The spooky season continues with one of our oldest types of monsters in history. Vampires! Vampires have been around for centuries. They have popped up in all forms of media such as books, games, and of course movies. There are plenty of great vampire films out there. Here are 10 to watch during the spooky season.
The Lost Boys
The Lost Boys reeks of ’80s nostalgia. From the hair to the lingo, to the clothes, this movie is awesome. Michael and his brother Sam move with their mother to California. Here, they run into a gang of vampires led by David. It is up to the brothers to save themselves before it’s too late.
The Lost Boys has everything you could want. The soundtrack is awesome. The writing is good and it’s just a damn fun stylish time. Sleep all day. Party all night. Never grow old. Never die. It’s fun to be a vampire.
30 Days of Night
A perfect place for vampires to live and hunt without much worry is Alaska, where it’s dark for a whole month.
Josh Hartnett leads the gruesome fast-paced vampire film as the local sheriff trying to protect his town. There is plenty of good gore throughout as well as some cool creature design. There is a sense of dread from beginning to end and all this makes for a bloody good time.
Let the Right One In
This is a childhood romance movie wrapped around a smart atmospheric horror film. Oskar is a lonely child who is bullied almost every day. He meets and falls for a girl named Eli and soon finds out she is a vampire. Oskar will do anything not to lose his new friend, even if that means killing and feeding her.
The movie has a lot to say and has an interesting take on a vampire film. Does Eli care about Oskar or does Eli just need someone to take care of her?
From Dusk Till Dawn
This movie is just simply badass. Seth and his brother Richard are on the run. They have just robbed a bank, killed a few officers, and now need to get to Mexico to be home-free. They kidnap a family to help them get to a bar in Mexico. Once they get to the bar, they discover it is a haven for vampires. Now the robbers and the kidnapped family have to work together to survive.
This movie is like 2 movies in one. It starts off as a sort of heist film and turns into a survival horror film. The cast is phenomenal. The script written by Quentin Tarantino is smart, funny, and clever, and the gore and creature design is beyond fun. This is easily one of my favorite vampire films because it has just a bit of everything you could want.
Salem’s Lot
Stephen King has written many books and many of his books have been turned into movies. Salem’s Lot is definitely one of the better ones.
David returns to Salem and finds that things and people are acting bizarre. It all might be because of a new antique dealer who moved in. Tobe Hooper directs this and what works best about it is how unnerving it can be. There is tons of strong atmosphere throughout and it doesn’t rely on gore to get a scare.
Near Dark
Caleb meets a woman named Mae and immediately falls for her. She ends up being a vampire and turning him. Caleb must now decide between the love he has for Mae and the love he still has for his family.
This is definitely an underrated vampire film. It is violent and creepy while still being humorous and charming. The camera work is great as well as the soundtrack. This movie takes the thought of vampires being seductive and changes them into disgusting people who are dangerous yet interesting for sure.
Dracula (Spanish)
Did you know a Spanish version of Dracula was released the same year? I feel not many people do but they should.
Bela Lugosi’s Dracula is iconic and basically helped create what we know of Dracula today. This is arguably the superior version. Made during the same time in the same studio, this version has better acting, better camera work, and more gothic tones and personality. If you are used to seeing the original, check this one out for sure.
Martin
Martin is convinced that he is an 84-year-old vampire. The problem is he doesn’t have any fangs, or magical powers. He does have a thirst for blood and violence though. Is he really a vampire or just a homicidal maniac?
George Romero directs this one and the ambiguity of is he or isn’t he works really well here. There is plenty of gore here to please horror fans while also bringing the social satire that Romero became known for. This is an inventive horror movie with a memorable ending.
Fright Night
Charley is a huge horror fan convinced that his new neighbor is a vampire. Of course, no one believes him, so it is up to him and his friends to save the day.
Fright Night is another film that just has about everything. There are some great practical effects. Some really good scares and emotional beats as well as good humor and memorable dialogue. Chris Sarandon gives a great performance as our vampire neighbor. This is one movie where you can watch it again and again without getting tired.
Vampires vs. the Bronx
Vampires move into a neighborhood in the Bronx with plans to gentrify. It’s up to three friends to take back their neighborhood.
This was a more recent release and it was a pleasant surprise. This is a fun small horror comedy to watch during the spooky season. There are plenty of callbacks to other horror films as well as good performances that have a Stranger Things feel for a more modern crowd. The leads are likable. The dialogue is clever. Most of all it is a fun time.
What are some of your favorite vampire films? Let us know in the comments below.
