Summary
Vampires are one of the most popular tropes in media, and this has been the case for over sixty years. Stemming from the original legends of Vlad the Impaler and then adopting other myths over the course of hundreds of years, vampires have been a constant in movies and television shows, withastounding successes such asThe Vampire DiariesandInterview With a Vampirebeing just some of the best vampire-themed pieces of media available.
Pale, vicious, and charismatic, vampires are alluring creatures who can snuff out the light of unsuspecting victims. In the long list of vampire media, there have been countless fanged antagonists. However, some stand out among the flock and raise the bar when it comes to being evil. Here are some of thebest vampire villains in movies.
TheTwilightmovies are some of themost infamous vampire movies in history, dominating the box office in the mid 2000s. The series of films focus on a young girl named Bella Swan who becomes entranced by a centuries-old vampire named Edward Cullen.
In the first movie, she gets entangled in the dark world of vampires and becomes the target of James, a vicious immortal who takes pleasure in hunting humans. In the film, James is played by Cam Gigandet, playing him as a fierce and ruthless creature who will stop at nothing to catch his prey.
The Night Flieris a diamond in the rough that goes unnoticed among the long list of vampire movie releases. Directed by Mark Pavia, it follows journalist Richard Dees, played by Miquel Ferrer, who’s chasing after a mysterious killer who leaves destruction in his wake. Little does Dees know that he is actually after a sinister vampire.
Michael H. Moss plays Dwight Renfield in a shockingly different style of vampire than most, embodying a gruesome and disfigured creature with a cold, dead glare and disposition. The Night Flier leaves rooms filled with dismembered corpses, disappearing without a trace. What makes the creature especially sinister is his intellect. Throughout the film, Renfield toys with Dees, leaving more bodies for him to find just to string him along into a trap.
Bladeis a classic film that built the foundation forwhat the Marvel Cinematic Universe is today. In the breakout horror film, Wesley Snipes plays the daywalking vampire hunter, Blade, on a mission to exterminate the entire vampire race.
Opposite to Snipes’s anti-hero is Stephen Dorff’s Deacon Frost, a veteran among the vampire organization who has set out to destabilize the established order and rise to power by becoming a blood god. Dorff’s performance in the movie is iconic, as he embodies a character who thinks of humans as cattle, whether they be men, women, or children.
The originalFright Nightis another phenomenal classic horror movie by Tom Holland, known for his work on theChild’s PlayandPsychofranchises.Fright Nightfollows young teen Charlie Brewster, who becomes a target after discovering that a vampire has moved in next door.
Chris Sarandon plays Jerry Dandridge, a classy yet ruthless vampire who assumes the appearance of a well-respected man to lure in victims and satiate his hunger. Sarandon’s elegance and class in the film make Jerry Dandridge almost regal and more frightening than the typical tall, dark, and brooding types in most vampire media.
The Lost Boysis a film that has been carried by its fanbase for nearly thirty years and forged intoa permanent cult classicthat is said to be the perfect vampire movie. Breaking out from the hood of Dracula and similar films,The Lost Boysfollows a single mother and her two sons who move to Santa Carla, California.
The two sons, Mike and Sam, played by Jason Patric and Corey Haim, become surrounded by vampires when Michael ends up joining the ranks, and Sam ends up a target. The head vampire in this film is David, played by Kiefer Sutherland, a creature who leads a gang of rocker vamps to terrorize the inhabitants of Santa Carla. David is a stark contrast to most vampires, being young, arrogant, and charismatic. However, his dead eyes and sinister grin help him to become an incredible villain.
Queen of the Damnedis another cult classic vampire movie that comes from the same universe as thelong line of horror books by Anne Rice. The movie tells the story of Lestat, a vampire, and a segment of his eternal life in which he pulls vampires out of the shadows and becomes a rock star.
Exposing immortality to humankind calls upon one of the oldest and most powerful vampires in history, Akasha. Played by Aaliyah, Akasha is the pure definition of evil and beauty, claiming every inch of ground on which she takes a step. Seeking a new king, Akasha carves a path straight to Lestat and does so in as brutal a fashion as possible, utterly destroying anything in her way.
Lestat is one of the main characters in a series of horror novels by Anne Rice. Anne Rice’s first book,Interview With the Vampire, was adapted into a film in 1994, directed by Neil Jordan and starring Brad Pitt as Louie andTom Cruise as Lestat.
Tom Cruise gave a standout performance as the villainous Lestat, who saw no wrong in filling entire cemeteries in a single night. Lestat is a proud and pompous vampire who uses his charm to get at the throats of unsuspecting victims and mock them afterward, making him one of the most vile vampires in media.
Dracula is a vampire who needs no introduction. He has an extensive history withover ten films based on his mythos alone. As the father of all vampires, Dracula stands at the precipice of evil that has tormented humankind for nearly a thousand years.
While there have been multiple incarnations of the king of shadows, one of the best is Gary Oldman’s performance inBram Stoker’s Dracula. A creature who has lived too long and embodies evil as a whole, Oldman’s Dracula was less frightening and more unnerving, coming to think of taking lives as a right instead of doing so out of hunger.
