Vampire movies

30 Days of Night

They’re Coming!
Released: 2007
Directed by: David Slade
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Ben Foster, Melissa George, Danny Huston, Mark Boone Junior, Craig Hall, Manu Bennett, Nathaniel Lees, Elizabeth Hawthorne, Joel Tobeck, Kate Elliott
113 minutes
GMV rating: 4/5
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This is the story of an isolated Alaskan town that is plunged into darkness for a month each year when the sun sinks below the horizon. As the last rays of light fade, the town is attacked by a bloodthirsty gang of vampires bent on an uninterrupted orgy of destruction. Only the small town’s husband-and-wife Sheriff team stand between the survivors and certain destruction.

30 Days of Night: Dark Days

Don’t walk into the dark
Released: 2010
Directed by: Ben Ketai
Starring: Kiele Sanchez, Mia Kirshner, Monique Ganderton, Ben Cotton, Stacey Roy, Katie Keating, Troy Ruptash, James Pizzinato, Marco Soriano, Donovan Cerminara, Scott Patey, Jody Thompson, Diora Baird, Harold Perrineau Jr., Rhys Coiro
92 minutes
GMV rating: 3/5
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After surviving the incidents in Barrow, Alaska, Stella Olemaun relocates to Los Angeles, where she intentionally attracts the attention of the local vampire population in order to avenge the death of her husband, Eben.

Bitemarks

Released: 2011
Directed by: Mark Bessenger
Starring: Stephen Geoffreys, Benjamin Lutz, John Werskey, Lou Cass
84 minutes
GMV rating: 4/5
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Truck-driver Brewster takes over his missing brother’s delivery of a load of coffins to a funeral home. He picks up hitchhiking gay couple Cary and Vogel whose relationship is in trouble to help him stay awake but when his GPS leads them into a deserted junkyard, his truck breaks down, stranding them. Night falls, and the coffins reveal blood-thirty vampires. Now the mismatched trio must barricade themselves in the cab of the truck and try to survive until dawn…

Blade

Part Man. Part Vampire. All Hero
Released: 1998
Directed by: Stephen Norrington
Starring: Wesley Snipes, Stephen Dorff, Kris Kristofferson, N’Bushe Wright, Donal Logue, Udo Kier, Arly Jover, Traci Lords, Kevin Patrick Walls, Tim Guinee, Sanaa Lathan, Eric Edwards
120 minutes
GMV rating: 4/5
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When Blade’s mother was bitten by a vampire during pregnancy, she did not know that she gave her son a special gift while dying: All the good vampire attributes in combination with the best human skills. Blade and his mentor Whistler battle an evil vampire rebel (Deacon Frost) who plans to take over the outdated vampire council, capture Blade and resurrect voracious blood god La Magra.

Blade 2

Faster. Sharper. Deadlier
Released: 2002
Directed by: Guillermo del Toro
Starring: Wesley Snipes, Kris Kristofferson, Leonor Varela, Norman Reedus, Thomas Kretschmann, Luke Goss, Matt Schulze, Danny John-Jules, Donnie Yen, Ron Perlman, Karel Roden, Marit Velle Kile, Tony Curran, Daz Crawford, Santiago Segura, Samuel Le, Marek Vasut
117 minutes
GMV rating: 4/5
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A rare mutation has occurred within the vampire community – The Reaper. A vampire so consumed with an insatiable bloodlust that they prey on vampires as well as humans, transforming victims who are unlucky enough to survive into Reapers themselves. Blade is asked by the Vampire Nation for his help in preventing a nightmare plague that would wipe out both humans and vampires.

Blade: Trinity

The final hunt begins
Released: 2004
Directed by: David S. Goyer
Starring: Wesley Snipes, Kris Kristofferson, Dominic Purcell, Jessica Biel, Ryan Reynolds, Parker Posey, Paul Levesque, Mark Berry, John Michael Higgins, Callum Keith Rennie, Paul Anthony
123 minutes
GMV rating: 4/5
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For years, Blade has fought against the vampires in the cover of the night. But now, after falling into the crosshairs of the FBI, he is forced out into the daylight, where he is driven to join forces with a clan of human vampire hunters he never knew existed – The Nightstalkers. Together with Abigail and Hannibal, two deftly trained Nightstalkers, Blade follows a trail of blood to the ancient creature that is also hunting him, the original vampire, Dracula.

Blood Ties

Only revenge is sweeter than blood
Released: 1991
Directed by: Jim McBride
Starring: Patrick Bauchau, Robert Burr
84 minutes
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GMV rating: 1/5

Carpathian Americans are just like any other expatriate organization, they enjoy family get together, and share business opportunities. There is just one minor difference, the Carpathian Americans seem to have a predilection for drinking human blood. The film opens with an attack on two defensive vampires and their son (played by Jason London) fleeing the murder for the West Coast and his extended familier, where he learns his true nature.

2011 film of the same name by Robert Prago is not a remake or related. There is also no connection with the television series Blood Ties, which does feature vampires.

Blood: The Last Vampire

Released: 2009
Directed by: Chris Nahon
Starring: Allison Miller, Gianna Jun, Koyuki, Liam Cunningham, JJ Feild, Yasuaki Kurata, Larry Lamb, Andrew Pleavin, Michael Byrne, Colin Salmon, Masiela Lusha, Ailish OConnor, Constantine Gregory, Joey Anaya, Khary Payton
91 minutes
GMV rating: n/a
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On the surface, Saya is a stunning 16-year-old, but that youthful exterior hides the tormented soul of a 400-year-old “halfling.” Born to a human father and a vampire mother, she has for centuries been a loner obsessed with using her samurai skills to rid the world of vampires, all the while knowing that she herself can survive only on blood like those she hunts.

Bloodlust: Subspecies III

Released: 1994
Directed by: Ted Nicolaou
Starring: Anders Hove, Denice Duff, Kevin Spirtas, Melanie Shatner, Pamela Gordon, Ion Haiduc, Michael Della Femina, Michael Denish, Nicolae Urs, Radu Minculescu, Elvira Deatcu, Camelia Zorlescu, Theodor Danetti, Florin Ionescu, Rodica Horobet
83 minutes
GMV rating: 3/5
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Still in the thrall of the evil vampire Radu, Michelle yearns to be taught the skills of the vampire. Meanwhile, her sister Becky tries to free her from his evil clutches, and this time, she’s brought some help.

Bloodstone: Subspecies II

Released: 1993
Directed by: Ted Nicolaou
Starring: Anders Hove, Denice Duff, Ion Haiduc, Michael Denish, Kevin Spirtas, Melanie Shatner, Pamela Gordon, Tudorel Filimon, Viorel Comanici, Viorel Sergovici, Catalina Murgea, Violeta Berbiuc, Nicolae Urs, Radu Minculescu, George Ulmeni
107 minutes
GMV rating: 3/5
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Continuing after the first Subspecies, a woman who has just become a vampire tries to escape the evil vampire, Radu, who seeks her as his love interest. But she has taken the vampire family’s bloodstone, and now Radu must find her to get it back. While her sister comes to Romania to save her soul. It might be to late.

Bloodstorm: Subspecies 4

Released: 1998
Directed by: Ted Nicolaou
Starring: Anders Hove, Ioana Abur, Denice Duff, Jonathon Morris
85 minutes
GMV rating: 2/5
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Vampire fledgling Michelle Morgan has escaped the grasp of her master Radu Vladislas. Found by a woman named Ana, she is taken to a hospital where a doctor claims to be able to cure her vampirism. Radu, recovering from the near-death delivered by Michelle and her friends, travels to Bucharest to follow his fledgling. He visits the vampire Ash’s stronghold. Ash and his protege Serena plot to destroy Radu and employ the help of the humans, Ana and the Doctor.

Bordello of Blood

Released: 1996
Directed by: Gilbert Adler
Starring: Dennis Miller, Erika Eleniak, Angie Everhart, John Kassir, Chris Sarandon, Corey Feldman, Aubrey Morris, Phil Fondacaro, William Sadler
87 minutes
GMV rating: 3/5
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Private eye Rafe Guttman (Dennis Miller) is hired by repressed, born-again Katherine (Erika Eleniak) to find her missing bad-boy brother. The trail leads him to a whorehouse run by a thousand-year-old vampire (Angie Everhart) and secretly backed by Katherine’s boss, televangelist Jimmy Current (Chris Sarandon).

Bram Stoker’s Dracula

Love never dies
Released: 1992
Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
Starring: Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, Anthony Hopkins, Keanu Reeves, Richard E. Grant, Sadie Frost, Cary Elwes, Bill Campbell, Tom Waits
128 minutes
GMV rating: 4/5
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When Dracula leaves the captive Jonathan Harker and Transylvania for London in search of Mina Harker – the spitting image of Dracula’s long-dead wife, Elisabeta – obsessed vampire hunter Dr. Van Helsing sets out to end the madness.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

She knows a sucker when she sees one
Released: 1992
Directed by: Fran Rubel Kuzui
Starring: Kristy Swanson, Donald Sutherland, Paul Reubens, Rutger Hauer, Luke Perry, Hilary Swank
86 minutes
GMV rating: 3/5
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Blonde, bouncy Buffy (Kristy Swanson) is your typical high school cheerleader — her goal is to “marry Christian Slater and die” and nothing gets in her way when it’s time to shop. But all that changes when a strange man (Donald Sutherland) informs her she’s been chosen by fate to kill vampires.

Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant

Released: 2009
Directed by: Paul Weitz
Starring: Chris Massoglia, Patrick Fugit, John C. Reilly, Josh Hutcherson
109 minutes
GMV rating: 3/5
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Welcome to the Cirque Du Freak, a traveling sideshow filled with magical creatures, misunderstood freaks, and the mysterious vampire, Larten Crepsley (John C. Reilly). Drawn to the dark, unpredictable world of the Cirque, 16-year-old Darren (Chris Massoglia) decides to trade in his ordinary life for a chance to become an immortal vampire. As Darren explores his newfound powers and faces unexpected enemies, he’ll find that his existence as a member of the undead is filled with more challenges, suspense and fun than he ever thought possible. Based on the best-selling book series and co-starring Salma Hayek, Ken Watanabe, and Willem Dafoe, it’s a fast-paced, suspenseful journey.

Count Yorga, Vampire

Released: 1970
Directed by: Bob Kelljan
Starring: Robert Quarry, Roger Perry, Michael Murphy, Michael Macready, D.J. Anderson, Judy Lang, Edward Walsh, Julie Conners, Marsha Jordan, George Macready
90 minutes
GMV rating: n/a
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Sixties couples Michael and Donna and Paul and Erica become involved with the intense Count Yorga at a Los Angeles séance, the Count having latterly been involved with Erica’s just-dead mother. After taking the Count home, Paul and Erica are waylayed, and next day a listless Erica is diagnosed by their doctor as having lost a lot of blood. When she is later found feasting on the family cat the doctor becomes convinced vampirism is at work, and that its focus is Count Yorga and his large isolated house.

Cronos

Released: 1993
Directed by: Guillermo del Toro
Starring: Federico Luppi, Ron Perlman, Claudio Brook, Margarita Isabel, Tamara Shanath
94 minutes

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Faced with his own mortality, an ingenious alchemist tried to perfect an invention that would provide him with the key to eternal life. It was called the Cronos device. When he died more than 400 years later, he took the secrets of this remarkable device to the grave with him. Now, an elderly antiques dealer has found the hellish machine hidden in a statue and learns about its incredible powers. The more he uses the device, the younger he becomes…but nothing comes without a price. Life after death is just the beginning as this nerve-shattering thriller unfolds and the fountain of youth turns bloody.

Dark Shadows

Every Family Has Its Demons
Released: 2012
Directed by: Tim Burton
Starring: Johnny Depp, Eva Green, Michelle Pfeiffer, Chloe Grace Moretz, Helena Bonham Carter, Jackie Earle Haley, Bella Heathcote, Gulliver McGrath, Thomas McDonell, Jonny Lee Miller, Raffey Cassidy, Ray Shirley, Christopher Lee, Alice Cooper, Ivan Kaye, Susanna Cappellaro
113 minutes
GMV rating: 4/5
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In the year 1752, Joshua and Naomi Collins, with young son Barnabas, set sail from Liverpool, England to start a new life in America. But even an ocean was not enough to escape the mysterious curse that has plagued their family. Two decades pass and Barnabas (Johnny Depp) has the world at his feet-or at least the town of Collinsport, Maine. The master of Collinwood Manor, Barnabas is rich, powerful and an inveterate playboy…until he makes the grave mistake of breaking the heart of Angelique Bouchard (Eva Green). A witch, in every sense of the word, Angelique dooms him to a fate worse than death: turning him into a vampire, and then burying him alive. Two centuries later, Barnabas is inadvertently freed from his tomb and emerges into the very changed world of 1972. He returns to Collinwood Manor to find that his once-grand estate has fallen into ruin. The dysfunctional remnants of the Collins family have fared little better…

Daydreakers

In 2019, The Most Precious Natural Resource… Is Us.
Released: 2009
Directed by: Michael Spierig, Peter Spierig
Starring: Ethan Hawke, Sam Neill, Willem Dafoe, Claudia Karvan
98 minutes
GMV rating: 4/5
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In the year 2019, a plague has transformed almost every human into vampires. Faced with a dwindling blood supply, the fractured dominant race plots their survival; meanwhile, a researcher works with a covert band of vampires on a way to save humankind.

Dracula

Released: 1931
Directed by: Tod Browning
Starring: Bela Lugosi, Helen Chandler, Dwight Frye, Edward Van Sloan, David Manners, Herbert Bunston, Frances Dade, Joan Standing, Charles K. Gerrard
72 minutes
GMV rating: 4/5
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Bela Lugosi stars as Dracula in the 1931 original screen version of Bram Stoker\u2019s classic tale. Towering ominously among the shadows of the Carpathian Mountains, Castle Dracula strikes fear in the hearts of the Transylvanian villagers below. After a naive real estate agent succumbs to the will of Count Dracula, the two head to London where the vampire hopes to stroll among respectable society by day and search for potential victims by night. Directed by horror specialist Tod Browning, the film creates an eerie, chilling mood that has been rarely realized since and remains a masterpiece not only of the genre, but of all time.

Fright Night

Released: 1985
Directed by: Tom Holland
Starring: Chris Sarandon, William Ragsdale, Amanda Bearse, Roddy McDowall
106 minutes
GMV rating: 3/5
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Nobody believes teenager Charley Brewster (William Ragsdale) when he discovers that his suave new neighbor, Jerry Dandridge (Chris Sarandon), is a vampire. So when the bloodsucker starts stalking Charley, he turns to has-been actor Peter Vincent (Roddy McDowall), famed for portraying a ghoul hunter. Unfortunately for the would-be vampire slayers, Dandridge has set his sights on Charlie’s girlfriend in this clever spoof of the horror genre.

Fright Night 2011

You can’t run from evil when it lives next door.
Released: 2011
Directed by: Craig Gillespie
Starring: Anton Yelchin, Colin Farrell, Toni Collette, Christopher Mintz-Plasse
106 minutes
GMV rating: 4/5
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A teenager suspects his new neighbour is a vampire. Unable to convince anyone, he tries to enlist the help of a self-proclaimed vampire hunter and magician in this remake of the 1985 comedy-horror classic.

Fright Night part 2

Welcome back…
Released: 1988
Directed by: Tommy Lee Wallace
Starring: Roddy McDowall, William Ragsdale, Traci Lind, Julie Carmen
104 minutes
GMV rating: 2/5
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Four vampires move into a large house in an American town. Led by the seducive Regina, they seem to be particularly interested in Charlie and his girlfriend Alex, since Charlie killed Regina’s brother. Charlie is bitten by her and transformed into a vampire. She kidnaps him and takes him to the house. Is this the end for Charlie?

From Dusk Till Dawn

One night is all that stands between them and freedom. But it’s going to be a hell of a night
Released: 1996
Directed by: Robert Rodriguez
Starring: George Clooney, Quentin Tarantino, Harvey Keitel, Juliette Lewis, Ernest Liu, Salma Hayek, Cheech Marin, Danny Trejo, Tom Savini
108 minutes
GMV rating: 3/5
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Seth Gecko and his younger brother Richard are on the run after a bloody bank robbery in Texas. They escape across the border into Mexico and will be home-free the next morning, when they pay off the local kingpin. They just have to survive ‘from dusk till dawn’ at the rendezvous point, which turns out to be a Hell of a strip joint. The first of three Dusk Till Dawn films, possibly the best of the trilogy.

From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money

Released: 1999
Directed by: Scott Spiegel
Starring: Robert Patrick, Duane Whitaker, Bo Hopkins, Muse Watson, Brett Harrelson, Raymond Cruz, Danny Trejo, James Parks, Stacie Bourgeois, Maria Checa
107 minutes
GMV rating: 3/5
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A gang of bank-robbing misfits heads to Mexico with the blueprints for the perfect million-dollar heist, but when one of the crooks wanders into the wrong bar… and crosses the wrong vampire… the thieving cohorts develop a thirst for blood!

From Dusk Till Dawn 3: The Hangman’s Daughter

Released: 2000
Directed by: P.J. Pesce
Starring: Marco Leonardi, Temuera Morrison, Ara Celi, Michael Parks, Rebecca Gayheart, Lennie Loftin, Sonia Braga, Orlando Jones, Danny Trejo, Jordana Spiro, Mickey Giacomazzi
94 minutes
GMV rating: 3/5
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Narrowly escaping death, outlaw Johnny Madrid (Marco Leonardi) is on the run from the hangman (Temuera Morrison), with the hangman’s sensuous daughter Esmeralda by his side. Along with Madrid’s gang, Johnny and Esmeralda embark on an adventure filled with colorful and unsavory characters who lead them straight into the fight of their lives!

Frostbitten (Frostbite)

Released: 2006
Directed by: Anders Banke
Starring: Petra Nielsen, Carl-Åke Eriksson, Grete Havnesköld, Emma Åberg
98 minutes
GMV rating: 5/5
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Frostbite (aka Frostbitten) is a Swedish vampire film set in Lapland during the deep sun-less winter. Pre-dating Let The Right One In, Frostbite may sound similar to 30 Days of Night, but there are few commonalities. Even though the teaser says ‘damn is a month away’, Frostbite has a quick storyline, once you get passed the beginning. The story opens in 1944 during the Second World War. Several soliders come across a seemingly abandoned cabin, but there they discover something unexpected. Into the present we arrive to find Annika and her 17-year old daughter Saga moving to the Lapland town of Norrbotten for Annika’s new job. Saga soon makes friends at high-school and finds herself invited to the party. From there we discover a doctor in Annika’s hospital is more than what he seems and his experiments to upgrade humans is leaked when medical intern Sebastien steals the doctor’s red pills. While Annika learns of the doctor, elsewhere in the winter night, Sebastien, the first to take one of the red pills hoping for a high, has before a vampire. And soon, Sebastien is not the only new vampire as the pills arrive at the party.

Frostbitten (Frostbite) is an exceptional film, an original story beautifully filmed and perfectly acted. Compared to the later Let the Right One In, Frostbitten vampires are fanged and plentiful. Sweden is beginning a tradition of superior nordic vampire films well worth continuing.