80s Vampire Movies for Teen Fans of Twilight & True Blood

Vampires, it seems, never go out of style in the world of books, movies, and television. While today's teens are enjoying the new wave of blood suckers, perhaps they'd like to bide their time between Twilight films and episodes of True Blood or Vampire Diaries watching a few teen favorites from "before their time." Sometimes the dialogue is cheesy and the effects campy, but these 80s vampire films are still favorites.

• Once Bitten (1985)
Teens might get into a comedy with a much younger Jim Carrey at the helm. Once Bitten is the story of high school virgin Mark Kendall (Carrey) whose aim is, you guessed it, to get rid of that pesky virginity. When his long time girlfriend denies him, he goes out with the guys only to fall victim to an aging vampire beauty who maintains her good looks through virginal blood. Very funny and with a dance number to die for, Once Bitten is very worth the watch.

• Fright Night (1985)
Another humorous horror came to us in '85. It's the tale of Charley Brewster, a teen who finds watching horror films as fun as making-out with his girlfriend, and the vampire who has moved in next door. It just wouldn't be a horror movie if his mother and friends believed him when he said his neighbor was a blood sucking fiend, now would it? When the vampire grows fond of Charley's girlfriend, Charley teams up the washed up actor Peter Vincent, famous for being a fictional vampire slayer in old vampire movies, to take back the neighborhood.

This move also has a sequel, Fright Night 2, which came out in 1988.

• Vampire Hunter D (1985)
Though it's a animated, Vampire Hunter D is one serious movie. While it is not as good as the sequel, Bloodlust (2000), one has to see the original to fully enjoy the beauty and skill of the mysterious half-vampire hunter named D. Based on the futuristic horror novels by Japanese author Hideyuki Kikuchi, Vampire Hunter D is a film that will take viewers into a future reminiscent of the Old West, with the addition of mutants and beasts that are nearly impossible for the average human to defeat.

• Monster Squad (1987)
Yes, it's cheesy, but it's a cult classic and a fun watch for fans of classic monsters, including the ringleader of all big scary bad guys, Count Dracula. Aimed towards outcast youngsters with a love of old horror films, Monster Squad is a club created by a group of kids who live and breath monsters as much as a Twilight fans loves Edward and Jacob. When monsters start to arrive in the squad's home town, only they know how to defeat them. Monster Squad is a good bet for fans of The Goonies and Universal's monster movies.

• The Lost Boys (1987)
Probably my personal favorite of the 80s teen vampire movies was The Lost Boys. The Lost Boys starred teen icons of the time the Coreys (Corey Haim and Corey Feldman), and it's probably for this reason that this movie remains very well known even amongst today's youth. Two brothers begin to suspect that vampires are at large in a town where missing person reports are numerous. But when the oldest brother becomes involved with a gang of strange troublemakers, not only are their suspicions confirmed, but their lives are put at stake.

• My Best Friend is a Vampire (1988)
Like Once Bitten, My Best Friend is a Vampire is pure horror/comedy. When Jeremy makes a delivery to a mansion, he doesn't expect to come away a vampire, but that's life, or unlife. When he begins going through some odd changes, a vampire mentor is sent his way, as are a slapstick team of vampire hunters ready to put a stake through Jeremy's letterman jacket.

Hopefully these totally 80s films will keep the vampire-lover in your family sated until the next big thing in the blood-sucking community arrives!