The best ones aren’t always the loudest or the goriest. Sometimes they’re slow burns. Sometimes they’re romantic. And sometimes, they’re just plain bizarre. But they all offer a new spin on the end of the world, where survival might not be about outrunning the dead,...

Gary Oldman, the Hollywood legend who starred in films like Mank, The Fifth Element, and The Dark Knight trilogy, delivered one of his best performances ever when he played Count Vlad in Bram Stoker's Dracula. Oldman's Dracula was a game-changer in the vampire genre, as the actor fully embodied a monster suffering for love. It didn't matter if he was wearing heavy makeup, or playing the handsome Count that Mina Harker falls in love with, you understood that vampire's tragic story. It was all the work of the actor, who was convinced he had to be in the film after reading one line of the script.

Oldman appeared in the latest episode of Josh Horowitz's podcast, Happy Sad Confused, to talk about his career. The Academy Award winner recalled his time making the Batman trilogy, the sci-fi adventure The Fifth Element, and his role in the successful Apple TV+ series,...

Excited at a chance to work with Francis Ford Coppola, Gary Oldman said his audition script for Bram Stoker's Dracula was only icing on the cake. He reflected on his experience working with the director, and how that film highlighted his impressive, eclectic career.

Gary Oldman wouldn't have starred in Bram Stoker's Dracula if not for its director, Francis Ford Coppola. Oldman said his reservations stem from previous adaptations of the character, especially the iconic versions from esteemed actors. "Let's put it this way. I didn't need to play Dracula," he told Josh Horowitz. "It had never even been on my radar to do it or even consider it or think about it. But it was Coppola and I thought that he would do something very interesting with it. And so I felt carried."

"Everyone in this world and his mother had played Dracula," Oldman also quipped, aware...

Over the decades, many actors have taken on the role of Count Dracula, but Gary Oldman delivered one of the most memorable performances in Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Stepping into the shadow of legends like Bela Lugosi and Christopher Lee was no easy task, but Oldman was eager to collaborate with director Francis Ford Coppola—especially after reading one particular line in the script that he couldn’t wait to say.

“I was about to read the script and audition for Francis,” Oldman told Josh Horowitz on the Happy Sad Confused podcast. “And the thing I remember most vividly was, ‘I’ve crossed oceans of time to find you.’ And I thought, ‘God, I’d really like to say that line.’” It is a great line, and as he always does, Oldman delivers it perfectly.

Related Just call him Sir Gary Oldman: The iconic actor is “gobsmacked” after being knighted...

Universal’s posse of freaks had it all: great costume design, scary moments, and performances cranked all the way to eleven. That’s why love for the Universal Monsters still endures. That classic era, running from the 1920s to the 1950s, really covered the full spectrum of tone and genre – from genuine tragedy, like The Wolf Man or The Phantom Of The Opera, to the flat-out bizarre, with Abbott And Costello Meet Frankenstein or Invisible Agent (a piece of wartime propaganda where the son of the Invisible Man becomes – you guessed it! – a secret agent). These characters even shared the screen, paving the way for crossover films. While time has inevitably revealed cracks in some of these old horror pictures, they remain flat-out iconic. Frankly, they deserve a proper comeback.

Fast forward over 50 years, and there’s still an outpouring of love for them. The monsters have been revived on the big screen multiple times,...

Stars: Steve Barkett, Christopher Barkett, Tera Hendrickson, Richard Harrison, Dawn Wildsmith, John Henry Richardson, Patricia Schiotis, Joseph Pilato, Jan Bryant | Written and Directed by Steve Barkett

In the 80s and 90s there were so many post-apocalyptic films. Many of the most fun out-of-this-world ones were of the low-budget B movie variety, and we’ve probably all heard the term “so bad it’s good” when it comes to these films.

Steve Barkett is a name you may not know off the top of your head, but if you love those B-movies from that era, you’ll know his films. In 1982 he made The Aftermath, and in 1995 he made Attack of the 60 Foot Centrefold. But in between those two films, in 1991, he wrote, produced, directed and starred in Empire of the Dark. Vci Entertainment and Mvd Visual previously brought us The Aftermath on Blu-ray. Now, as we are coming upon the...

Most movie trilogies have two things in common: 1.) there are three movies (duh) and 2.) they are official (huh?). By "official," I mean the films are recognized to follow the adventures (or misadventures) of the same character(s). Sometimes their adventures are different stories ("The Godfather" trilogy); other times it's the same story broken up into three chapters ("The Lord of The Rings"). But while the greatest film trilogy of all time is perhaps the most oft-debated topic in online movie discourse, we don't talk nearly enough about the best unofficial movie trilogies. What do I mean by "unofficial?"

If "official" trilogies follow the same character(s) over three parts, then "unofficial" trilogies don't. So what makes it a "trilogy?" It's a filmmaker exploring the same themes, settings, character types, and/or source material across three similar, but completely different, films. In fact, unofficial trilogies are usually not even defined as trilogies by the filmmaker themselves,...

How Bela Lugosi inspired one of Disney’s darkest creations, and how Universal is reclaiming his legacy this summer.

If you’ve ever thought Disney’s Chernabog from Fantasia looked a little familiar—especially to horror fans—you’re not imagining things. The resemblance between Disney’s winged demon and Universal’s classic Dracula isn’t just a coincidence. It’s cinematic ancestry.

In fact, Bela Lugosi, the man who made Dracula a pop culture icon in 1931, briefly served as a model for Chernabog during Fantasia’s early production. While Disney eventually scrapped his footage, the influence remained—visible in every ominous gesture and elegant flourish of the demon atop Bald Mountain.

Bela Lugosi’s Shadow Over Disney

Back in the late 1930s, when Disney animators were bringing “Night on Bald Mountain” to life for Fantasia, they sought theatrical inspiration for their towering, terrifying villain. Lugosi—already a horror legend...

The horrors of Alien and Lifeforce have their roots in Bram Stoker’s Dracula. A look at the roots of space vampires and their meaning:

What do you think of when you think of Dracula? Isolated Romanian castles? Villagers making holy signs to ward off evil? Crucifixes brandished like shields? Bram Stoker’s Dracula in the popular consciousness is the archetypal supernatural horror novel. A monster that cannot be killed by mortal means, but is to be warded off with garlic and crucifixes, bound by magical rules such as its inability to pass a threshold uninvited.

Although there are no vampires in the Bible, it is a monster intrinsically bound to Christian theology, from movies like Wes Craven’s gloriously trashy Dracula 2000 that revealed Dracula to be the cursed immortal, Judas, to Mike Flanagan’s miniseries Midnight Mass.

Yet when we go back to the source, the novel, Dracula,...

The Museum of Modern Art is spring cleaning its archives for a special ode to Old Hollywood. The exhibit “Face Value: Celebrity Press Photography,” which will open June 28, 2025 and be on display through June 21, 2026, features the best studio shots of iconic stars such as Clara Bow, Bette Davis, Katharine Hepburn, Barbara Stanwyck, Elizabeth Taylor, Harry Belafonte, and more.

This is the first major exhibition of Hollywood studio portraiture to be showcased from the Museum Department of Film’s film stills archive since 1993. “Face Value” will feature over 200 works from 1921 to 1996, with studio photography of Joan Crawford, Louis Armstrong, Carole Lombard, Louise Brooks, Mia Farrow, Dennis Hopper, Lena Horne, Buster Keaton, Anna May Wong, W. C. Fields, Hattie McDaniel, Lupe Velez, Mae West, Bela Lugosi, Carmen Miranda, Elvis Presley, Diana Ross, Spencer Tracy, and Oprah Winfrey, in addition to the aforementioned stars. Historical figures such as Jackie Robinson, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis,...

In the 1930s and 40s, Warner Bros. made films across many genres, but their bread and butter was crime thrillers and gangster pictures. The studio’s 1936 film The Walking Dead plays to this strength and infuses the story with a Frankensteinian horror twist. Helmed by Michael Curtiz, sometimes called “the greatest director you’ve never heard of,” and starring the biggest horror star of the era Boris Karloff, the film is one of the most unique horror offerings of the 1930s. It is also among the most overlooked, overshadowed by its far more famous contemporaries from Universal. This is unfortunate because The Walking Dead is a hardboiled gangster picture, a Frankenstein-adjacent thriller, an indictment of the death penalty, an examination of corruption in the justice system, a meditation on the nature of the soul, and a pondering of the metaphysics of death all in one. And it does it all in a mere 66 minutes.

The vampire subgenre has been at the forefront of horror for over 100 years, and the myths of undead creatures living off of human blood go back countless years further. The best vampire movies ever made are, mostly, incredibly varied. There’s a whole lot of great “Dracula” movies out there, sure, but also art-house nightmares, mainstream action movies, silly comedies, Neo-westerns, heartwarming romances and more. And if you ask us, these are the very, very best.

(Film Arts Guild) “Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror” (1922)

F.W. Murnau’s eerie silent classic is 100 years old, and it still has the power to shock and horrify. Telling an extremely plagiarized version of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” – Stoker’s estate successfully sued, and nearly had every single copy of “Nosferatu” destroyed – the film stars Max Schreck as the verminous Count Orlok, who moves from his haunted castle to Germany, and brings a supernatural plague along with him.

(This post contains details about the ride queue for Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment at the Epic Universe theme park. It does not contain spoilers from the ride itself.)

General audiences have forgotten about the 2017 reboot of "The Mummy" starring Tom Cruise, but many movie fans will remember it forever. Not because it's secretly good (it's not), but because it was the one and only entry in Universal Pictures' Dark Universe, a plan to reintroduce the company's classic monster characters to a new audience via a Marvel-flavored series of interconnected horror films. They announced an entire slate, assembled a bunch of movie stars for an infamous group photo, and then watched as "The Mummy" flopped. The Dark Universe was quietly abandoned. Those who remember it, often with a head shake or a chuckle, are those who use it as a perfect example of a cart being put before a horse.

Quick LinksLondon After Midnight is an Iconic But Unremarkable Vampire FilmModern Cinema is Perfect to Reignite the Forgotten Vampire Mystery FilmLondon After Midnight's Legacy Can't Be Ignored

When Robert Egger's Nosferatu hit theaters, it did more than bring a classic horror monster back into the mainstream. It also brought back a love of gothic horror that hadn't been seen since the '90s, as well as a love for all things classic and vampire. Aside from that, Universal's Epic Universe has done something similar with its Universal Monsters-centric Dark Universe. With all that in mind, it's clear that the world is in a state where gothic and vampiric horror have reached a new high and there are even more chances to capitalize on the idea.

It's no secret that the original 1922 Nosferatu was an unauthorized remake of Dracula that was nearly lost to time after every copy was almost destroyed.

The zombie genre is one of the oldest and most resilient subgenres in horror, starting with Victor Halperin's seminal 1932 film "White Zombie" starring Bela Lugosi. The subgenre has evolved and seen many changes throughout the decades, with new variations, genre mixes, and reimaginings that keep the walking dead fresh and relevant. Whether that's George Romero defining the modern zombie with poignant social commentary in his "Dead" movie series that started with "Night of the Living Dead" in 1968, Danny Boyle bringing the genre to modern times with fast zombies and gritty handheld filmmaking in "28 Days Later," or "The Walking Dead" turning the undead into compelling TV drama in the 2010s.

One thing many modern zombie movies and shows have in common, which may appear bizarre for those not overly familiar with the genre, is the lack of the word "zombie." Indeed, zombie is almost a dirty word in the genre,...

Quick LinksAre Nosferatu and Dracula the Same Vampire?What Does Nosferatu Mean?Why Did Nosferatu Have Copyright Troubles?Nosferatu Was the Only Dracula Movie Some Countries BannedNosferatu Spawned Numerous Imitations of Its OwnEggers' Nosferatu Subverted and Elevated the OriginalNosferatu's Influence on Pop Culture Is Remarkably Vast

First biting into cinemas in the 1920s, Nosferatu is an iconic character and movie, with the original F.W. Murnau film being emblematic of German Expressionism in art and cinema. It has since had three independent remakes and inspired countless other works. All things considered, 1922's Nosferatu influenced the vampire genre in innumerable ways. Critic Roger Ebert even called it "the story of Dracula before it was buried alive in clichés, jokes, TV skits, cartoons" and countless other movies.

With the release of Robert Eggers' 2024 remake, Nosferatu has again entered pop culture consciousness. Many moviegoers are confused about the connection between Nosferatu and Bram Stoker's Dracula for various,...

Some of the best horror movies don’t need two hours of runtime to completely destroy your nerves. In fact, when it comes to horror, shorter is often better. Since horror relies on tension and fear of the unknown, it's easy to desensitize an audience or lose steam after extended scares or after a big reveal. The scariest ones often operate on a strict time limit, packing in nightmare fuel, unbearable tension, and gut-wrenching reveals in rapid fire. Whether it’s supernatural terror, psychological dread, or pure unhinged chaos, horror doesn’t need to overstay its welcome to be effective.

From genre-defining classics to modern nightmares, these terrifying films keep audiences on edge with efficient pacing and relentless scares. Whether you’re looking for something chilling to watch on a time crunch or just appreciate tightly crafted horror, these picks guarantee maximum terror with minimal runtime. Buckle up, because these...

Neca‘s 10th series of Toony Terrors toys features “Silver Screen” black-and-white editions of four classic Universal Monsters.

Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy, and The Wolf Man are modeled in the style of classic Saturday morning cartoons.

Each 6″ scale figure is individually packaged on a blister card with a silver foil logo and a cutout backdrop.

Shipping in April, the set of four is available for $63.99.

Bela Lugosi sunk his teeth into the role of Dracula, Boris Karloff played both Frankenstein’s monster and The Mummy, and Lon Chaney Jr. howled as The Wolf Man.

Neca’s previous wave of “Silver Screen” Toony Terrors included Nosferatu‘s Count Orlok, Vincent Price, Vampira, and They Live’s Alien.

The post Neca’s “Toony Terrors” Series 10 Features Black-and-White Universal Monsters appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Horror cinema has a strange habit of resurrecting itself from time to time. The Universal monsters of the 1930s enjoyed a technicolor reincarnation in the Hammer films of the late 1950s; slasher films bled out by the mid-'80s, but Scream brought them back with a vengeance; and the walking dead just keep coming back for more. Today's zombie fans can easily see why this trope never dies with this list of terrifying 20th-century cult classics and hidden gems.

Everyone knows that George Romero is the reigning champion of zombie cinema, but the tradition he established has begotten a horde of powerful and innovative followers whose films still stand up today. This horror history lesson will show fans of modern hits like The Walking Dead and the 28 Days Later franchise that their faves come from a grand tradition that refuses to stay dead.

This Early Zombie Film Is Still...

For the bulk of his career, Leslie Nielsen was best known for his stern, dramatic roles. His tall stature and low voice had casting directors offering him parts as commanders, leaders, and even heavies. Many might recall Nielsen's stone-faced turn in 1956's "Forbidden Planet" as the captain in "The Poseidon Adventure," or playing a cop in the 1972 cop drama "The Bold Ones: The Protectors." In 1977's "Day of the Animals" he plays a manly outdoorsman who loses his mind and, quite darkly, declares insane dominion over animals and women. Some might recall that he can hold his breath a long time, as he declared in "Creepshow." Many will be shocked to witness Nielsen beat and assault Barbra Streisand in the 1987 drama "Nuts." 

However, Nielsen did appear in a handful of comedies, most notably, playing Dr. Rumack in the Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker farce "Airplane!" The parody proved that he had a talent for deadpan comedy,...

Few literary characters have left as lasting an impact on sci-fi and horror cinema as Frankenstein's monster. Since Mary Shelley first unleashed her tragic creation onto the world in 1818, filmmakers have happily taken on its themes of hubris and the blurred line between life and death. Over the decades, Frankenstein has been adapted, reimagined, and parodied in countless ways, with some versions staying true to Shelley's original vision and others taking creative liberties that reshape the story entirely.

In fact, the story is a perfect archetype for all kinds of interpretations. With two major adaptations on the horizon -- Guillermo del Toro's long-awaited take and Maggie Gyllenhaal's unique reimagining -- now is the perfect time to revisit the best Frankenstein movies ever made. From classic Universal horror to modern reinterpretations, these ten films prove that Frankenstein’s monster is truly immortal.

Horror Meets Humor When Abbott and...

When it comes to romance, vampires take “forever” very seriously. And so do we. Maybe it’s the immortality, the brooding, or the way they make neck-biting look way more seductive than it should. Whatever the reason, vampire horror romances have been making audiences swoon for decades, blending love with death, passion with peril, and desire with destruction.

If you’re looking for a love story that comes with fangs, forbidden attraction, and a healthy dose of doomed obsession, these 10 vampire horror romances will sink their teeth into you.

Universal 10. Dracula (1931)

Before vampires were sexy, brooding antiheroes, Dracula set the gold standard for supernatural seduction. With hypnotic stares, impeccable fashion, and an unsettlingly smooth accent, Dracula (Bela Lugosi) effortlessly lures Mina (Helen Chandler) into his undead embrace, despite her engagement to another man.

This Universal classic is a must-watch for gothic horror fans. While it may not have the blood-drenched theatrics of modern adaptations,...

In an interview with the new PBS SoCal digital series Locationland, location manager Danny Finn describes the kismet moment when he discovered that the house used for Freaky Friday in 2003 was still standing and still owned by the same woman. Even better, she was open to allowing it to be used again for Disney’s August 2025 release, Freakier Friday.

“I called and got an old, robotic answering machine, left a Hail Mary voicemail,” Finn recalled. “Two minutes later I got a call from an unknown number and this voice answered, ‘Hi. It’s Me. Yes, I still live here. Same house, new husband, all good.’ So we ended up shooting there, which was wonderful.”

Then, last week, everything changed.

“We’ve since confirmed that that house — along with every house on that block — was lost in the Palisades Fire,” he told Locationland.

In the midst of that life-altering tragedy, Finn...

Fog fetish.

After concluding 2024 with a look at toxic friendships in Into the Dark: “New Year, New You” (listen) and kicking off 2025 by concluding the Grindhouse double feature that we started last summer with a look at Quentin Tarantino’s Death Proof (listen) we’re heading back to the world of Universal Monsters in George Waggner‘s 1941 classic The Wolf Man.

In The Wolf Man, Larry Talbot (Lon Chaney Jr.) returns to Wales to reconcile with his father (Claude Rains) after his brother’s death. While there, he puts the moves on Gwen (Evelyn Ankers), the shopkeeper of a nearby antique shop. The night after he purchases a silver walking cane from Gwen, Larry is attacked and bitten by a vicious wolf, which he then kills. Larry eventually learns that the wolf he killed was, in fact, a man (Bela Lugosi), and that Larry has now inherited a curse...

Ask any actor to name a performance that made them want to become an actor, and you'll get people citing the monumental likes of Marlon Brando in "A Streetcar Named Desire," Meryl Streep in "Sophie's Choice" or Denzel Washington in "Malcolm X" -- big, deep-tissue dives that require thespians to use just about every part of their instrument. They want to leave audiences weeping and cheering as they capture the full range of the human experience. They do not want to play, say, a monotone android whose sole function in the plot is to provide the occasional information dump. This would leave them with nothing of interest to do, and, most likely, little to add to their reel.

So, when Gene Roddenberry began casting the pilot for "Star Trek" in 1964, he probably didn't have actors knocking down his door to play the Vulcan First Officer Spock, whose adherence to logic...

F.W. Murnau’s Nosferatu, A Symphony of Horrors was an unauthorized yet first adaptation of Bram Stoker 1897’s novel Dracula, the most influential literary source for the vampire legend. To evade copyright law, Nosferatu’s screenwriter Henrik Galeen changed the story from London to the fictional small-town of Wisborg, Germany, and also altered the characters’ names. But Bram Stoker’s estate filed suit, claiming the adaptation was an infringement. The German court ruling (in 1925) ordered all copies of the film to be destroyed. As a result producer Albin Grau (also the film’s costume designer and art director) who produced only Nosferatu under his company banner, Prana Film was forced to declare bankruptcy. The orders were followed meticulously although one print, thankfully, found its way to the United States.

In his 1997 review of Nosferatu, film critic Roger Ebert (which he included in his ‘Great Films’ list) writes, “Ironically, in the...

In many ways, slasher movies represent the horror genre at its purest. Favoring creative kills over cumbersome characterization works like Friday the 13th cater towards exploitation fans first and foremost. These films are exercises in brutality and pushed boundaries in terms of stomach-churning violence. In doing so, slashers like Freddy Krueger and Micheal Myers have become pop-culture icons, frequently overshadowing their thinly sketched victims. Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho is seen by many as the genre's earliest offering, effectively providing the blueprint for future horror filmmakers. That said, few realize that another psychological thriller beat Hitchcock to the punch earlier that year.

Directed by Micheal Powell, Peeping Tom debuted in the UK on April 7th, 1960. The film starred Karlheinz Bohm as Mark Lewis, a socially awkward camera operator obsessed with fear. He spends his nights hunting down women and murdering them on film, recording their reactions to analyze later. Like Psycho,...

The zombie horror goes back to 1932's White Zombie, directed by Bela Lugosi, though most would consider the mainstream beginning to be George A. Romero's 1968 film, Night of the Living Dead. Throughout the decades, there have been many interpretations of the subject, as the idea of a slowly moving, unintelligent monster doesn't terrify once you become comfortable with the premise, with movies like Zombieland aiming at these tropes. This has led to a diversification of how one can define a zombie and an increased focus on how they affect humanity, with The Walking Dead and World War Z being key examples.

Released in early 2020, Netflix’s Dracula series offers a fresh and exciting take on one of literature’s most iconic and suave monsters. Created by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, the masterminds behind the groundbreaking BBC Sherlock series, this adaptation pulls viewers into a dark, suspenseful, horrifically gory, and often witty reinterpretation of Bram Stoker’s classic tale. From its stunning visuals to the commanding performances, especially from its lead actor, the show presents a unique balance of gothic horror and modern storytelling. Across three feature-length episodes, it explores the original classic stories and acts in three distinct stories.

At its core, Dracula isn’t just about fangs and blood, but - like its source material - a profound examination of humanity, fear, and the meaning of evil itself. Moffat and Gatiss’ flair for clever dialogue and inventive storytelling brings new dimensions to the narrative, while still honoring the spirit...

Stories mutate over time, adapting to both storytellers and their audience in often unpredictable ways. This is precisely why folks will still flock to creature features about monsters they’ve seen a million times before, as it’s always fun to find out how filmmakers have managed to update the source material. And when it comes to classic monsters that have gone through cinematic makeovers, it’s hard to compete with the good-old vampire.

From foreign sex symbols to zombie-like hordes and even mindless bat-monsters, vampires have proven to be an oddly versatile creature for filmmakers of every disposition. And in honor of Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu remake revamping one of the most iconic depictions of blood-sucking ghouls in cinema history, we’ve decided to come up with a list celebrating six of the scariest vampire designs in horror!

As usual, this list is purely based on personal opinion, but be...

Nosferatu (2024), directed by Robert Eggers, reimagines the legendary 1922 silent film classic. It brings a fresh yet eerie perspective to the iconic vampire myth. Known for his mastery of atmospheric horror and historical authenticity, Eggers creates a chilling retelling of Count Orlok’s tale. The film captures the same haunting tension and visual storytelling seen in his previous works like The Witch and The Lighthouse. The cinematography, by Dop Jarin Blaschke, echoes the ominous lighting and stark shadows of the original. It adds a unique modern twist. With a mesmerizing performance by Bill Skarsgård as the terrifying vampire, Nosferatu (2024) captures the original’s haunting aura while expanding its thematic depth. If you were drawn to its eerie atmosphere and dark, immortal themes, these 7 classic vampire movies will be a perfect follow-up.

1. Nosferatu (1922) | F.W. Murnau

If you admire the atmospheric world of Nosferatu (2024), Murnau’s Nosferatu (1922) is essential viewing. This silent film...

With new versions of Wolf Man and Frankenstein arriving in 2025, the Universal Monsters are very much the center of attention. However, during the golden age of horror, Universal Pictures also produced a variety of lesser-known masterpieces that can stand up to heavy hitters like Dracula. What follows are ten of the studio's best fright features that are not familiar to everyone — but they should be.

The most famous Universal horror films are carried by iconic characters like the Count and Frankenstein's Monster, and the charisma of actors like Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff. However, their best performances are not necessarily in their best-known movies, and this list includes smaller but equally-high quality. These ten supernatural shockers, Satanic thrillers, and hilarious horror comedies prove that Universal Pictures has much more to offer fans than the usual suspects.

The First Universal Werewolf Film Appeared 6 Years Before The Wolf Man

Image via Universal Pictures.

Quick Links 'Dracula' Is a Trailblazing Masterpiece in Horror Cinema Bela Lugosi's Timeless Portrayal of Dracula

Undeniably one of the silver screen's finest masterpieces and a touchstone in horror cinema, the 1931 supernatural sensation Dracula features an incomparable performance by Hungarian-American actor Bela Lugosi, who brilliantly brought the Bram Stoker antagonist to life and set the precedent for future interpretations of the legendary vampire. The overwhelming success and impact of the cinematic staple helped shape the horror genre and led to more exciting Universal Monster movies like Frankenstein, The Mummy, and The Invisible Man, while establishing Lugosi as one of Hollywood's most recognizable talents.

Though many more prominent actors like Christopher Lee, Gary Oldman, and most recently Bill Skarsgård (in the Dracula adjacent Nosferatu) would tackle the role of the iconic blood-sucker, none have been able to match the menace and magic Lugosi embodied on screen 94 years ago...

Robert Eggers' Nosferatu has divided many critics and audiences. Some have praised the film, whereas others have seen it as something that pales in comparison to the original by F.W. Murnau and its later adaptation, Nosferatu: The Vampyre, directed by Wener Herzog. The influence of Nosferatu extends well beyond its original release over a century ago, from the images of skeletonized templar knights rising from their coffins in The Ghost Galleon to a character named after Graf Orlok and portrayed by Boris Karloff in the movie Targets. Nosferatu would also have a significant influence on the 1991 film Subspecies.

The first of what would be a series of direct-to-video films released by Full Moon Productions and directed by Ted Nicolaou, Subspecies was shot on location in Romania and makes full use of its setting to establish a gothic atmosphere. Unlike the romanticized portrayals of Dracula by the likes of Bela Lugosi and Christopher Lee,...

This article contains spoilers for Nosferatu, now playing in theaters.

Robert Egger's 2024 horror film, Nosferatu, was nothing short of a Christmas miracle. As is typical of the director, Nosferatu is visceral and captivating, reminiscent of his feature film debut, The Witch. With such great attention to detail to the era and a wildly talented cast bringing its characters to life, even the most jaded viewer cannot deny how effective the film is.

Bringing horror back to the vampire genre, Nosferatu isn't just a win for Eggers. Vampires have been a popular subject matter as long as cinema has been around, but recent years have given the monsters a glamorous makeover. Egger's take on Count Orlok may have the juice to revitalize the blood and mayhem these creatures were originally known for. No one knows this more than Stephen King, whose follow-up to Carrie was Salem's Lot, a terrifying...

A carriage approaches Orlok’s castle in director Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2024 Focus Features LLC

Before Bela Lugosi created the image of an elegant Dracula in Todd Browning’s film Dracula, F.W. Murnau made the brilliant silent film Nosferatu, the first film adaptation of Bram Stoker’s eerie novel. Stoker’s estate refused to let the legendary German director use the book’s title but Murnau made the film anyway, renaming the vampire Count Orlok and re-setting the latter part of the story in Germany rather than England. Director Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu is an outstanding film that both honors and recreates Murnau’s great classic, while also adding a modern horror edge as well.

Fans of Murnau’s incredible silent horror film will delight in Eggers’ new Nosferatu, which faithfully recreates several of the striking scenes in the original. Nosferatu is visually astounding,...

Horror movies might be more popular than ever now, but a century ago they were looked down upon. There might have been monster hits like King Kong in 1932, but another 1932 film, Freaks, didn't have that kind of popularity when it came out. Tod Browning had been a director for a few decades and was just a year removed from making Dracula with Bela Lugosi, but then came his most controversial offering.

When you purchase through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

If you are a horror fan then there is a big chance that you might have heard about the horror streaming service Shudder, and if you have its subscription you might be wondering what’s in store for you in January 2025. Don’t worry there is a host of new and old horror movies coming to the service in the upcoming month and we have listed the 10 best movies coming to Shudder in January 2025.

The Others (January 1) Credit – Dimension Films

The Others is a gothic supernatural psychological horror film written and directed by Alejandro Amenabar. The 2001 film follows Grace as she moves in a Jersey house with her three children but she soon begins experiencing strange occurrences and becomes convinced that the house is haunted. The Others stars Nicole Kidman, Fionnula Flanagan, Christopher Eccleston, Elaine Cassidy, Eric Sykes,...

Warning: Major spoilers ahead for NosferatuRobert Eggers' Gothic horror movie Nosferatu revived one of cinema's oldest and most iconic monsters, which is itself an interpretation of the classic vampire Dracula, and in doing so invited comparisons between the two horror icons. As the titular vampire, Bill Skarsgård brought a completely new look and personality to the well-established character, reigniting the terror that pervades vampire lore. The scream king's interpretation is vastly different from the other actors who have played Count Orlok, and calls into question how far off it is from the baseline character of Dracula.

While Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror and, by extension, Count Orlok, are based off the novel Dracula, the original iteration of the bat-like Transylvanian nobleman had several noticeable differences from the literary vampire, both in appearance and in ability. Robert Eggers' Count Orlok maintains many of the traits from F.W. Murnau's original Orlok,...

Robert Eggers’ lushly gothic remake of “Nosferatu” is a loving homage to silent films, with its dramatic black-and-white scenes and overpowering sense of creeping dread.

The eerie images of Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård) hand sweeping over the entire city of London and — in one of the film’s most striking shots — the face of his obsession, Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp), is a nod to F. W. Murnau’s original 1922 film, in which Count Orlok’s shadow falls across his victims before the monster himself enters the frame.

If you’re ready to do a deeper dive into the classics that influenced Eggers, start with these seven films.

Max Schreck in the 1922 version of “Nosferatu” Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror (1922)

Long before Bela Lugosi donned a cape to play Dracula, German director F.W. Murnau brought his terrifying bat-eared, clawed monster Count Orlok to the screen. The character, whose name was changed to...

Nosferatu director Robert Eggers has explained why his version of the iconic vampire features a new distinct feature. The image of 1922's Nosferatu's Count Orlok is iconic, whose monstrous appearance drastically differs from that of the more human-looking Count Dracula. With a bald head, sharp fingernails, and buck fangs like a bat, the image of Count Orlok is ingrained in popular culture, so it made the remake's decision to hide his appearance in the trailers so riveting as it suggested a drastic reimagining of the character. Audiences were likely shocked to see this monstrous vampire with a prominent mustache.

While speaking with Variety, Eggers explained why he gave Count Orlok, played by Bill Skarsgard, the defining facial feature that no other version of the character has used. It came down to a combination of historical accuracy, as Transylvanian noblemen like Orlok would have had a mustache. It also drew...

Folk horror master Robert Eggers' latest feature Nosferatu focuses on one of the oldest and most iconic movie monsters, and introduces a modern scream king as the latest incarnation of the unsettling Count Orlok. Bill Skarsgård's mustachioed Transylvanian nobleman is a terrifying and well-envisioned modern interpretation of the typically bald, pale vampire, and noticeably different from the other actors who have portrayed the character. While Count Orlok originated in F.W. Murnau's 1922 silent German Expressionist film Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror, the character has been seen in multiple movies over the last century.

While the character of Dracula has been adapted ad nauseam, Count Orlok hasn't generated the mainstream appeal of his more debonair counterpart. Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror is itself an adaptation of Bram Stoker's original gothic horror novel Dracula, and is distinct in a number of ways. Count Orlok is unique among vampire depictions, and...

Quick Links Nosferatu's Ending, Explained Nosferatu Does Not Have a Post-Credits Scene Could Nosferatu Lead to a Robert Eggers Horror Franchise?

The following contains spoilers for Nosferatu, in theaters now.

There have been many horror movie remakes over the years, with these largely being of questionable quality. That's far from the case with Nosferatu, the latest film by Robert Eggers. Reimagining the black and white classic, the now acclaimed movie has several people talking, be they critics or moviegoers.

Movies have changed a lot since 1922, making some wonder if the new version of Nosferatu has a post-credits scene or not. Likewise, its fidelity to another source is also in question. Thankfully, for those wanting as classic an experience as possible, Nosferatu does just that in how it handles several concepts.

Nosferatu's Ending, Explained The Film's Conclusion Is Familiar to Horror Fans

In terms of the overall storyline and direction,...