Vampire films have been a staple since the era of
silent films, so much so that the depiction of
vampires in popular culture is strongly based upon their depiction in films throughout the years. The most popular cinematic adaptation of
vampire fiction has been from
Bram Stoker's
Dracula, with over 170 versions to date. Running a distant second are adaptations of
Carmilla by
Sheridan Le Fanu.
The legend of Elizabeth Báthory, the "Blood Countess" has also been an influence. By 2005, Dracula had been the subject of more films than any other fictional character.