10 Great Vampire Movies

Synopsis: In 1838 in the city of Bremen, newlyweds Hutter and Ellen must part when Hutter is sent to Transylvania to arrange for the purchase of a house in Bremen by on Count Orlok. After his arrival, Hutter is imprisoned by the Count but escapes. While recovering in a hospital, Hutter learns that the Count has moved into a house across the street from Hutter's wife, Ellen. Death rates begin to rise, since the arrival of the Count, and people are in fear of the 'plague'. After reading the "Book of the Vampires", Ellen realizes what she must do to stop Count Orlok, who is really a Nosferatu.

Cast: Max Schreck, Gustav von Wangenheim, Greta Schröder, Alexander Granach, and Ruth Landshoff

Background: Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens, as it is called in German, is a German Expressionist film directed by F. W. Murnau. It was the first and only production of Prana Film, shot in 1921 and released on March 4th, 1922. The story is a retelling of Dracula, only keeping key characters and moving some of the settings of the story. Bram Stoker's widow, Florence Stoker, sued Prana Film over copyright infringement and forced the production company to declare bankruptcy. Although the courts ordered all prints of Nosferatu destroyed, several survived via distribution around the world. The film has taken on a "cult classic" status over the years.

Fright Level: 3 -- the film was certainly frightening during its initial release but is not gory or disturbing as most vampire films have become over the years.

Synopsis: Count Dracula enlists British solicitor Renfield as his servant, having bitten him, and the two travel to England from Dracula's native Transylvania. After the ship crashes, Renfield (who is now psychotic) is taken to a sanitarium while Dracula escapes to London and attends the theater. There he is introduced to Dr. Seward, who introduces him to his daughter Mina, her fiancé John Harker, and family friend Lucy Weston. Dracula's obsession with Mina continues and eventually he feeds upon her, telling her father that Mina is now his. Dr Seward, having enlisted the help of Professor Van Helsing, swear revenge upon Dracula and plan an attack upon Carfax Abbey, where the Count sleeps during the day.

Cast: Béla Lugosi, Helen Chandler, David Manners, Dwight Frye, Edward Van Sloan, Herbert Bunston and Frances Dade

Background: Hollywood producer Carl Laemmle, Jr secured the authorization to make a film based on Bram Stoker's novel, unlike Nosferatu in 1922. Originally, Laemmle insisted Lon Chaney (star of Hunchback of Notre Dame and The Phantom of the Opera) star as Count Dracula, but Chaney passed away. There were also financial difficulties faced by the studio. Then current broadway Dracula, Hungarian actor Béla Lugosi, was eventually enlisted to recreate the role on film, despite English being his second language.

The film premiered February 14th (Valentine's Day) 1931. It proved to be a box office success and paved the way for other Universal horror classics like The Mummy, The Invisible Man, Bride of Frankenstein, and The Wolf Man. Lugosi's portrayal of Count Dracula as a seductive man in evening clothes was mesmerizing and is considered the definitive performance of the character.

Fright Level: 5 -- While the film is certainly a classic in black and white, it is more frightening on a mental level then a blood and fore level.

Synopsis: Lucy Emerson, with her sons Michael and Sam in tow, move back to the sleepy coastal town of Santa Carla to live with Lucy's father. In financial straits, Michael and Sam learn to adjust to their new home. Michael eventually falls in with a pack of local teenagers, after catching the eye of Star, the mysterious girl who hangs around them. Bizarre things begin to happen, causing little brother Sam to suspect Michael has been transformed into a vampire. Things come to a head during a climatic battle between vampires and mortals.

Cast: Kiefer Sutherland, Jason Patric, Corey Haim, Corey Feldman, Jami Gertz, Dianne Wiest, Edward Hermann

Background: Originally scripted as a "vampires meets The Goonies, director Joel Schumacher decided to set the film with teen stars. Taking a cure from the lost boys in J. M. Barrie's Peter Pan series, the teenage vampires were young, hip, and sexy. Filmed in Santa Cruz, the cinematography took use of the coast line and the Boardwalk. The film was released July 31st, 1987 and performed well at the box office, especially for an R-rated film. The special effects make up techniques used for the vampires would eventually spawn a new generation of vampires in film and television, the likes of which include Buffy, the Vampire Slayer.

Fright Level: 5 -- Although there are some frightening moments and scenes with gore, the film has a comedic edge to it that lightens the darker moments.

Synopsis: In the American heartland, local boy Caleb meets a mysterious girl known as Mae. Giving her a ride home, Caleb tries to steal a kiss but is bitten by Mae instead. With the sun rising, Caleb begins to grow ill, feeling the effects of his transformation. After being picked up, Caleb discovers he's fallen in with a "family" of vampires. They given him a choice: kill and join them forever or be killed.

Cast: Adrian Pasdar, Jenny Wright, Lance Henriksen, Bill Paxton, Jenette Goldstein and Joshua John Miller

Background: Written by Eric Red and Kathryn Bigelow, the film was considered a "vampire Western horror film". It was released the same year as The Lost Boys, on October 2nd, 1987 but performed terribly at the box office. The film featured a cast of then-unknown actors but was widely liked by critics. During the film the term "vampire" is never used. It has since attained cult-status and is now considered a horror classic.

Fright Level: 7 -- The film is definitely one of the more "darker" vampire films out there, with quite a bit of violence and gore.

Synopsis: Based on Bram Stoker's novel, the film posits that Vlad Dracula, a member of the Order of the Dragon, returned home from war to find his wife Elisabeta dead by suicide. He curses and renounces God, vowing to rise from the dead to avenge her death.

435 years later, Jonathan Harker travels to Transylavnia to broker a real estate deal with Count Dracula. His trip borders on the bizarre and he is eventually taken prisoner by the Count and locked in the castle, while Count Dracula, having transformed from a decrepit old man into a handsome young nobleman, travels to London to take up residence at Carfax Abbey. Along the way he seduces Lucy, friend of Mina who happens to be Jonathan's fiancée as well as a dead ringer for Elizabeta. Jonathan eventually escapes the castle and teams up with Dr. Abraham Van Helsing and Lucy's former suitors, to destroy Dracula before he turns Mina into one of his brides.

Cast: Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, Anthony Hopkins, Keanu Reeves, Richard E. Grant, Cary Elwes, Sadie Frost and Tom Waits

Background: Although the story followed most of the events of the novel, incidents and characters were changed to give the film a romantic subplot between Count Dracula and Mina Harker. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola it was released on November 13, 1992. The lush scenery and sets countered the cast, some of whom seemed rather miss-cast in their roles. Critics particularly jumped on Keanu Reeves' performance. The film went on to be the most successful adaptation of Dracula to date and won three Academy Awards.

Fright Level: 7 -- The film has graphic violence, extensive special effects and makeup, tons of blood and gore, and some scenes of a sexual nature.

Synopsis: An adaptation of the 1976 novel by Anne Rice, the film tells the story of Louis, a man who claims to be a vampire, who tells his story to a young reporter. Tracing Louis' history as a plantation owner in Louisiana, his encounter with the vampire Lestat and subsequent transformation into a vampire, the sad story tells of loves and losses, as well as Louis' search for answers and knowledge about vampires.

Cast: Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Kirsten Dunst, Antonio Banderas, Christian Slater, and Stephen Rea

Background: Before the release of the film, author Anne Rice caused an uproar over the casting of Tom Cruise as her iconic vampire Lestat. A flame war ensued between Rice and the film makers. After seeing the film, Rice took out a full page apology in a trade paper, praising Cruise and the film. Although the book tended towards homoerotic themes, the film did away with most of it. Released on November 11, 1994 the film did well at the box office, despite graphic violence.

Fright Level: 6 -- People complained about scenes of graphic violence, so those with a weak stomach should avoid the film.

Synopsis: This arthouse film follows the story of Nadja, the daughter of Count Voivoide Arminius Chousescu Dracula. Taking her recently deceased father's ashes to Brooklyn to visit her twin brother Edgar, she stops in a bar and meets Lucy. The two end up in bed, with Nadja feeding on Lucy. But it is soon revealed that Van Helsing is the one who has killed Dracula and his nephew Jim happens to be married to Lucy. An all out fight erupts between Nadja and Edgar, who sides with the Van Helsings.

Cast: Peter Fonda, Elina Löwensohn, Suzy Amis, Galaxy Craze, Martin Donovan, Jared Harris and Karl Geary

Background: Filmed entirely in black and white at night, the film has a creepy, dream-like nature. Considered a modern adaptation of the Dracula legend, it set the vampires in a modern time as well as adding new lore to the vampires. Released on September 1st, 1995, the film featured a cameo by David Lynch.

Fright Level: 5 -- The film tends towards the bizarre and can be hard to follow at first.

Synopsis: A spoof on the classic tale of Dracula, the plot is generally the same but with more comedic elements, gags, and general silliness.

Cast: Leslie Nielsen, Peter MacNicol, Steven Weber, Amy Yasbeck, Lysette Anthony, Harvey Korman and Mel Brooks

Background: The last film directed by Mel Brooks, Dracula: Dead and Loving It was released on December 22, 1995. It lampooned the classic Dracula film along with several other films and adaptions the original spawned. Critics mostly panned it, saying it was no where near the level of Young Frankenstein.

Fright Level: 2 -- The film mostly spoofs all things vampire, although there's a ton of sexual innuendo.

Synopsis: The film follows Blade, a half-human half vampire hybrid that can walk in daylight and kills vampires in order to protect humans. When Dr. Karen Jenson is bitten by a vampire, she teams up with Blade and Whistler, in an attempt to stop the upstart vampire Deacon Frost from unleashing La Magra, a god in vampiric lore, who will make Frost able to walk in the sun and enslave humanity.

Cast: Wesley Snipes, Stephen Dorff, Kris Kristofferson, N'Bushe Wright, Donal Logue, and Sanaa Lathan

Background: Based and adapted on the Marvel Comics character of the same name, the film was released on August 21st, 1998. Critics were divided, praising the visual styles but bemoaning the weak plot and character development. It would eventually spawn two sequels, Blade II and Blade: Trinity.

Fright Level: 8 -- The film is full of gore and violence but is a new take on the half-vampire, half human legend.

Synopsis: A fictionalized account of the filming of the 1922 classic Nosferatu, a Symphony of Horror. The cast and crew begin to suspect the actor hired to portray Count Orlok is actually a vampire. Things go awry when the truth is revealed.

Cast: John Malkovich, Willem Dafoe, Udo Kier, Cary Elwes, Catherine McCormack, and Eddie Izzard

Background: The film premiered at Cannes and received mostly positive reviews. Although it did modestly at the box office after its release on December 29th, 2000, most people had a hard time understanding that it was a fictional film about the filming of the classic Nosferatu.

Fright Level: 4 -- The film is generally not much of a horror film, due to its nature, but there are some disturbing scenes.