My Top 5 Favorite Vampire Movies

Ah, children of the night, what MOVIES they make… heh. The vampire has been an established figure of folklore worldwide. Its process of feeding gives way to human sensuality. It has thus become a sexualized, seductive creature — feeding off blood and willpower. Bram Stroker’s Dracula came out in 1897. Twenty years later, the film Nosferatu debuted: cementing the vampire as a critical figure in horror and gothic culture. Over the years, we’ve seen many different interpretations of the creature and its inherent abilities. The Twilight series iconic made them glisten like diamonds and fiend for high-schooler coochie. The anime series Hellsing adorned the vampire hero Alucard with a slew of abilities, such as transforming into an amorphous cloud with hundred of leering eyes. In the modern era, we’ve been introduced to the ‘psychic vampire’ who, rather than blood, feeds off human’s mental capacity and emotions. I believe there is something distinctly Jungian about the vampire. Its decision to “turn” or kill is alluring and creates layers of complexity to the creature. The vampire is a monster driven by motives solely held by the individual creature. It is dead and yet undead. And, it will remain a phantom of the human imagination for generations to come. Here are my top five favorite vampire flicks perfect for the Halloween season. 

Must-Watch Vampire Classics

From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) Dir: Robert Rodriguez 

Fright Night (1985) Dir: Tom Holland 

Interview With a Vampire (1994) Dir: Neil Jordan 

Martin (1977) George A. Romero 

The Lost Boys (1987) Dir: Joel Schumacher 

Only Lovers Left Alive (2014) Dir: Jim Jarmusch 

1. Bram Stroker’s Dracula (1992) Dir: Francis Ford Coppola

Everything about this movie is disarming. Francis Ford Coppola, the behind the Godfather series and Apocalypse Now, adapts a film from Bram Stroker’s historical novel like nothing I’ve seen before. It is informative, straying relatively accurate to Stroker’s story, yet it is also bewildering. The editing in the film is nothing short of hallucinogenic. This movie is an enigma in so many respects, and, ultimately, it is one that’s pretty entertaining.

2. Let The Right One In (2008) Dir: Tomas Alfredson

Let The Right One In doesn’t aim to terrify. Instead, it seeks to move you emotionally in endearing ways. It’s an incredibly heartfelt coming-of-age story showing casing companionship and the wonder of youth. Considerably a must-watch film for all and anyone, and yes, there’s enough blood to quench the thirst for the fans of more graphic horror.

3. The Transfiguration (2017) Dir: Michael O’Shea

Wow. A troubled, lonely inner-city youth obsessed with vampires finds a friend. There may not be authentic vampires in this movie but still features blood-drinking giving the film morbid flair. The story is incredibly touching and indeed more depressing than it is scary. I appreciate that a concept that could quickly come off as cheap was handled instead with care and heart. It’s a bleak movie, and perhaps for some, dissatisfying in its climax. Still, I think it’s a fascinating interpretation of the vampire myth. 

4. Daughters of Darkness (1971) Dir: Henry Kümel

Intensely stylish, Daughters of Darkness intentionally attempts to dissect the vampire myth and reflect it back with many shades and tones. It’s a film unafraid to lean into eroticism because it doesn’t rely on eroticism to engage the audience. The film’s sexual nature seems to serve as a principal aesthetic and makes for interesting juxtapositions between content and context. 

4. Cronos (1993) Dir: Guillermo Del Toro

Cronos is such an intriguing contribution to the vampire trope. It’s unexpectedly intelligent, indulgently gory, and maintains the signature visual stylings we know and love from Del Toro. While unmistakably a vampire tale, Cronos works to undo our expectations and sprints away from cliché