Loved Nosferatu? Here Are 12 of the Best Vampire Films To Sink Your Teeth Into

From classics to cult favourites, these films will be your next obsession.

Since vampires first emerged in folklore across cultures, humans have shared a collective fascination with these enigmatic creatures of the night. They’ve symbolised everything from death and plague to lust and desire, religion and repression, with obsession almost always at the core (The Twilight Saga, anyone?).

Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu, the latest addition to the vampyric canon, is a haunting take on the original gothic text. With captivating performances by Lily-Rose Depp, Bill Skarsgård, Willem Dafoe, Nicholas Hoult, and more, it’s no surprise it’s skulked into the cultural zeitgeist, earning critical acclaim and creeping up the box office charts.

If Nosferatu has drawn you to the macabre like Count Orlok is drawn to Ellen, work your way through these gems to satiate your appetite.

**1. Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979)**

There have been hundreds of depictions of the titular shadow-dweller in film history, but Werner Herzog’s reinterpretation of the 1922 classic is a chilling reimagining. Cinephiles will appreciate the film’s silent predecessor, but Nosferatu the Vampyre revitalises the chilling fable for a more modern audience. Klaus Kinski’s mesmerising performance is a faithful homage to the original, while adding a depth to the tragic character, and Isabelle Adjani’s powerful performance as Lucy Harker is the moral and emotional core of the film.

**2. The Lost Boys (1987)**

No longer relegated to grand, eerie castles in Transylvania, The Lost Boys redefined how filmgoers perceived vampires. Instead, these bloodsuckers are edgy, (eternally) young, and leather-clad, hanging out at the Californian seaside. Still heavy on the horror, this film added comedy and ‘80s teen culture to the mix. Coming-of-age themes, sibling dynamics, teen angst, and rebellion gave a stylish twist to the vampire mythos. A far cry from the melancholic and longing figures of folklore, as the tagline proclaims, “Sleep all day. Party all night. Never grow old. Never die. It’s fun to be a vampire.”

**3. Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)**

It’s the early ‘90s, and Winona Rider is everyone’s favourite goth icon. Off the back of the success of Beetlejuice, Heathers and Edward Scissorhands, she was known for her dark film choices and off-beat performances, so was perfectly cast as the lead of Francis Ford Coppola’s version of Bram Stoker’s tale. Coppola’s take on the Count was notably more of a pained, romantic figure played masterfully by Gary Oldman. In fact, bar Keanu Reeves’ truly horrendous English accent (love you Keanu!), the acting is rich and complex all round. Practical effects, ornate costumes and atmospheric set design make this a visually stunning piece of cinema.

**4. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992)**

The same year that Francis Ford Coppola transported us back to the late 19th century, we were offered an entirely new type of vampire (and vampire-slayer). Before noughties it-girl Sarah Michelle Gellar took on the role of Buffy Summers, highschool cheerleader by day, monster hunter by night, Kristy Swanson played the ‘Chosen One’ in this campy, satirical take on the genre. While it didn’t go on to have the clout and legacy of its small-screen counterpart, it’s easy to see why this film has solidified itself as a cult favourite. Blending horror, comedy, and teen drama, Buffy the Vampire Slayer is both a standalone classic and the precursor to one of the most popular pieces of 20th century media.

**5. Interview with the Vampire (1994)**

An adaptation of a novel in the series The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice, this gothic drama furthered the movement of vampires being presented as purely monstrous to nuanced, tortured, and emotionally layered beings. It’s not hard to see how it informed popular culture, paving the way for later works like Twilight and True Blood. Rich, opulent set design captures the decadence of upper-class New Orleans and Paris in the 18th and 19th centuries, which will captivate discerning aesthetes. Meanwhile, musings on immortality, morality, loneliness, and loss are expertly portrayed by Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, and most powerfully, Kirsten Dunst in her breakout role.

**6. Blade (1998)**

1998 saw a sharp left turn for the vampire genre. Based on a comic book character, Blade is one of the first successful Marvel film adaptations, laying the groundwork for the modern superhero genre. Until this time, we had largely seen colourful and campy superhero movies, but Blade embraced a darker, grittier aesthetic, setting a new tone for comic book storytelling. Wesley Snipes is charismatic and commanding as a half-vampire, half-human vampire hunter, who can walk in sunlight and dominates the screen with his martial arts prowess.

**7. Let the Right One In (2008)**

The Swedish film Let the Right One In, is an acclaimed work that leans further into the horror realm. A poignant story of loneliness, friendship, and coming-of-age follows as Oskar, a bullied 12-year-old boy, and Eli, a mysterious vampire child navigate being outsiders in their own way. The cold, minimalist setting is an apt backdrop for this quiet, slow-building film, exploring codependence and the longing to belong. Like many modern vampire stories, there’s a constant tension between the vampire as victim and predator, while being laden with unsettling themes of manipulation and moral ambiguity.

**8. Thirst (2009)**

Thirst is one of the most esteemed films by legendary South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook. There’s no glamour, superheros or rockstar antics here, instead, it represents vampirism as a curse, burdening the life of the protagonist, who is a Catholic priest. It goes without saying that this is a provocative film, raising questions about desire, shame and inner turmoil. Surreal imagery, a striking colour palette and intense performances elevate and deepen the emotionally complex story, again, using vampirism to study the human condition.

**9. Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)**

It doesn’t get much cooler than Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston musing on philosophy, art, music and science while traipsing around in sunglasses and effortlessly chic clothing. An epicurean’s dream, Only Lovers Left Alive centres on Adam (Hiddleston) and Eve (Swinton), nocturnal lovers who share their eternal affliction but see the world and their place in it in completely different ways. Here, the pair are quiet and contemplative, viewing humanity as detached observers to a culture in decay while bound by everlasting love.

**10. What We Do in the Shadows (2014)**

This comedy showed us a side of vampires we had never seen before: hapless, awkward, and oddly relatable. Presented in mockumentary style, a film crew follows a group of vampires living together in a flat share in Wellington, New Zealand. Poking fun at the absurdity of vampire lore and legends, you can’t help but root for the gang of bumbling immortals despite them feeding on humans and casually committing atrocities. Satirical themes are layered beneath the quirky humour, commenting on shifting social norms and the realities of living with “family”.

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

Don’t let the name fool you, this is a subversive tale of vengeance. Directed by Ana Lily Amirpour, the acclaimed Iranian-American film blends elements of horror, romance, noir, and spaghetti westerns to create an "Iranian Vampire Western.” Shot in black and white, it’s set in a sparse, desolate Iranian ghost town, reflecting themes of isolation and dilapidation. The main character, known only as "The Girl," reverses the traditional power dynamics we usually see on screen, exploring themes of gender, justice, and revenge, all through a dreamlike lens.

12. Renfield (2023)

Bringing a whole lot of lightness to a dark genre, Renfield follows the titular character (Nicholas Hoult) as the long-suffering servant of Dracula (Nicolas Cage). Cage brings larger-than-life energy to his turn as the monstrous master, while Hoult portrays a sensitive, vulnerable man caught in a toxic relationship with a ghoul who demands complete subservience and sacrifice. Renfield is a tongue-in-cheek, funny and action-packed romp which (if you don't mind a bit of gore) is an easy and lighthearted watch.