Recommended Vampire Flicks
- Nosferatu (1922): This movie is incredible. It is so frightening and really well made. I notice a lot of silent films are really effective at moving the viewer. Maybe it is because we are forced to engage by filling in the gaps where the dialogue should be. Whatever it is, what a really great movie! It is not exactly a black and white movie because the movie is tinted in different colours depending on the time of day (e.g. yellow during the day, green during the night, red at sunrise, etc.). The vampire, Count Orlock, might look a bit funny in pictures but he is pretty scary in the movie. This is probably the best vampire movie out there right now.
- Interview With The Vampire (1994): This is a pretty cool vampire movie. Chances are, you have probably seen it already. If you have not seen it yet, definitely give it a go. It has got some big-name celebrities like: Tom Cruise, Antonio Banderas, Kirsten Dunst, Brad Pitt, Christian Slater, etc. The movie is about a reporter who winds up interviewing a vampire. The vampire played by Brad Pitt, reflects on his life and the relationships he had with other vampires and humans alike, etc. Tom Cruise, as vampire Lestat, steals the show though. He plays a pretty evil guy but he also brings a lot of humour to the movie. If you have got 123mins to spare and you are in the mood for some quality entertainment, you should consider watching this movie.
- Let The Right One In (2008): I forgot to add this movie with original post. It is a Swedish movie (title comes from a Morrissey song) about vampires and there is a bit of a twist in it so I will try not to give too much away. It is a unique movie because it centers around a child vampire, Eli, and their budding friendship with Oskar, a boy who does not have very many friends and gets picked on a lot. This movie is careful not to add gore for gore's sake but only when it makes sense, and when is most effective. I believe they made an English version called Let Me In (2010) but like Nosferatu, why bother with the cheap remake when the original did such a great job?
- The Lost Boys (1987): This is another late add after this post was initially published because I only just saw this movie a few days ago, and folks, what a great movie! It is not all about staying gold, pony boy, but in many ways, it is.. (what!) The Lost Boys is a great 80's movie about 2 brothers who move to Santa Carla and discover vampires! There are a lot of classic lines in there, especially during exchanges between the two Corey's (Haim and Feldman). Amidst the cheese and teen angst, there is a really entertaining movie with memorable characters. It seems like one of those movies you could watch over again when you are bored and still find refreshing. Definitely recommending!
- Thirst (2009): This was the other movie I forgot to mention when I first published this post. It is a Korean movie made by an incredibly good Director, Chan-Wook Park (responsible for the very popular -- and highly recommended-- Vengeance Trilogy). This movie is about a priest who becomes a vampire and suddenly develops all these urges due to his newly acquired heightened senses. I like this movie because the vampires are not glamorous and over-the-top, it is literally a priest who is grappling with his morality and his desires. There is even a scientific explanation for his vampiric condition to try to make this scenario appear realistic. I should not say too much more, except, I consider myself to have a pretty high level of tolerance for gore but I did fast-forward through some scenes because the sucking sounds when they would feed on someone kind of made me shiver a bit. Hardcore vampire fans will probably really dig this movie if it is not the costumes they are enamored with but the vampire itself.
- Blade Series: I have seen all three Blade (1998)/(2002)/(2004) movies but the trouble is, they are not necessarily memorable. I remember disliking the third one because I thought Jessica Biel and Ryan Reynolds ruined it. The first two were very entertaining but they are also kind of like dance music or jogging, you kind of have to be in the mood for it. If you are looking for lots of action and want to see Wesley Snipes kick some serious vampire butt, these movies are your medicine and by all means, enjoy.
- Underworld Series: In the same vein as the Blade Series, the Underworld Series (2003)/(2006)/(2009) is so great if you are in the mood for a fast-paced action hero type movie. Although, between the two series, I would recommend Blade because it is has rougher edges and feels less contaminated by the Hollywood goo.
- Dracula (1992): I saw Bram Stoker's Dracula and hated it. Maybe it is because I saw Nosferatu first and Dracula follows the exact same storyline. When one movie executes a storyline perfectly, all other movies that attempt to depict the same story will indubitably fail! I am being so harsh so I will throw in a few good things I did like about the movie, for good measure. (1) It was neat to finally get the Simpsons reference of Dracula when Mr. Burns had the same heart-shaped beehive hairdo that Gary Oldman had in the movie; (2) I liked that Bram Stoker tried to give the Count a bit of a back story because they do not do that in Nosferatu (although I would argue that the mysteriousness of the Count made him even more frightening); (3) I liked that.. oh, I do not think I can play this game any more! Keanu Reeves speaks with the worst British accent I have ever heard in my life, it was like needles on a chalkboard throughout this movie! Avoid! Avoid!
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