8. Vampires - Dracula (1931)
Based on the novel by Bram Stoker, Dracula first came to our screens in 1931 - the same year as Frankenstein, a very prolific year for horror cinema indeed. It was directed by genius horror director Tod Browning who would go on to direct the seminal Freaks. The charming and erudite Dracula was portrayed on the screen by Bela Lugosi. He has multiple wives and can magic up bats on a whim. Indeed he often appears in bat form to feast on young ladies' necks for blood. Dracula rests in a coffin, and on a ship bound for England, he feeds upon and kills the entire crew. When he arrives in England he is taken with his host's family friend Lucy. He kills her after gorging on her blood. Professor van Helsing begins to cotton on to Dracula's sinister carryings on but not before the vampire himself wreaks merry havoc on those around him. Dracula will haunt your dreams because he is the epitome of the evil vampire. Slick and charming in human form, he can manipulate and hypnotise almost anyone. Come vampire time, he will suck your blood, drain your life force and ruthlessly dispatch of you. All he cares about is satisfying his blood lust. The monster of pure nightmares.