My Top Five Favorite Vampire Movies

What could be more darkly attractive than a vampire? There have been legends of the undead who need human blood to survive for centuries. Frightening and seductive, these nosferatu have preyed on the imaginations of the human race and inspired myths, books, movies and even television series, and it seems that no two perceptions of vampire motives and their status as good or evil beings. Of all the movies about them, I have narrowed my favorites down to five.

When Bram Stoker's Dracula, with Gary Oldman as the title character hit theaters, there were many fans. Having read the book, I was unable to refrain from pointing to the differences between the book and the movie. I am one of those strange people who likes to do that. I did feel the casting was superb. Gary Oldman was a wonderful Count Dracula, and it was easy to see why Mina (Wynona Ryder) was taken with him. I do no particularly care for Keanu Reeves, as I am always waiting for him to finish a sentence with, "Dude!" However, I have to give him credit, since he played Harker very well. Ryder played an excellent Mina, also. Overall, the movie was very dark and thought-provoking. After all, vampires have become more and more romanticized over the years, and we are interested, even as we are repelled (All I will say is Lucy and the wolf? EW!) I did like this one, and I have watched it many times.

Interview With a Vampire was a new and interesting take on the "life" of a vampire. Ann Rice penned and amazing series of books that are full of adventure, heartache and overall loneliness. The book was sad, and the character Louis was so tortured and certain that he was a monster. Now, the movie captured this, but thankfully Lestat was so well played that it had its humorous moments. Brad Pitt is a wonderful Louis, but I was flabbergasted at how well Tom Cruise played Lestat. I may not be Tom Cruise's number one fan, but I read the book, The Vampire Lestat, and I love that character. Also, the casting was perfect in this movie. I did not think Antonio Banderas really fit the character, Andre, but I like him enough to overlook it. The plot was fairly close to the book, and I cannot really ask that a movie be exactly like the book. Sometimes, it is not feasible or it is too much for one movie. I still enjoy both this movie and the book, and I recommend it.

Wesley Snipes was the coolest hero in Blade. As a human/vampire hybrid, he is able to walk in the daytime. He protects the human race, abstains from human blood and even has his partner, Whistler, help him in his endeavors. Of course, Mr. Snipes takes what could have been extremely corny or boring and makes it funny and real. I feel sorry for Blade, and his memory of his mother is so sad. It becomes worse when Blade is told that the vampire who turned her is the one he is battling. The concept of bickering factions of pure-blood vampires and vampires who were once human but changed seem incredibly likely. I also like the purpose of Frost, played by Stephen Dorff. The ritual that would turn him into La Magra was a scary idea, and I was glad when he was beaten by Blade. I like the action and the puzzle of what Frost was trying to do kept me interested. I like to watch this one on a rainy weekend, and I will usually follow it with the sequels.

Okay, I honestly did not think I would like John Carpenter's Vampires. However, I found it intensely amusing, and the old-fashioned concept, "all vampires are evil," felt like a return to the olden days. So many modern books and films are humanizing vampires and showing that they are not all evil, just as being a human does not mean a person is good. It was a little refreshing to not have to solve the puzzle of whom the bad guy really was. I love James Woods, and this was not a part that I would have envisioned for him. I felt sorry for the prostitute and for Daniel Baldwin's character. I like that the good guys were working for the Catholic church on their mission of seek and destroy. I found this movie entertaining in a spaghetti-western way. It is worth a look, if for no other reason than it is quite funny.

Kate Beckinsale as Selene was a yummy piece of eye candy for the men in the audience watching Underworld, I love it when the hero of a movie is a tough and beautiful. She really kicks some butt! I like the cast of this movie. Bill Nighy is a wonderful ancient vampire who is basically royalty. Kraven, played by Shane Brolly, really seemed to be a power-hungry traitor who was easy to hate. Scott Speedman played an excellent man-in-distress. I really felt for Lucian (Michael Sheen), and the story of his wife and child being burned alive in the sun due to her father's fear of what might come from it is tragic. I also liked the sequel. At this point, I have not seen the prequel, but I plan to do that soon. If it is as enjoyable as the other two, I will love it.

There are so many spins on the legends of the vampires. It is a fascinating subject, and I often wonder if the saying, "Where there's smoke; there's fire," may be true in this case. I am not sure I want to know the answer. Anyway, these are only a few of the vampire movies that I like. Basically, these five just came to mind first. However, I have fun with these movies, and I hope that others will enjoy them, too.

Bram Stoker's Dracula. 1992.
Interview With a Vampire. 1994.
Blade. 1998
Vampires. John Carpenter. 1998.
Underworld. 2003.

Rice, Anne. Interview With a Vampire. 2000-2008, Bookrags, Inc.
Stoker, Bram. Dracula. 1897.

Personal opinions.