15 Best Vampire Movies Of All Time, Ranked

15. Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)

Starring Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston as centuries-old vampires, this film is the definition of "existential cool." Jarmusch creates a melancholic, visually stunning world where vampires are stylish, artistic recluses who are bored by their own immortality. It's a quiet, beautiful meditation on existence, art, and the slow decay of humanity.

14. Cronos (1992)

Guillermo del Toro's directorial debut is a unique, non-traditional take on vampirism. The addiction is not tied to a supernatural curse but to a golden, scarab-like insect mechanism that grants eternal life but demands blood. It’s a beautifully strange, quiet, and deeply philosophical film that shows Del Toro's fascination with body horror and tragic transformation.

13. Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979)

Werner Herzog's gorgeous remake of the 1922 classic is a somber, haunting, and intensely atmospheric experience. Klaus Kinski is terrifying as Count Dracula, portraying him not as a romantic figure but as a figure of deep suffering and plague. It is revered for its stunning visual style and Kinski's intense, heartbreaking performance.

12. Blade II (2002)

While the original Blade (1998) established the action-vampire genre, Guillermo del Toro perfected it with the sequel. It's a visually inventive, ultra-gory action masterpiece that forces Blade to team up with the very vampires he hunts to take on a new, mutant breed of bloodsuckers. It's often cited as the artistic and action peak of the trilogy.

11. A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014)

Billed as the "first Iranian vampire western," this visually striking film is shot in black and white and set in the desolate, fictional Iranian town of "Bad City." The story follows a lonely, skateboarding female vampire who preys on men who disrespect women. It’s a unique, stylish, and highly original feminist take on the genre.

10. From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)

Written by Quentin Tarantino, this film begins as a hard-boiled crime thriller about two bank-robbing brothers on the run. At the halfway mark, they enter the Titty Twister bar, and the film abruptly and violently turns into an over-the-top, gore-filled vampire siege movie. It’s a blast of chaotic energy and one of the most outrageously fun genre-mashups ever made.

9. Fright Night (1985)

This quintessential '80s horror-comedy follows teenager Charley Brewster, a horror movie fanatic, who becomes convinced his handsome new next-door neighbor is a vampire. The film perfectly captures the decade's fun, self-aware horror, delivering great scares, iconic effects, and a fantastic premise that pits fandom against reality.

8. The Lost Boys (1987)

This film defined the '80s vampire aesthetic. When two brothers move to the seaside town of Santa Carla (the murder capital of the world), they stumble into a stylish, rowdy motorcycle gang of young vampires led by Kiefer Sutherland. It's a fun, funny, and cool coming-of-age horror-comedy that remains hugely popular.

7. What We Do in the Shadows (2014)

This mockumentary is a comedic masterpiece. It follows four ancient vampire roommates in modern-day Wellington, New Zealand, struggling with mundane issues like paying rent, arguing over chores, and trying to get into nightclubs. It subverts every known vampire cliché with hilarious, deadpan brilliance.

6. Interview with the Vampire (1994)

Based on Anne Rice's seminal novel, this film defined the gothic romance vampire of the 1990s. With lavish production, star power (Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, and a young Kirsten Dunst), and a melancholic tone, it treats eternal life not as a gift, but as a miserable, existential curse.

5. Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)

Coppola's vision is a massive, opulent, and chaotic gothic romance that is surprisingly faithful to the novel's structure. The film is a spectacular visual feast, utilizing practical effects, stunning costume design, and a highly romanticized (and often terrifying) interpretation of Dracula's tragic origins.

4. Near Dark (1987)

This is the ultimate vampire Western. Bigelow’s film stripped away the capes, castles, and European elegance, replacing them with dusty rancher hats, biker gangs, and the American heartland. It's a brutal, kinetic, and utterly unique anti-vampire movie that redefined the genre by treating the vampires less as supernatural creatures and more as a nomadic, ruthless gang.

3. Dracula (1931)

Bela Lugosi's portrayal of Count Dracula cemented the actor and the character as a cornerstone of popular culture. The film, which introduced the iconic black cape, slick hair, and European charm, defined the cinematic archetype of the vampire for the rest of the 20th century. It still carries an immense, primal power.

2. Let the Right One In (2008)

This Swedish masterpiece is a perfect blend of genuine horror, coming-of-age drama, and quiet romance. It follows a lonely, bullied 12-year-old boy who befriends a mysterious girl who happens to be a centuries-old vampire. It’s lauded by critics for its cold, minimalist atmosphere and its profound, heartbreaking exploration of loneliness and devotion.

1. Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror (1922)

The foundational film of vampire cinema. This unauthorized adaptation of Dracula created the iconic, rat-like Count Orlok (Max Schreck), whose terrifying, inhuman design set the template for all subsequent horror. As a silent-era masterpiece, its eerie atmosphere, use of shadow, and visual storytelling remain unmatched, proving that the horror of the vampire is rooted in primal dread, not modern effects.