20 Best Vampire Movies of All Time

I know that a lot of folks won’t agree with my ranking since my tastes are fickle. I don’t really like vampire storylines that:

• Mixes the zombie/vampire genres (30 Days of Night);

• Have over the top melodramatic content (The Hunger or Nadja);

• Are stereotypical films (most pre-1970s films);

• Are wacky films (Vampire in Brooklyn);

• Was purposefully made to be a B film film (Bordello of Blood);

• Have vampires made by science (Cronos);

• Have space alien vampire films (Lifeforce);

• Are psychopaths “vampires” (Vampire’s Kiss); or,

• Target kids (The Monster Squad).

While none of the movies on my list are perfect, they do tend to be visually striking (in parts at least), deal with philosophical questions about the nature of existence (faith, consciousness, will, innate personas, etc) and tends to stay away from the cape-and-sash stereotype. I liked these movies because they had heart, were artistically appealing and/or were refreshingly original.

For each, I’ve included an IMDb synopsis, relevant links, photos, my thoughts and, if available, a link that will allow you to watch it online.

20.)  Vamp (1986)

IMDb: “Two fraternity pledges go to a sleazy bar looking for strippers to entertain their college friends. They have problems with transportation, Biker gangs, and worst of all, the staff of the bar, all of whom seem to be vampires, with Grace Jones playing the head vampire.”

Cristan: This made it into my top 20 just because it stars Grace Jones. It’s corny and has some tepid comedic lines. Basically, this is a B movie that is carried by Jones and her wardrobe department.

Vamp on Rotten Tomatoes | Grace Jones on Wikipedia |  Grace Jones Fan Site

19.)  Blood for Donuts (1995)

IMDb: “In 1994, in Toronto, the vampire Boya awakens from his twenty-five years of sleep in a basement hit by a golf ball. He takes a cab to the local cemetery, retrieves his belongings from a grave and lodges in a low budget hotel nearby an all-night donut shop. Boya does not drink human blood anymore but rats and pigeons blood instead. While in the donut shop, Boya befriends and protects the taxi driver Earl, who is having trouble with two criminals, and falls in love for the waitress Molly. Meanwhile, his former passion of 1969, Rita, who misses her lost youth, is trying to locate him.”

Cristan: This is another corny movie… but it is actually heartwarming at times and worth watching if you love the vampire genre.

Blood and Donuts on Wikipedia

18.) Blade (1998)

IMDb: “In a world where vampires walk the earth, Blade has a goal. His goal is to rid the world of all vampire evil. When Blade witnesses a vampire bite Dr. Karen Jenson, he fights away the beast and take Jenson back to his hideout. Here, alongside Abraham Whistler, Blade attempts to help heal Jenson. The vampire Quinn who was attacked by Blade, reports back to his master Deacon Frost, who is planning a huge surprise for the human population.”

Rotten Tomatoes Consensus: “Though some may find the plot a bit lacking, Blade’s action is fierce, plentiful, and appropriately stylish for a comic book adaptation.”

Cristan: What can I say… I love it when Kris Kristofferson plays a crusty old guy. I came away from this movie saying… “Hrm… Well, that wasn’t all bad. I even got into the action in a few places.”

Watch Blade Online | Blade on Wikipedia | Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 5.7/10

17.) The Forsaken (2001)

IMDb: “Sean is driving cross-country to deliver a vintage Mercedes and attend his sister’s wedding when he picks up hitchhiker Nick, who just happens to be a vampire hunter, tracking down a group of youthful vampires who feed on unwary travelers. They run into Megan, who has been left for dead by the vampires. As they use her as a lure for the vampires, Sean becomes attracted to her. After Sean is infected with the vampire virus, he, Megan and Nick must race against time to kill the vampire leader Kit to stop Sean from becoming one of the undead.”

Rotten Tomatoes Consensus: “It’s all been done before, and done better”

Cristan: I liked the idea of trying to medically manage the infection.

Watch The Forsaken Online | The Forsaken on Wikipedia | Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 3.3/10

16.) Dracula 2000 (2000)

IMDb: “In the millennium version of this classic Gothic horror we find Abraham Van Helsing (Plummer), who has tangled with Count Dracula (Butler) in the past, working as an English antiques dealer. Simon (Miller) is a vampire hunter in training under his apprenticeship. Van Helsing and Simon travel from London to New Orleans to rescue Van Helsing’s daughter Mary (Waddell) from the family’s life long nemesis – Dracula.”

Rotten Tomatoes Consensus: “This retelling tries to offer a different spin on the origin of Dracula. Unfortunately, there’s nothing here audiences haven’t seen before.”

Cristan: The vamp is really sexy and the movie plays to every base expectation of those who like action vampire movies.

Dracula 2000 on Wikipedia | Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 3.5/10

15.) Twilight: New Moon (2009)

IMDb: “After Bella recovers from the vampire attack that almost claimed her life, she looks to celebrate her birthday with Edward and his family. However, a minor accident during the festivities results in Bella’s blood being shed, a sight that proves too intense for the Cullens, who decide to leave the town of Forks, Washington for Bella and Edward’s sake. Initially heartbroken, Bella finds a form of comfort in reckless living, as well as an even-closer friendship with Jacob Black. Danger in different forms awaits.”

Rotten Tomatoes Consensus: “The Twilight Saga’s second installment may satisfy hardcore fans of the series, but outsiders are likely to be turned off by its slow pace, relentlessly downcast tone, and excessive length.”

Cristan: Like the books, the second was better than the first. The plot finally moves along and the main character get to make some choices in this one. I liked that they didn’t show the Speedy Gonzales special effect feet in this one like they did in the last. As far as vamp movies go, it is a solid “okay”.

New Moon Website | New Moon on Wikipedia | Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 4.6/10

14.) Nosferatu (eine Symphonie des Grauens) (1922)

IMDb: “Count Orlok’s move to Wisburg and brings the plague, this reveals his connection to the Realtor Thomas Hutter, and the Count’s obsession with Hutter’s wife, Ellen – the only one with the power to end the evil.”

Rotten Tomatoes Consensus: “One of the silent era’s most influential masterpieces, Nosferatu’s eerie, gothic feel — and a chilling performance from Max Shrek as the vampire — set the template for the horror films that followed.”

Cristan: I know this should be ranked higher, but I just don’t like silent movies very much. This is really visually striking – even now. The storyline is limited and the characters are a bit one-dimensional for all they hype surrounding this movie, but all in all, it is worth a look if you’ve not yet seen it.

Watch Nosferatu Online | Nosferatu on Wikipedia | Nosferatu Website | Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 8.9/10

13.) Shadow of the Vampire (2000)

IMDb: “Max Schreck’s performance in the classic film Nosferatu has become legendary. What if the reason he was so good is that he really was a vampire? That’s the premise of this film, which features director F.W. Murnau so enamored with creating the perfect vampire film that he seeks out an actual member of the undead to play the title role. But when Schreck starts taking more and more advantage of the opportunities to feed he suddenly has, can Murnau come to his senses and destroy him?”

Rotten Tomatoes Consensus: “Shadow of the Vampire is frightening, compelling, and funny, and features an excellent performance by Willem Dafoe.”

Cristan: The originality of the concept and acting in this film took it far. I personally don’t care too much for Nosferatu-like vampires, so this is probably ranked lower that it really needs to be. It is a solid vampire move and I felt good about the money I spent seeing it.

Watch Shadow of the Vampire Online | Shadow of the Vampire on Wikipedia | Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 7/10

12.) Interview With the Vampire (1994)

IMDb: “It hadn’t even been a year since a plantation owner named Louis had lost his wife in childbirth. Both his wife and the infant died, and now he has lost his will to live. A vampire named Lestat takes a liking to Louis and offers him the chance to become a creature of the night: a vampire. Louis accepts, and Lestat drains Louis’ mortal blood and then replaces it with his own, turning Louis into a vampire. Louis must learn from Lestat the ways of the vampire.”

Rotten Tomatoes Consensus: “Despite lacking some of the book’s subtler shadings, and suffering from some clumsy casting, Interview with a Vampire benefits from Neil Jordan’s atmospheric direction and a surfeit of gothic thrills.”

Cristan: This one is corny in its own way, but I did appreciate the effort to explore the concept that life is only worth living if it is limited. When I saw the movie, I was a huge Anne Rice fan and was disappointed that it didn’t capture the book better. However, the movie is entertaining, visually striking and well acted.

Watch Interview With the Vampire Online | Interview With the Vampire on Wikipedia | Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 5.9/10

11.) Underworld (2003)

IMDb: “A war has been raging between the Vampires and Lycan for centuries, Selene (Beckinsale) is a death dealer, assigned to hunt down and eradicate the last of the Lycan. When she comes across Michael Corvin (Speedman) who holds the key to end the war she must decide where her allegiances will lie.”

Rotten Tomatoes Consensus: “Though stylish to look at, Underworld is tedious and derivative.”

Cristan: This movie came out when I was starving for more visual candy in the post-The Matrix era. While the guy she loves annoys me to no ends, the story is fairly good and it is eye candy. I liked the idea of exploring the whole hybrid thing too.

Underworld on Wikipedia | Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 4.7/10

10.) Queen of the Damned (2002)

IMDb: “Lestat de Lioncourt is awakened from his slumber. Bored with his existence he has now become this generations new Rock God. While in the course of time, another has arisen, Akasha, the Queen of the Vampires and the Dammed. He want’s immortal fame, his fellow vampires want him eternally dead for his betrayal, and the Queen want’s him for her King. Who will be the first to reach him? Who shall win the final battle of the vampires and survive?”

Rotten Tomatoes Consensus: “A muddled and campy MTV-styled vampire movie with lots of eye candy and bad accents.”

Cristan: The music, eye candy and the fact that the good guy gets turned made this movie for me. So many vamp movies get stuck in the (queue the Young Frankenstein monster voice) “vampire bad, human good” theme.

Queen of the Damned on Wikipedia | Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 3.9/10

9.) Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)

IMDb: “This version of Dracula is closely based on Bram Stoker’s classic novel of the same name. A young lawyer (Jonathan Harker) is assigned to a gloomy village in the mists of eastern Europe. He is captured and imprisoned by the undead vampire Dracula, who travels to London, inspired by a photograph of Harker’s betrothed, Mina Murray. In Britain, Dracula begins a reign of seduction and terror, draining the life from Mina’s closest friend, Lucy Westenra. Lucy’s friends gather together to try to drive Dracula away.“

Rotten Tomatoes Consensus: “Overblown in the best sense of the word, Francis Ford Coppola’s vision of Bram Stoker’s Dracula rescues the character from decades of campy interpretations — and features some terrific performances to boot.”

Cristan: This has everything from werewolves to shadow puppets. How could you not like that? The movie is funny where it should be funny, striking where it should be striking and creepy when it is supposed to be creepy. I walked away from this movie feeling like I watched a good vampire movie. The only issue I had with the entire movie was Harker’s bad English accent.

Watch Bram Stoker’s Dracula Online| Bram Stoker’s Dracula on Wikipedia | Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 6.6/10

8.) Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust (バンパイアハンターD) (2000)

IMDb: “It is many thousand years in the future. Vampires once ruled the night but have seen their numbers reduced by fearless bounty hunters. One such hunter is D, the halfbreed son of a human mother and vampire father. When a girl from a rich family is taken from her home by the vampire Meier Link, her father contracts both D and the Markus brothers (a rival group of hunters) to race to retrieve her. As the heroes fight their way through Meier’s hired guards, they begin to suspect that the girl may have gone with him willingly.”

Cristan: This classic anime with a lot of gore. Nuf’ said.

Watch Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust Online | Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust on Wikipedia | Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 6.4/10

7.) The Lost Boys (1987)

IMDb: “Sleep all day. Party all night. Never grow old. Never die. It’s fun to be a vampire.”

Rotten Tomatoes Consensus: “Flawed but eminently watchable, Joel Schumacher’s teen vampire thriller blends horror, humor, and plenty of visual style with standout performances from a cast full of young 1980s stars.”

Cristan: Okay… this is a cheesy movie. I admit it. At the same time, I absolutely loved it when it came out and I still do because of my adolescent affinity for the movie. I do like the whole “I’m gonna use this evil power for good” theme and each time I see the movie, I feel satisfied despite the sometimes goofy stuff.

The Lost Boys on Wikipedia | Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 6.4/10

6.) Blood: The Last Vampire (2000)

IMDb: “Japan, 1966. Saya is part of a secret team destroying daemons. She is sent undercover as a student at the Yokota Air Base in Fussa-shi, Tokyo, just before Halloween. She discovers that two of her classmates are vampires in disguise just as they are preparing to attack the school nurse; meanwhile, her colleagues have discovered another vampire acting as a bartender in the local red-light district. A spectacular battle ensues.”

Cristan: This is an excellent anime. I liked the style, originality, action, drama and pace. This is simply a damn good movie.

Watch Blood: The Last Vampire Online | Blood: The Last Vampire on Wikipedia | Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 5.1/10

5.) Night Watch (Nochnoy Dozor) (2004)

IMDb: “Among normal humans live the “Others” possessing various supernatural powers. They are divided up into the forces of light and the forces of the dark, who signed a truce several centuries ago to end a devastating battle. Ever since, the forces of light govern the day while the night belongs to their dark opponents. In modern day Moscow the dark Others actually roam the night as vampires while a “Night Watch” of light forces, among them Anton, the movie’s protagonist, try to control them and limit their outrage.”

Rotten Tomatoes Consensus: “This Russian horror/fantasy film pits darkness and light against each other using snazzy CGI visuals to create an extraordinary atmosphere of a dank, gloomy city wrestling with dread.”

Cristan: I flipped out when I saw this movie. I love the eye candy in this film! My eyes popped out of my head more than once. While the plot is okay, the effects really did it for me. I thought about this movie for days after I saw it.

Watch Night Watch Online | Night Watch on Wikipedia | Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 5.9/10

4.) Near Dark (1987)

IMDb: “A mid-western farm boy reluctantly becomes a member of the undead when a girl he meets turns out to be part of a band of southern vampires who roam the highways in stolen cars. Part of his initiation includes a bloody assault on a hick bar. ”

Rotten Tomatoes Consensus: “Near Dark is at once a creepy vampire film, a thrilling western, and a poignant family tale, with humor and scares in abundance.”

Cristan: This is a vampire movie without the word “vampire”. While the ending didn’t make me happy, the movie explores some of the themes I like, the action is solid, the plot is simplistically brilliant and the atmosphere the movie creates is really refreshing. I saw this movie when the horror genre was dominated with stupid formula slasher flicks and I immediately fell in love it love with it.

Watch Near Dark Online | Near Dark on Wikipedia | Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 7.5/10

3.) Fright Night (1985)

IMDb: “Charlie Brewster (William Ragsdale) believes that his next door neighbor Jerry Dandridge (Chris Sarandon) is a vampire. His belief is strengthened when mysterious deaths of girls are reported. When Dandridge confronts Charlie in his own bedroom one night and tries to kill him, Charlie concludes that the monster must be destroyed. But since nobody believes his story he enlists the help of Peter Vincent, the vampire killer from his favorite horror TV show, who is in fact skeptical about vampires existing for real.”

Rotten Tomatoes Consensus: “Fright Night deftly combines thrills and humor in this ghostly tale about a man living next to a vampire.”

Cristan: This is an excellent movie. So much could have gone wrong with this film… but it came out near perfect. This is well balanced, well timed, well acted and the characters are all alive on the screen. I don’t know how many times I saw this movie since  fist seeing it at a drive-in theater, but I’ve never once felt like I wasted time seeing it.

Watch Fright Night Online | Fright Night on Wikipedia | Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 7.3/10

2.) Thirst (박쥐 Bakjwi ) (2009)

IMDb: “Charlie Brewster (William Ragsdale) believes that his next door neighbor Jerry Dandridge (Chris Sarandon) is a vampire. His belief is strengthened when mysterious deaths of girls are reported. When Dandridge confronts Charlie in his own bedroom one night and tries to kill him, Charlie concludes that the monster must be destroyed. But since nobody believes his story he enlists the help of Peter Vincent, the vampire killer from his favorite horror TV show, who is in fact skeptical about vampires existing for real.”

Rotten Tomatoes Consensus: “The stylish Thirst packs plenty of bloody thrills to satisfy fans of both vampire films and director Chan Wook Park.”

Cristan: OMG! When I heard the the director of this movie made a vampire film, I almost peed myself. I absolutely love his stuff (Old Boy, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Lady Vengeance). All of his stuff explores mature (deep) themes that afflict life and this film didn’t disappoint. So much communication happens though acting that the dialogue is just gravy. These is the film that would happen if  you mixed Quentin Tarantino and Takashi Miike together.

Watch Thirst Online | Thirst on Wikipedia | Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 6.9/10

1.) Let The Right One In (Låt den rätte komma in) (2008)

IMDb: “Oskar, a bullied 12-year old, dreams of revenge. He falls in love with Eli, a peculiar girl. She can’t stand the sun or food and to come into a room she needs to be invited. Eli gives Oskar the strength to hit back but when he realizes that Eli needs to drink other people’s blood to live he’s faced with a choice. How much can love forgive? Let The Right One In is a story both violent and highly romantic, set in the Stockholm suburb of Blackeberg in 1982.”

Rotten Tomatoes Consensus: “Let the Right One In reinvigorates the seemingly tired vampire genre by effectively mixing scares with intelligent storytelling.”

Cristan: This took me by complete surprise. I could gush on and on about it, but suffice it to say that this is my #1 favorite vampire film of all time – and I’ve seen a lot of vampire films.

Watch Let the Right One In Online | Let The Right One In on Wikipedia | Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 8.2/10