The Vampire Films Mini-List Discussion and Suggestions (Genre Project)

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knives · #26 Post by **knives** » Tue Jan 20, 2026 7:41 pm

Surprised you haven’t seen Vampyr.

I think, from the sounds of it Ganja and Hess, The Hunger, and Vampire’s Kiss would be up your alley.

#27 Post by **domino harvey** » Tue Jan 20, 2026 7:43 pm

I’ve seen Vampyr, I just don’t like it

cantinflas · #28 Post by **cantinflas** » Tue Jan 20, 2026 8:20 pm

Amy Heckerling's Vamps is a fun one that also makes me cry.

Park made Thirst which is overtly about vampirism but I prefer his follow up Stoker as a coming-of-age non-vampire vampire film.

I'll give a shoutout to Vampire Hunter D and The Batman vs. Dracula for a couple of animated picks.

#29 Post by **Mr Sausage** » Tue Jan 20, 2026 8:36 pm

I prefer Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust to the original. It oozes early 2000s goth emo stylishness. Blood: the Last Vampire would make a fine episode in a tv series, but as a standalone movie feels insubstantial.

knives · #30 Post by **knives** » Tue Jan 20, 2026 9:01 pm

Did Hellsing ever have an OVA or just the series.

therewillbeblus · #31 Post by **therewillbeblus** » Tue Jan 20, 2026 9:05 pm

I'd like to put in a good word for Doctor Sleep, which I wrote up at length in its dedicated thread. The way it utilizes vampires as active addicts vs. the very realistic recovery lifestyle is inspired and richer than it may appear

cantinflas · #32 Post by **cantinflas** » Tue Jan 20, 2026 9:10 pm

Mr Sausage wrote: Tue Jan 20, 2026 8:36 pmI prefer Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust to the original. It oozes early 2000s goth emo stylishness. Blood: the Last Vampire would make a fine episode in a tv series, but as a standalone movie feels insubstantial.

Bloodlust is amazing for sure and yeah I can get behind it being the better one, but you gotta start with the gnarly and iconic '85 original. Haven't seen the other one but I'm intrigued now. Speaking of TV, the Castlevania series on Netflix is a favourite.

#33 Post by **Matt** » Tue Jan 20, 2026 9:30 pm

Mr Sausage wrote:Daughters of Darkness seems to get all the attention around here, but I think Hammer's movie is much the better example.

DoD, like The Hunger, is very stylish and features beautiful bisexuals in it, but that’s about all.

#34 Post by **Matt** » Tue Jan 20, 2026 9:35 pm

Domino, have you seen Nadja? That might fit in with the style of some of the films you listed. Or you might hate it!

#35 Post by **Mr Sausage** » Tue Jan 20, 2026 9:58 pm

Matt wrote: Tue Jan 20, 2026 9:30 pm
Mr Sausage wrote:Daughters of Darkness seems to get all the attention around here, but I think Hammer's movie is much the better example.
DoD, like The Hunger, is very stylish and features beautiful bisexuals in it, but that’s about all.

I'm all for voluptuous style and pretty bisexuals. I just think when it comes to those things, The Vampire Lovers does them the best, but I rarely hear anyone bring it up. Daughters of Darkness and Jean Rollin seem to get all the attention.

thirtyframesasecond · Tue Jan 20, 2026 10:06 pm

Two 1970s low-budget films worth considering - Let's Scare Jessica To Death, for sure. What do people think about Messiah of Evil - are they zombies or vampires?

#37 Post by **domino harvey** » Tue Jan 20, 2026 10:21 pm

I recall it being undead/vampires. I don’t love either but I can respect what they’re doing

Nadja I’m interested in but I’m waiting for the new resto

Martin sounds interesting but copies look a bit expensive at the moment

Didn’t enjoy Flesh for Frankenstein so I’m trepidatious on his take on vampires but not entirely opposed

I’ve seen Stoker, I’d love to hear an extended reading on it as being functionally a vampire movie. I do like the unambiguous vampire movie Wasikowska was in though

The Hunger would do double duty with the infernal Deneuve list too, so maybe I’m in for that one as well

knives · #38 Post by **knives** » Tue Jan 20, 2026 10:53 pm

Blood for Dracula is so much better than Flesh it’s hard to compare.

therewillbeblus · Tue Jan 20, 2026 10:55 pm

They're definitely different films in their approach down to staging

#40 Post by **swo17** » Wed Jan 21, 2026 1:41 am

Be sure to check out Juraj Herz's Ferat Vampire, in which the vampire is played by a car! The Severin disc also includes a great short vampire musical called Nightmares

EDIT: I got mixed up--Nightmares is an extra on Morgiana

#41 Post by **Matt** » Wed Jan 21, 2026 1:54 am

knives wrote: Tue Jan 20, 2026 10:53 pm Blood for Dracula is so much better than Flesh it’s hard to compare.

I'm of the opposite opinion (as I often seem to be with you and domino), so maybe our agreement on their differing appeal is a strong recommendation for domino.

#42 Post by **domino harvey** » Wed Jan 21, 2026 6:18 pm

Is the Frank Langella Dracula worth watching? On paper it sounds like perfect casting

Lowry_Sam · #43 Post by **Lowry_Sam** » Wed Jan 21, 2026 6:41 pm

Can anyone say if the restoration of Nadja will be completed & available (maybe not on disc but in theaters) before the end of this poll?
(At this point it looks very doubtful, but just wanted to check).

I watched Le Vourdalak recently (it's on Kanopy) and found the combination of foreboding atmosphere and humor to be refreshing up to a point. Unfortunately, I also found that towards the last third this combination started to work against each other and the effete nature of the lead was just too hammy to be completely believable. I found it an engaging watch that unfortunately didn't live up to it's full potential, particularly as things draw to a close.

It's not based on Dracula, but supposedly another Bram Stoker novel, Ken Russell's Lair Of The White Worm also blends humor and horror while alluding to some vampiric conventions. I remember enjoying it when it came out and look forward to revisiting it, though it may turn out to be another quirky 80s flick that impressed me as a teen just discovering independent cinema that hasn't held up as well (though I do expect it to hold up better than Gothic).

I'm guessing it has little to do with actual vampires and more with zombies/monsters, but I'll use this project to finally watch Planet Of The Vampires, thoughts on whether this (and other films that border more on zombie/alien territory.)?

#44 Post by **Mr Sausage** » Wed Jan 21, 2026 6:46 pm

domino harvey wrote: Wed Jan 21, 2026 6:18 pmIs the Frank Langella Dracula worth watching? On paper it sounds like perfect casting

Yeah, it's worth a watch. A very handsome production, and Langella gives a nicely underplayed performance. On the better side for Dracula adaptations.

#45 Post by **Matt** » Wed Jan 21, 2026 8:07 pm

The resto of Nadja is complete and starts touring early February.

Planet of the Vampires, which I just rewatched recently, is better than I remembered. The Radiance edition is excellent, of course. Whether it’s a true vampire film is up for interpretation, but at least it’s in the (English-language) title here. I think it’s much more notable for Bava’s style and the beautiful effects elicited from a tiny budget than for the story and performances.

thirtyframesasecond · Wed Jan 21, 2026 8:35 pm

Lowry_Sam wrote: Wed Jan 21, 2026 6:41 pm Can anyone say if the restoration of Nadja will be completed & available (maybe not on disc but in theaters) before the end of this poll?
(At this point it looks very doubtful, but just wanted to check).

I watched Le Vourdalak recently (it's on Kanopy) and found the combination of foreboding atmosphere and humor to be refreshing up to a point. Unfortunately, I also found that towards the last third this combination started to work against each other and the effete nature of the lead was just too hammy to be completely believable. I found it an engaging watch that unfortunately didn't live up to it's full potential, particularly as things draw to a close.

It's not based on Dracula, but supposedly another Bram Stoker novel, Ken Russell's Lair Of The White Worm also blends humor and horror while alluding to some vampiric conventions. I remember enjoying it when it came out and look forward to revisiting it, though it may turn out to be another quirky 80s flick that impressed me as a teen just discovering independent cinema that hasn't held up as well (though I do expect it to hold up better than Gothic).

I'm guessing it has little to do with actual vampires and more with zombies/monsters, but I'll use this project to finally watch Planet Of The Vampires, thoughts on whether this (and other films that border more on zombie/alien territory.)?

Lifeforce by Tobe Hooper is a vampire in space movie!

Lowry_Sam · #47 Post by **Lowry_Sam** » Wed Jan 21, 2026 8:38 pm

I don't think anyone's mentioned it, but just wanted to remind people that the spanish-language Drácula (Melford) was filmed on the same set (at night) as Dracula (Browning) and cited by a number of critics as the better of the two versions (many disc releases contain both versions). Will look forward to watching them back-to-back to confirm this for myself.

Another camp horror cult film I almost forgot about is Vamp with Grace Jones, which if I have watched, I promptly forgot as I don't recall much so I'll have to revisit.

I haven't picked up Salem's Lot on UHD but I will probably revisit the blu-ray. I remember liking this a lot as a kid when it first aired on tv, prompting me to read the book and become an avid King reader up until high school (when I switched from trade paperbacks to world literature).

#48 Post by **Mr Sausage** » Wed Jan 21, 2026 9:15 pm

The Spanish version is much better on a technical front and for having the full uncut story. The acting is pretty bad, tho’. It’s hard to watch Carlos Villarias’ bug eyed Dracula knowing Lugosi’s immortal performance had just been done on those very sets. Neither version is ideal, but I still watch the English version for Lugosi while I rarely put on the Spanish version.

#49 Post by **Matt** » Wed Jan 21, 2026 9:34 pm

Lowry_Sam wrote: Wed Jan 21, 2026 6:41 pm I'm guessing it has little to do with actual vampires and more with zombies/monsters, but I'll use this project to finally watch Planet Of The Vampires, thoughts on whether this (and other films that border more on zombie/alien territory.)?

As for other zombie/sci-fi films, I guess my own interpretation of "vampire" film goes beyond "are there fangs" to something like "are the victims of the vampire (whatever entity that is) aware that they are undead?" Zombie films seem to be about humans whose consciousness has ended but whose bodies continue on, but a vampire film seems to require a conscious understanding in the victims that they have been changed (for better or worse).

A second consideration—which I would struggle to apply as a firm rule—might go beyond just consciousness to some continuity of "selfhood." As in, is the victim not only aware of their change, but do they carry some sense of their former self into their new state of being? Do they still have their soul (whatever that means)? In Stoker's novel, the vampirized Lucy is described as “Lucy Westenra, but yet how changed. The sweetness was turned to adamantine, heartless cruelty, and the purity to voluptuous wantonness.” There's not enough of her character in the book to know if she still understands herself as "Lucy, but changed" or if it's just Lucy's body with a new (or no) consciousness.

I know I'm not stating this clearly, but I think the best vampire movies are a bit tragic. They don't just involve victims turning into blood-lusting beasts but also the awareness of a loss of who they once were. Do they still have inner lives? Or are they, as Dracula's brides are depicted in the novel and many films, just blood-drinking automata under the control of the vampire? The latter is much less interesting to me and is closer to zombie territory than to the Gothic.

Chinese vampires (or jiangshi) are usually depicted as having no soul or consciousness at all, basically just human leeches. I guess there's a lot to be said for that idea too. I just don't find it very interesting, which is why I don't really like zombie films or slasher films where the slasher is some mysterious entity with unknown motives. Give me a good ghost story like The Innocents—which could conceivably be interpreted as a vampire film—and I'm happy.

Re: the Spanish language Dracula, Villarías is pretty unmemorable, maybe even awful, but Lupita Tovar as the equivalent of Mina Harker brings an unrestrained pre-code sensuality to her role that is totally absent in the English-language version. Worth watching, but the film drags on and on until it limps to its conclusion.

#50 Post by **swo17** » Wed Jan 21, 2026 9:48 pm

Matt wrote: Wed Jan 21, 2026 9:34 pmI guess my own interpretation of "vampire" film goes beyond "are there fangs"

I'm curious how many might classify Ravenous as a vampire film. Note the last line of Roger Ebert's review:

“Ravenous” is clever in the way it avoids most of the cliches of the vampire movie by using cannibalism, and most of the cliches of the cannibal movie by using vampirism. It serves both dishes with new sauces.

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