Underworld (2003)What? This movie was about vampires? With Kate Beckinsale looking amazingly hot in leather, it’s hard to notice much else. She could have been eating a ham sandwich dressed in leather and it still would have been entertaining. Oh yeah, and there are some werewolves too.
Near Dark (1987)Adrian Pasdar is a cowboy who gets the hot girl… only she’s a vampire who sinks her teeth in and turns him into a bloodsucker who must learn to kill to survive. What can we say? Love really sucks sometimes.
Fright Night (1985)Is pre-Herman’s Head William Ragsdale’s handsome next door neighbor a vampire? Chris Sarandon plays the charming bloodsucker neighbor, while Roddy McDowall gives a fun turn as a veteran horror movie star.
Blade I (1998)/Blade II (2002)Wesley Snipes kicked a lot of vampire ass in the Blade series as one crazy ripped comic book half human/half vampire superhero. Blade II brought the cool factor a la director Guillermo del Toro. And c’mon - Kris Kristofferson? Nuff said.
The Lost Boys (1987)It’s campy. It’s got the two Coreys when they were still considered teen hunks and at their peak of semi-coolness. Plus Keifer, Jason Patrick and a kick ass soundtrack. Lost Boys offered up a little bit of fun and creepiness in a great little package. A true 80s vampire staple.
Salem’s Lot (1979)Suspenseful. Chilling. These are just a couple of words to describe the uber-creepy Salem’s Lot, a miniseries movie based on a novel by the horror king – Stephen King. Vampires take over a small town and even though the special effects are a little cheesy, those vampires are frakkin scary!
Vampires (1998)The name says it all, but it comes from John Carpenter, who knows a thing or two about the horror genre (Halloween still gives us nightmares). James Woods leads a team of vampire hunters – aiming to wipe out the bloodsuckers like the ones who did his parents in when he was a kid. Revenge is so sweet – and bloody.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)Bram Stoker’s Dracula was Francis Ford Coppola’s vision of the classic vampire tale, bringing us stars of the day Winona Ryder and Keanu Reeves. And while they certainly aren’t the best actors on the block, the drama and costumes were something of a masterpiece. Gary Oldman puts in the premiere Count Dracula performance, while Sir Anthony Hopkins plays vampire hunter Van Helsing.
30 Days of Night (2007)Good grief, were these vampires ever thirsty. Like – really, really thirsty. A month of permanent darkness in Alaska, a group of hungry bloodsuckers – and the residents are trapped. Even the trusty sled dogs have been done in by vampires! Pure horror and fun for gore lovers.
Interview With the Vampire (1994)When Brad Pitt was up-and-coming and Tom Cruise was not yet a certifiable Scientology whack job, Interview with the Vampire offered up a cinematic take on Anne Rice’s epic novel, featuring a very young Kirsten Dunst with a taste for blood. While many pointed out the homoerotic themes of Interview, it had a new take on vampires, including Louis’ inner struggle and aversion to killing to satisfy his need for blood.
Shadow of the Vampire (2008)Willem Dafoe channels Nosferatu in Shadow of the Vampire, which manages to weave wit and horror in a scary dramatic mix. Dafoe and Malcovich give performances that draw you in - once you get “sucked” in, there’s no returning from the shadow of this vampire.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992)Yeah, this is pure camp. But it’s funny as hell and besides, what of value has Kristy Swanson done since? (Shut your mouth if you said Skating with Celebrities) Paul Reubens shakes off his Pee Wee Herman persona and a whiny Luke Perry rounds out the cast in this vampire cult classic that was responsible for bringing Buffy to the small screen.
Dracula (1931)Bela Lugosi is synonymous with Dracula – his Hungarian accent made Dracula the image we all think of today: “I vant to suck your blood.” You can’t have a list of great vampire movies without including this 1931 Lugosi classic.
Nosferatu (1922)Nosferatu may just very well be the creepiest movie of all time. Yeah, it’s from 1922, but good god how sickeningly creepy is Count Orlok with his long fingernails? He’s a cutie, huh? Count Orlok definitely wins the award for most desperately in need of a manicure on our list.
From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)Who can forget the pure sex appeal of Salma Hayek as a vampire queen doing a snake dance? Directed by Robert Rodriguez and co-written by Quentin Tarantino, From Dusk Till Dawn starred George Clooney and Tarantino (acting is definitely not his strong point) as bank robbing bros on the run. Features one of the greatest mid movie plot shifts of all time. Gory, campy and fun, From Dusk Till Dawn definitely is the best vampire movie of all time.
