Dracula in popular culture Balderston (see below); it starred Bela Lugosi as Dracula and Edward Van Sloan as Van Helsing, both of whom had originated their respective roles on the stage in the aforementioned play, along with Helen Chandler as Mina and Dwight Frye as Renfield. Directed by Tod Browning, it is one of the most famous versions of the story and is widely credited with initiating the Universal horror film series of the 1930s and ‘40s. The 1931 Dracula film was an inductee of the 2000 National Film Registry list. The films had music only during the opening (the famous main theme from
Dracula in popular culture Dracula on film for the second and final time.) The Universal Studios films in which Dracula (or a relative) appeared (and the actor portraying the character) were: In 1958, Hammer Films produced "Dracula", a newer, more cinematic Gothic version of the story, starring Christopher Lee as Count Dracula and Peter Cushing as Doctor Van Helsing. In 2004 it was named by "Total Film" magazine as the 30th-greatest British film of all time. Although it takes many liberties with the novel's plot, the creepy atmosphere and charismatic performances of Lee and Cushing make it memorable. It was released in the United