I’ve heard so many times that Twilight has killed the vampire movie genre. Maybe it’s true, I did have a hard time convincing my friends to watch Only Lovers Left Alive once they knew the characters were vampires. But now that Nosferatu has come out, it’s time to dive into the vampire realm again. From comedy to horror, Vampires don’t only bite but mesmerise the crowds with lust and thirst.

With the newly released vampire movie Nosferatu by Robert Eggers this Christmas I’ve watched and rewatched a bunch of vampire movies to compile a list of worth watching ones just for you. 

Here the list in no order of whatsoever:

Nosferatu – Robert Eggers – 2024

So this is the vampire movie that reconciles everyone with the genre. Gothic horror tale with an impressive cast Lily Rose Depp, Nicholas Hoult, Bill Skarsgard, and Willem Dafoe. I’ll be honest, I did not enjoy it as much as I thought I would but Depp did deliver a pretty good performance.

What We Do In The Shadows – Taika Waititi & Jemaine Clement – 2014

This mockumentary is actually Taika Waititi’s first movie, a horror comedy (very light on the horror) that follows the lives of four (more three, but yeah) flatmate vampires who try to get by life and its mundane society struggles and some more obscure challenges that come with immortal life. It’s light-hearted, funny, and comically absurd and raw.

Only Lovers Left Alive – Jim Jarmusch – 2013

Poetic love story of two sophisticated vampire lovers, Adam and Eve. Long distance relationship, a love that lasts centuries, Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddelston are two fragile vampires that keep loving each other through changing times. The perfect “highbrow” vampire movie.

Interview With The Vampire – Neil Jordan – 1994

You can’t really ignore this one, right? If it reunites Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, and Antonio Banderas on set, it’s only really 12 years old Kristen Dunst that impressed me.

Bram Stoker’s Dracula – Francis Ford Coppola – 1992

The Classic movie vampire with an impressive cast. This is a must-watch. Starring Gary Oldman as Dracula who comes to England to seduce his solicitor’s fiancée played by Winona Ryder.

A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night – Ana Lily Amirpour – 2014

A rare vampire movie set in the Middle East. In this romantic black and white movie about loneliness and the fantasy of a soulless creature with a beating heart, Ana Lily Amirpour tells the story of a lady vampire who wanders the streets of a fictive Iranian city, Bad City. Vigilante slash feminist, the portrait of a vampire who falls in love.

Byzantium – Neil Jordan – 2012

A mother (Gemma Arterton) and daughter (Saoirse Ronan) vampire duo seek refuge in an Irish coastal town. This modern day vampire movie is halfway between coming-of-age and horror drama. From the same director as Interview with the Vampire.

Blade – Stephen Norrington – 1998

The vampire slayer, half-mortal half-vampire, played by Wesley Snipes. This bad-ass vampire movie with a lot of blood, fights, and leather is the perfect movie date. Trust me.

From Dusk Till Dawn – Robert Rodriguez – 1996

Genre crossover, here is a western vampire movie you can add to your watchlist. With Quentin Tarantino and George Clowney, two criminal brothers on the run about to fight a vampire nest.

Nosferatu The Vampyre – Werner Herzog – 1979

Isabelle Adjani whiter than ever in this classic gothic movie. If you’ve like Robert Eggers’s Nosferatu I guess one could say you’re ought to watch its previous versions.

Nosferatu A Symphony of Horror – F.W Murnau – 1922

The original, the classic, black and white German psycho-horror movie inspired by Bram Stoker’s Dracula who was banned at first due to copyright issues.

The Lost Boys – Joel Schumacher – 1987

Small California coastal town plagued by bikers and vampires. The perfect vampire slash punk culture crossover with a pinch of 80’s nostalgia. This is definitely a fun watch!

The Fearless Vampire Killers – Roman Polanski – 1967

A Tom & Jerry’s style vampire movie that I remember watching at the theater as a kid. Far from being a fun cinematographic experience I still don’t know if I can really recommend it.

Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person – Arianne Louis-Seize – 2023

Sasha, a compassionate young vampire girl (Sara Monpetit) is unable to kill to feed, so when her parents cut-off her blood supply she befriends a suicidal teen boy (Felix-Antoine Bénard). 

The Vourdalak – Adrien Beau -2023

This French horror drama starring Vassili Schneider and based on Tolstoy’s tale is the perfect watch if you’re looking for an eerie European vibe. It follows the Marquis d’Urfé lost in a forest who finds refuge in a strange and unique family. This haunting gothic tale is definitely an interesting movie to add to your watchlist.

Thirst – Park Chan-Wook – 2009

The Korean vampire movie that follows a priest (Kang-ho Song) who undergoes an experiment and dies, and to finally be resuscitated by some mysterious blood transfusion. Now a vampire thirsty for blood and all kinds of lust, he slowly falls in love with a young married girl (Kim Ok-vin). It’s raw, gore, and pretty cinematic.

The Hunger – Tony Scott – 1983

The masterpiece erotic vampire drama starring a very unique cast that should be just enough to pick your curiosity : David Bowie, Catherine Deneuve, and Susan Sarandon. From the late director of Top Gun, The Hunger is an impressive debut film.

Voilà!

I think this list proves that we shouldn’t need another Nosferatu to revive the vampire genre. What’s your favorite vampire movie? Any suggestions to add to the list? Hit the comment section and let us all know what are your thoughts on this.