This adaptation of the gothic classic may stay closer to the Bram Stoker novel than swashbuckling films such as last year's Van Helsing, but it still manages to get in some contemporary twists.

Whereas Stoker's Victorian world revolved around diary entries and telegrams, this one, written by Bryony Lavery, features two screens displaying emails, texts, picture messages, news bulletins, Google searches and CCTV footage.

Such technology, plus some gory special effects involving heads being sawn off and Dracula (played by Richard Bremner, Lord Voldermort from the Harry Potter films) vanishing, puts the action in thoroughly modern times, changing the perspective and increasing the horror of this supernatural villain.

"The initial premise of the story is about a man who asks my character to help work out what's wrong with his girlfriend," explains Colin Baker, who plays the cross-wearing garlic-smelling hero Van Helsing.

"The idea that her condition could have anything to do with vampires was incredible enough in the original Victorian setting, when the general consciousness was closer to beliefs in such things.

It seems all the more incredulous when set in modern times and the intensity of disbelief is greater.

"This gives my character a slightly different role. I'm not the Van Helsing of the recent movie (starring Hugh Jackman and Kate Beckinsale). I don't swing from chandeliers or swash-buckle around. I'm an academic who for some reason knows about all these things."

The role of a man determined to rid the world of evil is not a new one for Colin, who played the controversially abrasive sixth Doctor Who.

"Doing Doctor Who was great fun. For three years I was on one of the most popular programmes ever. I didn't realise until someone else said it but yes, there's lots of similarities between Van Helsing and The Doctor. Neither is the obvious choice for a hero who chases the monsters. Both are literary, academic, fuddy duddy sorts of characters.

"The new series is fantastic. The script is fabulous and Billie Piper is a revelation, the definitive good companion. I especially love the doctor's wolfish glee when he sees a monster. I hope all the Doctors are completely different but some people have said mine and Christopher Eccleston's Doctor have more similarities than most.

"He doesn't mind being seen as unsympathetic, like when he was about to destroy the last Dalek in the universe, and I was like that.

It's nice to have your expectations twisted."