This article was published on the original Sorry I’m Late.com in 2009.
Count Von Count: Loving lists.
I’m always one to jump on fads, hence a section of this website dedicated to lists (geez, no-one’s done THAT on a blog or website before), but there is one fad I simply cannot buy into – the current trend of super-pussified, sensitive vampires. Twilight, The Vampire Chronicles, etc do nothing to add to the lasting legacy of vampire fiction, on the contrary they actually drag it down.
Take the great vampires characters of all time; Count Orlok, Count Dracula, Lestat de Lioncourt. Edward Cullen? Methinks not. Vampires vaporise and die in direct sunlight, they don’t sparkle beautifully.
With that being said, and seeing the imminent release of the new Twilight film, New Moon, is just around the corner, allow me to present to you the Top 10 Vampire Films You Should See Instead Of Twilight: New Moon.
Honourable Mentions
Nosferatu (1922): Arguably the single most influential vampire tale ever put to film; Nosferatu misses out on the list simply because I would like to make the list a more contemporary one. And it’s in the public domain, so go ahead and download it without fear of SWAT busting through your door.
Universal and Hammer: Out of the list once again for contemporary reasons, both Universal Studios and Hammer Horror series of films sparked vampiric interest in the 1930’s and the 1960’s respectively, and portrayals of Dracula by both Béla Lugosi and Christopher Lee are iconic still to this day.
Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995): Deep in the period of Leslie Nielsen’s career where the dead horse was well and truly beaten, but I still like it. It’s not good, but it’s still Mel Brooks, dammit.
10
Salem’s Lot (1979)
Ok, technically not a theatrically released film but a two part mini-series, Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot deserves a spot on the list by simply by being so influential to later 1980’s ‘suburban vampire’ tales (some of which appear here, how exciting), and also being the source of the super-creepy, Nosferatu inspired, Kurt Barlow. And it also stars Hutch himself, TV’s David Soul – awesome! There is also a 2004 remake starring Rob Lowe and Rutger Hauer, which I own but have not yet watched.
9
Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994)
Starring the super-hunky vampire trifecta of Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt and Antonio Banderas comes Anne Rice’s primary tale in her Vampire Chronicles saga – a saga which Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series is a dubious bastardisation of, thematically. A gloomy, gothic and violent tale, this is one that does not shy away from the brutal characteristics of vampires but also shows the dark, romantic and beautiful sides of these same creatures. Like Twilight but, you know, not lame. But stay away from sequel Queen of the Damned – it sucks balls.
Elisa Iannunzio
Luke Miksa
Sorry I'm Late.com 