Dracula film posters: in pictures

An obscure Hungarian film entitled The Death of Dracula shot in 1921 was the first film to feature Stoker's creation. However it was the 1922 film Nosferatu directed by FW Murnau that captured the public's imagination Photograph: Public Domain

The German expressionist Nosferatu was an unauthorised adaptation of Dracula. The studio was unable to obtain the rights to the book from Stoker's widow, Florence, so details were altered. The name Count Dracula was changed to Count Orlok. Max Schreck's performance as Orlok is regarded by many to be the greatest incarnation of Dracula Photograph: Public Domain

The stage play Dracula was the first adaptation to be authorised by Florence Stoker. It opened in 1924. In 1927 the play went to Broadway and the starring role was taken by Bela Lugosi. This poster, from a production in Los Angeles, dates from 1938
Photograph: Everett Collection/Alamy

In 1931 Universal Studios released Dracula, with Bela Lugosi reprising his stage role Photograph: The Ronald Grant Archive

A beautiful lobby card from director Tod Browning's 1931 version Photograph: Public Domain

Helen Chandler gets the Lugosi treatment in the 1931 Dracula Photograph: Pictorial Press Ltd/Alamy

Dracula's Daughter, released in 1936, was Universal's follow-up to the 1931 film Photograph: Everett Collection/Rex Features

For the third of Universal's trilogy, Dracula left his native land to terrorise America. Son of Dracula was released in 1943 with Lon Chaney Jr playing Count Alucard. This weak film signalled the demise in popularity of the Lord of the Undead until his resurrection by Hammer in 1958 Photograph: SNAP/Rex Features

In 1958, the British studio Hammer made the outstanding Dracula. Casting the aristocratic Christopher Lee in the lead role and the great Peter Cushing as Van Helsing lead to a successful onscreen collaboration that lasted for over a decade Photograph: Moviestore Collection/Rex Features

In the USA, director Terence Fisher's 1958 film was retitled The Horror of Dracula so as not to confuse it with the 1931 version Photograph: Hammer/Allstar

Hammer's next Dracula film didn't feature the Count at all. In fact he is only mentioned twice. So it was left to Peter Cushing to take the star turn in 1960's The Brides of Dracula, directed by Terence Fisher Photograph: Pictorial Press Ltd/Alamy

A lobby card for The Brides of Dracula Photograph: SNAP/Rex Features

Christopher Lee returned, though he has no lines, in Hammer's 1966 film Dracula: Prince Of Darkness Photograph: Everett Collection/Rex Features

1968's Dracula Has Risen From The Grave was the first Hammer Dracula to be shot at Elstree Studios and the first to be passed by censors in Australia Photograph: Ronald Grant Archive

In 1970, Christopher Lee was becoming increasingly reluctant to play the Count. Only after pressure from Hammer's US distributor was he persuaded to reprise the role in Taste The Blood Of Dracula Photograph: Ronald Grant Archive

Taste The Blood… was quickly followed in 1970 by Scars of Dracula Photograph: Public Domain

In 1971, Hammer Films diversified into the legend of Elizabeth Báthory. Ingrid Pitt filled the role in Countess Dracula. Nice 70s vibe to this poster Photograph: Public Domain

Dracula AD 1972 saw Hammer tinker with the format, resurrecting the Count in swinging modern London. The film also saw the return of Peter Cushing as Van Helsing, making it the first film since 1958's Dracula to star both Cushing and Christopher Lee Photograph: Ronald Grant Archive

Again set in modern London, 1973's The Satanic Rites of Dracula was Christopher Lee's final appearance as Dracula. He was offered a role as the Count alongside Peter Cushing in the following year's The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires but declined. With that the Hammer Dracula era was over Photograph: Public Domain

Director Paul Morrissey took up the undead reins for Andy Warhol's Blood For Dracula in 1974. Produced by the artist, the film is a black comedy and a less gruesome sister to Flesh for Frankenstein, which was one of the 70s' infamous video nasties Photograph: Pictorial Press Ltd/Alamy

In 1979 the Dracula canon came full circle. Auteur director Werner Herzog remade FW Murnau's classic as Nosferatu the Vampyre, starring Klaus Kinski. Since then Dracula films have been few and far between, with the notable exceptions of Francis Ford Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula and Neil Jordan's Interview with the Vampire. For now American teenagers have taken over the genre but they will surely get their comeuppance Photograph: Moviestore Collection/Rex Features