Well, universal movie were classics in their own genre, opening new ways, which would keep feeding the movie industry for decades upto this day. Mileages vary, and some rank most of their movies as mid-card to low budget movies. I think they are (with high & low's ) true classics. Without sky-high budget; without focusing on special effects; without A+ class actors they managed to make a better impression than most A+ level movies, genre-wise. This is the case. Very atmospheric, noir movie, which keeps suspense upto the last minute with proper means. Acting is good. Chaney isn't my favourite Dracula, but he's 10x better than Carradine anyways. Even supporting characters deliver a solid performance. Sub-plots are mixed in well, and none disrupts the movie's equilibrium. Count Dracula hides under pseudonym and emigrates to America, where a young belle heiress with a fascination for occultism is subdued under his powers and even marries him after leaving her beau behind. An aging physician and an Hungarian scholar are soon after him, though. Sofar it looks like your classic D movie, right? SFX are very good, not overdone, not inopportune. The plot is very coherent and develops nicely. Well, it isn't your typical D movie because poor D ends up fooled without even realizing it...the belle planned beforehand to first have D kill her father, thus inheriting vast estates, then to convince her beau to kill D himself, thus leading an immortal life with him as "undead". Does it look too simple again...? Well, in fact the beau does destroy Dracula, but another plot twist lays ahead... Definitely a movie you'd watch twice.