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The late Christopher Lee was a compelling character actor and a genre icon whose career saw him land parts in numerous pop culture favorites throughout his more than two hundred film roles. He's Saruman in "The Lord of the Rings" films, he's Count Dooku in the "Star Wars" universe, and he stars in sequels to films like "Gremlins," "Police Academy," "The Howling," and more. From Tim Burton's dark fantasies to the realm of Sherlock Holmes, Lee has seen it all, but for many fans it's his horror output that they love most. Sitting atop his dozens of horror efforts, it's his unforgettable portrayal of Count Dracula that reigns supreme. 

Below are all nine feature films in which Lee plays Count Dracula as a lead/title role. For completists, he did don the fangs for a 10th film, a 1970 comedy called "One More Time," but it's for no more than a thirty-second cameo.

Upon release, one of the major conversations surrounding Robert Eggers’ 2024 Nosferatuwas Count Orlok’s mustache. Bill Skarsgård plays the mysterious Count Orlok, a demonic nobleman living in Transylvania. When Nicholas Hoult as Thomas Hutter arrives at Orlok’s castle to assist him with paperwork that will enable his move to Germany, the audience gets their first good look at Orlok. Despite being dressed in lush furs, a towering hat, and expensive jewelry, with his famous talon-like nails, the flashiest thing about Skarsgård’s Orlok was the massive mustache. Everyone had an opinion on this mustache. Some viewers found it absurd, while others found it alluring. The comic discourse around Orlok’s mustache might have some thinking this was the first time a vampire rocked bushy facial hair, but they’d be wrong. King of kooky, off-color vampire movies, Jesús Franco, did it back when he affixed Christopher Leewith a dramatic handlebar mustache in Count Dracula.

Johanna Moder’s latest — the thrilling, paranoid, bleakly comedic “Mother’s Baby” — is crafted with masterful tonal control for much of its runtime. It comes achingly close to sticking the landing, undone only in its final minutes by a handful of decisions that rob it of its crucial power: its ability to exist within the chilling unknowns of postpartum depression.

In trying desperately for a child, middle-aged orchestra conductor Julia (Marie Leuenberger) and her husband Georg (Hans Löw) find themselves at the door of a fancy fertility specialist, the enigmatic Dr. Vilfort (Claes Bang). The doctor boasts a high success rate for his cutting-edge methods, and all seems well once Julia is pregnant — that is, until the day she gives birth at his private clinic. Something seems amiss when her newborn son is whisked away for some emergency treatment before she can even hold him, but is returned the following day with no complications.

The Bram Stoker’s Dracula episode of Revisited was Written and Narrated by Vannah Taylor, Edited by Juan Jimenez, Produced by Tyler Nichols and John Fallon, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.

Vampires are timeless creatures in every sense of the word. Mythology stemming from the fear of the undead has consumed cultures around the globe for centuries–and these stories have been forever evolving and molding together to form our modern understanding of vampires. But one ageless and undying tale stands above the rest as the quintessential vampire tale: Bram Stoker’s Dracula (watch it Here).

Not only are vampires themselves creatures of everlasting life, but their stories continue to be told time and time again. In 1897, Bram Stoker published the novel Dracula, forever shaping vampire lore with his monstrous Transylvanian count. Since then, at least 80 films have been made featuring some sort of adaptation of Count Dracula– as...

Count Dracula (1977) on BBC was the most faithful adaptation of Bram Stoker's novel, focusing on realism and accuracy over sensationalism. Director Philip Saville crafted a nuanced, gritty TV movie of Dracula, with standout performances, like Louis Jourdan as Count Dracula. Despite some minor changes in character relationships, Count Dracula stayed closest to the original gothic masterpiece by Bram Stoker.

Bram Stoker's 1897 Dracula has become a staple of the screen since its first adaptation by director Tod Browning in 1931, which placed Bela Lugosi in a career-defining role. Since then, there have been multiple screen adaptations of the work and over 80 movies featuring the 'Prince of Darkness' in some role. Some of these adaptations became great commercial and critical successes, such as Francis Ford Coppola's 1992 movie Bram Stokers Dracula.

Many movie adaptations have taken liberties with the source material, crafting a sensational and engaging rendition to draw audiences into the theater.

In 1970, Christopher Lee had a busy year. The icon who rose to prominence 12 years earlier thanks to Hammer Films' first Dracula entry re-donned the fangs and cape three times across 365 days. Two instances were for the Hammer series. The third, Count Dracula, a modestly budgeted European effort by prolific director Jesús Franco, defies expectations as Lee's only non-Hammer turn in the role. It similarly defies expectations as one of the few works inspired by Bram Stoker's 1897 novel to actually, well, follow the plot. When it comes to the question of which Dracula adaptation is the most faithful to the book, the majority fall short. Herein lies the binary between a classic tale that's conveniently in the public domain, and conveying a novelist's work accurately. Some, like director F. W. Murnau's Nosferatu, nail the ominous Gothic atmosphere. Others offer memorable performances and strong production value but stray from the...

Bill Skarsgård's transformation into Count Orlok in the Nosferatu remake is so surprising that viewers may think it was done digitally. Skarsgård went to great lengths for the role, including losing a significant amount of weight and working with an opera coach to lower his voice. The potential success of Skarsgård's portrayal could break the curse of recent unsuccessful Dracula movie adaptations.

Nosferatu remake director Robert Eggers has suggested Bill Skarsgård's transformation into the movie’s villain will make audiences second guess how it was done. Based on the iconic 1922 silent film Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror, Egger’s forthcoming remake will see Skarsgård assume the role of Count Orlok, a horrifying vampire based on Bram Stoker's Count Dracula. Currently slated for a December 2024 release, the adaptation is also set to feature an all-star cast including Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, and Willem Dafoe.

In...

Universal Pictures, home of the most famous monsters of filmland is developing a new feature based on author Bram Stoker's 'vampire hunter' "Dr. Van Helsing", to be produced by James Wan ("Aquaman") and directed by Julius Avery ("Overlord"):

"...'Professor Abraham Van Helsing', debuting in the 1897 gothic horror novel 'Dracula', is a Dutch doctor with a wide range of interests and accomplishments, including being the archenemy of 'Count Dracula'.

"As author Stoker, described him: He is a seemingly arbitrary man, because he knows what he is talking about better than anyone else. He is a philosopher and a metaphysician, and one of the most advanced scientists of his day, and he has, I believe, an absolutely open mind. This, with an iron nerve, a temper of the ice-brook, and indomitable resolution, self-command, and toleration exalted from virtues to blessings, and the kindliest and truest heart that beats,...

Our Halloween episode! The legendary actor and star of Shudder’s The Mortuary Collection talks about his favorite horror movies from his childhood.

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

The Mortuary Collection (2020), now streaming on Shudder!

Nightmare Cinema (2019)

We Come In Pieces: The Rebirth of the Horror Anthology Film (2014)

Bad Boys (1983)

Gentle Giant (1967)

Gone In 60 Seconds (1974)

The Green Slime (1969)

Battle Royale (2000)

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Tarzan’s Three Challenges (1963)

The Professionals (1966)

Dracula, Prince of Darkness (1966)

Ultraman (1967)

Batman (1966)

The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)

Horror of Dracula (1958)

The Brides of Dracula (1960)

Psycho (1960)

Jack The Ripper (1959)

Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972)

The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973)

Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1974)

Count Dracula (1977)

Son of Dracula (1943)

Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)

The Haunting (1963)

The Haunting (1999)

The Others (2001)

The Babysitter Murders (2015)

Halloween (1978)

Frankenstein (1931)

King Kong (1933)

Scanners (1981)

Wisconsin Death Trip (1999)

Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

The Bride (1985)

Young Frankenstein (1974)

The Love Bug (1968)

Son of Frankenstein (1939)

Son of Kong (1933)

The Road Back (1937)

Crimson Peak...

Contains Dracula episode 1-3 spoilers

Bela Lugosi’s aside, Castle Dracula can often be a let-down, says Arwel W Jones. Tasked with creating his own take on the Transylvanian fortress for 2020 three-part adaptation Dracula, the production designer rewatched countless versions of the story. “You’d see this magnificent castle from afar, and then, due to budget restrictions I assume, you’d end up disappointed by the interior. As you get closer to the front door and the entranceway, it always tended to be a slightly smaller deal.”

For the BBC/Netflix series written by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss and starring Claes Bang in the title role, Jones had to make the castle a big deal. “Scale was one of my mantras. I wanted to convey the scale of the castle, to give a sense of awe, and then for it to carry on inside with a feeling of unease.

The UK's BBC One has commissioned the 3-part mini-series "Dracula" from the co-creators of the multi-award-winning drama "Sherlock", to be produced by Hartswood Films as a co-production between BBC One and Netflix, 'inspired' by author Bram Stoker's public domain novel:

"...in 1897, 'Count Dracula' attempts to move from Transylvania to England so that he may find new blood and spread the undead curse.

"But there is a battle between Dracula and a small group of men and a woman led by 'Professor Abraham Van Helsing'..."

All "Dracula" episodes will be written by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, premiering on Netflix outside of the UK/Ireland.

"Steven and Mark's ingenious vision for 'Dracula' is as clever as it is chilling," said Piers Wenger, BBC Drama. "In their talented hands the fans will experience the power of Bram Stoker's creation as if completely anew. We are thrilled to be collaborating with them.

Titan Comics' "Penny Dreadful" #10, available March 7, 2018, based on the Showtime horror TV series created by John Logan, is written by Chris King and illustrated by Jesus Hervas, with a cover by Lenka Simeckova:

"...this comic book prequel miniseries reveals terrifying events that led 'Vanessa' to try and find her missing childhood friend, 'Mina Harker', exposing the true nature of the 'vampires' infesting Victorian London.

"The horrifying truth of the disappearance of 'Mina' is revealed to 'Vanessa', 'Sir Malcolm' and 'Sembene'. They realize they face a foe that exists outside anything they've encountered. As they frantically regroup, they learn they are not the only ones with a score to settle with a monster in their midst..."

Refrerring to the 19th-century British 'penny dreadfuls'...

...the series uses public domain characters from 19th-century Gothic fiction, including 'Dorian Gray' from Oscar Wilde's "The Picture of Dorian Gray", 'Mina Harker',...

Bram Stoker’s Dracula is a modern horror masterpiece, and one that too often goes overlooked. A film that is horrifying, intriguing, and astoundingly beautiful, Francis Ford Coppola took Stoker’s masterwork and breathed new, undead life into it in 1992. It recently hit its 25th anniversary, and the film remains a classic piece of horror cinema.

The film opens in 1462, with Vlad Dracula (Gary Oldman) returning from war against the Turks to find that his beloved wife, Elisabeta (Winona Ryder) has killed herself upon receiving false news of his defeat and death. When the priest tells him that her soul cannot be saved and will be forever damned by her suicide, Vlad renounces God in a fit of rage. He desecrates his small chapel, stabbing a stone cross and drinking the blood that begins to ebb from it, embracing eternal life and damnation at the hands of a merciless god.

The Victorian era, which saw a surge in literary realism, also witnessed a growing fascination—maybe obsession—with spiritualism. Ghost stories and accounts of hauntings were hugely popular, especially around a Christmas fire. Several authors, including M.R. James, F. Marion Crawford, and Edith Wharton, contributed to its popularity. Most of these tales revolve around some anonymous narrator encountering the supernatural—good for nothing but a nice chill and moment of fear. Irish author Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu sets himself apart by summoning his spirits through psychology, even if his version of it is often backwards.

Like the anecdotal, often epistolary stories of M.R. James, many of Le Fanu’s tales read as true hauntings written in an analytical or reminiscent style from the perspective of a witness. “An Account of Some Strange Disturbances in Aungier Street” or “An Authentic Narrative of a Haunted House” are, as they sound, entertaining reports.

Spanish horror superstar Paul Naschy has always been on my radar, yet for whatever reason, I’ve never taken the shot. (And sunk the ship? Metaphors are the worst.) So it is with great shame that I’ve spent far too long ignoring this international treasure as my inaugural Naschy, Javier Aguirre’s Hunchback of the Morgue (1973), is a cheeky Frankenstein riff that offers up its own twisted charms.

Released in its native Spain in July, it hit stateside in September of ’75 when Cinemation Industries (owned and run by Jerry Gross, legendary promoter. See: I Drink Your Blood. No, really, see it) added it to double and triple bills across the land. It…didn’t do very well, and that’s not a big surprise; it’s certainly not your traditional monster movie, with a plot that veers between soapy operatics, laboratory hijinks, and all tied together by Naschy’s...

2017 has been an unequivocally weak year for animation. There wasn’t a new Laika movie, although strong Gkids titles like “The Breadwinner” helped fill the void. There wasn’t a new Studio Ghibli movie (although the forthcoming “Mary and the Witch’s Flower” is the next best thing). There were two offerings from Pixar, one of which was totally solid, and the other of which was “Cars 3.” By the summer, the situation was already so dire that something called “Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie” was considered a merciful reprieve from the endless trash parade of soulless corporate dreck like “Despicable Me 3” and “Smurfs: The Lost Village.”

And yet, amidst all of this darkness, there was a glimmering bright spot. And that bright spot… was something even darker. Black. “All important movies start with a black screen.” Those are the first words we hear in Chris McKay’s “The Lego Batman Movie,...

We have another busy week of home releases to look forward to, with an array of films that hit a bunch of different subgenres. For those who may have missed it in theaters earlier this year, you can now catch up with Charlize Theron in Atomic Blonde this Tuesday, and if you missed seeing it online this fall, Amityville: The Awakening hits both Blu-ray and DVD as well.

For you cult cinema fans out there, I hope your wallets are ready for some serious damage, as there are a ton of great offerings coming home on November 14th, including the gorgeous limited edition Hellraiser Steelbook, The Paul Naschy Collection II, J.D.’s Revenge, and Arrow’s stunning Blu-ray set honoring one of horror’s true greats—George A. Romero—that features HD releases of Season of the Witch, There’s Always Vanilla, and The Crazies.

Other notable...

After giving horror fans a treat with their Blu-ray release earlier this year of The Paul Naschy Collection, Scream Factory continues to commemorate the influential Spanish director with The Paul Naschy Collection II, and we've been provided with three Blu-ray copies to give away to lucky Daily Dead readers.

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Prize Details: (3) Winners will receive (1) Blu-ray copy of The Paul Naschy Collection II.

How to Enter: We're giving Daily Dead readers multiple chances to enter and win:

1. Instagram: Following us on Instagram during the contest period will give you an automatic contest entry. Make sure to follow us at:

https://www.instagram.com/dailydead/

2. Email: For a chance to win via email, send an email to contest@dailydead.com with the subject “The Paul Naschy Collection II Contest”. Be sure to include your name and mailing address.

Entry Details: The contest will end at 12:01am Est on November 20th.

Star Ace Toys' new Scars of Dracula statue wants to suck your blood, and Sideshow Collectibles revealed photos of the statue commemorating the 1970 Hammer horror film.

Read on for more details and photos of Star Ace Toys' new Scars of Dracula statue, and visit Sideshow Collectibles' official website to view the full set of photos of the collectible depiction of the iconic Christopher Lee character.

From Sideshow Collectibles: “Star Ace Toys is proud to introduce the debut figure for their new line of 1/4 scale mixed media polyresin statues - Count Dracula! Featuring Mr. Christopher Lee as he appeared in the 1970 film "Scars of Dracula," this figure captures the beloved movie icon in his most notable role.

Christopher Lee is the symbol of Dracula, Lee fixed the image of the fanged vampire in popular culture.

Now, you can feel the fear of Count Dracula with this large-scale statue! The detailed diorama...

Craig Lines Nov 1, 2017

Every now and then, martial arts movies go, er, a 'little leftfield', Here are some examples...

There are few feelings I enjoy as much as watching a movie that shakes me out of my complacency, wakes me up from my jaded quasi-slumber and makes me go “I’ve not seen that before!” I watch way too many films and it can take a lot to genuinely shock or surprise me, but there are few genres that manage it as often as martial arts.

Now, I appreciate there’s a lot of base level ‘weirdness’ to the genre if you’re not used to it. There’s curious dubbing, an emphasis on physicality over plotting, some eastern cultural touchpoints that baffle unfamiliar western audiences… but fans get used to all that. I’m talking about something slightly different.

To clarify, it might seem strange to new viewers when...

Halloween is all about getting spooked, right? Sure, we all remember trooping around the cold, dark night scaring our neighbours while trick or treating when we were kids, but the sad truth is, we’d look a bit silly doing it now that we’re all grown up.

So, what could we do instead? Well, we could gather up some friends and do a spot of apple bobbing (could be a choking hazard), or, try carving pumpkins into creepy Jack O’lanterns with a sharp knife (sounds a bit dangerous), or build a big inferno-esque bonfire in our back garden (sounds really dangerous). Decisions, decisions.

Well, there’s one other thing that’s 100% safe, fun for the whole family all of your adult chums and is bound to get your pulses racing.

‘What is it?’ I hear you asking.

Why, a bloody good ol’ horror flick, that’s what! And better yet,...

Since I showed some love to Netflix yesterday, I thought it was only proper today to put the spotlight on Amazon Prime and their vast streaming library that features hundreds of genre titles.

There’s no denying that it can be an overwhelming experience to try and navigate your way through over 200 different pages of movies, so I went ahead and put together a list of 31 different films that should help you get into the Halloween spirit throughout the month of October. And since variety is the spice of life, I tried to give you guys an assortment of different sub-genres, so that you should be able to find something to fit any horror-loving mood! Happy October and happy viewing, everyone!

Madman

At a summer camp for youths, a cocky pre-teen calls out the name of mass serial killer "Madman Marz". Suddenly, counselors are being maimed and slaughtered in various...

Piczle Lines Dx for Nintendo Switch is set to receive a very seasonal update on 21st September that will add a new Horror pack – perfectly timed to get your Halloween gaming on in the lead up to October 31st – to Puzzle Mode.

Available for free to all players, the new “Horror” pack update appears at the bottom of the list of packs in Puzzle Mode, and includes 20 puzzles based on scary themes such as Count Dracula, Frankenstein and Rokorokubi! Check out screenshots below:...

Nick Aldwinckle Sep 14, 2017

Our round up of horror and genre DVDs and Blu-rays returns, with some solid titles, and The Jerk sequel...

So, whilst Kim Jong-Un and Donald Trump are comparing the size of their nuclear weapons and super-storms are battering the world’s coastlines, the head of Nato is describing the present moment as the “most dangerous in a generation”. With any luck, the inevitable apocalypse may bring with it some fun real-life zombie larks to bring some light to the fast-approaching nuclear winter: what more prescient documentary-drama could there be, therefore, than Re-Animator cult hero Brian Yuzna’s Return Of The Living Dead 3?

Resurrected this month on Blu-ray as part of the gloriously tacky Vestron Video Collection, the second sequel to Dan O'Bannon’s classic eighties comedy horror adopts more of an angsty nineties tone as the monster-making Trioxin chemical returns to cause havoc all over again,...

Another summer movie season and another Pirates of the Caribbean movie. What? You didn’t know there was yet another in the franchise that wore out its welcome a long time ago? Yes, Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Men Tell No Tales came and went awfully fast this summer, never a good sign. It played in St. Petersburg for about a week and then vanished. Did anybody see it? I didn’t and I’ve seen a lot of movies this summer. In a summer of Wonder Woman and Dunkirk, as well as Baby Driver, Logan Lucky and Detroit it would be very easy for another Pirates of the Caribbean movie to get lost in the shuffle.

So let’s talk about a real pirate movie, from 1952 Blackbeard the Pirate, directed by Raoul Walsh and starring Robert Newton, Linda Darnell, William Bendix, and Keith Andes. Newton is to pirate movies...

Stephen King, seasoned author and all-around horror expert, has already gushed about New Line’s imminent It reboot, admitting that he “wasn’t prepared for how good it was.”

Going one step further, it appears King also took no issue with the plot changes made within Andy Muschetti’s revival. That’s according to Muschetti himself, who spoke to Deadline about all things It – from Pennywise to The Losers Club and everything in between – in anticipation of that all-important September 8th release date.

Back when It Part 1 – The Losers Club was still simmering in the formative stages of development, and the idea of a conclusive sequel was little more than a pipe dream, it’s fair to say that Andy Muschetti and his sister/producing partner Barbara felt a great deal of pressure about adapting what many consider to be a modern-day horror classic. But those feelings of apprehension quickly...

It dream team Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti, and Roy Lee are attached to a develop a new horror prequel movie centering on the infamous Count Dracula.

Deadline has the scoop, confirming that Paramount Pictures has acquired screen rights to Dracul, a spinoff prequel authorized by the estate of legendary author Bram Stoker. Word is that Paramount is angling the horror flick as a potential vehicle for Andy Muschietti to direct, with his sister Barbara Muschietti and Roy Lee each holding a producing role. Paramount’s Vanessa Joyce will oversee development.

Set in 1868 and written by Dacre Stoker and J.D. Barker, Dracul orbits around a “21-year old named Bram Stoker, who meets with an ungodly evil, which he traps in an ancient tower all the while scribbling the events that led him there.” It’s an origin movie, essentially, and Deadline notes that five parties originally expressed an interest in...

Nick Aldwinckle Sep 4, 2017

Our latest round-up of horror and genre DVDs and Blu-rays...

So: with season two of Stranger Things fast approaching, a remake of Stephen King’s It set to mildly trouble a whole new generation and, erm, the on-going threat of nuclear armageddon, it seems everything eighties is 'in' at the moment. And, you know what? That surely must include Dennis Quaid, right? Well, maybe not, unless you count this year’s canine reincarnation/multiple hound-homicide horror A Dog’s Purpose, which we don’t in these parts. Anyway, Quaid’s back in Blu-ray form with the recent repackaging of his 1984 quirky fantasy thriller Dreamscape.

Nicely sandwiched between the release of Jaws 3-D and Enemy Mine, surely two of the most Quaidessential (sorry) films of the decade, Dreamscape sees our hero take on the mantle of a cheaper Harrison Ford, burdened with psychic powers that he must use...

After causing quite a stir with his horror film The Witch, which was divisive, to say the least, director Robert Eggers is staying firmly in the genre which put him on the map. That’s because he’s set to remake the classic horror flick Nosferatu. He’s been attached to it for a while now, actually, but it was only recently that he confirmed he’d be doing it as his next project.

“[It’s shocking] to me,” Eggers said. “It feels ugly and blasphemous and egomaniacal and disgusting for a filmmaker in my place to do Nosferatu next. I was really planning on waiting a while, but that’s how fate shook out.”

Unfortunately, there hasn’t been much progress on the pic in a while now, but tonight, we’ve got a pretty big update, as we’re learning that the director will be reteaming with Anya Taylor-Joy after working together on The Witch.

When it comes to the Star Wars movies, it's hard to imagine anyone else in the iconic roles of heroes like Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, and Princess Leia. Even the Star Wars prequels most aggressive critics will admit that Ewan McGregor shined as Obi-Wan Kenobi, the character fans of the galaxy far, far away first encountered as embodied by the late Sir Alec Guinness. But as with any film, the casting process is, well, a process. And there have been plenty of legendary actors who almost made their way into this galaxy from a long time ago and very far, far away.

Most fans know that Kurt Russell was among the actors considered for the role of everyone's favorite scruffy nerf herder, Han Solo. He even screen tested with aspiring Luke Skywalker William Katt, who would later star as television's Greatest American Hero. Karen Allen auditioned for Princess Leia, a...

It’s no secret that Universal’s wildly ambitious Dark Universe got off on the wrong foot.

Two months ago, Alex Kurtzman and Co. reanimated The Mummy in the form of a bloated, poorly written franchise-starter that leaned heavily on its international audience to offset box office disappointment – figures reveal that Kurtzman’s dark fantasy romp only grossed $79 million domestic, but still went on to make $390 million worldwide. But in spite of those damning reviews, Universal has set the ball rolling, and there are already plans in place for Bride of Frankenstein (Angelina Jolie) and The Invisible Man (Johnny Depp).

Looking further afield, The Hollywood Reporter brings word of another Du project that is now beginning to flicker into life: Van Helsing. Sources close to the outlet claim Channing Tatum (Kingsman: The Golden Circle, Gambit) is in contention to headline as the titular monster hunter for an origin story that is,...

Undoubtedly, one of the most beloved genre movies to come out of 1987 was Fred Dekker’s The Monster Squad, a perfect blend of humor, heart, and affection for the classic monsters so many of us grew up on. And while it may not have done great business at the box office when it was released in August of that year, The Monster Squad has deservedly become a true cult classic, and remains a brilliant gateway horror experience for younger viewers who are just becoming initiated in the ways of genre cinema.

With The Monster Squad’s 30th anniversary nearly upon us, and with our “Class of 1987” celebration currently in full swing, I thought this would make for a splendid opportunity to chat with the actors who put the “Monster” in “The Monster Squad” in the first place: Tom Noonan (“Frankenstein’s Monster”), Duncan Regehr (“Count Dracula”), Tom Woodruff Jr. (“the...

Veteran actor won a best supporting actor Oscar playing horror icon Bela Lugosi after a late-life career revival

•Peter Bradshaw: a great actor who grew into his gravitas

•A life in pictures

Martin Landau, the actor whose gaunt, hangdog features graced films by film-makers as varied as Alfred Hitchcock, Woody Allen and Tim Burton has died. He was 89, and his death was confirmed by his publicist “following a short hospitalisation”.

Arguably Landau’s career high point arrived in 1995, when he won the best supporting actor Oscar for his role as Bela Lugosi in Ed Wood, the Burton-directed biopic of the infamous director of Plan 9 From Outer Space and other notorious films. In Lugosi, the washed-up former star of 1930s horror films such as Count Dracula, Landau found a forerunner he could relate to. “Lugosi ... had a palpable intensity and a presence that you can’t buy,” Landau said,...

Few would argue that July 7th belongs to Spider-Man: Homecoming, but over on Netflix, there’s another high-profile release ready to take flight, and it ought to appeal to those old-school gamers pining for some fantastical nostalgia.

Its name? Castlevania, a four-part animated series conceived by Warren Ellis, Kevin Kolde, Fred Seibert, and Dredd producer Adi Shankar. Split across two seasons – the second and seemingly conclusive chapter will air via Netflix in 2018 – Castlevania stays true to the Konami classic in that it follows the disgraced Belmont clan as they rise up against Count Dracula in order to bring peace to Transylvania.

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Behind the scenes, Richard Armitage, who famously played the part of Thorin in Peter Jackson’s Hobbit trilogy, is at the forefront of an all-star voice cast. Armitage has been cast as vampire hunter Trevor Belmont,...

It’s rather fitting that Netflix’s latest Castlevania-related announcement, one which involves the show’s starry voice cast, comes by way of Dracula himself – or at least the actor on board to play the supernatural menace.

As you’ll see from the video above, that task has fallen at the feet of Graham McTavish (Outlander, The Hobbit), who stands alongside the show’s producer and all-around figurehead, Adi Shankar (Dredd).

Even if you only have a passing interest in Konami’s video game classic, you’ll know that Castlevania largely centers on the Belmont clan and their seemingly never-ending quest to defeat Count Dracula and bring a sense of peace to Transylvania and the rest of Eastern Europe. Leading that revolt against Vlad Dracula Tepe and his wicked ways is Richard Armitage. He’ll voice vampire hunter Trevor Belmont in Netflix’s adaptation, which is a major coup...

After bringing Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's creation to life on the small screen, Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat are looking to do the same with Bram Stoker's legendary literary character in a new Dracula series.

Variety reports that Gatiss and Moffat are in the early stages of development on a new Dracula series, with talks underway with the BBC to potentially air the show, and Sue Vertue’s Hartswood Films on board to produce.

A "new take" on Stoker's seminal 1897 novel, Dracula is expected to feature a similar structure to Gatiss and Moffat's Sherlock (starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman), which had a miniseries format of three feature-length episodes per story and comprised 13 total episodes over a seven-year span.

Genre fans are also familiar with Moffat's work as an executive producer and writer on Doctor Who, while Gatiss has acted in a number of projects, including Game of Thrones,...

Tony Sokol Jun 20, 2017

Dracula is returning to England. Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat are in talks to produce new series for BBC...

Sherlock creators Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat have detected another classic novel to sink their teeth into. Bram Stoker’s Dracula begins with a real estate deal. Jonathan Harker secures the Transylvanian count some scattered properties in Whitby, England, where he can kick off his cape and hide his native soil. Those hiding places are discovered through some stiff detective work. 127 years after the 1897 publication of the classic horror novel, the quintessential vampire will be returning to England. Moffat and Gatiss are in negotiations with the BBC to create a new Dracula miniseries.

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Dracula will be the first time Moffat and Gatiss have collaborated since Sherlock aired its long awaited season 4 earlier this year. The future of Sherlock has not yet been decided. Work on the new Dracula series will begin after Moffat finishes his sixth and final season on Doctor Who.

Dracula has been adapted for stage, screen and TV many times. Stoker wrote the first theatrical version. It was first adapted to film by F. W. Murnau in Nosferatu in 1922. Bela Lugosi went from stage to screen when he starred in the 1931 Universal Studios classic. The BBC produced the TV movie Count Dracula, starring Louis Jourdan in 1977.

Gatiss is on record as a fan of the 1958 Hammer Horror version of Dracula, which starred Christopher Lee as the count and Peter Cushing as Dr. Van Helsing. Moffat took on classic horror in 2007 when he wrote the series Jekyll. Gatiss played Dracula in a full-cast audio play from Big Finish in 2016.

There is no word on whether Dracula will be set in modern day England.

Source: Variety...

As the summer continues to roll on, that means we have another great week of horror and sci-fi home entertainment releases to look forward to. The folks at Scream Factory are keeping themselves plenty busy this Tuesday, as they’re resurrecting both The Lawnmower Man and Island of Terror on Blu-ray, as well as their high-def The Paul Naschy Collection, and Arrow Video has put together an incredible two-disc limited Blu-ray set of Dario Argento’s directorial debut, The Bird With The Crystal Plumage, that any fan of the Master of Horror will want to add to their collections. And, if you missed it in theaters, the horror/sci-fi thriller Life will be available on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD formats, too.

Other notable releases for June 20th include the Hack-o-Lantern limited edition Blu-ray, Patchwork, Under the Dome: The Complete Series, Ten Little Indians,...

Here’s a spicy hot take—I’m as far as one could get from excited for Universal’s new film The Mummy. This isn’t exactly the movie’s fault, per se, as much as it is the world the movie inhabits, a sort of bizarro realm where a Brian Tyler-scored Tom Cruise action spectacle that’s meant to lay the groundwork for a Marvel-style cinematic universe, complete with Dr. Jekyll in the role of Nick Fury, is the most commercially viable way to make a movie about an ancient mummy’s curse. Now, I can see why the film’s being made, and you can’t exactly fault a studio for wanting to chase the money train that is the McU, but personally, I couldn’t care less about the picture being released. Because when I think of mummies, I don’t think of Tom Cruise, or Brendan Fraser,...

For generations, the Belmont Clan has waged war on Count Dracula in the name of Transylvania, and their heroics have inspired countless tales of supernatural adventure.

But in two months’ time, that saga will be summoned onto the small screen thanks to Netflix’s animated Castlevania series. Comprised of four 3o-minute episodes in total – keep in mind that a second (and final?) batch of four episodes is expected to drop sometime next year – producer Adi Shankar has allayed fears that Netflix’s serialized spin on the video game classic would stray too far from the source material.

Not only that, but it’ll seemingly have a “Game of Thrones vibe to it,” which tells us that Shankar and the creative team have rustled up an adult-oriented video game adaptation. Celebrated comic author Warren Ellis is the brains behind the script, and though it’s far too soon to gauge the...

The monster movie represents one of the most enduring genres in cinema, a versatile formula for exploring the horrors of the unknown. Whatever it is that scares us, there’s always a monster to represent that fear as a metaphor in the flesh. Most monsters are misunderstood creatures, victims of a terrible fate seeking redemption and, in some cases, vengeance.

Alien: Covenant, now playing in theaters, returns director Ridley Scott to a beloved franchise, following the mixed and controversial reception to Prometheus. The plot follows the crew of a deep-space colony ship, which lands on what appears to be an undiscovered paradise. This new planet holds many secrets for its new inhabitants, including David (Michael Fassbender) the surviving robotic companion of the Prometheus crew. Sadly, the series isn’t always consistent in quality (Alien: Resurrection was a definite low) but movie fans will always welcome a return visit to this classic monster movie territory.

Written by Kim Newman | Art by Paul McCaffrey | Published by Titan Comics

This has been great fun so far, a nice blend of interesting story, familiar though slightly different literary characters, and a whole load of alternate universe world building. Hugely entertaining stuff. This series pretty much had me at Queen Victoria marrying Count Dracula. What’s not to love? I have been waiting though for the Council of the Seven Days, and specifically our heroine Kate Reed, to really develop into living, breathing characters. Up to now they have seemed more like ploy devices at times, albeit very enjoyable plot devices.

So where were we? Well, The Council was attacked by Count Dracula’s Grey Men. Most escaped, with the help of Fah Lo Suee and the criminal Limehouse Ring, though Monday and Thursday were captured. The Limehouse Ring want Kate to use her old friend Penelope Churchward to...

Exclusive: Concourse Film Trade launches sales on Alex Williams-directed animation.

Concourse Film Trade, the global sales and financing arm of Matthew Shreder and James Andrew Felts’ [pictured] Concourse Media, has acquired worldwide sales rights to the feature animation My Haunted House.

Animation veteran Alex Williams directs the feature about Charlie, a normal 14-year-old who lives in a haunted house with his supernatural family made up of Frankenstein, Count Dracula, mummies and zombies.

Williams brings a wealth of experience, having worked as an animator on The Lion King, Robots, The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader, and Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince, among others.

The UK’s Tigon Entertainment is producing My Haunted House in association with Vancouver-based studio Liquid Media Group (Lmg), which has a first-look deal with Concourse finance partner Productivity Media. Bob Thompson is the producer in charge of animation.

“We have been seeking a strong animation title for several market...

Scream Factory pays tribute to Spanish horror filmmaker and actor Paul Naschy this June with a new five-disc Blu-ray box set, and we've been provided with the final list of special features for The Paul Naschy Collection that includes Vengeance of the Zombies, Horror Rises From the Tomb, Blue Eyes of the Broken Doll, Night of the Werewolf, and Human Beasts.

Press Release: Paul Naschy (born Jacinto Molina Álvarez) was Spain's answer to Lon Chaney. He has portrayed many classic monsters – the Wolfman, Frankenstein's monster, Count Dracula, the Mummy and more. He was not only a terrific actor, but an accomplished writer, producer and director. On June 20, 2017, movie collectors and cult horror enthusiasts will relish the 5-Disc Blu-ray™ release of The Paul Naschy Collection from Scream Factory™. This Blu-ray box set includes five stellar films from Naschy’s long and distinguished career, including Vengeance Of The Zombies, Horror Rises From The Tomb,...

Many know him as Jason Voorhees, but you can get to know the real Kane Hodder behind the mask in the upcoming documentary To Hell and Back: The Kane Hodder Story. Also in today's Horror Highlights is the trailer for the Wesley Snipes-starring The Recall, a new episode of the fun and frightening series Graves, and details on the Wizard World Horror Fest.

To Hell and Back: The Kane Hodder Story Update: Press Release: "Los Angeles, CA May 9, 2017- Masterfully Macabre Entertainment (“Mme”) announced today that they have put the final touches on their latest documentary, To Hell and Back: The Kane Hodder Story. This in-depth biographical documentary on horror icon, Kane Hodder, features interviews with cinema legends, including Bruce Campbell (Ash vs. Evil Dead), Robert Englund (Freddy Krueger), and Cassandra Peterson (Elvira: Mistress of the Dark).

To Hell and Back: The Kane Hodder Story has been submitted to...

Written by Kim Newman | Art by Paul McCaffrey | Published by Titan Comics

The first issue of the Anno Dracula 1895 comic series, from the mind of Kim Newman, threw in enough ideas and concepts to fill a dozen issues of most other series. I say ‘new’, but the series grew out of Kim Newman’s Anno Dracula world he has been building through his novels. In what has become a familiar genre now, Newman creates his own fictional stories using real world people and events, but always with a twist. Queen Victoria marrying Count Dracula for example, or Jack the Ripper murdering prostitutes because they were actually vampires. A lot of clever ideas bobbing around gave me extremely high hopes for this 5 part series.

Very tough to give a complete summary of last issue if you missed it, but essentially Count Dracula has been in control of The British Empire for 10 years,...

If you spent your younger years reading Stephen King books in the treehouse or spying on the drive-in with your friends, then you'll be super psyched to see that Fright Rags has unleashed a new apparel collection that includes shirt designs, socks, and the almighty glow-in-the-dark amulet pin.

You can check out the official details and images of The Monster Squad collection below, and to learn more, visit Fright Rags' website.

Press Release: If you know that Wolfman's got nards, Creature likes Twinkies, and Stephen King rules, you're the perfect candidate for The Monster Squad. Join the club with Fright-Rags' collection of merchandise dedicated to Fred Dekker's 1987 cult classic.

The Monster Squad Collection features four shirts: a monster mash by Justin Erickson, a "bogus" rendering of Frankenstein's monster by Jimmy Breen, a video-game inspired piece by Timothy Lim, and a reprint of Abrar Ajmal's popular Monster Squad design (also...

When it was first announce that Universal would (again) be remaking The Mummy, it was all too easy to get cynical. They had only just recently (well, in the late ‘90s) remade the film, and it turned out pretty darn well. Did they really need to do so again? Of course, the key difference here would be its tie-ins with a Universal Monsters shared universe, and while that was all well and good, there wasn’t much evidence for us to conclude that the film would be any good.

And then Tom Cruise signed on.

You’d be hard-pressed to find a Tom Cruise film that was outright bad. Sure, maybe his films don’t quite hit the mark every time, but they’ve always been more-than-passable experiences in his long career. Having in sign on was a great way to tell fans that they were taking this seriously.

But...

Written by Kim Newman | Art by Paul McCaffrey | Published by Titan Comics

The horror comics renaissance of recent times seemingly continues with the arrival of Anno Dracula by Kim Newman. Kim Newman should need no introduction to horror fans, being a critically acclaimed writer and critic, and the fact he is not just licensing but also writing his ‘baby’ obviously bodes very well indeed. This new series, together with some new Anno Dracula novels out this year too, will expand his fictional universe nicely.

Anno Dracula began life as an early 1990′s novel, with Kim Newman doing the Alan Moore-esque thing of intertwining a fictional narrative with real historical personalities, creating a different yet familiar alternate timeline. This is a world split, between humans who have chosen to ‘turn’, and those who have chosen not to. The initial book saw Jack the Ripper killing prostitutes, as per our real world history,...

Dark Horse's The Strange Case of the Disappearing Man comic book series tops today's Horror Highlights, which also includes Wizard World Cleveland, new releases (respectively) from Cavity Colors and Blue Underground, Apocalypse Kiss, and the New Jersey Horror Con.

The Strange Case of the Disappearing Man Comic Book Series: Press Release: "Milwaukie, Ore., (March 14, 2017)—Victorian horror fans, rejoice! Dark Horse is delighted to announce the follow-up to 2011’s cult classic The Strange Case of Mr. Hyde, with The Strange Case of the Disappearing Man. Mr. Hyde’s Cole Haddon brings fans even more Thomas Adye adventures, while Sebastián Cabrol (Thief: Tales from the City, Caliban) lends his beautiful art to the story, and Hernán Cabrera (Caliban) brings the art to life with his gorgeously grotesque color palette.

The Strange Case of the Disappearing Man finds Inspector Thomas Adye of Scotland Yard struggling to return to normalcy after his run-in with...