The role of Dracula has been played by numerous actors, with the vampire's cinematic presence going all the way back to the days of black and white. In that era, the Count was brought to life by the performance of Bela Lugosi, who had previously portrayed him on the stage. Since then, the actor's mannerisms as Dracula have remained synonymous with the character, and it's due to one trait in particular.
Bela Lugosi oozed presence as the bloodsucking Count due to his peculiar mannerisms and intriguing body language. These elements have defined Dracula and Lugosi himself, who was known for using similar charm in other roles. While other Dracula actors like Nicolas Cage, Gary Oldman and even Christopher Lee have put their own stamp on the iconic villain, none commanded the same level of mesmerism.
Bela Lugosi's Dracula Sported an Animalistic Body Language
One thing that's easily recognizable about Bela Lugosi's Dracula is his body language, with the character many times skulking about in a predatory fashion. Coming off as a sort of demonic hunter, this Dracula would stalk his victims in the shadows, contorting them and himself in order to best blend in with the night. Perhaps the best example of this is the way that he uses his cape, creating the image of a bat's wings while also shielding himself from the image of crosses and other objects that ward him off.
On the other end of this is the charm and magnetism shown in Lugosi's Dracula, with the Hungarian actor using his accent and gentlemanly nature to full effect. When in the professional presence of others, he almost glides with appeal and allure, especially toward the opposite sex. Even in his creepier moments, there's a sense of bait pulling those around him in, making him absolutely irresistible. Furthering this is his slow, almost tactical movements that inch him closer to what he wants.
Perhaps the in-between of these two concepts is Lugosi's hypnotic Dracula glare, which he literally uses to entice others to do his bidding. The movement of Lugosi's hands and fingers makes what could be a cheesy gesture come alive. It highlights how much making Dracula work as a character depends on the actor giving every fiber of his being.
Even the Best Dracula Actors Lacked the Magnetic Movements of Bela Lugosi
As mentioned, Lugosi's take on Count Dracula would remain iconic throughout the decades, to the point where parodies of the character almost exclusively pull from it. There have been several other great actors who've portrayed the vampire and given their own specific spin on him, but the lack of Lugosi's hypnotic body language made all the difference. In the case of Christopher Lee and Gary Oldman's versions of Dracula, their charm came out through pure vocal acting. There was a sense of physicality to Lee's performance, but this was more of an almost athletic nature given the actor's tall and lanky build. The same can be said for Oldman, though that version of the vampire seen in the Francis Ford Coppola movie Bram Stoker's Dracula was almost more known for his ridiculous wigs and outfits.
The Jack Palance and Frank Langella Draculas emphasized either acting charm or raw sex appeal, but the skulking of the body and the twitching of puppeteer's fingers were sorely missing. These were elements only found in Lugosi's take, which excelled mostly due to how it combined elements of Dracula's character. Sure, he was an aristocratic gentleman who could at times be incredibly charming. He was also, at the end of the day, a malicious monster who saw humanity as mere meatbags to be toyed with and fed upon. This less-than-human nature is best showcased in how he moved in on his prey, using the shadows to his advantage as he sought out a new neck.