One of the first horror movies I can remember watching as a child was Salem’s Lot. My mother was downstairs in the basement ironing, and I was on the couch nearby, holding my knees to my chest as I tried to convince myself that I was brave enough to be watching this with her.
I wasn’t.
That night, I slept with the blankets up to my neck and did nothing but stare at the windows on either side of me, praying that a little boy wasn’t going to tap on my window and ask to be let in.
The funny part about this experience, though, is that it was the beginning of my obsession with vampires. Sure, I relate to witches, and I’m pretty sure a wolf is my patronus, but there’s something about those undead, blood-sucking sex freaks that just ropes me right in to the coffin with them. Hell, the first story I even wrote was even about a traveling vampire gang who slaughtered a young girl’s family. In case you’re wondering, I was in middle school, and yes, that one got me sent to the guidance counselor.
But seriously, what’s not to love about vampires? They’re romantic in the sense that they believe in eternal love (or lust, depending on who you’re talking to), they’re immortal and deny death (unless you get too close to them with a stake or accidentally cut off their head), they have an eternity to learn and create art (which is something they truly appreciate), and they’re world travelers who experience life and its pleasures and sins to the fullest. Sure, a lack of sunlight and a steady diet of blood is enough to bum anyone out, but there’s always the moon and the magic she brings with her each night to satiate one’s needs.
So, you ask, who are my favorites out of this pale, Goth bunch?
#5 Let the Right One In (2008): I always loved Claudia’s character in Interview with a Vampire, mostly because I appreciated her turn from innocence to savagery, but Eli’s demeanor always resonated with me more, and the friendship between her and Oskar is not only mysterious, but dangerously exciting as well. Plus — not to give any spoilers away or anything — that final scene? Brutal. I’d pick her to my friend any day.
#4 A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014): The black and white aesthetic of this film adds to the unsettling ambiance of a vicious killer who preys on men who disrespect women. Beyond the inside joke of viewers knowing she’s a vampire while others do not, I love that we have a strong, female lead on the prowl here.
#3 The Lost Boys (1987): Sexy, oiled-up saxophone players aside, I have always loved the The Lost Boys, and I’ve watched this film more than I care to admit. David is one of my favorite punk rock vampires, and I appreciate the one-of-us mentality the group has as they trick Michael into joining their gang. Because of this movie, I can’t eat Chinese food without quoting lines about worms and maggots, and it also introduced me to Jim Morrison, which I will be forever thankful for. On that note, the soundtrack is great, and Marilyn Manson even recently did a cover of “Cry Little Sister” that I recommend checking out!
#2 Near Dark (1987): While I love a gorgeous, brooding vampire on occasion, it’s no secret that I always fall for the bad boy, and in this case, you can’t go wrong with Severen. This film has it all: bar fights, blood transfusions, a vampire-mortal romance, and paint-spattered van. It’s “finger-lickin’ good!”
#1 Only Lovers Left Alive (2013): The only way for me to describe this movie is beautiful: the music, the passion, the fashion, the deaths. Everything in this movie is savored, whether it’s a guitar, the taste of blood, or a piece of literature, and what’s most magical about Adam and Eve is their sophisticated, centuries-old relationship and how love is defined when you’ve been kissed with immortality. I think what pushes this movie into my #1 spot is that it makes a lot of commentary on what it means to be alive and what it means to love and how it’s not about money, sex, or material possessions, but more so about who — or what — keeps us moving forward.
Featured image via Wallpaper Abyss.
Great list! I love that A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night made it into your top 5. I have to say, for a great campy vampire movie, I have always loved the original Fright Night.
I’ve seen and enjoyed all of these except NEAR DARK, and I still haven’t been able to get my hands on it yet. I really, really want to!
Great list! Lost Boys is still my nearest and dearest 😉 I’m also in Ingrid’s camp about Fright Night. My favorite vampire comedy 😉
A note about Near Dark — have you ever watched it paired with Aliens? Three or four of the actors in Near Dark are also in Aliens. It’s fun to watch them back to back 🙂