By: Whitney de Valroger Managing Editor

Because Top 5 Lists are Overdone

Vampires have gotten a horrible reputation in movies recently.  From the doe-eyed fashion models of the Twightlight saga, to the CG “horrors” Van Helsing had to offer, most vampire movies in recent years “suck” (I’ve been waiting forever to use that one).  For those who want a better vampire story to see this Halloween, fear not!  Here is a list of vampire films that do the monster justice.

Near Dark– This southern tale involves a young man finding love in all the wrong places.  Caleb is haplessly attracted to a young drifter who, low and beholds, turns out to be a vampire!  Transforming Caleb into one of her own, the vampire abducts the young man into her vampire family, but soon Caleb sees the horrors that these travelling nomads unleash.  This film is a neat cross between horror story and modern western, with much gore and frights in between.

Blade– Did you enjoy the recent Marvel movies that have come out in the past decade?  None of those would have been possible if not for the success of Blade.  This action movie centers on a vampire hunter doing what he does best, hunting vampires.  The catch is that he himself is a half breed, or Daywalker; having all vampire strengths and none of their weaknesses…except the hunger for blood!  Instead of brooding over this identity crisis, Blade uses his awesome arsenal to viscerally hunt the undead.  This film’s success is what convinced Marvel to produce more movies.

Nightwatch– This film is crazy.  If you have seen it, you know what I am talking about.  If not, you will know what I am talking about.  The supernatural world is divided into light and dark forces.  Vampires, shape-shifters, and mages roam the world as Others.  Anton, a light mage, is part of a group that regulates dark Others to maintain a balance between the two sides.  When the balance is threatened by the arrival of a great Other, it is up to Anton to save the day.  This film is filled with mind boggling special effects and the convoluted plot loses the viewer occasionally, but is still wildly entertaining.

Bram Stoker’s Dracula– This movie set the bar for what traditional vampire movies should be.  The moody atmosphere and gripping plot leads viewers through the tale of one of the most popular vampires.  Count Dracula is looking for love as he travels from his Transylvania home to England, but what he finds is an intricate combination of lust, romance, and vampire hunting.  This movie is a must see for any fan of the genre and still holds the test of time with its mix of gorgeous visuals and engrossing gothic romance plot.

Ultimate Hellsing– This anime is adapted from the Japanese manga which follows the Hellsing Order, an organization dedicated to protecting England from supernatural enemies.  In their employ is Alucard (read: Dracula backwards), a powerful vampire capable of violently dismembering enemies in pools of blood.  The action is beyond over the top: impressive scenes of violent transformations and ridiculous action sets are what make this story stand out; this is definitely not for the squeamish.  Each volume is packed with insane action and interesting characters that make you crave more.

Shadow of the Vampire– I admit I have not seen this movie in a while, but what I do remember is that I thought it was amazing!  The story revolves around a fictional recount of the filming of the classic Nosferatu as the director of the film hires a real vampire to authenticate the movie he is producing.  Not knowing the lead actors true identity, the rest of the cast is uneasy around the “character actor”, and murder soon gripes the production.  The movie was excellent at setting a creepy atmosphere for the viewer, and the acting gave the audience an uncertainty to what would happen next.

There you have it folks, an unofficial, unranked top 6 list of my vampire movies to check out for Halloween.  Halloween is a time of giving (candy), but what better gift is there than that of awesome vampire movies?  Enjoy with the lights out.