Time and time again, filmmakers have been drawn to the legendary monster that is Dracula. There’s something alluring about the dark, mysterious vampire that begs to be put on film and reimagined for fresh audiences. 

He’s been the focus of hundreds of films, television series and stage productions. Classic depictions of the character have even been shaped to appeal to children—think Count Chocula cereal and the Count, a mathematician, on “Sesame Street.” 

Though—spoiler alert—Dracula is indeed killed at the end of his tale, this immortal creature just won’t stay dead. 

And this isn’t just anecdotal evidence. Dracula set a Guinness World Record in 2015 for being the most portrayed literary character in film—a whopping 538 times. The only other character that comes close is Sherlock Holmes at 299 depictions. 

As David J. Skal wrote in his book “Hollywood Gothic: The Tangled Web of Dracula from Novel to Stage to Screen,” Dracula “has now so pervaded the world of communications and advertising that it is no longer necessary to read the novel or even see one of its film adaptations to be thoroughly acquainted with the Count and his exploits.”

These numbers have surely grown in the past decade. In fact, the count is coming to the big screen again this week in the form of Luc Besson’s “Dracula: A Love Tale.” The new take stars Caleb Landry Jones (“X-Men: First Class”) as the titular count and Zoë Bleu (“Gonzo Girl”) as the object of his obsession. 

This French-language adaptation of “Dracula” appears to focus more on the romantic aspect of the story, as implied by the title. The Besson film leans into the trope of Mina Harker (Bleu) as a reincarnation of Dracula’s slain wife. This is not a plot point from the original novel, but we see this trope in “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” (1992), the comedic “Love at First Bite” (1979) and “Dracula Untold” (2014). 

While perhaps initially reluctant in these stories, this version of Mina returns the count’s love and wishes to become a vampire like him. 

Dracula is a monster, but in these adaptations he’s also become a man in mourning and deeply in love. He’s a character that resonates with audiences in a way Freddy Krueger, Jason and other homicidal monsters can’t. Who doesn’t love a good love story?

Perhaps the appeal of Dracula lies in his seduction. Many vampire stories that have come after Stoker’s book have included the trope that a vampire’s appearance and other qualities are designed to attract prey. Apparently, he’s skilled at attracting filmmakers and audiences, as well!

Compared to other monsters of the era, Stoker gave Dracula a striking, and perhaps attractive appearance. While he’s described as having hair on his palms and sharp, white teeth, Dracula is also clean shaven with a long, white mustache, a strong, angular face. The bridge of his nose is aquiline and high with arched nostrils. He has a domed forehead with scant hair at his temples, but an otherwise profuse head of hair. 

Dracula is also able to become more attractive to seduce his victims—drinking more blood de-ages him. Indeed, many of the classic gothic horror novels of the time set up a similar dichotomy between good and evil, beauty and ugliness, forcing readers and viewers to question the assumption that beauty equals goodness. 

The split personalities of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, for instance, take on different appearances, with the latter described as an “ugly idol” by the narratory. The ever-youthful Dorian Gray hides the old, decrepit representation of his soul in a terrifying painting in the attic. And the creature in Mary Shelley’s seminal work may be sewn-together mishmash of different body parts, but the true monster in that story is Dr. Frankenstein himself. 

Besson’s take on the classic Dracula tale hits U.S. theaters Feb. 6. Will the count’s seduction continue?

About the writer

Danielle Haynes is the co-founder and co-editor of Booked & Screened, covering book-to-screen adaptations, film and TV development. The writer has had an unhealthy fascination with vampires since her teenage years, when she was entirely too young to be reading all those Anne Rice novels.