Every once in a while, a movie concept comes along that sounds like it was written by a couple of ten-year-olds playing with action figures in a sandbox. The Batman vs. Dracula is exactly that on paper. Released straight-to-DVD back in 2005 as a spin-off of the often-overlooked animated series The Batman, this movie had every reason to be a lazy, cash-in gimmick.

Instead? It is a surprisingly dark, beautifully atmospheric, and genuinely creepy hidden gem that deserves a spot on your regular spooky-season watchlist.