Dracula: Complete Universal Monsters Movies
“Listen to them. Children of the night. What music they make.”
Since its publication in 1897, Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula has enthralled generations of readers with the alluring malevolence of its undead Count, the most famous vampire in literature. In this post, we talk about the original novel, about Bela Lugosi’s classic portrayal in 1931’s film Dracula, and offer a complete list of Universal Monsters movies with Dracula.
In this article:
Though Bram Stoker did not invent vampires, his 1897 novel Dracula helped usher them to iconic stature, launching a whole genre of storytelling that continues to flourish more than a hundred years on.
A century of copycats has done nothing to decrease the public’s interest in Stoker’s charming but deadly monster as he stalks his prey—whether in a Transylvanian castle, a British insane asylum, or the homes of his swooning victims.
A classic of Gothic horror, Dracula is a lasting story that continues to entice readers even today…
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Wait—Dracula been adapted how many times?
Dracula has been enormously popular since its publication, and served as a launching pad for a vampire subculture with stageplays, games, books, TV, movies, and more. Vampire literature continues to proliferate, and HUNDREDS of movies have been made featuring Count Dracula—a number second only to Sherlock Holmes.
But we shared a shocking secret about these adaptations in this episode of our show!
Did Dracula copy ANOTHER vampire from a DIFFERENT book?
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About Universal Monsters and Dracula
The era of the Universal Classic Monsters started with the iconic Dracula—portrayed in an the equally iconic performance by Bela Lugosi. The film was an adaptation of the 1924 stage play by Hamilton Deane and John L. Balderston—itself adapted from the 1897 novel by Bram Stoker.
The film details the Count’s arrival from Transylvania to England, where he can prey upon the blood of his victims. When he meets Mina Seward, he plans to turn her into his Bride—unless Professor Abraham Van Helsing can stop him.
In 2000, Dracula was selected by the United States Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry as “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
Classic Dracula movies from Universal
Dracula (1931)
Towering ominously among the shadows of the Carpathian Mountains, Castle Dracula strikes fear in the hearts of the Transylvanian villagers below. After a naive real estate agent succumbs to the will of Count Dracula, the two head to London where the vampire sleeps in his coffin by day and searches for potential victims by night. (With Béla Lugosi, Helen Chandler, David Manners, Dwight Frye, Edward Van Sloan.)
Buy Dracula (1931) (Fandango at Home)
Where else to watch Dracula online? (JustWatch)
Dracula’s Daughter (1936)
Picking up where Dracula left off, Dr. Von Helsing thinks he has rid London of all vampires—when he is instead arrested for murder. But then the bodies disappear, and soon several people are mysteriously killed, their bodies drained of all blood. Meanwhile, beautiful and mysterious Countess Marya Zaleska appears in London...(With Gloria Holden, Otto Kruger, Gloria Holden, Marguerite Churchill, Edward Van Sloan.)
Buy Dracula’s Daughter (1936) (Fandango at Home)
Where else to watch Dracula’s Daughter online? (JustWatch)
Son of Dracula (1943)
When Count Alucard (the son of Dracula?) and Katherine Caldwell (a student of the occult) are married, she begins to look and act strangely. Soon, a doctor and a psychologist come to the conclusion that Alucard is a vampire... (With Lon Chaney, Jr, Evelyn Ankers.)
Buy Son of Dracula (1943) (Fandango at Home)
Where else to watch Son of Dracula online? (JustWatch)
House of Frankenstein (1944)
A deranged scientist escapes from prison and revives the infamous Count Dracula. Then, finding the ruins of Frankenstein’s infamous laboratory, he finds the frozen forms of the Frankenstein Monster and the Wolf Man buried in an underground cavern. Niemann revives both creatures, seeking revenge on those who testified against his macabre experiments...(With Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney Jr., J. Carrol Naish, John Carradine, Anne Gwynne, Lionel Atwill, George Zucco, Elena Verdugo.)
House of Dracula (1945)
They’re all here—Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster, Wolf Man, angry villagers, and even a hunchback assistant! Both Dracula and the Wolf Man arrive at the laboratory of Dr. Edelman begging for a cure to relieve them of their killing instincts. But Dracula is really just scheming to get close to the nurse in hopes of seducing her into becoming one of his “brides of darkness.” The mayhem and madness reach a feverish pitch when the doctor discovers the body of Frankenstein’s Monster and brings it back to life. All of this is more than the nearby villagers can stand… (With Lon Chaney, Jr., Martha O’Driscoll, John Carradine.)
Buy House of Dracula (1945) (Fandango at Home)
Where else to watch House of Dracula online? (JustWatch)
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)
Then comedy duo star as baggage handlers Chick Young and Wilbur Grey—who are dealing with bundles that carry the remains of Dracula and Frankenstein. When the monsters escape, complete chaos ensues as the handlers are dragged into an evil plot to switch Wilbur’s brain with Frankenstein’s. Fortunately, they’re helped by Larry Talbot—who turns into the Wolf Man when the moon is full! (With Lon Chaney, Jr., Béla Lugosi, Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Lenore Aubert, Jane Randolph.)
More options to watch the classic Dracula movies
This whole classic set of Dracula movies are available in the Dracula: Complete Legacy Collection (Bundle). The original Dracula movie is also part of the Universal Monsters 8-Pack (Bundle) (with several of the other classic monsters). More home movie options for the Dracula movie series are available at Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.
And you can find whether any of these movies are streaming on other channels with JustWatch.
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More Dracula(ish) movies
Nosferatu (at least 3 versions)
Horror of Dracula (1958) with Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing
Dracula (1979) with Frank Langella, Kate Nelligan, Laurence Olivier, Donald Pleasence
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) with Gary Oldman and Winona Ryder
Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995) the Mel Brooks movie with Leslie Nielsen
Dracula 2000 with Christopher Plummer and Gerard Butler
Van Helsing (2004) with Hugh Jackman and Kate Beckinsale
Dracula Untold (2014) with Luke Evans and Sarah Gadon
Dracula: Season 1 (2020) with Claes Bang and Dolly Wells
Find whether some of these movies are streaming on other channels with JustWatch.
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About the Universal Monsters
Although Dracula wasn’t the first horror movie from Universal, its success paved the way for the rest of the iconic Universal monster movies. Anchored by some of the most iconic movie monsters, the Universal Monsters stable also includes Frankenstein’s Monster, the Bride of Frankenstein, the Mummy, the Wolf Man, the Phantom of the Opera, the Invisible Man, and the Creature From the Black Lagoon.
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![[Flashback] Dracula by Bram Stoker—“the events really took place…”](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e613d28fefad366b93ece35/1672758367957-L2T5WIIZLPIF6YE0P4GS/Stoker-Dracula-books-editions.jpg)
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Universal Studios Classic Monsters: Designing Dracula | Inside the Magic
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Looking for more options to watch classic monster movies like Frankenstein or Godzilla? Offering a bunch of websites with movies and TV shows—including stuff you can watch free, rent or buy digitally, or still buy physical media.