Top 20 Greatest Movie Vampires
#20: Max Schreck
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“Shadow of the Vampire” (2000)
We’ll be getting a little meta with our first entry. Detailing a fictionalized account into the filming of the 1922 horror movie “Nosferatu” - more on that one later - “Shadow of the Vampire” shines a spotlight on creature actor Max Schreck, whose uncanny presence on set leads the crew to believe he might actually be a vampire. Willem Dafoe is unrecognizable as Schreck, whose method acting style could even make any sane person think twice as to the existence of vampires. Though the film has been somewhat lost to time, it still makes for a fascinating watch as it blends mystical horror with the real world.
#19: Miriam Blaylock
“The Hunger” (1983)
There are few characters that personify the eroticism of vampires quite like Miriam Blaylock. Thousands of years old, Miriam has gone through a plethora of vampiric companions, only to eventually watch them all wither away into a permanent state of living death. After her latest partner, John, goes through the same process, Miriam is quick to replace him with scientist Sarah, whose transformation doesn’t go nearly as smoothly. Played by French actor Catherine Deneuve, Miriam is imbued with a kind of mystical sensuality with a malevolent, self-serving undercurrent. That said, we’re not sure we could resist her charms, either.
#18: Peter Loew
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“Vampire’s Kiss” (1989)
Is this character a vampire? Maybe not, but he’s too richly idiosyncratic for us not to include him. New York yuppie Peter Loew gets a bloody taste of the lifestyle after a supposed one-night stand with a vampire leads to him being bitten. Believing himself to be in the midst of becoming, Loew plays the part emphatically, wearing plastic vampire teeth, sunglasses during the day, and prowling nightclubs for his next victim. Thanks to the completely batty performance by Nicolas Cage, “Vampire’s Kiss” remains a darkly satirical take on the vampire archetype, as Loew’s ostensible transformation casts him further and further into madness.
#17: Clara Webb
“Byzantium” (2012)
Some people are just born to play vampires, and Gemma Arterton is one such person. In “Byzantium,” Arterton plays Clara, a former sex worker who, after a tragic series of events, saves the lives of herself and her daughter Eleanor by crossing over to the other side. However, her formal lifestyle puts her at odds with an elder sect of vampires, and Clara’s steely resolve remains one of the few things saving her and Eleanor from extermination. As this will be just one of many vampires from Neil Jordan movies on this list, it would appear that the director just gets the classic creatures.
#16: Mavis
“Hotel Transylvania” franchise (2012-22)
Now we transition to a more family-friendly vampire. While there are loads of classic film monsters taking up residency at the titular getaway, the one that stands out is an original character in Mavis, the daughter of Count Dracula. Raised to believe that humans are the real monsters, Mavis lives a sheltered life at the hotel until a human named Johnny stumbles through the doors. The two immediately zing, and their love breaks down barriers as they even start a family in later films. Voiced by Selena Gomez, Mavis represents the wide-eyed optimism of the incoming generation and serves as a productive role model to young viewers.
#15: Severen
“Near Dark” (1987)
The late Bill Paxton had the unparalleled ability to make even the smallest character more interesting than they were. Fortunately, though, he already had a great foundation to work with portraying Severen in Kathryn Bigelow’s “Near Dark.” Just one of multiple vagabond vampires roaming the countryside in search of blood, Severen stands out as the completely unhinged lunatic of the group, always eager to flex his confidence and abilities. While Jesse, the leader of the group, is similarly memorable being played by horror icon Lance Henriksen, it’s Severen that has us coming back to this cult classic. Also, best vampire name ever?
#14: Adam & Eve
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“Only Lovers Left Alive” (2013)
Though it’s never confirmed whether the vampires are the biblical Adam and Eve, it’s possibilities such as these that make Jim Jarmusch’s “Only Lovers Left Alive” so thematically interpretive and enticing. Centuries old, Adam and Eve have been wildly influential culturally but find themselves in an existential malaise as they spend their days in Detroit and Tangier, respectively. Upon reuniting, the immortal lovers go through a mid-existence crisis of sorts. Actors Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton do tremendous jobs keeping audience investment against such a morose tone. For anyone fascinated by the vampire psyche, this is a must-watch.
#13: Viago, Vladislav & Deacon
“What We Do in the Shadows” (2014)
While most entries on this list stem from the horror genre, “What We Do in the Shadows” applies the mockumentary format to the undead creatures, and the results couldn’t be more hilarious. All vampires of varying ages, Viago, Vladislav and Deacon are roommates, but instead of a castle, they share a flat in New Zealand. As expected, their differing personalities make for strange bedfellows, but stranger still thanks to their vampiric tendencies. Played by Taika Waititi, Jemaine Clement and Jonathan Brugh, the three are easily the funniest vampires we can think of, as the movie became a cult favorite and launched an FX series of the same name, on which the characters cameoed.
#12: David
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“The Lost Boys” (1987)
As underseen as “Near Dark” was, when it came to vampire movies, 1987 belonged to “The Lost Boys.” Upon moving to a new town, teenager Michael is integrated into a local biker gang, led by the ever cool and enigmatic David. Turns out, though, the gang isn’t cool because they ride motorcycles, but rather because of their vampiric nature. Kiefer Sutherland is the epitome of roguish as David, perfectly straddling the line between danger and intrigue. Though David may not be as in control as he appears, his aesthetic and outward temperament have made him iconic and the first thing you think of when the ‘80s classic comes to mind.
#11: Santanico Pandemonium
“From Dusk till Dawn” (1996)
Here’s a vampire who doesn’t have a whole lot of screentime, but makes a big impression nonetheless. Just one of many vampires infesting a desert strip club, Santanico Pandemonium, played by the terrific Salma Hayek, creates what has to be one of the sexiest scenes in all of film. Clad in an albino python and little else, Santanico delivers a strip tease that’s liable to make anyone hot under the collar. Granted, she and the other bar employees subsequently hulking out into terrifying vampires might kill the mood, but really that only adds to her mystique.
#10: Lestat de Lioncourt
“Interview with the Vampire” (1994)
The original Neil Jordan vampire movie, “Interview with the Vampire” recontextualized the vampire experience for a new wave of moviegoers. Keeping up the tradition of the deceptively beautiful vampire, Lestat proves to be an appropriate yet uncommon role for Tom Cruise, who emphasizes the anti in the anti-hero paradigm in this one. He’s extremely misanthropic, especially in comparison to his newly turned companion Louis, against whom much of the film’s conflict generates. While his portrayal here may not be as layered as his counterpart in the Anne Rice book series, compounding factors of his demeanor and Cruise’s starpower have made Lestat an iconic movie vampire.
#9: Marlow
“30 Days of Night” (2007)
For the most part, the characters on this list are fully formed people with significant development. Marlow from “30 Days of Night,” however, fulfills the monstrous qualities of what a vampire is classically known to be, and that’s it. The leader of the pack, Marlow and his followers descend upon an Alaskan town when it’s undergoing the titular polar event, using the month-long cover of darkness to gorge upon the townsfolk. While every vampire is nightmare-inducing, Marlow is especially so, his chilling presence accentuated by his pitch-black eyes and blood-stained teeth. In a movie that’s not totally on the same level, Danny Huston creates a memorable villain in a career full of them.
#8: Jerry Dandrige
“Fright Night” (1985)
Jerry Dandrige from “Fright Night” is another example of a sexy vampire, but this time in a more hypnotically gothic kind of way. When horror-obsessed teeneager Charley Brewster correctly presumes his new neighbor Jerry is a murderous vampire, things get pretty dicey pretty quickly. Jerry resorts to a slew of intimidation tactics to get Charley to back off. He even goes after Charley’s girlfriend Amy because she resembles a past lover of his; you know, that old vampire thing. Still, “Fright Night” manages to feel widely accessible and fresh with its approach, and a lot of that is due to the delectably dastardly performance from Chris Sarandon as Jerry.
#7: Claudia
“Interview with the Vampire” (1994)
As fascinating a character as Lestat is in the novel series, the most dynamic character in the 1994 film has to be Kirsten Dunst’s Claudia. After the vampire Louis inadvertently feeds on the young girl Claudia in an act of starvation, Lestat turns her to keep his companion from leaving him. Their toxic relationship extends to the three of them as they raise Claudia as their own. Thirty years pass, and Claudia’s mind matures normally but her body remains stunted as that of a child’s. This results in some severe psychological issues, as Claudia makes known her disdain toward them for trapping her in such a prepubescent state. It is tragic storytelling, but one rich in thematic depth.
#6: Eli
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“Let the Right One In” (2008)
Hailing from Sweden, “Let the Right One In” is a darkly compelling story of friendship and dependence. Lina Leandersson plays Eli, another young-looking vampire who soon finds herself without a caretaker. Forced to hunt for herself, the walls start closing in on her secret, but she finds solace in befriending a twelve-year-old boy named Oskar. Their affection for each other is tenderly sweet, but the more they help each other with their problems the more we quietly question the relationship between love and symbiosis. The character of Eli is so nuanced, in fact, that her American counterpart Abby in the remake “Let Me In” is equally intriguing.
#5: Count Dracula / Vlad the Impaler
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“Bram Stoker’s Dracula” (1992)
We knew we’d be seeing good old Drac somewhere in the Top 5. And you know what? We may not even be done with him after this. A more faithful adaptation of Bram Stoker’s original novel, this “Dracula” sees Gary Oldman portray the titular villain, though you might not know it based on some of his earlier interactions. Indeed, playing an decrepit version of the Count, along with his alluring youthful visage and Vlad the Impaler, his original form, Oldman delivers a trifecta of powerhouse performances, each of them convincing and layered. While the movie on the whole wasn’t quite as solid, one can’t complain with a villainous showing of this caliber.
#4: Blade
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“Blade” franchise (1998-2006)
Who said vampires and superheroes don’t mix? Before the long-running franchises and cinematic universes of today, the “Blade” movies showed what comic book adaptations could look like for the new millennium. And a lot of its success stems from its kick-ass title character. A half-vampire “daywalker,” Eric Brooks a.k.a. Blade uses his otherworldly strengths to track and exterminate his underworld brethren, and since he’s played by Wesley Snipes, he does so in the most badass way possible with plenty of hilarious one-liners. Though the quality of the trilogy fluctuated, the one constant was Blade himself, making any adventure of his eminently watchable.
#3: Count Dracula
Hammer “Dracula” franchise (1958-74)
Obviously, there’s something about the character of Dracula that has cinema returning to him time and time again. But don’t let that detract from the slew of fabulous performances we’ve gotten courtesy of him, and Christopher Lee’s is no exception. With Lee starring in a whopping seven films as the Prince of Darkness, his version is familiar yet strikingly terrifying, unafraid to bring the intensity and savagery that comes with being an undead beast. While the later sequels never entirely lived up to the first, it can’t be denied that this version of Dracula ushered in a new era of monster movies, and by and large made the villain scary again.
#2: Count Orlok
“Nosferatu” (1922)
Don’t let the title fool you; this is the Dracula story through and through. However, the excellent creature design and chilling theatrics put it in a league all its own. Played by Max Schreck - remember him? - Count Orlok is apt to give you nightmares roughly a century since his debut, what with his elongated features and deadened facial expressions. Not only that, but Orlok is a master in the art of tension, making big impacts with subtle gestures whether he be staring at you through a window or having his shadow creep up a staircase. If the silent treatment is a hindrance for you, however, Klaus Kinski’s talkie portrayal in “Nosferatu the Vampyre” will similarly give you goosebumps.
#1: Edward Cullen
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“The Twilight Saga” (2008-12)
Nah, just kidding. We’re sure sparklepus here is on some other “Best Vampires” lists, but not this one.
#1: Count Dracula
“Dracula” (1931)
After all these years, this version of Dracula is still what people think of when they think of the quintessential vampire. And for good reason. Though the movie is still a horror classic, a lot of that rides on the indomitable performance from Bela Lugosi as the eponymous villain. He’s suave, seductive, confident, and yet utterly unsettling, confirming our fears when he begins enacting his dastardly deeds against the protagonists. While this “Dracula” wouldn’t exist without the original novel or even arguably the first “Nosferatu,” Lugosi and company certainly ensured that the vampire archetype would persist for generations to come.
