My Favorite...Vampire Movies!

The Following is a Listing of My Favorite Vampire Movies

This list will change. These movies are not listed as favorite to least favorite, or in any order except alphabetically.

But I will say that my qualifications for a favorite vampire movie or series is first and foremost this....

While I am watching the story I must totally believe that vampires exist. Now, I know they probably don't, although there's some interesting historical stories. But while I'm watching it, I must be able to easily suspend my disbelief because that the world building that has been done can make me believe that vampires could be real. That I don't stop and roll my eyes and get booted right out of the story.

What this qualification automatically does for me is disqualify campy movies, spoofs, comedies. I can have fun with a campy vampire movie such as The Lost Boys or the original version of Fright Night. But the farcical elements of either of these movies prevents me from believing what I'm seeing and hard-core reminds me that this is "only a movie." Sadly, this is why I couldn't include 1979's version of 'Salem's Lot. It was damned scary in 1979, but has become so badly dated, with some terrible acting and over-the-top corny acting. It broke my heart that I can't even watch it any longer with nostalgia in my heart. I have high hopes for the remake made written by Gary Dauberman, who wrote the newer version of It. Stephen King loves the new version and has criticized Warner Brothers for their constantly confusing reasons for not releasing it. Stephen King said, as recently as February 2024, that, "not sure why WB is holding it back; not like it's embarrassing, or anything. Who knows?"

You are allowed to feel differently, but don't try and get me to change my mind. It isn't happening. When it comes to vampire movies, I'm pretty strict (although I've forgiven a few things, especially from older movies). Vampires are my favorite creatures of the night. When it comes to a movie I want to believe.

At the time I am writing this, there are only 14 titles, but I wanted to post it, so voilà! This list will be edited and re-edited and I always love to hear your ideas and suggestions. It doesn't mean I will add yours to my list. But it very well could. There are several movies below that I had never heard of.

Okay! With that, here we go...!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

30 Days of Night

One of my true favorites, even thought it is mainly played for terror and the vampires are totally evil. I believed and that is what is important to me!

Blurb: After an Alaskan town is plunged into darkness for a month, it is attacked by a bloodthirsty tribe of vampires.

Written by: Steve Niles Stuart Beattie Brian Nelson

Based on the graphic novel 30 Days of Night by Steve Niles

Starring: Josh Hartnett

Melissa George

Danny Huston

Ben Foster

Mark Boone Junior

Notes: While my favorite vampire movies are about vampires we can see as people, movies that focus on the lush and exotic, the curse (or not curse) of being immortal and the seduction of accepting the Dark Gift, I totally love this one for the scares. It checks my most important qualification. I believe they are real. This is one of my true favorites.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Abigail

This is my newest addition to my list. Best vampire movie I've seen in years. I loved it.

Blurb: After a group of criminals kidnap the ballerina daughter of a powerful underworld figure, they retreat to an isolated mansion, unaware that they're locked inside with no normal little girl.

Written by: Guy Busick and Stephen Shields

Starring: Alisha Weir

Melissa Barrera

Dan Stevens

Kathryn Newton

Will Catlett

Kevin Durand

Angus Cloud

Giancarlo Esposito.

Notes: I really enjoyed this movie. It could have so easily been nothing but a monster-kills-people-one-by-one, and the characters could easily have been those people that you simply can't wait to die because they are so obnoxious (badly written). But that isn't what happened, and if I did wish them or any of them to die, it was because they were bad people who deserved what they got. And yet, I had sympathy for some of them, They had no idea what they were getting into. And while the trailer told us a lot, we knew going into it that Abagail is a vampire and is going to be killing them, there were lots of surprises. It introduced a new power or two for vampires and threw out most of their weaknesses. I will be watching this one over and over!

Special Note: It was based on and a reimagining of the 1936 Universal Classic Monsters film Dracula's Daughter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Blade

It is important to note that I never really cared for the sequels for this movie (Blade II and Blade: Trinity). They go to "jump the shark" for me (this one almost did!) and over-the-top so that I stopped believing. This one however is great!

Blurb: A half-vampire, half-mortal man becomes a protector of the mortal race, while slaying evil vampires.

Written by: David S. Goyer

Starring: Wesley Snipes

Stephen Dorff

Kris Kristofferson

N'Bushe Wright

Donal Logue

Notes: I so believed in these creatures of the night! They make sense. The behave like real vampiric beings. I love that there are two kids of vampires, the ancient who were born as vampires, and those who were once human and turned into vampires. There was one big, huge magical ritual that pushed my limits of believability...but not too far. There was so much to explore. These vampires believe they were meant to be as evil as they want, but there was nothing to say that they couldn't have explored a future story where a vampire refuses to treat humans as nothing but mere food. This truly is one of my favorites, with the opening in the dance club being one of the most incredible openings for any movie ever!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Blood Red Sky

Blurb: A woman with a mysterious illness is forced into action to protect her son when a group of terrorists attempt to hijack a transatlantic overnight flight.

Written by: Peter Thorwarth and Stefan Holtz

Starring: Peri Baumeister

Roland Møller

Chidi Ajufo

Alexander Scheer

Dominic Purcell

Notes: Definitely not a Snakes on a Plane movie, this film surprised me several times. It was recommended several times, but since at least on of those was a channel on YouTube where the guy who does the reviews is so full of himself, and sometimes loves really awful or dumb movies, I waited to watch this Netflix film. And I loved it. I believed in the vampire, the setup, the story, everything. And it surprised me a couple times and boy to I love to be surprised by a plot twist or two! There is nothing more dangerous than a mother protecting her young. Except for maybe....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Byzantium

Very different, I really liked it a lot. And it stars Saoirse Ronan. Doesn't that say a lot?! And it is directed by Neil Jordan!

Blurb: Residents of a coastal town learn, with deathly consequences, the secret shared by the two mysterious women who have sought shelter at a rundown hotel.

Written by: Moira Buffini

Starring: Saoirse Ronan

Gemma Arterton

Sam Riley

Notes: The reviews really do say it all. "This full-blooded epic is Jordan at his most gloriously ambitious." "The best vampire film since Let the Right One In." "Twilight for adults." This movie is sexy and wild and over-the-top in the best way (instead of the jump the shark way).

Eleanor and Clara are two vampires turned during the Napoleonic Wars in a world where almost all vampires are male and noble of birth. They don't take kindly the existence of these two females, especially when one of them was a prostitute. The pair take refuge in Byzantium Hotel, a once-thriving business that has fallen into disrepair and turns it into a makeshift brothel. These two vampires are determined to survive no matter what they have to do, and who they have to kill.

A lush and gorgeous movie that made me believe!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Forsaken

This is a forgotten gem. I'm surprised at how many people never saw it. It was also one of the first, if not the first, movie date I ever had with RBear!

Blurb: A young film trailer editor on a cross-country business trip through the Arizona desert picks up a shady hitchhiker and along the way encounters a disoriented young woman who's being stalked by a vampire cult.

Written by: J. S. Cardone

Starring: Kerr Smith

Brendan Fehr

Izabella Miko

Jonathan Schaech.

Notes: There is a time or two when this movie almost got corny (exploding vampires for one thing), but it was trying really hard and so I forgive. The only thing I wasn't crazy about was that the vampire hunter explains that "The only real cure is to find the original source of infection and kill it." But why would killing the original vampire cure its victims? That makes no sense. I forgive this because movie's version of vampirism is that it is supernatural.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fright Night

The Colin Farrell version is scarier and more realistic than the original fun campy version.

Blurb: When a nice new neighbor moves in next door, Charley discovers that he is an ancient vampire who preys on the community. Can he save his neighborhood from the creature with the help of the famous "vampire killer," Peter Vincent?

Written by: Marti Noxon, based on the story and original screenplay by Tom Holland

Starring: Anton Yelchin

Colin Farrell

Christopher Mintz-Plasse

David Tennant

Toni Collette

Notes: Campy has its place, but when it comes to the kind of vampire movie that I like, I want scary, not laughs. And this remake delivered! I believed believed believed. Colln Farrell was sexy too, and not smarmy like Chris Sarandon was in the original. And while William Ragsdale, as Charley Brewster, had his charms, he couldn't act worth a damn. The beloved Anton Yelchin though, nailed it. And David Tennant did a wonderful Peter Vincent, and I was happy he portrayed him very differently that Roddy McDowall, because I loved (love!) Mr. McDowall and I didn't want to see anyone try to imitate him (I think he's the best part of the original film. So, I won't be surprised if I get backlash on this one, but I far prefer the remake as a scary vampire film than the campy, but delightful, earlier movie.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Hunger

David Bowie, Catherine Deneuve, and Susan Sarandon as vampires. What's not to love?

Blurb: A love triangle develops between a beautiful yet dangerous vampire Miriam Blaylock, her cellist vampire companion John, and gerontologist Sarah Roberts.

Written by: Ivan Davis and Michael Thomas

Based on the brilliant novel by Whitley Strieber

Starring: Catherine Deneuve

David Bowie

Susan Sarandon

Notes: Talk about a movie that made me believe! This movie is gorgeous and sexy. So sexy that the girl-on-girl love-making that actually aroused this avowed gay man! Catherine Deneuve was simply stunning as the incredibly ancient vampire Miriam who has seen more things in heaven and earth than we could dream of, cold and calculating, seemingly emotionless, and then incredibly passionate a moment later. She has seen too much, more history, more deaths of those she loved, that she has become remote, afraid to love again knowing what will happen. As far as she knows, she is the last of her kind, and turns humans into a sad version of what she is--for his is immortal and turned vampires only last awhile. A long while for sure, John (David Bowie) is 200 when we meet him, and doesn't have long to last, for at some point, the virus that Miriam passes on to turn humans into vampires stops working and they suddenly begin to age and die. And that is where Sarah Roberts steps in, a gerontologist who specializes in sleep and aging research, and who Miriam hopes can crack the problem so that she can have a companion who will last.

The one "bad" thing is that the movie has a confusing ending with a dozen different interpretations of just exactly what happens. My thought would spoil this list!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Interview with the Vampire

The original movie, and not the series. The latter has its merits, but it barely resembles the novel, which is one of my favorite books of all time.

Blurb: A vampire tells his epic life story: love, betrayal, loneliness, and hunger.

Written by:

Starring: Brad Pitt

Tom Cruise

Kirsten Dunst

Christian Slater

Stephen Rea

Antonio Banderas

Notes: I love love love this movie so much and have no idea how many times I've seen it. These vampires are real! Anne Rice wrote a treatment of the screenplay and gets full credit even though I understand a few other people did treatments. I love how well this was adapted, even though there were a few little changes to help move the story along. They had two hours to tell the story of a novel. Despite what we all thought would happen, Tom Cruise was incredible as the vampire Lestat and Brad Pitt equally amazing as Louis de Pointe du Lac. Kirsten Dunst was magical as the child vampire Claudia. The movie, more than almost any other, gave me some of the most convincing vampires ever.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Let Me In

Believe it or not, the American version of Let the Right One In (the original Swedish version) is just as good version!

Blurb: A bullied young boy befriends a young girl who lives in secrecy with her guardian, and who turns out to be far more than what he first believed.

Written by: Matt Reeves

Based on the film Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist, which is based on the novel Let the Right One In (Låt den rätte komma in) by John Ajvide Lindqvist

Starring: Kodi Smit-McPhee

Chloë Grace Moretz

Elias Koteas

Richard Jenkins

Notes: Years ago, when RBear and I used to regularly to a video store near us, we got to be friends with the manager. He got to know our tastes well and would recommend all different kinds of movies. He was usually the type that disliked American remakes of foreign films. In this case though, he was excited to say that he had found a remake that he loved just as much as the original. He recommended that we watch both. We did. And we agreed. Both movies were great.

Now I am not spoiling anything when I tell you that the bullied boy who makes friends with an odd little girl is in fact making friends with a vampire. The first time he sees her she is walking nonchalantly barefoot through the snow. And the idea of a child vampire had been done before. Why the mother of all child vampires is probably Claudia from Interview with the Vampire. But, oh my gosh! Do both versions of this story get it right! Abby (the vampire) is ancient! And from this, this movie gets my requirement for vampire movies 100% right. I believed! Chloë Grace Moretz magnificently portrays someone who has lived so long she doesn't remember just when she comes from because those peoples she lived with had no idea what "year" it was. This movie is nigh on perfect, and I loved Stephen King's thought that it is one of "the best American horror film(s) in the last twenty years." Highly recommended!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Let the Right One In (the original Swedish version)

Blurb: Oskar, an overlooked and bullied boy, finds love and revenge through Eli, a beautiful but peculiar girl.

Written by: John Ajvide Lindqvist

Based on the novel Let the Right One In (Låt den rätte komma in) by John Ajvide Lindqvist

Starring: Kåre Hedebrant

Lina Leandersson

Per Ragnar

Ika Nord

Peter Carlberg

Notes: As noted above, I was recommended this Swedish movie, written by the novelist, and told the American remake is just as good. And by gosh, it was true. Both are great. Both are very similar, but told with different flairs, different story techniques, but both cinematically gorgeous and both very believable. The theme of bullied child who gains a champion is probably as old as time, but this version of that famous trope is unique and wonderfully so. Do not miss this one!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Midnight Mass

At the time of this writing is the only series on my list (vs movies), but I couldn't leave it off. Simply by including it on my list, I've spoiled it. I figured it out instantly, and I was surprised when a good friend of mine didn't. But then, I love vampires!

Blurb: An isolated island community experiences miraculous events - and frightening omens - after the arrival of a charismatic, mysterious young priest. But soon they are wondering if they have been blessed, or cursed.

Written by: Mike Flanagan

Starring: Kate Siegel

Zach Gilford

Samantha Sloyan

Rahul Kohli

Annarah Cymone

Annabeth Gish

Matt Biedel

Michael Trucco

Henry Thomas

Hamish Linklater

Notes: I have seen this entire series at least twice and it came out less than three years ago. I loved it so much. Writer and director Mike Flanagan truly is brilliant. I wouldn't be surprised in the least if this was an homage or sorts to Stehpen King's classic novel 'Salem's Lot. I loved that book, but there were a few things that annoyed me (Mr. King didn't seem to have rules that applied to all of his vampires, how soon they rose, how one was turned, etc) but Midnight Mass makes up for all of that. I fact, it added something to the theme of vampires that I loved. When one is "infected" with the vampire virus, they don't become an actual vampire until they have been made the best they can be. One old man de-ages to his prime before the change takes hold, and a girl in a wheelchair regains the use of her legs. I think this movie is all but perfect and one of my biggest recommendations in vampire film!

Written and directed by Mike Flanagan, the man who also brought us series The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor, and The Fall of the House of Usher, it is not to be missed!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Near Dark

This movie makes the list even though it could be considered campy. I beleive it and so I am forgiving of any "flaws."

Blurb: A small-town farmer's son reluctantly joins a traveling group of vampires after he is bitten by a beautiful drifter.

Written by: Eric Red and Kathryn Bigelow

Starring: Adrian Pasdar

Jenny Wright

Lance Henriksen

Bill Paxton

Jenette Goldstein

Tim Thomerson

Notes: I saw this movie the first time when I was 27 years old in the theater when it was released in 1987. And I loved it! This movie might be a little campy in that it is a bit dated, it is just so darned good, and believable, I can easily disregard any possibly flaws. The dynamic and chemistry of the "family" of vampires is terrific. Often when a film gives us a team or family of touch guys, they are far from the marines we see in Aliens, and far more the groan worthy group of terrible actors from Event Horizon, who were obviously trying (and missing) to imitate the James Cameron's classic. This movie does it well, It does it all well. In fact, when I am done writing this, I think it is more than time to see it again, it's been a while!

Wikipedia says of this film "Despite performing poorly at the box office, critic reviews were generally positive. Over the years, the film has gained a cult following." Which as far as I know, is totally true.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Night Stalker

This was a made-for-TV movie that was released in 1972, and to the shock of all, garnered the highest ratings of any TV film at that time (33.2 rating - 48 share). It inspired a sequel (The Night Strangler) and a television series (that sadly, just didn't capture the magic of the movies).

Blurb: An abrasive Las Vegas newspaper reporter investigates a series of murders that he believes were committed by a vampire.

Written by: Richard Matheson (teleplay)

Jeff Rice (novel)

Starring: Darren McGavin

Simon Oakland

Carol Lynley

Barry Atwater

Notes: Wow, and, wow, and wow! When I first saw this at the age of 12, I was simply blown away! It terrified my younger brother (I got in trouble for letting him watch it) and secured me forever as a fam of vampires and vampire movies. The first movie I saw the opened my loving teenage bloody eyes to the genre was the 1958 Hammer Horror Films version of Dracula that I first saw at the drive-in when I was about 11 in what I think was 1971. In the United States, the film was retitled Horror of Dracula (which was the title I first saw it) to avoid confusion with the U.S. original by Universal Pictures, 1931's Dracula.

But enough of that! On to, The Night Stalker! While I usually prefer my vampires as at least possibly sympatric, or at least having the ability to pass as human or who have a whole society of sorts behind them, the vampire Janos Skorzeny was scary (or certainly was to my 12-year old self!) and lived in the shadows. This wasn't a vampire who went to fancy balls or invited people over to dinner where he didn't drink...wine...he was able to pass as human. What I loved so much though was that Carl Kolchak, the investigative reporter who knows there is no such things as vampires, is very good at what he does, and can't help but become a believer, and as he does, so do we, the audience. I love this movie!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Only Lovers Left Alive

Tilda Swinton, Tom Hiddleston and John Hurt as ancient vampires, so incredible!)

Blurb: A depressed musician reunites with his lover. However, their romance, which has already endured several centuries, is disrupted by the arrival of her uncontrollable younger sister.

Written by: Jim Jarmusch

Starring: Tilda Swinton

Tom Hiddleston

Mia Wasikowska

Anton Yelchin

Jeffrey Wright

Slimane Dazi

John Hurt

Notes: Like The Hunger, the pure gorgeousness and mood are what make this movie so incredible. That, and I believe in vampires when I watch this movie. Interestingly, a part of the lore of this version of vampires is that the quality of blood effects them so much it can kill them. It is written and directed by Jim Jarmusch and I will be looking for more of his movies. Tilda Swinton is completely convincing as the incredibly ancient Eve. Tom Hiddleston is incredible in this very different role for him as Adam. And you can't help but wonder just how ancient they truly are. They make you believe. They also have at least one friend who is very famous faked his own death to live as immortal, and he's not too happy about who has gotten credit for much of his work. I just discovered it about a year ago (and have seen it at least twice) even though it came out in 2013! This is one of my most highly recommended films on this list!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shadow of the Vampire

Blurb: In 1922 while filming the movie Nosferatu, production is hampered by the fact that its star Max Schreck is taking the role of a vampire far more seriously than seems humanly possible.

Written by: Steven Katz

Starring: John Malkovich

Willem Dafoe

Cary Elwes

Eddie Izzard

Udo Kier

Catherine McCormack

Notes: The idea for this film was absolutely terrific...what if, when director F.W. Murnau, while making the classic vampire film Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens, in his desire for authenticity chose a real vampire to play the role of Count Orlok the nosferatu. And the acting by John Malkovich as famous director F.W. Murnau and Williem Dafoe as the vampire (it's no surprise Dafoe was nominated for an Academy Award) no doubt took what real-life director E. Elias Merhige orchestrated already and catapulted Shadow of the Vampire into cinema gold. How they took their acting to the razor's edge of the often overacting-style of silent film, and yet didn't get campy I can't imagine. But they did! Oh, yes!

"There was a time," the vampire tells Murnau, "when I fed from golden chalices. But now... ...in my old age, I feed the way old men pee. Sometimes all at once. Sometimes drop by drop." And what a wonderful moment when Orlok looks at F.W. Murnau's films of sunrises. The pain and longing in his eyes! Or when he speaks to two members of the crew and tells them he's so old he can't remember his past, only images of how he became a vampire. Perfect, and what saves the movie from camp!

A. O. Scott of The New York Times wrote, "You can find diversion in an improbable blend of behind-the-scenes satire and art-house fright-fest, anchored by Willem Dafoe's creepy, comical and oddly moving performance as the blood-sucking Schreck." And that says it all. I only add that this vampire is a very different vampire, but he was scary as hell, and I believed in him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So.... These vampires and their movies do not fall under my specifications. These movies and shows have silly stuff or campiness or they're dated or just plain out and out comedies... But they're fun and I've enjoyed them, and there are vampires, and sometimes they are even cool or scary, so if the movies are good, even if I don't fall under my most important specification, that "believe vampire are real," I can still get a kick out of them. And as far as I am concerned, these are the best....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Day Shift 

How haven't I heard of this movie? It's only a year old, it's NetFlix, and it stars Jamie Foxx and Snoop Dogg!

Blurb: A hard-working, blue-collar dad just wants to provide a good life for his quick-witted 10-year-old daughter. His mundane San Fernando Valley pool cleaning job is a front for his real source of income: hunting and killing vampires.

Written by: Tyler Tice and Shay Hatten

Starring: Jamie Foxx, Dave Franco, Snoop Dogg, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Meagan Good, Karla Souza, Steve Howey, and Scott Adkins

Notes: This one is funny, moves along at a good pace, has decent acting, scary vampires, great specials, good action, and I had fun! No, I didn't believe in these vampires, but had they not been so ludicrously flexible (that was part of the humor) and had this movie not been a comedy, it could have gone on the list above. So, I had to include it! Worth your two hours at least!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FRIGHT NIGHT (1985) 

A fun movie, but since there was so much silliness and terrible effects (even for 1985, I never forgot I was watching a movie. As a spoof of vampire movies, it is worth mentioning. In 2011, far superior, far scarier, and far more believable version was made with Anton Yelchin and Colin Farrell. I believe anyone who disagrees with me does so because of a nostalgic love of this version.

Blurb: A teenager believes that the newcomer in his neighborhood is a vampire. He turns to an actor in a television horror show for help to deal with the undead.

Written by: (and directed by) Tom Holland

Starring: Jason Patric, Corey Haim, Kiefer Sutherland, Dianne Wiest, Jami Gertz, Barnard Hughes, Edward Herrmann, Corey Feldman

Notes: This movie is a lot of fun, and as a spoof of vampires, earns its place as an honorable mention. Please understand, I have a fondness for this first version, but it certainly isn't the least bit scary with its subpar practical effects, the campiness of the Roddy McDowall (one of my favorite actors) character and Eddie, the best friend that I let out a cheer in the movie theater when he died.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Lost Boys 

Worthy of mention if only for the movie tag, "Sleep all day, party all night, never grow old, never die" and the last line, “One thing about living in Santa Carla I never could stomach, all the damn vampires.”

Blurb: After moving to a new town, two brothers discover that the area is a haven for vampires.

Written by: written by Jeffrey Boam, Janice Fischer and James Jeremias, from a story by Janice Fischer and James Jeremias

Starring: Jason Patric, Corey Haim, Kiefer Sutherland, Dianne Wiest, Jami Gertz, Barnard Hughes, Edward Herrmann, Corey Feldman

Notes: A fun movie with some fun moments. There were some scary moments. But as fond as I am of this movie, there is just too much camp and silliness to take this movie seriously, and the bad makeup and effects bothered me even when it came out. This is why it isn't on the above list. But what ruins this movie for me, and keeps it off the above list more than anything, was the Frog brothers. I could have lived with them, and thought it was really cool, if ten seconds into leaping into battle, one or both of them had been brutally killed, thus saying that vampires are not a joke, nor are they to be trifled with. That would have socked the hell out of us. What saves this movie.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Movies I Simply Can't Include for Any Reason.....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bram Stoker's Dracula

Except for the title of this entry, so you will know what movie I am talking about, I will never call this movie by its release title. If you've read the book, you know the movie is not Bram Stoker's Dracula. Bram Stoker would not have liked this movie. I call this film "Francis Ford Coppola's Dracula," because that is what it was. Mr. Coppola in love with himself as a director. It also plagiarized Dark Shadows (the series) with its idea that the vampire falls in love with a modern woman who reminds him of the woman he knew and loved in his human life. It further steals the idea that he's cursed into a vampire instead of being turned into a vampire by a vampire. It worked for Barnabas Collins, it does NOT work for Dracula.

Gary Oldman's performance is ridiculous, simply bad, and I burst into laughter multiple times when I first saw it in the theater (when I wasn't biting the insides of my cheeks to keep from screaming, "No! That's wrong! That's not what happened!" The costumes are gorgeous, but hideously wrong. Dracula's armor is wrong. His hair and costume in his opening scene where he meets Harker are just stupid. Why does he have that hairstyle? It's nothing accurate for the character, the time period, or even the historical figure. Why is he hundreds of years, yet his old robes flawless and new? He's been hidden away in his castle at this point for a very, very long time. And Vlad Tepes wouldn't have been caught dead (pun intended) with that hair or clothing. And then all the acting by every costar is 1960s corny and campy. I tried to watch it again recently, years from having seen it last, hoping I'd change my mind. I couldn't even get halfway through it. Coppola should have just gone the final inch and make his movie a true comedy. I do love the soundtrack. I do not like this movie.