When I came across the recent post for Favorite Werewolf Films, it made me think about Vampires which is my favorite horror subgenre than werewolves, Frankenstein, zombie movies. The vampire has always had a fascinating mystic of repulsion and attraction and can open up captivating opportunities for even greater interplays with male and female seduction than werewolf movies even though there have been some great movies in that subgenre. Also there are almost twice as many movies about vampires than werewolves, not counting the many other comedies and spoofs of the famous vampire. Thus to balance the horror discussion, a thread on vampires and vampire lovers is offered.

My favorite vampire movie has to be:

Count Dracula (1977)(TV) that was produced in the United Kingdom and picked up in the United States by the Public Broadcasting System and shown on television. Starring Louis Jordan, this amazing and brilliant adaptation presents what I consider the most faithful, realistic vampiric experience in period of this most seductive and dangerous monster.

Other notable vampire movies that I thought were memorable included:

Blade (1998). This movie suffers only in that for purists, this movie is more about action-thrills than the psychological-creepiness and omits the sensual horror angle.

Fright Night (1985). A comedy-horror version that co-starred Roddy McDowell, one of the most prolific supporting actors of all time, most famous for his role in The Planet of the Apes (1968) as Dr. Cornelius, the sympathetic ape doctor. This light but somewhat scary movie introduces the vampire in a contemporary world and maintains the fascinating horror of temptation and sin.

From Dusk Till Dawn (1995). From Robert Rodriquez (Sin City, Grindhouse), this is the gore-blood fest of vampire movies.

The Hunger (1983). A serious modern version of the vampire genre, with a female vampire at the helm. A haunting movie.

Interview with the Vampire (1994). A breakthrough movie based on the novel by Anne Rice who rejuvenated and popularized the genre through great writing, introducing the now famous vampire character Lestat.

The Lost Boys (1987). A serious vampire movie directed at the young male adolescent.

Nosferatu (1922). One of the classic silent movies about the vampire that captures well the more stilted but nevertheless basic vampire standards required for many vampire movies to come.

Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht (1979). Directed by Werner Herzog and starring Klaus Kinski as Count Dracula, this foreign remake captures some of the classic tone and flavor of the original movie, using more modern acting and camera work.

I love vampire flicks, especially the grade-b movies and those lovable Hammer studio releases.

Favorites include:

Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)
Dracula (1931)
Vampire Hunter D (1985)
Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter (1974)
Lemora: A Child's Tale of the Supernatural (1973)
Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970)
The Return of Dracula (1958)
The Vampire (1957)
Dracula's Daughter (1936)
The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967)
The Horror of Dracula (1958)
Daughters of Darkness (1971)
Count Yorga, Vampire (1970)
Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979)
Son of Dracula (1943)
Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968)
Blacula (1972)
Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires (1973)
Scream, Blacula, Scream (1973)
Vampyres (1974)
House of Dark Shadows (1970)
Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966)
The Brides of Dracula (1960)
The Return of the Vampire (1943)
Love at First Bite (1979)

i have only seen 1 good vampire movie but it was when i was younger it was

SALEMS LOT

Here are some of my vampire movies:


5. Fright Night - The vampire dynamics are handled in manner that is reasonably logistical enough for the average suspension of belief that required for films like this. And I've always enjoyed those localized TV horror shows hosted by some campy "ghoul-like" character.

4. Nosferatu - Still by far, the creepiest looking vampire ever.

3. Blade - Even though I have his movie ranked at #3, as a vampire character, Blade definitely rates as #1.
For any vampires out there reading this, I don't care what your position is in the bloodsuckers' heiarchy, Blade would still kick all yo' asses.
ALL yo' asses.

Dracula - I don't care what any of you might think of the old Count, he's the O.G. bloodsucker, suckas. If it weren't for him, Count Chocula cereal would be just called Choclate Flavored Cereal Wit' Chocolate Flavored Marshmellows In It.
So pay 'em his due propers.
Suckas.

1. Lost Boys - Okay, let's just forget the vampires in this movie for a second.....
Any movie that can feature a Corey in it, let alone two, & still come off as cool,
well, that would be a movie that surely had to have been touched by the hand of God.
I wouldn't be surprised if the director, Joel Schumacher was actually the Christ in his Second Coming ( I mean seriously.... Jesus did rise from the dead after 3 days, often spoke of drinking his blood, & simple logic would dictate that he would have developed an aversion to wooden crosses....
so, you'know.... it all fits....)

Let the Right One In is a breath of fresh air for the vampire genre. The basic story deals with two pre-teens- the resident lonely outsider Oskar (Kare Hedebrant) and the new mysterious girl, Eli (Lina Leandersson). Above all else, these characters and the actors who portray them carry the film and the screen sizzles whenever their together. That Eli is also a vampire makes this the best vampire movie I've seen since the 1979 remake of Nosferatu. Even with the gore, this isn't a scary movie, and there's at least a couple more frightening things (however mundane) than a vampire to deal with in this movie. I love the take on the adolescent vampire (which isn't the pretty & sweet take a Hollywood film would deliver). There's much going on here and much to think about after it's over, which makes me enjoy it all the more.

quote:

crazed
"Forum Moderator"
Super Bad-Ass Jedi
Posted 16 March 2009 03:39 PM Hide Post
Let the Right One In is a breath of fresh air for the vampire genre. The basic story deals with two pre-teens- the resident lonely outsider Oskar (Kare Hedebrant) and the new mysterious girl, Eli (Lina Leandersson). Above all else, these characters and the actors who portray them carry the film and the screen sizzles whenever their together. That Eli is also a vampire makes this the best vampire movie I've seen since the 1979 remake of Nosferatu. Even with the gore, this isn't a scary movie, and there's at least a couple more frightening things (however mundane) than a vampire to deal with in this movie. I love the take on the adolescent vampire (which isn't the pretty & sweet take a Hollywood film would deliver). There's much going on here and much to think about after it's over, which makes me enjoy it all the more.

Just looking at the trailer and based on this brief snapshot of the movie, I can easily believe that this vampire movie would stand out, likely even more so than Twlight (2008) that I haven't seen.

i remember enjoying 'Interview with the Vampire' when it was first released.

i saw 'Let the Right One In' a couple months back and it blew me away. easily the reigning champ for me.

quote:

theaccidentwill
Slacker
Posted 23 June 2009 12:25 PM Hide Post
i remember enjoying 'Interview with the Vampire' when it was first released.

i saw 'Let the Right One In' a couple months back and it blew me away. easily the reigning champ for me.

LET THE RIGHT ONE IN (2008) had a limited release and never made it to my state (USA). The trailer made the movie look great! Another movie that passed me by.

Nosferatu will forever be a classic in my mind. Love the way its filmed and still to this day its essence has not died.

Let the Right One in was quite impressive with its using the vampire genre to focus on alienated youth. Using bullies in the school setting, the real violence is not the cats that jump on a victim of the vampire but the cycle of never ending violence in schools and parents abandoning their own flesh and blood.

Interview with the Vampire was the first vampire film i saw and revisiting it was quite cool a couple years back. The actors were ok - Cruise does his familiar yelling and Pitt seems a little to stiff but the way Neil Jordan portrays the craving of blood as more than just hunger was really something.

Claire Denis' Trouble Everyday, my favorite takes that even a step further where the brutality of a vampire's kiss is linked to sexual bliss. An in this film a visual poem emerges that dissects sexual politics and then touches very gently on themes of class, race, infidelity, human longing and alienation.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: rgautam,

Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)
Dracula (1931)
Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970)
The Return of Dracula (1958)
The Satanic Rights of Dracula
The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967)
The Horror of Dracula (1958)
Daughters of Darkness (1971)
Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979)