Vampires are creatures in mythology that live by consuming the essence of life from other living things. The vampire story comes from ancient Greece when necrophobia (fear of dead creatures) was out of control. The fear gets worse with time.
With this history, it’s no wonder if blood-sucking creatures are still an interesting topic to date. The world of cinema has mainly become a playground for vampires, which summarizes a large number of films with favorite horror genres.
As time went on, vampire films became increasingly varied with the development of different stories. If you are a fan of horror and vampire genres spiced with love stories, here are 7 recommendations for vampire movies that you should watch now too.
Byzantium
Neil Jordan, who directed epic Interview with the Vampire, created a different film in the same genre almost 20 years later. Byzantium built a vampire story that focused on two women, Eleanor (Saoirse Ronan) and his mother Clara (Gemma Arterton).
This film presents the dynamics of this vampire-child mother since the 1800s, indicating how difficult it is to survive in a sophisticated patriarchal society that reflects the bad memories of the later times that have made them suffer.
The film has beautiful dark visuals, interesting characters, and although it is not as good as Interview with the Vampire, Byzantium has successfully attracted viewers towards mysteries that continue to emerge. Throughout the film, all audiences will be presented with the beauty and innocence of Saoirse Ronan, as well as a unique story to continue to follow.
Dracula
Treated by Francis Ford Coppola (Apocalypse Now, Godfather trilogy), Dracula tells the life story of Count Dracula from the same name Bram Stoker. Starting Starting in 1897, a young lawyer named Jonathan Harker, went to Transylvania to get approval from Dracula in London from a colleague named Renfield.
There, Jonathan met Count Dracula, the owner of the castle. The Dracula who was looking for the image of Harker’s fiance, Mina, believed that he was the reincarnation of Elisabeta, who knew he had been accepted for a long time. Dracula then went to London, leaving Jonathan to be persecuted by invited people.
Next, to Reeves, Oldman, and Ryder, this film is also played by Anthony Hopkins, who plays Abraham Van Helsing. Reeves’ acting here is the neatest because he successfully inserted a love triangle between himself, Dracula, and his fiance in this 2-hour horror film.
Only Lovers Left Alive
Only Lovers Left Alive picks individual characters from the standpoint of a closed artist whose name is Adam (Tom Hiddleston), who is also a vampire. He fulfills as far as possible from the world and deals solely with two humans, which he calls zombies, to secure certain wants and needs, like vintage guitars, blood, and special wooden bullets.
His partner, Eve (Tilda Swinton), gave as much comfort as possible to him. Overall, this film is a new, abstract journey, which is an original welcome to the classical genre. Its cinematography is lush and elegant, artistic, elegant but sophisticated, which focuses on a pair of vampire lovers who reflect on their position in modern society.
Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles
Besides Dracula, the 90s vampire film that picked up another gothic horror theme was Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles. This film (along with Legends of the Fall in the same year) became a stepping stone for Brad Pitt’s success in Hollywood because after that he won success in the film Se7en (1995) and Fight Club (1999).
Also starring Tom Cruise, Kirsten Dunst, and Antonio Banderas, Interview with the Vampire, focused on the relationship of Lestat (Cruise), Louis (Pitt), and Claudia (Dunst). It all began when lonely Louis after the death of his wife, was offered to become a vampire by Lestat in the late 18th century.
After feeling the twists and turns of life as a vampire, Louis met a girl named Claudia (Kirsten Dunst), who was dying of a disease outbreak. Louis also processed Claudia to become a vampire and started a new life with her. The narrative is framed by an interview in the present, where Louis tells his story to a San Francisco reporter.
Van Helsing
Inspired by the characters in Bram Stoker’s novel, Van Helsing tells the story of a monster hunter named Gabriel Van Helsing (Hugh Jackman) who was commissioned by the Vatican to help the last Valerious descendants in a mission to eradicate Dracula in Transylvania. Together with a monk who has the name Carl (David Wenham), Van Helsing begins his journey to Romania.
Underworld
The Underworld became the first film of the Underworld series. The main plot focuses on the feud between vampires and Lycans because, for many generations, secret warfare has been carried out between these two species of ancient creatures. Selene (Kate Beckinsale), a Death Dealer, is the most ambitious to finish all Lycan because she slaughtered her family 600 years ago.
While investigating a new bullet that can kill a vampire, Selene meets Michael Corvinus, the person being pursued by Lycan. Selene, a stubborn familiar, began to fall in love with her and struggled to save her. In the midst of Michael’s rescue efforts, Selene pursues a conspiracy in vampire organization and the fact that Michael is of indigenous descent Corvinus, a legend who has pure blood and is more powerful than the two ancient creatures.
Dracula Untold
Dracula Untold set before the Renaissance, which tells the life of Vlad Tepes, a Wallachian and Transylvania Prince. He was called Vlad the Impaler after massacring thousands of his victims by stabbing them with spears.
One day, Vlad and his army chased the Ottoman soldier’s helmet, which was washed away in the river. He followed the river flow and chased a cave, and was attacked by humanoid creatures who killed Vlad’s team.
After returning to his palace, Vlad was told by a local monk that the creature was a vampire, a Roman from the Empire who was deceived by the devil and trapped in the cave as a price for his strength.
Shortly after that, the Ottoman contingent landed in Vlad’s castle and expected extra tribute in the form of 1,000 boys belonging to his children to be taught as Janissaries. Vlad who is confused finally begins the battle with the Ottomans and asks for help from the Vampire to give him the power to fight the forces of Mehmed II.
Well, there were 7 vampire-themed films that you must watch — interested in watching everything?
