10 Underrated Vampire Movies That Deserve Much More Love

This article mentions suicide.



Vampire films are one of the oldest genres of horror movies to grace the silver screen, and it’s no surprise why. A good vampire flick can be addictive and fantastical, leaving the audience wanting more from the mystical underworld in the story. Over time, vampire films grew in versatility, from the seriousness of Francis Ford Coppola’s Gothic hit, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, to the angsty vampire romance of the Twilight series.


As pop culture’s obsession with vampires grows with Hollywood, many underrated vampire films can fly under the radar. Though less popular than some of the bigger vampire classics and series, many of these hidden gems bring something fresh and unique to Hollywood’s fascination with these monsters. For example, films like Queen of the Damned expand upon the mythology of Interview with the Vampire, and Nosferatu introduces audiences to the Dracula-alternative, German depiction of vampires. There are also films that, while being extremely influential and having a classic status, may not be as widely popular as they deserve to be.



10 Nosferatu: A Symphony Of Horror (1922)

Directed by F.W. Murnau

Nosferatu is a 1922 German silent horror film directed by F.W. Murnau, loosely based on Bram Stoker’s Dracula. The film tells the story of Count Orlok, a vampire who moves from his castle in the Carpathian Mountains to a German town to spread terror and death.

Nosferatu: A Symphony Of Horror is one of the oldest appearances of vampires in a feature film that has only gotten better with time. This classic film follows Estate Agent Hutter (Gustav von Wangenheim) who finds himself intertwined with the mysterious man who he is planning to sell the property, Count Orlok (Max Schrek). What follows is similar to Dracula’s tale, with Orlok revealing himself to be a vampire.

Nosferatu Movies

Year of Release

Director

Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror

1922

F.W. Murnau

Nosferatu The Vampyre

1979

Werner Herzog

Nosferatu

2024

Robert Eggers


This silent film made waves for its time, infamously being accused of ripping off the story of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, which was written in 1867. In fact, Nosferatu was almost destroyed and lost as a result of copyright infringement. However, Nosferatu survived and remains a cult classic due to its expressionist style and striking image of the bat-like vampire, Count Orlok (Max Schrek), though it pales in comparison to the popularity of its more popular doppelgänger. Today, the film is regarded highly for its cinematography and distinct imagery.

9 Shadow Of The Vampire (2000)

Directed by E. Elias Merhige


For those who still want to see more of the vampire Nosferatu, Shadow of the Vampire cleverly blends fantasy and reality in its retelling of the making of the infamous film Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror. The movie chronicles the production of Murnau’s (played by John Malkovich) film, and how it is plagued by the vampiric tendencies of its star, Max Schreck (Willem Dafoe), who increasingly begins to act strange when he plays the scary Count Orlok.

Performances by Malkovich and Defoe in this film were highly regarded and did well with audiences at the time. However, the film is not often cited as one of the more popular vampire stories, despite its critical acclaim. Shadow of the Vampire is unique in its blend of the actual making of the film with supernatural elements. The concept of the film is absurdist, but it stands out as a vampire film that is one of a kind and definitely worth a watch.


8 Queen Of The Damned (2002)

Directed by Michael Rymer

Jumping to the 2000s, Michael Rymer’s, Queen of the Damned is an interesting addition to the Interview with the Vampire series. This sequel film follows one of the leads of the original series, Lestat (Stuart Townsend), whose music wakes the dangerous “Queen of the Damned” and the first vampire, Akasha (Aaliyah). The film explores Lestat’s origins in becoming a vampire and expands upon the culture of the vampires in Annie Rice’s world.

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The film originally performed poorly in theaters and had trouble with critics. But today, it has become a cult classic known for its star-studded cast and interesting characters. For fans of the Interview with the Vampire books, which have now been remade into a successful show, this is a compelling addition to Lestat’s story and character growth. It is also rare for a female vampire to hold such an iconic spotlight, something Aaliyah’s Aakasha executes with ease in this film.

7 30 Days Of Night (2007)

Directed by David Slade


David Slade’s action-packed vampire flick, 30 Days of the Night, is a thrilling watch with a clever twist on the vampire horror film. This story follows an unlucky town in Alaska, who, during their month-long plunge into darkness, are attacked by a colony of bloodthirsty vampires. In this film, there is a departure from the traditional Gothic feel of vampire films. Instead, the vampires in 30 Days of the Night are different. They move out in the open and aren’t afraid of carnage. In other words, there is nothing glamorous about it.

This film, although packed with a star-studded cast and an exciting plot, is often forgotten among other modern vampire action films. However, 30 Days of Night is a refreshing take on the depiction of these vampiric monsters. It plays skillfully upon the roots of the old legend by making these vampires almost invincible. This leaves the audience with the haunting question: what would happen if the vampires’ weakness was gone and the threat of daylight eradicated?


6 Byzantium (2012)

Directed by Neil Jordan

Few vampire films touch on societal issues as beautifully as Byzantium does. This film follows two runaway vampires, Clara (Gemma Arterton) and her daughter, Eleanor (Saoirse Ronan). Throughout the film, a series of flashbacks reveal that Clara used to be a prostitute turned vampire, and Eleanor is her daughter who, after being assaulted and injured, is turned into a vampire by her mother against the wishes of fellow vampire law.


Byzantium is more than just a horror film and touches on themes of survival, motherhood, and the sexism and mistreatment that women have faced in society through the ages. Clara and Eleanor are also complex and well-written characters, making them stand out against stereotypical depictions of the fanged monster. They may be vampires, but they are still touched by human issues. Beyond its thought-provoking plot, the film still contains the Gothic charm of classic horror films.Byzantium jumps between timelines, starting in the 1800s and creating a rich opportunity for costuming and setting that audiences will love.

5 Dark Shadows (2012)

Directed by Tim Burton

The same year, Tim Burton released his vampire flick, Dark Shadows. The dark comedy follows Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp), a wealthy business owner in the 18th century who is cursed into becoming a vampire by a jealous witch. When he is unearthed centuries later, chaos ensues as he meddles in the affairs of his familial descendants. Unlike most vampire films, Burton’s does not take itself seriously, leaning into the comedic aspects of Barnabas’s situation.


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This film is a great watch for those who love the dark and whimsical art style of Tim Burton’s horror movies. The world of the film is unique and highly stylized, taking place in the technicolor world of the 1970s. However, despite its star-studded cast (Johnny Depp, Eva Green, Helena Bonham-Carter, Michelle Pfieffer) the film wasn’t a box-office hit and has been overshadowed by other popular vampire franchises. However, considering its unique premise and strong acting performances, Dark Shadows is worthy of more appreciation.

4 Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)

Directed by Jim Jarmusch


Another unusual depiction of vampirism can be found in Jim Jarmusch’s 2013 film, Only Lovers Left Alive. The vampire comedy film follows the solemn and lonely lives of two vampires on the brink of a mental crisis after centuries of being alive. The vampire couple, Adam (Tom Hiddleston) and Eve (Tilda Swinton) reunite after Eve learns of Adam’s depression, and both vampires struggle with how to survive in an increasingly modernizing world that they feel less connection to.

This vampire flick is truly one of its kind, focusing on the mental toll that immortality would have on the mind after surviving centuries of change and transformation. Despite their status as vampires, the two leads manage to elicit sympathy from the audience, who, instead of seeing a bloodthirsty monster, may see a lonely soul instead. Beyond this, its musical track is a unique blend of grunge/alternative rock that perfectly scores the moody film.


3 The Carmilla Movie (2017)

Directed by Spencer Maybee

The Carmilla Movie is another zany take on the vampire romance. This time, it follows a vampire, Carmilla Karnstein (Natasha Negovanlis), and her journalist girlfriend, Laura Hollis (Elise Bauman), who have been living an idyllic life since Carmilla cured herself of vampirism. However, when her vampire tendencies begin to resurface, Laura and Carmilla go on a mission to find out the reason for her change.

Check out the web series,
Carmilla
, which the film acts as a sequel to. The Canadian series ran from 2014-2016 and shows Laura and Carmilla’s backstory when they met in college.


The Carmilla Movie is based on the 1872 novel, Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu. Though the film is a modern adaptation of the Gothic book, it stays true to the classic elements of a vampire film with its supernatural elements and costuming. The film also depicts its lead as more human in sentiment, since Carmilla’s challenges are relatable: she wishes to have a simple relationship without the complications and burdens of her speckled past. This independent film may have had a limited release in Canada but deserves more love for its creativity as a modern reimagining of the vampire romance.

2 Blood Red Sky (2021)

Directed by Peter Thorwarth


Blood Red Sky is a thrilling genre-bending vampire film that premiered on Netflix in 2021. The German film centers around the power of a mother’s love and self-sacrifice when Nadja (Peri Baumeister) uses her newly acquired vampire powers to take down a group of terrorists who hijack their plane. As she descends further into a state of vampirism, Nadja wrestles to control her dangerous tendencies.

Thorwarth’s film offers a fresh depiction of the vampire state, portraying it as an uncontrollable sickness that overtakes the host. Unlike many other famous vampire characters, the ones in this film are not able to hide their condition and become terrifying monsters by the end of their progression. Despite the setting being on a modern-day commercial plane, Nadja’s vampire stands out for her characteristic bat-like appearance, a callback to the other classical German vampire, Nosferatu. Therefore, this modern-day vampire horror is a perfect blend of old and new that deserves more attention.


1 Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person (2023)

Directed by Ariana Louis-Seize

Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person is another hidden gem among independent vampire films that came out last year. Louis-Seize’s film was critically acclaimed and performed well at film festivals in its initial run. This comes as no surprise, since the deliciously strange plot examines the moral contradiction of a young vampire, Sasha (Sara Montpetit), whose sympathy for human life doesn’t agree with her family’s vampire lifestyle.

This French comedy film answers the question of Sasha’s dilemma hilariously, by having Sasha seek out willing individuals who would consent to her feeding on them. Unlike many popular vampire films, few focus on the ethical issues that vampires may experience due to their lifestyle. For those wishing to see a hopeful twist to the vampire film, this is a lesser-known but entertaining watch.


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