 |
| Buffy The Vampire Slayer Photo Credit: Wikipedia |
14. Let The Right One In
13. 30 Days Of Night
12. From Dusk Till Dawn
11. Shadow Of The Vampire
10 Vampire's Kiss
9. Buffy The Vampire Slayer
8. Near Dark
7. Underworld
6. Salem's Lot
Since it aired as a miniseries back in 1979, there has been much said about Salem's Lot. But one thing that stands out in all the comments is what one expects from a good vampire movie: it scares the hell out of you. Okay, maybe the other Brats didn't put it exactly that way, but I think my point is clear. The beauty of this adaptation is that it scares you without the gore –- no spurting blood, no slash and dash -– none of the things that have become commonplace in the horror films of today. Nor are these vampires brooding emo pretty-boy hipsters. Barlow is what one should really envision when discussing vampires: the ultimate personification of evil, surviving only by stealing the lives of others. Deformed, demonic and literally bat-like, Barlow is that in spades.
All these years later I still get chills when I think about Ralphie and Danny floating in the air, scratching at windows demanding to be let in (The Lost Boys, anyone?); James Mason as Straker, on one hand refined and cultured and on the other absolutely ruthless and villainous (a hat tip to his North By Northwest role, maybe?); and the silent, grotesque Nosferatu-like Barlow, whose mere presence is enough to send one to the safety of their blankets. Tobe Hooper (he of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre fame) said, "This film is very spooky - it suggests things and always has the overtone of the grave. It affects you differently than my other horror films... A television movie does not have blood or violence. It has atmosphere which creates something you cannot escape - the reminder that our time is limited and all the accoutrements that go with it, such as the visuals." Um, yeah. Thanks for scaring five years off my life, Mr. Hooper. Appreciate it. I think I’ll watch it again.--Mr. Big Dubya
5. Interview With The Vampire
I remember setting out to see this movie and thinking, eh Tom Cruise? Really? I was pleasantly surprised at his portrayal of Lestat. As much as I wanted to hate Lestat, I couldn't help but really like him. He says something to Louis as he is turning into a vampire like, "Your body's dying. Pay no attention, it happens to us all." The way Tom cruise delivered that line was perfection, because not only was it funny, it also gave a glimpse into the coldness inside of Lestat.
Louis, on the other hand, I kind of wish would just sit there and look pretty. I could stare into those undead eyes all night long. What a hottie, but the neverending whining about hating being a vampire really got to be a bit monotonous. And the draining of animals instead of the tasty blood of people? I get that it's a noble cause, but gross. Rats? The only part I could get behind were the poodles he did in. I wonder if they could turn animals into vampires? Because how scary would Poodle Vampires be?
Really, the scene of Louis that I love the most, other than when he killed the poodles, is at the end of his interview with Daniel Malloy, played by Christian Slater, when Louis goes totally vampire evil and his eyes end up looking like a Siberian Husky. That's right Louis, let it out. Let all of that evil sexy undead out. Phew!
Watching it again the other day, it still holds up for me. I would also venture to say that it far surpasses most of the prepubescent vampire movies that are currently out there. These vampires are exactly how they should be: sexy and dangerous and altogether mysterious.--A Vapid Blonde
4. Fright Night
I became a horror movie fan when I was in high school, and vampire flicks have always been among my favorites. I had a bunch of friends who were always ready to hit the theaters when a new movie came out.
Even so, we were actually a little hesitant when Fright Night came out. I think it was the poster: the cloud face with the giant, gaping fang-filled mouth hovering over the house just struck us as cheesy. Luckily, we weren't so put-off by the poster that it kept us away. Fright Night turned out to be a huge surprise: not only wasn't it cheesy, but it turned out to be one of my favorite vampire movies of all time!
Fright Night does something that is extremely difficult to do: it mixes laugh-out-loud humor with dead (undead?) serious moments to create the perfect mix of humor and tension. The characters are perfectly drawn as well. Charlie is a guy you can instantly identify with (especially if you were like me and my geeky friends). Amy was the perfect sweet, innocent ingenue. Peter Vincent was the perfect flawed hero (Roddy McDowall was the perfect actor for the part). And who hasn't known and been friends with someone as weird and semi-annoying as Evil Ed at some point in their lives? But even better than the protagonists was Chris Sarandon's performance as Jerry Dandrige. Dandrige is exactly what I love to see in a vampire, none of that moping, darkly seductive, Eastern European count who bemoans his fate stuff. Dandridge loves being a vampire. He takes perverse pleasure in toying with Charlie after Charlie finds out about him. He's loving every minute of what he does. And, when the final showdown begins, you see just how dangerous he can be when he's pissed.
"Welcome to Fright Night. For real."
Brilliant.
And, interestingly enough, the sequel was almost as good as the first film That's really rare, but they managed to pull it off.
Now, let's see if they can manage not to ruin the movie when they remake it . We'll find out next year.--Dave
3. Blade
Blade is kind of an interesting blend of action and horror with martial arts and a killer techno beat. It's got kind of a weird and diverse cast with Stephen Dorff as the main baddie and Kris Kristopherson as the faithful hero sidekick. N'Bushe Wright is the feisty woman in peril. Donal Logue and Traci Lords (yes, that Traci Lords) play supporting vampires. And of course, Wesley Snipes, who is just magnetic in the film. It's funny, gross, and exciting all at the same time.
The script is by David S. Goyer, who went on to write one of the biggest screenplays of all time: The Dark Knight. It is unique in the vampire genre and was one of the first good comic book films put up on the screen. And Wesley Snipes is seriously fun to watch in it.--Archphoenix
2. Bram Stoker's Dracula
The classic story interpreted by Francis Ford Coppola is a fantastic way to spend an evening breathing heavily and appreciating the charms of its leading man. In the spirit of full disclosure, I've got to admit that Gary Oldman is probably my favorite actor so for me choosing this vampire flick was a no brainer. Gary brings the heat (and more than a few interesting hairstyles) to what could have ended up being a boring stiff staid interpretation of the world's most famous vampire.
You get to see a Romeo And Juliet-like origin story which ends in one of film's best epic freakouts culminating in Dracula's renouncing God and the cross stabbing scene which freaks this Catholic school girl out every time I watch it.
Oldman, who I still maintain could be handed a pile of dog crap and would probably mold it with his hands and whisper a few urgent nothings in its ear and hand you back two diamonds and a palm full of colorful butterflies, is mesmerizing to watch. His portrayal helps you forgive the producers for hiring a woefully miscast Keanu Reeves and a sometimes irking Winnona Ryder. To be fair, Anthony Hopkins makes the most of his supporting role and the rest of the actors have memorable turns at moving the story along.
It's got just the right dash of gore and horror, some chase scenes, and blood galore, lest we forget that this romantic fool is also a demonic monster who thirsts for what runs through your veins. Still, the heart of this movie is the timeless love story between Oldman and Ryder's characters and they steam it up appropriately.
Plus you've got to give it up for an undead guy in a stylish top hat and blue John Lennon glasses who stops you in a crowded Victorian marketplace to see how you are and sets your heart aflutter.--Duffmano
1. The Lost Boys
"Sleep all day. Party all night. Never grow old. Never die. It's fun to be a vampire."
I wanted to be a vampire when I saw The Lost Boys. Back in the day, vampires were all morose, dressed in Victorian lace. Today, they're all twinkly and sensitive. But in The Lost Boys, for the first time vampires were leather-wearing, bad-ass punk rockers who hung out at a boardwalk, drank blood from goblets, and hung upside down from elevated train tracks for fun. The Lost Boys were cool.
Yes it's cool, but why is The Lost Boys number one? Because it's more than just sleekness. It's a solid story of brotherhood. It's got a great cast, great music, and attitude for days. Guys dug it, girls loved it. The Lost Boys put a cool sheen on the vampire genre that the children of the '80s could call our own. It's a great mix of MTV-style, blood-soaked horror. And to this day it remains awesome.--Daddy Geek Boy
We showed you ours, now show us yours! What's your favorite vampire movie?
