More Than A Century Has Passed Since Bloodsuckers Graced Our Screens. Here Are Some Of The Best Ones.
By Rashmi Goel
For eternity, mortals have sought the promise of eternal life. Literature and folklore have explored the idea of living to see every advancement in human society in many different ways. Among the lore spun out of eternal life, the vampire may be the most beloved. The vampire appeals most because it isn't heavily enviable, so it isn't a wish-fulfillment fantasy. To survive forever, they must pierce a living human's neck and drink its blood. They are unable to leave during the day. They cannot enter anyone's home without permission. The thrill of the hunt is paired with the thrill of keeping a secret, making for a lonely existence. As vampires exist in the folklore of nearly every society on Earth, it makes sense that it would be a tale told in almost every language and, therefore, in almost every film. There have been some amazing vampire movies released. Unfortunately, there have also been a lot of duds. Throughout the history of filmmaking, there have been more than one peak vampire moment when the lore had to be recycled into something new before completely sucking. In the same way many of the vampires on this list have to adapt to the times, so too have the films themselves.
30 Days Of Night
This movie portrays vampires as they are...terrifying and bloodthirsty...in a unique way. They aren't seductive, campy, or romantic. This is an all-out vampire movie that will scare you and haunt your dreams. The night becomes the nightmare and terror of everyone when creatures of the night prey on the defenseless in an isolated Alaskan town. The people of Barrow, Alaska must gather their strength and courage (and their ammunition) in order to survive an attack by a gang of ravenous vampires during the one-month dark period they endure every year. Those who choose to remain in town instead of heading south regret their decision immediately. It will now take them until dawn to survive. In the cold, barren, and isolated setting of the invasion, the tension, despair, and horror the characters endure are heightened. The film lacks a little background history on the vampires' origins though.
Blade
This story may seem somewhat bland and predictable. However, you can expect the action to be exciting and intense, keeping you glued to the screen for the entire two hours. When vampire movies were scarce in 1998, this movie made a lasting impression on viewers for its mature content. The movie is full of foul dialogue, strong bloody violence, and lots of gore and horror. Snipes is compelling in his portrayal of the vampire hunter who makes it his mission to end the existence of vampires in a world where they walk freely among humans. The creatures of the night are slashed, kicked, hacked off, and shot at him nonstop.
Interview With The Vampire:
Interview with the Vampire is told from Louis' perspective, as he tells his epic life story. Throughout the centuries, he experiences all that life has to offer: love, hunger, betrayal, and loneliness. Relationships and people he's come to know come and go, but his outlook and happiness remain constant. The story follows Louis as he searches for meaning in his now eternal life. Although the means to end his predicament are easy to obtain, he refuses to do so despite his dissatisfaction. After the death of his wife and infant child during childbirth, Louis (Brad Pitt), a plantation owner, has lost his will to live. A vampire named Lestat (Tom Cruise) offers the man the chance to become one like him. The vampire drains Louis' mortal blood and replaces it with his own, thus turning the aggrieved husband into a creature of the night. Louis' life is narrated as he adjusts and adapts to his new life as a vampire. To abstain from drinking human blood, he must learn his kind's ways.
What We Do In The Shadows
Funny and memorable experience in What We Do In The Shadow, a spoof movie about vampires and what they do at night when they're not hunting for food. The film is done in documentary style, and revolves around three vampires, Viago (Taika Waititi), Deacon (Jonathan Brugh), and Vladislav (Jemaine Clement), who are living a mundane life in a modern world that can be quite stressful. It dawns on them that they are living like humans now, paying bills, doing chores, and getting the daily stuff done. They have a hard time getting into nightclubs. The trio decides to make a documentary about the humans by inviting them over to their house. When hunger strikes, matters don't always go as planned.
Let The Right One In
A beautiful and meaningful film with depth and meaning. The film is more than just a bloody vampire slasher film. You will feel the emotions of the characters, especially Oskar and Eli, two teenagers whose friendship blossoms into a pious love for one another. It's a great story about young love, but it's got an unexpected twist. The story follows Oskar (Kare Hedebrant), who is bullied, as he becomes friends with a strange girl named Eli. Lili (Lina Leandersson) hates the sun, human food, and can't enter a room or house unless she's invited. A deep bond forms between Oskar and his mysterious neighbor, and because of her he is able to fight back against his aggressors. Oskar learns about Eli's true identity after Eli reveals to him her macabre secret and her link to a string of murders in their neighborhood. When Oskar comes to realize that she must drink people's blood to survive, he is left with a difficult choice between his friendship with the vampire and his moral obligation.
Daybreakers
There's something refreshing about this dystopian vampire story where the events take place in the future. While the film doesn't lack in violence or the macabre, it doesn't overdo the gore. The story perfectly balances action, sci-fi, and horror. A plague has turned almost all humans into vampires in the year 2019 and only 5 percent of the human population remains. Even though the creatures of the night roam the earth freely and coexist with humans, there is still a constant fear that they will wipe out humanity. Blood supply begins to dwindle regardless of the rationing that becomes the norm when this threat becomes a reality. Major problems demand drastic measures, and the dominant race plans for their survival. Their race against the clock is to gather the blood they need to avoid becoming vile creatures. Hematologist Edward Dalton (Ethan Hawke) has been working on a synthetic blood that can satisfy vampires' needs and eliminate human suffering. The vampire he meets shows him how to return to human form, however, and his view of finding a solution changes.
Van Helsing
In her role as a 19th century gothic princess, Beckinsale portrays a family with a reputation of fighting supernatural beings. Count Dracula (Richard Roxburgh) is being hunted in Transylvania by the last Valerious bloodline, led by monster slayer Gabriel Van Helsing (Hugh Jackman). Anna Valerious (Kate Beckinsale) is being cursed by a centuries-old curse enacted by Dracula and Frankenstein's monster (Shuler Hensley). The two set out together to defeat their common enemy, but along the way they discover some disturbing secrets.
From Dusk Till Dawn
A vampire film that was one of the best in the 1990s and that even spawned a TV remake more than a decade after its release is a testament to its success. A vampire siege, a robbery, and a hostage take place in the action-packed thriller From Dusk Till Dawn. Richie and Seth Gecko, the sadistic Gecko brothers, escape to Mexico after they commit a string of robberies and leave a trail of deadly victims in their wake. As a means of crossing the border, they kidnap a pastor and his family staying at the motel where they are staying. The brothers, after crossing the border, stop at a trucker bar named The Titty Twister, where a local thug is supposed to meet the brothers. Upon entering, however, the bar is occupied by vicious vampires that aren't what they seem. Despite the vast odds against them, the quintet decides to work together in order to defeat the bloodsuckers and survive the nightmare until dawn.
Vampires
Carpenter's film is one of his best popcorn films, and it provides excellent entertainment even though some may not find it noteworthy and impressive. Grassy, fun, scary, and packed full of unadulterated violence, this is an underrated movie. The performance of James Wood in the role of the vampiric slayer is particularly powerful. Vampires have long been known to the church, which has kept tabs on their movements. When they discover the creatures' plan, they learn that if the relic falls into their hands, they will be transformed into Daywalkers, putting the lives of mankind at risk. This is why the Vatican secretly recruits vampire hunters to prevent the bloodsuckers from obtaining the crucifix. The hunters are led by Jack Crow, who is on a vengeful quest to annihilate the vampire population. But he eventually meets his match when he meets 600-year-old vampire kingpin Jan Valek, who has incredible abilities.
Thirst/ Bakjwi
While Thirst is an alluring vampire movie, it is not aimed at young audiences. A strong sexual message is presented, as well as graphic violence, nudity, and disturbing images. The film clearly conveys a message about fleshly sins. It becomes apparent to the priest that his only purpose in life is to satisfy his fleshly desires. Thirst is a vampire tale about a priest who becomes a creature of the night following a blood transfusion. In order to find a cure for a deadly virus, the priest sacrifices himself, but he dies in the process. After an accidental transfusion of vampire blood, however, he is brought back to life to live an eternal life of hunger for blood. In this film, Chan-wook Park (Old Boy) achieves his most mature performance to date, although it's not his best. A vampire subplot provides a romantic touch to the story. Despite this, the story stays true to the vampire mythos. They are characterized as being superhuman (they can leap tall buildings) and having an intense hunger for blood.
Dark Shadows
There are immersive visual effects, ghoulish makeup, and gothic costumes to match the time period and mood. Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Eva Green gave their characters justice and made for entertaining viewing in their roles. While inherent to what a vampire movie should be, do not expect too much gore and bloody scenes. Dark Shadows is a new take on an old vampire story that's gothic and comical. In the story, a vampire named Barnabas Collins is set free after two centuries of slumber and returns to his ancestral home where he finds a dysfunctional family living in his mansion, each harboring a dark secret. While trying to deal with the changes in the modern world, he reunites with the witch and old flame Angelique, who cursed him to live as a vampire and buried him alive. As a result, he must protect not only himself, but also his family.
Stake Land
The story of America's working class and its fall by Mickle is a compelling tale about a familiar premise. It has strong characters and is angsty and bleak. Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead and George Romero's Night of the Living Dead both have elements that make them classics. This film has action, horror, thrill, suspense, and just a little vampire gore to add punch. After a vampire epidemic leaves humans on the run from vicious and feral attacks, fearing nightfall, and gathering in packs for survival, a rogue vampire hunter and his young protégé embark on a journey of survival in their quest to reach safe haven. On their journey, they recruit a few interesting characters while avoiding a militia that believes the plague is God's work.
Dracula Untold
A horror film differs significantly from Dracula Untold. This is a medieval adventure film with little horror in it. In his desire to protect his family and his kingdom, Dracula sought power through evil means before becoming the feared monster he is today. He portrayed the character of Prince Vlad Tepes in Dracula Untold, a movie that spins a new tale about his origins. As the young prince and his family live a peaceful life ruling over their small kingdom, the story follows their lives. A Turkish invasion threatens to disrupt the peace, however, and Vlad takes a deadly risk in order to ensure the safety of his people and family.
Only Lovers Left Alive
There is nothing like Only Lovers Left Alive when it comes to vampire movies. This film is stylish, moody (set in Detroit's romantic desolation), and weird, to say the least. Although melancholy, it displays an appreciation of art and beauty. The film isn't really a vampire film; it's more like an art film with bloodsuckers as protagonists because it lacks the bite to stay true to the vampire mythos. Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston were vampires living in an abandoned Detroit house long before they became The Ancient One and Loki, respectively. A recluse who collects records and old guitars becomes the focus of Only Lovers Left Alive, which stars Tom Hiddleston as Adam, an underground rock n roll musician. After going through a period of depression, he meets his resilient and mysterious lover Eve (Swinton). Blood samples they collect from corrupt donors allow them to live a debauched lifestyle. It has already endured centuries of love, but the arrival of Eve's wild, uncontrollable younger sister Ava (Mia Wasikowska) threatens their relationship. Life as they knew it becomes suddenly chaotic once Ava arrives.
Night Watch/ Nochnoy Dozor
Its plot is so-so and its storytelling may be confusing to some viewers because it is all over the place. You need to watch it a second time for the full effect. Despite the underdeveloped story, it makes up for it with the breathtaking visuals and exhilarating action sequences. Taking place in modern-day Moscow, but paying tribute to medieval bloodshed, the film follows the "Others," humans who possess supernatural abilities. There are two groups of Others, the forces of light and the forces of darkness. Day Watch rules over the day, while Night Watch rules over the night. When it gets dark at night, vampires roam freely through the streets. This story focuses on Anton, who enlists in the Night Watch to police the activities of the bloodsuckers. Finally, he learns of a prophecy concerning the destruction of the truce between the Day and Night Watch by a powerful Other. In order to prevent the prophecy from coming true, Anton identifies this Other.
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
Many people would not consider this a fun and entertaining vampire film, especially when the most famous American president is involved. However, it delivers both. This movie has great action sequences and is not corny at all, as the title implies. It is darker and more serious than you might expect. With this action fantasy horror, the 16th President of the United States is transformed into a vampire slayer. He makes it his mission to eliminate the creatures of the night no matter what it takes when he learns that they plan to take over his country. At the age of nine, he saw Jack Barts kill his mother, which caused him to hate vampires. While he fails in his quest to kill Barts, he gains an ally in Henry Sturgess, who teaches him how to kill a vampire a decade later. While working as a store clerk during the day, Abe is a vampire hunter at night, only killing those that Henry wants dead. Eventually he starts a campaign to eliminate the vampires when he is elected President.
Priest
This vampire movie contains a decent amount of action sequences and minimal gore. The concept of the movie was interesting, but the short runtime failed to captivate and create a lasting impression. The story might have developed more with more backstories, if it were longer. This live-adaptation of the Korean graphic novel series is set in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by centuries of human-vampire warfare. During the last vampire war, a legendary warrior priest (Paul Bettany) lived in obscurity among the disheartened humans living in walled-in dystopian cities controlled by the Church. In his walled confines, the priest vows never to leave. As he learns, a pack of murderous vampires abducted his niece (Lily Collins) and killed her mother, he breaks this promise. A desperate attempt is made to save her before she becomes a vampire.
Byzantium
A vampire story isn't all that Byzantium has to offer. A gothic tale about relationships and family with a deep message about identity and trust. In Byzantium, Neil Jordan takes a step back from his gripping and thrilling vampire film Interview with the Vampire for something more gentle and sexy, following a mother and daughter as they go through the motions and deal with the pitfalls of eternal life. After fleeing the mayhem in London, the women seek refuge in a rundown guesthouse on the Sussex coast, where they befriend some locals. Sarah (Saoirse Ronan), the daughter, meets her neighbor, Frank, a sickly teenager, and becomes friendly with him as Clara (Gemma Arterton) adjusts to a new life. The truth about their identity and the secret they keep eventually catches up with them with deadly consequences, as the truth about their past begins to spread. The two men masquerading as cops pose a threat to their existence, which must be outlived.
