My Top 10: Vampire Films

Vampires have had a very rich history within the film industry ever since it started over a century ago.
The first vampire film came in 1913 with 'The Vampire'. Since then, every generation has had their own vampire film. Whether it be about the iconic Dracula or just contain generic vampires, we are definitely aware of this very popular genre.

I'm glad to say that no Twilight films ever made this list.

To show how many good vampire films there are, some notable films that are missing are Francis Ford Coppola's 'Dracula' from 1992 and Werner Herzog's 'Nosferatu The Vampyre' from 1979.

Also, I have to give an honorable mention to Let Me In. The American re-make of the Swedish hit manages to pass off as a good horror romp. Director Matt Reeves continues to show his talent at elevated the horror and mystery of this boy meets girl plot with a dark twist. The casting of Chloe Grace-Moretz as the young female vampire was a wise choice.

Now , here are my top 10 vampire films:

10) From Dusk Till Dawn - Knew little about this when I saw this a few years ago. It managed to blow me away and is definitely one of the most fun vampire films to watch.

It sees two criminals along with hostages seeking refuge. They manage to come cross a strip club with a very dark secret.

9) Byzantium - I found this to be a highly interesting British film with terrific characters despite the makers not aiming for scares.

It sees two mysterious women brilliantly played by Gemma Arterton and Saoirse Ronan who are on the run from dangerous people from their past.

8) What We Do In The Shadows - A wonderful and hilarious mix of comedy and documentary styles, with vampires.

Directors Taika Waititi and Jermaine Clement give us a really quirky feature that shows three vampires struggling the mundane day-to-day modern life chores.

7) Only Lovers Left Alive - A romantic drama that gives us a wonderfully refreshing look at the genre. With a great cast consisting of Tom Hiddleston, Tilda Swinton, Mia Wasikowska and John Hurt, this is definitely one worth watching.

It is wickedly smart in its script, beautifully shot and has wonderful references to past events that is great for hardcore film enthusiasts

6) Thirst - Through a failed medical experiment, a priest is strickened with vampirism and is forced to abandon is regular life.

Despite the plot having a few strange twists, it has great originality and manages to end up quite creepy and surreal watch.

No country does horror better than the Japanese.

5) Dracula (1931) - Labelled as the most famous vampire film of all-time, this 1930's classic was really quite haunting for its time with a lot of powerful imagery.

Bela Lugosi gives the definitive Dracula performance that many have imitated for decades after the release of this.

A lot of is quite ground-breaking and leads the way for many vampire films to come.

4) Near Dark - A film that I forgot how cool it is. It really shows how great a director Kathryn Bigelow is.

We see a farmers boy join up with a group of people who share quite a secret that he does not want to be part of.

It also has a surprising amount of cast that you usually see in a James Cameron epic.

3) Nosferatu (1922) - The iconic silent horror that sees Max Schreck give us the template of a Dracula performance.

With its visuals being creepy, mythical and way ahead of its time, this is definitely the prime example of how a horror should be done.

Director F.W. Murnau has made a landmark within the film industry.

2) Interview With The Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles - A wonderful story about a vampire's epic story about how he became the man he is now.

It is dramatic fantasy feature full of love and betrayal. With an all star cast of Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Christian Slater and a young Kirsten Dunst, this is a great Gothic tale that has top re-watchability.

1) Let The Right One In - Such a captivating Swedish drama about a boy being bullied at school who finds love in a mysterious girl who helps exact revenge on the bullies.

Everything about it makes this terrific film-making and one of the most critically acclaimed films of the last 10 years.