64 years ago today, Dracula hit theaters

It's a shame that vampires have jumped the shark. I'm not saying that you can't do vampire stories anymore, but rather that they require a hefty amount of subversion to be compelling or palatable. We've just seen so many iterations of vampires, drastically varying in quality, that the modern versions of the characters possess more sex appeal than horror. 

What I find the most ironic about vampires becoming old hat in modernity is that they're arguably the perfect monster for 2022. Bram Stoker's Dracula is undoubtedly a metaphor for lazy elites that sleep all day, party all night, and feast on the common folk to survive. They'd be the perfect commentary for billionaires, but the story would probably turn into a trashy S&M fable for housewives– not that there's anything wrong with that. There's no kink-shaming happening over here.

Since we're in short supply of scary vampires, it's pretty handy that today on May 8, 1958, the famous Hammer Films Dracula hit the silver screen for the first time. Starring film legends Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, the movie was a groundbreaking hit that helped define the character for a generation. Plus, if you want a good laugh, check out the lengthy and extensive narration that frames the trailer for the film by watching the clip above.