10 Vampire Movies That Are Bangers From Start to Finish

Of all the different mythical monsters and creatures that have been explored and examined in the medium of film, few have been as so directly ingrained within the spirit of film quite like the vampire. From early, genre-defining experiences like the original Nosferatu to wild, high-concept vampire action films like Blade to a steamy vampire romance in Twilight, the blood-sucking masters of the night have been very versatile in the medium of film. When at their best, vampire films can make for some of the most envigorating and compelling movies out there.

Nearly each distinct era of filmmaking has their own standout vampire movies that have bene largely celebrated in the annuls of film history as being entertaining and compelling from start to finish. What today’s lingo would consider an “absolute banger” speaks towards a film’s unrelenting sense of passion and quality that is overwhelming during a film, inviting the audience to experience its pure, unadulterated mastery. These vampire flicks prove just how effective the concept is when it comes to making a banger movie.

10

‘From Dusk Till Dawn’ (1996)

Directed by Robert Rodriguez

Few filmmakers are so directly in touch with their own sense of stylish, grimy, and overall unrestrained filmmaking quite like Robert Rodriguez, with these inherent qualities serving to amplify From Dusk Till Dawn in the best way possible. The film follows a duo of criminals known as the Gecko Brothers (George Clooney and Quentin Tarantino) who find themselves kidnapping a father and his two kids while on a journey to cross the U.S. Mexican border. After arriving at a raunchy Mexican bar to hide out in safety, they unexpectly find themselves walking into a death trap filled to the brim with vampires.

While the film’s vampire plot points don’t truly become apparent until a good halfway into the film, From Dusk Till Dawn is such a compelling and entertaining experience from start to finish that it’s easy to have patience for the gory, blood-sucking goodness. Everyone on-screen is bringing their all in terms of screen-presence and inherent personality, giving a sense of wit and edge to the overall experience before delving into the gruesome, bloody horror-action goodness.

9

‘Only Lovers Left Alive’ (2013)

Directed by Jim Jarmusch

While vampires as a concept are most often associated with horror movies, action movies, or just about any other genre that allows for buckets of blood, Jim Jarmusch‘s Only Lovers Left Alive brings out the true romance drama potential of these centuries-old creatures. The film follows a duo of vampires named Adam (Tom Hiddleston) and Eve (Tilda Swinton) who have been married for centuries, finally reuniting after having spent so long on opposite sides of the world. The vampires have been slowly influencing history and culture for centuries, yet their own love is put to the test when Eve’s younger sister, Ava (Mia Wasikowska), throws a wrench into their plans.

While the film plays with the esthetics and iconography of horror that is inherent in vampires, Only Lovers Left Alive is much more interested in the concept of centuries-long love and passion and the impact of such long lives on one’s psyche. It makes for one of the most grounded, yet dynamic, explorations of the creatures put to film, managing to find inherent humor in the untapped aspects of vampiric mythos.

8

‘Interview with a Vampire’ (1994)

Directed by Neil Jordan

Easily one of the most memorable and widely celebrated vampire movies of the 90s, Interview with a Vampire makes perfect use of its all-star cast to tell a classic gothic vampire story through the perspective of an interview. The film follows the retelling of the life of Louis de Pointe du Lac (Brad Pitt), starting with when he is transformed into a vampire in 1791 by Lestat de Lioncourt (Tom Cruise) and leading up to the modern day. Louis weaves together his tale of betrayal and life as a vampire living throughout American history for a San Francisco reporter.

Even outside the inherent allure and power of Pitt and Cruise sharing the screen together, the rest of Interview with a Vampire‘s cast is similarly stacked from top to bottom. With the likes of Antonio Banderas, Kirsten Dunst, and Christian Slater, the film weaves together a beautiful and symbolic life’s story that is often celebrated as a vampire movie masterpiece. The film’s inherent queer parallels and messaging have only made the film more prominent and impactful to audiences in the decades following its original release and massive success.

7

‘What We Do in the Shadows’ (2014)

Directed by Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement

A ludicrously entertaining and ridiculous mockumentary that tackles the concept of vampires being forced to deal with the nuisances of living in the modern day, What We Do in the Shadows quickly became a defining horror comedy of the 2010s. The film follows a group of vampire housemates as they attempt to deal with the complexities and adaptations of living in modern life as a vampire, providing a look into their daily lives to a documentary crew. They soon find themselves having to show off the perks of being an undead vampire to an unexpected new addition to their living space.

The simple world and brilliant execution that Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi have crafted within What We Do in the Shadows is undeniable, constantly adding to the absurdity and fun of their characters and setup with each passing scene. Whether the characters are awkwardly navigating concepts of the modern world or getting into fights with awkward werewolves, the film is a comedic tour de force and easily among the funniest vampire movies of all time.

6

‘The Addiction’ (1995)

Directed by Abel Ferrara

Vampire stories have always been at their most effective when used as a direct parallel and symbolic representation to a larger theme or dynamic at play, with one of the best and most clear-cut examples of such being in The Addiction. The film follows doctoral student Kathleen Conklin (Lili Taylor) soon having her life upended after being turned into a vampire, struggling to come to terms with her new life and slowly forming an addiction to human blood.

The Abel Ferrara film makes no effort to hide its clear comparison between vampirism and drug addiction, using its allegorical stance to explore the inherent dread and sinful concepts in a dynamic, horror setting. It makes for an experience that expertly places audiences into the perspective of a struggling addict, seeing them spiral more and more as they come to terms with the inevitability of their pain. The film also feels squarely modern in its execution, brilliantly utilizing the concept of vampires and their narratives strengths for a story tailor made for modern day struggles and culture.

5

‘Martin’ (1977)

Directed by George A. Romero

While George A. Romero is most commonly recognized and appreciated for his revolutionary zombie films, which are pillarstones of the genre, zombies are far from the only classic horror monster that Romero explored in his filmmaking. Ironically, Romero’s underrated vampire film Martin is among the best films he’s ever made, featuring top-of-the-line practical effects and gore from Tom Savini and the pitch-perfect directing of its story. The film follows the story of the titular Martin (John Amples), who is forced to hold back his blood-craving urges after he believes that he has been transformed into a vampire.

Romero’s approach to a gothic, deeply dreadful, and depressing vampire story helps the film stand out not just compared to the variety of other vampire films, but also his other widely beloved horror films. The film is as much about the dynamic and psychological struggles that Martin is facing as it is about the gore and bloodshed on display in the film, slowly delving into darker and darker material until its painful yet inevitable release.

4

‘The Lost Boys’ (1987)

Directed by Joel Schumacher

Many vampire stories find themselves falling back on the classic visual archetypes and conventions of gothic, old English and Nosferatu-adjacent visuals for their vampire characters. However, The Lost Boys completely throws these notions out the window in telling a vampire story that allows its vampire characters to be stylish, compelling, and fully evolved and adapted to a modern setting. Often considered one of the greatest vampire movies, the film follows a duo of teenage brothers who move to Santa Carla, California, only to learn that the town is overrun with vampires.

The film is oozing with 80s energy and charm from start to finish, feeling like the vampire movie equivalent of a sprawling, coming-of-age adventure film without skimping on the blood and themes that make vampire movies so great. It features a wide array of memorable characters and sequences, a fully unique portrayal of modern-day vampires, and an overall revolutionary take on what vampire movies can be in a contemporary film.

3

‘Sinners’ (2025)

Directed by Ryan Coogler

The massive box-office and critical phenomenon that instantly entered the conversation about the best horror films of the decade so far, Sinners is the type of generational feat of blockbuster horror filmmaking that will be examined and discussed for decades. The film takes place in 1932 Mississippi, following identical twins Smoke and Stack (Michael B. Jordan) returning to their hometown with ambitions of starting again and running a lucrative club. However, their plans suddenly take a turn for the deadly when a group of vampires begins causing mayhem during their opening night.

Sinners is as much about its world-building and dynamic characters, and messaging as it is about being a high-stakes vampire story, with its vampires not truly entering the stage until halfway through the film. Even still, the film is an absolute blast from start to finish, featuring some of the most compelling and mesmerizing sequences in recent memory while also being filled with dynamic layers of depth, character, and personality. It’s easy to see this film being considered a quintessential vampire story going forward, influencing a wide array of other vampire films in the years to come.

2

‘Let The Right One In’ (2008)

Directed by Tomas Alfredson

Swedish romantic horror film Let The Right One In is easily among the most individual vampire movies out there, being in a league of its own in terms of the themes that it approaches and creating a terrifying coming-of-age film. The film follows sensitive young 12-year-old Oskar (Kare Hedebrant) forging an unexpected friendship with his new neighbor, Eli (Lina Leandersson), with their friendship acting as a refuge from Oskar’s lonesome, bullied school life. However, Eli’s strange and mysterious attributes begin to take form as Oskar begins to realize that she is a vampire.

Let The Right One In certainly has the look and feel of a horror film, yet its execution is much more in line with a dreadful, dramatic coming-of-age film that deals with the impact of friendship, love, and going beyond the limits of humanity. It brilliantly uses the concepts of vampires to explore concepts and characterization that simply aren’t possible with traditional human characters or any other monster. It tells a love story that is simultaneously as beautiful as it is painful, creating a style that is perfectly in line with the essence and heart of vampire stories since their inception.

1

‘Nosferatu the Vampyre’ (1979)

Directed by Werner Herzog

No singular vampire story has had a larger impact on the world of film quite like Bram Stoker‘s Dracula and its unauthorized adaptation, Nosferatu. Among all the different adaptations and variations of this classic, Werner Herzog‘s Nosferatu the Vampyre stands out as the best combination of emotional storytelling, striking cinematic visuals, and exceptional performances. The film simultaneously stays true to the classic iterations of the story while also carving out its own style, still managing to be terrifying and off-putting 45 years after its release.

The film feels like the complete actualized version of both Stoker’s original novel and the F. W. Murnau classic, amplifying the best attributes of both to become the quintessential version of the story. Still, it’s the distinct flair and personality that Herzog provides through his filmmaking style, brilliant use of darkness and shadows, and a haunting performance from Klaus Kinski that makes the film such a masterful vampire story. While both original vampire stories and new adaptations of Dracula/Nosferatu will continue to be released as the years go on, this Herzog masterpiece will continue to stand as the apex of what is possible with vampire filmmaking.

NEXT: 10 Sci-Fi Movies That Are Bangers From Start to Finish