Dracula: No 20 best horror film of all time

When small British studio Hammer had an unexpected hit with its version of Frankenstein in 1957, producers didn't have to think too hard about a follow-up. Dracula had been filmed many times before (he's up there with Sherlock Holmes and Tarzan as the most-filmed fictional character), but never in such lurid colour. It wasn't just the redness of the blood – the Count, played by Christopher Lee, was unlike any other movie monster before him. Cultured and handsome, Lee cuts an impressive figure – sauntering in as if late for a dinner engagement. But when consumed by bloodlust, Lee turns the character into an almost feral, savage beast. It's a truly iconic performance, as is Peter Cushing's sprightly Van Helsing. A highly effective and stylish screenplay by Jimmy Sangster condensed much of the book and the then-popular stage version into a tight package of thrills and chills. What was intended as a quickie production is still enjoyed today, and put Hammer on the map as a force in horror film.