My Vampire Movie Playlist

Halloween is the perfect time to reacquaint yourself with the horror movies of yesteryear. You can do this alone, with friends, or in theaters that are playing your favorite flicks in honor of all things that give you the heebie jeebies.

Sometimes horror movies are done right. Sometimes, not so much. Part of the magic of Halloween is the campiness and there really is no shortage of that in film as well.

I’ve already brought you some Bela Lugosi and zombie stuff. This week, I am brigning you max vampires because everyone loves vampires. Maybe not. OMG STOP JUDGING ME. Let’s take a look at some films that get vampire movies right, some that don’t, and something we might actually pay to see if it ever comes to theaters.

Nosferatu

Based a little on Brahm Stoker’s Dracula. Actually, based a lot on the book. The Estate of Brahm Stoker sued the company that made this film and that made them go bankrupt. Copies of the film were hunted down and destroyed. Anyway, this is a silent film so you have to read subtitles because that’s how they used to do stuff back then. Key to this movie is the imagery and use of the silhouette. Check out the image above. Much of the movie is set up photographically. This film is a classic.

Let the Right One In

This film is more about the relationship between Eli (vampire) and Oskar. The film doesn’t beat you over the head with Eli being a vampire. As the film develops, you are let in on the secret that Eli has. Everything about this film is amazing. A definite must watch for any lover of vampire films.

Interview with the Vampire

Frilly and infinitely sad immortals. This is a pretty good adaptation of the Anne Rice book of the same name. While some of the characters weren’t what we imagined with our minds eye, the acting that was found in this film really brought the novel to life.

30 Days of Night

Imagine being stuck in complete darkness in the middle of nowhere with a bunch of people that want to sink their teeth into you as though you were a Capri Sun and they were the straw. Not so fun. Pretty much there is no chance to escape (from Josh Hartnett’s acting). It’s still a pretty interesting premise and stuff happens that makes me want to never visit the arctic circle.

Francis Ford Coppola’s Dracula

Ugh. Gary Oldman as Dracula is amazing. Other than that, not much else. I mean Keanu Reeves and his horrible acting/accent were not so great and ruined everything. Winona Ryder was okay-ish. This film is based on Brahm Stoker’s book of the same name. It’s all about this dude being in love with this girl and she’s all betrothed and so that makes Dracula sad and people die. Stylistically, this film is great to watch but fast forward the Keanu parts.

The Lost Boys

This is basically what would happen if a boy band made a vampire movie. All the dudes in this movie were at one time or another in Tiger Beat or Teen Bop or whatever late 80’s tween magazine you can remember. I think this movie is propular because of it’s campiness and what not. It took me a long time to eat Chinese food after this. YOU KNOW WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT. All in all, this is a pretty good flick to help you remember like one of the Ten Commandments and it’s just good fun.

Underworld

Underworld is interesting to me because it is dark and because Selene (Kate Beckinsale) is a bad ass. It’s also very Romeo & Juliet and that appeals to everyone because we all secretly wish to disobey our dads and get it on with that hot warewolf dude. Maybe that’s just me. Whatever.

Blade

Blade is strange to me. I mean, I usually don’t like things exploding and dudes being all manly but I make an exception for this film. Sometimes Wesley Snipe’s acting is a bit much for me but he still brings it home. The story is interesting to me too but Stephen Dorff gets on my nerves for some reason.

Anyway, Blade is part vampire and he polices all the other vampires and he has a lot of cool ass weapons and stuff and I like that. Oh and he has a lot of feelings and those get in the way of him being a total bad ass but it works as part of the plot. Hooray for caring!

Twilight

No.

and this needs to be made into a film:

The Strain is part one of a trilogy written by Chuck Hogan and Guillermo Del Toro. It’s basically a vampire book that explains vampirism as a virus. It’s a good read. The third part of the trilogy, The Night Eternal, came out today so go and get it.

Do you have a favorite vampire flick that we should add to the list?