Dracula. The Prince of Darkness. Arguably the most evil and horrifying of the legions of the undead that haunt our nightmares.
Which makes him prime yuk yuk material. When he’s not draining hapless humans of their warm, virgin blood, you couldn’t ask for a better comedic foil than Dracula.
We’re serious about this. Dracula is the ultimate “straight man” from which to bounce off the jokes. The sheer monstrousness of a living corpse that seeks human blood makes the contrast with even the most basic of gags so immense that you can’t help but laugh.
The below list is really just a primer. There are others that we didn’t include for a variety of reasons (for example, we’re lazy). But we’d argue these are some of the best examples of Dracula appearing in movies and shows that aren’t actual horror flicks.
Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948): This is classic Hollywood and it’s best and its most cheesy. The plot doesn’t make a lot of sense, and for these types of movies they’re not really expected to make sense. You’re watching a movie about a vampire, a werewolf, and Frankestein’s Monster mixing it up with Abbott and Costello, for crying out loud. The last thing anyone wants is a deep plot to get in the way.
Favorite quote:
- Abbott: You’re making enough noise to wake up the dead!
- Costello: I don’t have to wake him up. He’s up.
Favorite almost quote:
- Dracula*: <after several failed attempts at making Freddie kill himself under hypnosis > How would you like to die?
- Freddie (Costello): Old age!
- *But everyone in the internet says this was the Killer “Boris Karloff. What do they know?
Merrie Melodies Episode Transylvania 6-5000 (1963): Oh man, this is just the best. While technically not “Dracula,” Bugs Bunny decides to stay at the castle of a vampire called “The Count”, who lives in Transylvania. So, it’s Dracula. The interaction between Bugs and the Count is simply hilarious, especially when the rabbit accidentally transforms the vampire repeatedly into a bat.
Favorite quote:
The Count: “I am a vampire!”
Bugs: “I am an umpire!”
Love at First Bite (1979)
This campy Dracula love story takes everything that is worst about vampires (the take that vampires are just outcasts looking for love) and makes it hilarious. The lonely Dracula travels to New York City to find love, and in the process is hunted by the descendant of Van Helsing. Love eventually triumphs, we suppose, in that Dracula gets the girls and now they can feast on blood together for eternity. But they’re a cute couple, so they have that going for them.
Favorite quote: Dracula: (calling out to the howling wolves) “Children of the night…SHUT UP!”
Favorite quote: Abraham: (after shooting the Count and being hauled off by police) “IT’S OK IT’S OK! Silver bullets are for werewolves! ”
Bart Simpson’s Dracula (The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror IV (1993):
The best Treehouse of Horror compilations were within the first eight seasons or so, and one of the best stories is the Simpsons’ take on the movie Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Burns is the perfect vampire, and frankly one of the best Dracula parodies ever conceived (in our humble opinion). There’s nothing to mock here at all. Just simply sit back and enjoy.
Favorite quote:
Dracula Burns: (On the intercom) Welcome, come in.
(whispered) Ah, fresh victims for my ever-growing army of the undead!
Ghoul Smithers: Sir, you have to let go of the button.
Dracula Burns: Oh son of a bi–
Spongebob Squarepants “Graveyard Shift” (2002)
This is perhaps the most bizarre on all the list. In this episode of Spongebob, weird things are afoot at the Krusty Krab, including strange blinking lights. And while everything gets wrapped up neatly at the end, and everything mysterious explained, the mysterious flickering remains unresolved…until they notice that Count Orlok (from the 1922 silent movie Nosferatu, which is very clearly a telling of the Dracula story) flipping the switch. He’s nowhere else in the episode, and not a repeat character. He’s just there, and everyone is cool with it. Classic. Here’s an interesting article from Polygon that explains how this came to be.
Favorite quote: “NOSFERATU!” . You have to watch the episode to appreciate it.
Second Favorite quote: “AND THE WALLS WILL OOZE GREEN SLIME! No wait. They always do that. ”
Want more Halloween goodies? Check out our Podcast discussions on Spooky TV and Spooky movies from Gen X!