BY BECCA JOHNSON APRIL 18, 2023
From 1922’s Nosferatu to 2023’s The Last Voyage of the Demeter, vampires have always been a staple of the horror genre. We’ve had creepy renditions in Dracula and Nosferatu, romantic renditions in Twilight and Let the Right One In and campy renditions in The Lost Boys and Fright Night. However they’re portrayed, audiences are always excited to see them make an appearance. This years vampire flick Abigail certainly seems like it’s taking the fun approach, centering on a 12-year-old ballerina vampire kidnapped by a gang of would-be criminals. If you want to get hyped for its release this Friday, or perhaps you’re blood-thirsty for more once you’re home from the cinema, one of these 7 flicks should quench the craving.
THE LOST BOYS (1987)
Not only is this one of the most well-loved and timeless vampire flicks ever put to screen, but is the film Abigail creators Matt Betinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillet have stated their new release is most heavily based on.
The Lost Boys centres on a Mother and her two teenage sons who move to a seemingly nice coastal Californian town, yet soon find out it’s overrun by bike gangs and vampires. Known for its camp edge, killer soundtrack and unforgettable performance from Kiefer Sutherland as leather-clad vampire David, The Lost Boys is equal parts fun and frightening, a true vampire sub-genre staple.
FROM DUSK TIL DAWN (1996)
Due to how iconic it has become over the years, it’s easy to forget that audiences didn’t realise this was a vampire flick until they were halfway through watching.
Written by Quentin Tarantino and directed by Robert Rodriguez, the movie follows brothers Seth and Richard who are on the run after a bloody bank robbery in Texas. They escape across the border into Mexico, but their rendezvous point gives more than they bargained for when it turns into a fight for survival. Starting out as a dialogue-driven road movie to turn into an action-fuelled bloodbath at the halfway point, with more vampires than you can count, From Dusk Till Dawn is a wildly entertaining ride merging Tarantino dialogue with Rodriguez schlock.
BLADE (1998)
Even the comic book genre has its own version of these bloody-thirsty beasts, with an iconic hero at the forefront set to slay them. When Blade’s mother was bitten by a vampire during pregnancy, she did not know that she gave her son a special gift - a blend of the best human skills with the good vampire attributes. Blade and his mentor battle an evil vampire rebel who plans to take over the outdated vampire council.
Lead by a stellar performance from Wesley Snipes and featuring some of the best vampire action sequences we’ve seen, Blade and its 2002 sequel Blade II are must-watches for anyone who prefers their vampire flicks on the action-thriller side.
VAMPIRES (1998)
Though far from horror GOAT John Carpenter’s best, his take on the vampire genre is certainly a fun one that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Aptly named, Vampires focuses on a group of vampire hunters enlisted by the Church, to hunt down and destroy a group of vampires searching for an ancient relic that will allow them to exist in sunlight. There are better entries on this list, but Vampires certainly has fun and has action aplenty. It starts with a bang, kicking off with high-energy action from the get-go. It has a competent score from Carpenter himself, a great central performance from James Woods and plenty of blood-sucking shenanigans.
INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE (1994)
Despite not adopting a fun tone like the movies above, Interview with the Vampire is certainly worth a watch due to its excellent, grand story. Starring Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt and Kirsten Dunst in a stunning early performance, the film centres on a vampire who relates his epic life story of love, betrayal, loneliness and dark hunger to an over-curious reporter.
Interview with the Vampire is as impressive in its period piece setting as it is in its vampire horror. The costume and set design is glamorous, the story being told is incredibly engaging and the script, adapted from Anne Rice’s novel of the same title, is both beautifully written and delivered.
FRIGHT NIGHT (1985)
If The Lost Boys isn’t your favourite 80’s vampire film, Fright Night is likely your pick. The film follows teenager Charley, who discovers that his suave neighbour Jerry Dandridge is a blood-sucking vampire. The issue is, no-one believes him, so Charley must turn to has-been actor Peter Vincent for help.
Fright Night’s best attributes are its campy tone and fantastic performances, with horror royalty Chris Sarandon delivering one of his most famous turns. If you’ve seen this one already and don’t fancy a re-watch, the 2011 remake starring Anton Yeltsin, Colin Farrell and David Tennant is actually pretty good, too.
NEAR DARK (1987)
Releasing in the same year as The Lost Boys may seem like a risk, but Near Dark has been able to cultivate a strong following of its own by how unique and original it is. Near Dark follows a mid-western farm boy who reluctantly becomes a member of the undead when a girl he meets turns out to be part of a band of southern vampires who roam the highways in stolen cars.
It may not seem all that unique on paper, but with Kathryn Bigelow’s terrific direction, its genre blend of vampire horror with road movie and a cast stacked with greats including Bill Paxton and Lance Henriksen, Near Dark really does stand out from the rest.
The list truly does go on, and there’s plenty more to sink your teeth into outside of these recommendations. With classics, comedies and even teen fantasy entries, its a sub-genre of horror that we can’t wait to see expanded on for years to come.