On a chilly October evening (or, honestly, any time at all), it feels like the right time for dim lights, a soft blanket, and a vampire movie. From romantic Gothic classics to groundbreaking horror-comedies, vampire movies over the past one hundred years have hypnotized film lovers everywhere. The following are my chosen favorites out of a lifetime of vampire movies:
#5: Dracula (1931)
Nothing compares to the enchanting blend of horror and fantasy in this Universal Pictures classic starring Bela Lugosi. I rewatch this movie pretty much any time it crosses my mind. The music (hello, “Swan Lake”), cinematography, production design, art direction, performances, etc., etc., make Dracula a film experience that remains stunning to this day.
#4: Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
Although this movie features some…interesting acting choices, it is still one of my favorite vampire movies ever. It is more accurate to the novel by Bram Stoker than any other adaptation I have seen, which is important to me (why change it, anyway?). This film is a visual masterpiece that showcases the beauty horror films are capable of.
#3: Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)
I wrote about Only Lovers Left Alive for Valentine’s Day this year. There is simply nothing else like it, and it has had a special place in my life since I first watched it. Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton create an intimate portrait of a vampire couple attempting to find their place in the modern world.
#2: What We Do in the Shadows (2014)
As with many of my favorite spooky movies, I have a story for how I first encountered What We Do in the Shadows. I was working at the circulation desk in Alden Library at Ohio University in early 2016. I stated to my coworker that I wanted something new to watch that was still “me.” Someone had just returned this movie on DVD; my coworker recognized the cover, handed the case to me, and recommended that I give it a chance. That night, I watched it for the first of many, many times. Combining several of my favorite things (vampires, documentaries, and horror-comedies), What We Do in the Shadows remains one of my favorite late-night movies that I will share with anyone who will watch it with me.
Also, I still quote this movie at least once a day.
#1: The Lost Boys (1987)
No matter how much I contemplated each finalist for this list, nothing tops The Lost Boys. After years of popular vampire films that emerged during my teenage years, The Lost Boys showed me a whole new type of vampire. In many ways, this movie changed the way I thought about horror in general, thus enhancing my love of horror and the diversity of the horror stories I write. I never knew a movie about a vampire motorcycle gang would have such a role in my life. To read more about this alpha-vampire film, check out this post from this past summer.
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Until next time,
Jordan
By Night 