Top 10 Vampire Slayers
If there is a vampire, then you can damn near bet, there’s a someone to kill it. In Daybreakers Willem Dafoe’s character exclaims that his group of surviving humans are “the folks with the crossbows”. In honor of the fine art of vampire killing, and the fact the Lesbian Vampire Killers and Daybreakers are out now on DVD and in the theater, Killer Film takes a look at the Top 10 Vampire Slayers.
Note: Van Helsing is the fore-father of this fine trade, and we have all come to know and accept his skills, so for fun, he will not appear.
10 – Captain Kronos from Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter (1974)
Probably the only swashbuckling pirate that is a vampire slayer, Captain Kronos totally belongs on this list, for being unique. But he can solve mysteries and destroy vampires, a key trait for any slayer. Sadly, we never saw any more adventures, due to one beast Captain Kronos couldn’t slay: poor box office returns.
9 – Tada Cuda from Martin (1977)
Firmly believing that his nephew is one of Nosferatu’s children, he sets out to kill him. He’s a slayer in the classic Van Helsing mold: believes in superstitions, crosses, and the ability to kill the undead through Christian rituals. The film is one-of-a-kind by George A. Romero, and it serves as a neat spin on the slayer kin.
8 – Professor Abronsius and Alfred from Fearless Vampire Killers (1967)
Bumbling, goofy, and yet slayers, this duo is a satirical spin on the Van Helsing mythos. Not much else, but Roman Polanski is somehow sweet in his role, and this film made us take notice of a young, gorgeous Sharon Tate. The comedic take was a rare spin until the ’80s.
7 – Dr. Robert Morgan from The Last Man on Earth (1964)
One of the few slayers that had to deal with a world overrun by vampires, Vincent Price is all business in his methods of slaying the undead. He’s solemn and determined, killing them one by one, on a global scale. The film is often remade, because of the powerful Richard Matheson novel.
6 – D from Vampire Hunter D (1985)
D is pure awesomeness and the only slayer to ride on a robotic horse. He is Van Helsing, if Van Helsing was a rock star.
5 – Seth from From Dusk till Dawn (1996)
The most unorthodox slayer out there, Seth is a murderer who really wants to only save his own ass. But when the undead started to kill, he became the killer of killers. George Clooney at a rare, villain role.
4 – Peter Vincent and Charley Brewster from Fright Night (1985)
A TV personality-turned-slayer, with the help of a young horror guru, Fright Night is super cool, and Peter Vincent is too. Initially, he balked at the idea of a vampire’s existence, but he came to being a hero, through one simple act of realization, after a while of wimping out. Nobody is sweeter and neighborly than Roddy McDowell.
3 – Kolchak from The Night Stalker (1972)
Nobody believes Kolchak, not even himself sometimes. The reporter-turned-slayer always comes out on top, and ass-backwards. He’s also one of the few slayers to fight other creatures of the night, like zombies, Jack the Ripper, and other ghouls.
2 – Blade from Blade (1998)
Ever since Blade’s first appearance in Tomb of Dracula #10 in 1973, he has been hunting vampires with a vengeance. Wesley Snipes portrayal of the character, is so ingrained into our psyche, nobody can replace him, as evident with the failed TV series and current character incarnations looking like Snipes. Blade is one slayer, most vampires will run away from without confrontation. Sometimes the best slayer, has a little bit of vampire in him…
And the number one, non-Van Helsing Vampire Slayer of all-time is…
1 – Buffy Summers from Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003, TV series)
The one and only. The Chosen One has made every vampire dust, and she didn’t stop there: she’s killed many other non-vampire nasties. There’s no Big Bad that she cannot face and kill, like a goddess, a robotic Frankenstein, Dracula, and Evil itself. Besides being the ultimate vampire slayer, she’s a powerful symbol for women, and not even seven seasons of TV vampire killing has quenched her or our thirst, since there’s been video games, comics, and now a proposed reboot to the franchise. Long live Buffy!
Did we miss a favorite of yours? Feel free to comment below!
awesome list!! Can’t wait until you see Daybreakers because Willem Dafoe is a great vamp slayer!
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I always perfered Kristy Swanson over Sarah Michelle Geller. Kristy was great as the original Buffy, and she’s hotter as well.
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Clayton Reply:
January 8th, 2010 at 9:59 pm
Brad,
I met Kristy at Dragon*Con this year, she was very nice. I was able to get a signed picture of her, a picture of me with her and a signed wooden stake. She is still very attractive.
FYI, Felicia Day was also there and she played one of the “slayerettes” from season 7 (“Vi”). When she saw the stake and I told her what it was she asked if she could sign it as well. Who was I to say no.
So on my coffee table I have in a clear plastic case a foor long wooden stake signed by both Kristy Swanson and Felica Day.
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Fright Night is at the top of my list. I also give props to Jack Crow from John Carpenter’s Vampires.
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where the hell is Hopkins for Bram Stoker’s Dracula???
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Jon Reply:
January 5th, 2010 at 2:50 pm
HobanW: Hopskins is Van Helsing in that film, and while I loved him in that role, I left off all Van Helsings.
Serena: Thanks, and soon I’ll be seeing Daybreakers.
Brad: Tsk Tsk, I have and always will have preferred SMG!
Bene: I would have Crow as a very strong number 11.
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Brad Reiter Reply:
January 5th, 2010 at 3:06 pm
SMG is too skinny for me. Plus, I’m just not a fan of hers.
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of course Jon would of put Sarah Michelle Geller #1… lol
#1 for me would of been Professor Abraham Van Helsing played by Anthony Hopkins …Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
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Oh he’s great, but for this list I chose to do non Van Helsing’s
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