Top 10 Vampire Films (Jon’s Take)

The vampire film genre seems to be back again after many years of being stuck in B-movie hell. Twilight and Let the Right One In are this year biggest genre releases aimed at completely different demographics and even TV has gotten in on the act with True Blood. I thought it would be a good time to revisit a list of ten great and perhaps influential vampire films. There are some personal favorites I left off, unfortunately, but one thing’s for sure, these films don’t suck…

10 – Rabid (1976, d: David Cronenberg): Despite being an early film of David Cronenberg and featuring porn star Marilyn Chambers, the film is an uneasy exploration of body biology and horror. Typical stuff for Cronenberg, but an eerie film that uses plastic surgery as a catalyst for vampirism evil. Chambers stars a woman needing help after a bad motorcycle accident, only to discover after her surgery, that a phallic-like appendage comes out of her armpit and craves blood. It’s precursor to the 28 Days Later films in certain respects and the evolution of Cronenberg’s career.

9 – Fearless Vampire Killers (1967, d: Roman Polanski): This film has gained a lot of popularity in recent years through rediscovery. Polanski hated the USA release as they wanted to market it further as a farce by adding the extended title Or Pardon Me, but Your Teeth are In My Neck as the film celebrates the gothic horror of Hammer Studios with comedy. Look for the beautiful Sharon Tate before her tragic death by Charles Manson.

8 – Vampyr (1932, d: Carl Theodor Dreyer): The art horror film, as Dreyer focuses more on mood and atmosphere than cheap thrills. It’s a unique, haunting film, one worthy of repeated viewings just to get the imagery and themes down. Criterion Collection has just released a definitive set of the film and looking at it in modern eyes, it’s still a sight to behold. The dream-like setting will stay with you long into the night.

7 – Last Man on Earth (1964, d: Sidney Salkow): Based on the influential novel by Richard Matheson, I am Legend, this film is a precursor to George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead. Vincent Price stars and delivers his typical awesomeness, but the film is equally eerie. Sure, it was made for the drive-ins but it’s still a good film, better than its 1970s remake, Omega Man. The vampires here are more zombie-like but are creepier than the other remake 2007′s I am Legend. It’s been remade a lot, just to show you how important of a genre piece it is. 

6 – The Hunger (1983, d: Tony Scott): Early in the ‘80s when it was first released everyone hated it. Now, time has been kind to this unique and very stylish vampire tale about aging and its effects. It plays with the typical myths of vampires and features some stunning cinematography and the uber-cool Bauhaus song “Bela Lugosi’s Dead”.  David Bowie turns in a good performance and Tony Scott shows he can frame scenes without his Red Bull-influenced editing he does now. It’s a classy film, not for mainstream consumption, but a worthwhile vampire film which is another example of a film trying to do something different with the myth.

5 – Fright Night (1985, d: Tom Holland): The film is endless fun. Great practical effects, a solid performance by Roddy McDowell and some fun twists on the weird neighbor next door scenario. McDowell plays a TV horror host and one of his fans mistakes him for the real thing. He hopes to have him help with his vampire neighbor next door, but vampires don’t exist or do they? It’s like Salem’s Lot but with some pop culture references and fun humor.

4 – Cronos (1993, d: Guillermo Del Toro): An ancient device causes vampirism in this early Del Toro film prior to him making it big with Hellboy and Pan’s Labyrinth. It’s visual great as expected by Del Toro, but also is vastly unique film about age and lust. Highly recommended.

3 – Martin (1977, d: George A. Romero): Romero gives us the best zombie films and here he gives us a totally unique vampire film, one I hope they never remake-it’s already too perfect. Martin suffers from a need for blood and gets it not by sucking on a neck, but by inserting a syringe and taking blood that way. His uncle is convinced he’s Nosferatu incarnate. The film mixed color and black and white footage to establish his uncle’s disillusions from the real world aspects of Martin’s life. It’s one of my favorite Romero films and one of my favorite non-Dracula vampire films. It’s playfully mixes gothic, Universal horror with a modern twist.

2 – Dracula (1931, d: Todd Browning): You could lump in Horror of Dracula (1958) and Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) here also, but we cannot overlook the influence of the novel and the film. It’s an important work and each film; especially the early ones have given such a boost into the arm of horror to which we thank. In 1931, talking horror pictures seemed like a doomed proposition. Browning, a silent film director, cast an unknown Bela Lugosi in the Universal adaptation and so begun legend and horror in film. This was the first talking horror film and while it feels stilted by today standards, what they accomplished here stands the test of time. Ask anyone to do an impersonation of Dracula and I bet 99% do a half-assed Bela Lugosi. The other films further cemented this undead creature and all of the mythos that we see constantly and some director’s actively try to avoid. All lovers of vampire stories, TV, film, the subcultures, thank this film here as well as the novel.

1 – Nosferatu (1922, d: F.W. Murnau): This is essentially an unauthorized adaptation of the Bram Stoker novel, but I cannot include it in the discussion of Dracula. While it features just some name changes from the novel and follows the story closely, Murnau has crafted a superb piece of art with many layers of horror and theme. People who love discussing Freudian subtext can revel in this film. The birth of horror in cinema to me begins here. Nosferatu is a perfect example of creepiness and terror, a coming of plague, death, and to Murnau, Nazism. The film draws you into its world like an insect in a spider’s web, you cannot escape. Max Schreck’s performance as caused controversy of who this actor is (made famously in Shadow of the Vampire) and to be true, he’s gruesome. Rat-like, silent, beady-eyed and bald, his vampire is one not of romantic qualities but one of pure hell. Not only a fantastic work of silent cinema, but a personal favorite film of mine ever made.

What are yours? Comment below!