There are over 150 Dracula movies out there . . . so how is a horror movie fan to choose? Dracula is the most popular horror movie character, a classic that movie storytellers can’t seem to stay away from. Instead of wading through all 161 movies starring Dracula, stick to the best Dracula movies of all time.

Dracula, the world’s favorite horror villain/hero, is your grandfather’s kind of vampire. No, we’re not talking about the kind of vampires you find in the Twilight movies, though some Dracula movies are spoofs or comedies that may not treat him with the most respect. For the most part, the best Dracula movies of all time tend to show Dracula in a more classical light.

Dracula is a megastar in the horror world, appearing in Dracula comics, TV shows, books, and any other media you can think of. How do you dig through the piles and piles of Dracula movies to find the best of the best?

Don’t worry, we’ve done the hard work for you. Here are the three best Dracula movies of all time.

1. Dracula (1931)

Nobody has ever or will ever play Dracula like Bela Lugosi in this Dracula classic. While this wasn’t the first Dracula movie ever made, it is the one that most people think of when they think of the words “Dracula movie.” Lugosi’s version of Count Dracula continues to influence the way we think of Dracula today.

2. House of Frankenstein (1944)

For the first time in movie history, we see the Wolfman, Dracula, and Frankenstein all in the same place at the same time. This would become a trend in horror movies, up to the present day. Look out for John Carradine as a particularly creepy and stylized Dracula. There’s also a mad scientist and a hunchback character thrown in for good measure, making this movie like a one stop shop for all things classic horror.

3. Dracula 2000 (2000)

Wes Craven produced this hyper update of the original Dracula novel for the new millenium. Christopher Plummer plays Van Helsing, a bright spot among some poor acting that makes the whole film worth a watch. It doesn’t hurt that Jeri Ryan sexes it up for most of the movie, and Gerard Butler as Dracula, the star of the show, turns in a chilling performance as well. Big chunks of the movie are laughable, but part of the appeal of Dracula movies is the mix of the laughably bad with the stunningly brilliant. There is plenty of both in this update.