Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)

Possibly the most flawed entry on this list, Francis Ford Coppola’s take on the king of all bloodsuckers is extremely ambitious and has moments of pure magic.  Coppola uses many old-school visual tricks and combines them with touches of CGI to put together a visual feast that almost makes up for Keanu Reeves’ wooden performance.  Almost.

Interview with the Vampire (1994)

Many Anne Rice fans are still smarting from the casting choices in Neil Jordan’s adaptation of the vampire classic, but from a cinematic perspective Interview delivers in spades, with strong performances by all involved and masterful direction by Jordan.

Fright Night (1985)

Though slightly dated, Tom Holland’s horror-comedy still holds up quite well because it never panders to the audience in search of cheap laughs.  In fact, at times the film is quite heavy in its exploration of obsession, love, celebrity and the true nature of courage.

Blade II (2002)

This movie has appeared on two other lists on this site (check them out here and here) so there’s not much more to be said.  Del Toro does a brilliant job of blending action with the vampire mythology, adding a few cool wrinkles in the process.

30 Days of Night (2007)

Another entry that has appeared on another one of our lists (check it out here), 30 Days of Night offers a fresh take on the modern vampire, jettisoning any humanity that they may have once had and portraying them as pure predators. 

Shadow of the Vampire (2000)

This creepy retelling of the filming of Nosferatu-Eine Symphonie des Grauens boasts a superb performance by Willem Dafoe as Max Schreck, the actor who plays Count Orlock (loosely based on Bram Stoker’s Dracula).  But as the cast and crew soon discover, Schreck may be more than just a method actor and F.W. Murnau’s maniacal insistence on creating the perfect vampire movie leads all of them down a dark, mysterious path.

Near Dark (1987)

Gritty, unrelenting, and at times a little too realistic, Kathryn Bigelow’s vampire tale blends elements of horror and westerns with good ol’ family values.  The result is a wonderfully bleak portrayal of vampires who live on the other side of the tracks- more feral and dangerous than their pouty, weepy, aristocratic cousins. 

Let the Right One In (2008)

Based on a novel by Swedish author John Ajvide Lindqvist, this movie became an instant genre classic upon its release.  Haunting and unflinching, the movie is a rich tapestry of genre conventions brilliantly infused with the isolation and loneliness of the two main characters.  The filmmakers also wisely use practical effects and simple cinematic techniques to create the cold, dark world of mystery and murder that Eli and Oskar find themselves in.

Thirst (2009)

Made by South Korean director Chan wook-Park, Thirst has quickly developed a strong following among vampire lovers.  Like Let the Right One In, it offers an unflinching look at vampirism, and explores faith, power, sexuality, love and madness in a dark, twisted and often funny cinematic tour de force.  The performances are earnest, the story is layered and compelling and the movie tackles issues with a maturity and honesty not found in many American horror films.