Best Dracula in Cinema?

[ChosenOne]

Recently, after seeing a question about actors who portrayed Dracula in movies pop up on a quiz show, I got to watching or rewatching the most famous cinematic portrayals of the Count.

While I can't decide on who I think was the best, there's one I feel distinctly stands out as the most underwhelming and would like to know where other forum members stand on this before I lay out my own views.

Who do you think was the best Dracula in cinema?

[Cowabung-Gal]

You didn’t mention Gerald Butler, the hottest version of Dracula.

[ChosenOne]

Originally Posted by Cowabung-Gal

You didn’t mention Gerald Butler, the hottest version of Dracula.

I checked his movie out after you mentioned it, didn't impress me as much as the others. And he left a pretty minimal mark in pop culture, whereas I was just aiming for the "Big Five".

Of course, honorable mentions go to Netflix's Claes Bang (a series, not a movie, but what a performance!), Leslie Nielsen (terrific Dracula if you take away all the silliness in his underrated movie) and Richard Roxburgh. The only reason I didn't pick the latter is because his movie isn't a straight adaptation of the book, but rather its own story. Otherwise, he was f*cking amazing and carried the movie on his back.

As for who I did pick... I hesitated between Lugosi and Langella, and in the end went with Lugosi. While Langella was a charmer and really made me feel as mesmerized as one of Dracula's victims, Lugosi had more lines than I imagined going in and made the best out of every single one. He was the first, the original, the trailblazer... It's not hard to see why his portrayal of Dracula is so enduring and so beloved.

Oldman worked great with the romantic plot of his movie and Kinski was downright terrifying, two very different and equally valid takes on the role.

The one I couldn't stand and found to be tremendously overrated, however, was Christopher Lee. Anyone who watches the movie can tell he didn't enjoy making it and completely phoned it in, not to mention the lack of lines as the story unfolds. I understand the movie was groundbreaking at the time but it just doesn't hold up today.

[Walkabout]

Growing up it was the Christopher Lee/Hammer films.
Gary Oldman's turn (especially when he's at the Castle) was incredible.
Kinski in Warner Herzog's Nosferatu the Wampyre is probably my pick though.

[TheCanadiandrome]

Bela by far but here’s one for ya, Dominic Purcell in Blade Trinity

[ProphetofGanja]

Nicolas fucking Cage

[TheCanadiandrome]

Originally Posted by ProphetofGanja

Nicolas fucking Cage

Ohhhhh snap