It seems that the whole vampire thing isn't letting up anytime soon. We can count ourselves lucky, at least, that we've finally seen the end of that Twilight gibberish. But TV's pouty The Vampire Diaries still continues, and it's soon to be joined by another TV series Dracula, starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers as the Count you can't count on.

But if you want a taste of the real vampire legend, look no further than this classic 1958 Hammer production, starring Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, in his first appearance as the eponymous fanged one.

It's a big day for Jonathan Harker (John Van Eyssen) as he's about to start his new job as a librarian in a castle, owned by a Count Dracula (Lee). Little does the Count realise however, that Harker has a hidden agenda; for Harker knows what Dracula really is – a vampire – and he's there to kill him.

Being a vampire has its advantages however, and Harker is soon dismissed as being any kind of threat.

Harker's diary manages to fall into the hands of Dr Van Helsing (Peter Cushing), who is also all too aware of the Count's evil secret.

Van Helsing then informs Arthur (Michael Gough), the brother of Harker's fiancée Lucy (Carol Marsh), of Harker's death. What he doesn't realise is that Dracula is already familiar with Lucy, having seen a photo of her back at his castle in Harker's room, and he's determined to get a bit of that action for himself.

I'm afraid, Rupert, that idea of a threesome was all too much for the poor dear.

If ever there was a film that defined what the British studio Hammer stood for it would be Dracula. It may be over half a decade old, but this version of the classic Bram Stoker novel still stands the test of time. Of course the restoration for this Blu-ray version certainly helps; no doubt breathing new life into what must have been a fairly deteriorated original print. But it's more than that.

Director Terence Fisher, who helmed many classic Hammer titles, gives the original material a lot respect. He also strikes the balance between fear and sexuality, which Hammer possibly lost sight of, with more tittier projects later on in their history.

The story itself still holds up today, but this is probably due more to the masterly way it was told at the time. It also benefits from a tour de force performance from Peter Cushing, who still remains the Van Helsing of all Van Helsings to beat.

And then there's Lee himself; it was a role that was to define his career in a way, which is no surprise as he reprised to play the role a further six times. But even in his debut in the role, he masterfully blends the darkness and obvious sexuality of the character with impressive flair.

This particular release also comes with a notable amount of extras, including two versions of the film itself; the 2007 BFI restoration and the 2012 Hammer restoration that features scenes that have never before seen the light of day.

If you have a blood-curdling taste for horror, then this version of a true classic is a must-have for your collection.