10 vampire movies to watch instead of 'New Moon'

Ugh.

I know what you’re thinking. If you’re a fan of the “Twilight” book series and can’t wait for the release of “New Moon” this Friday, there is no other vampire movie to watch. If you aren’t a fan of “The O.C.” meets a corny, bastardized version of any random vampire tale, you’d be willing to watch any other vampire movie (including “Beverly Hills Vamp” and “Vampire in Brooklyn.”)

Regardless, the “Twilight” phenomenon will unveil its second chapter on Friday to throngs of adolescent girls wearing “Team Edward” and “Team Jacob” buttons. You read the books, kids. You know who she ends up with. Don’t you think you should just cut your loses? Do you honestly believe in the movie adaptation Bella is suddenly going to jump ship to your team?

I digress. I’m not here to talk teams or rip on a movie I haven’t even watched yet. There will be plenty of time for that after I see “New Moon.” For now, I’ll try to talk some sense into all you Twilighters even though I know it’s a battle I’ll never win. Here are 10 vampire movies to help wash that horrid “New Moon” taste out of your mouth.

“Vampires”

Admired horror director John Carpenter took on the fabled bloodsucker concept in 1998’s “Vampires.” James Woods is Jack Crow, a vampire slayer who is hunting a relic of the Catholic Church which if obtained by vampires will make them immune to sunlight. Crow watched his parents die at the hands of vampires at an early age and has since spent his time hunting and killing every vampire he crosses. When the majority of his team is wiped out by a powerful vampire named Valek, Crow must assemble a new group to help him find the lost relic before it falls into the wrong hands. John Carpenter’s “Vampires” is mostly remembered for its excessive violence and gore, something that keeps horror fans coming back time and time again. There were a couple straight-to-video sequels, one starring Jon Bon Jovi. That being said, don’t watch the sequels.

“Martin”

George A. Romero is mostly known for his work in the field of zombies. From the time he burst onto the scene in 1968 with “Night of the Living Dead” to his latest zombie experiment “Diary of the Dead,” Romero made the zombie sub-genre what it is today. What a lot of people outside of the horror community don’t know is that Mr. Romero has taken the dive into other subjects ranging from killer helper monkeys, to faceless men, to the triumphs and tragedies of a traveling renaissance fair. Yes, that last one is real. One of Romero’s best non-zombie films is 1977’s “Martin.” Martin is a young man who believes he is an 84-year-old vampire. He doesn’t display any of the characteristics of typical vampires, except that he drinks blood. So is he really a vampire or just another misguided youth? What makes “Martin” such a great film is how gritty and realistic it is. The actors aren’t polished beautiful people and the subject matter isn’t treated timidly. It’s a strange film which leaves you wondering who you were supposed to root for.

“Fright Night”

Charley Brewster believes his new neighbor is a vampire. After a few mysterious deaths around his small town, Charlie decides to take matters into his own hands. He enlists the help of the host of his favorite TV show, Fright Night, washed up actor Peter Vincent to assist him in ridding the neighborhood of the vampire menace. But it won’t be as easy as he expected. “Fright Night” was the first film from director Tom Holland who went on to direct the horror classic “Child’s Play” and the horror not-so-classic “Thinner.” As far as horror comedies go, “Fright Night” has just the right blend of humor and violence to entertain the casual viewer to die hard horror fans.

“Night Watch”

Many years ago the forces of light and dark engaged in a bloody battle. This battle ended in a pact letting the forces of the light watch over the vampires of the night. In modern times, there are those known simply as “others” walking among the normal human population who possess supernatural powers. These others have the choice of which side they wish to join. The balance of power shifts when the fabled “Great Other” is born and chooses to fight for the dark. “Night Watch” is kind of like the Russian “Star Wars.” Go ahead and watch it. You’ll see what I mean.

“30 Days of Night”

The concept of this movie/graphic novel is absolutely genius. An isolated Alaskan town experiences month long periods with no sunlight leaving them defenseless against an invading vampire horde. Night is the only time vampires can roam free and feed, so what can you do when the sun doesn’t rise? “30 Days of Night” unfolds slowly giving the audience a chance to get to know the characters before the vampire invasion. But, when the vampires finally make their presence known, it becomes a bloodbath. Director David Slade’s next project also involves vampires, but unfortunately it will be of the wimpy variety as he is directing “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse.” Hey, he’s gotta make a living.

“Near Dark”

Caleb, a farm hand in a small Oklahoma town, has his life altered when he meets an attractive young vampire, Mae. Mae’s initial intention is to make him her nightly feast, but doesn’t finish the job turning Caleb into one of her kind. Caleb is then forced to join Mae’s “family,” consisting of four other vampires. Caleb enjoys his new life until his new family meets his real family and he’s forced to choose a side. “Near Dark” successfully combines the horror genre with the western, leaving the audience with an original spin on the vampire fable. Sure, the ending is completely implausible, but aside from that it’s a great film. Platinum Dunes, the jokers behind the “Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” “Friday the 13th,” and “The Hitcher” remakes, had expressed interest in doing a remake of “Near Dark,” but with the release of “Twilight” they put the brakes on those plans. Apparently, what they had planned closely resembled the “Twilight” movie. If that is the case, let’s hope they lose interest and their project stays on the shelf indefinitely.

“The Last Man on Earth”

Richard Matheson’s novel “I Am Legend” has yet to see a truly great film adaptation. “The Last Man on Earth” is the closest thing we’re going to get. Divorced from the book, this film is old school horror at its best. Starring Vincent Price, “The Last Man on Earth” tells the story of Dr. Robert Morgan, the only person left in a world overrun by vampires. During the day he searches his town and kills any resting vampires he can find while collecting various supplies. At night, he hides in his boarded up house and defends himself against the undead. While “The Last Man on Earth” isn’t everything an adaptation of “I Am Legend” could be, it’s a memorable film from a time when low budget horror movies were constantly being vomited out for the masses. While many of those films are unwatchable today, “The Last Man on Earth” has managed to stay relevant.

“The Lost Boys”

If you want to watch a good coming-of-age teen vampire movie, leave that “Twilight” nonsense in the dust and just watch “The Lost Boys.” Michael and Sam Emerson have recently moved to a new town in California with their mother. Michael quickly becomes enamored with a young woman he sees at a concert. He ends up meeting the girl and becoming a part of her gang which (unknown to Michael) is made up entirely of vampires. Michael is tricked into drinking blood and begins to change into one of the undead. It’s up to Sam and his new friends, the Frog brothers, to hunt down and kill the head vampire, to stop Michael’s transformation. “The Lost Boys” is a much beloved late-80s classic that combines the teen drama of the late John Hughes with the violence of the horror genre. A sequel was released in 2007. I have never and will never watch it.

“From Dusk Till Dawn”

Written by Quentin Tarantino and directed by Robert Rodriguez, “From Dusk Till Dawn” is far from your average vampire movie. Two fugitives, the Gecko brothers, take a family hostage after a bloody bank robbery in Houston, Texas. They force the family to drive them to Mexico where they take refuge in a seedy bar in the middle of the desert. What they don’t know is the bar they’re using as a hideout is the stomping grounds of a pack of hungry vampires. As with any Rodriguez film (expect his family oriented endeavors, of course), “From Dusk Till Dawn” is an incredibly violent movie. It’s also insanely entertaining. Any time Rodriguez and Tarantino get together you’re guaranteed a good time at the movies.

“Let the Right One In”

This is one movie I’ll never be able to say enough good things about. “Let the Right One In” could arguably stand beside greats like 1931’s “Dracula” and 1922’s “Nosferatu” as one of the greatest vampire movies of all-time. Oskar is a 12-year-old loner who is often bullied by his classmates. He falls in love with his new neighbor, Eli, a young and peculiar girl. As Oskar becomes closer with Eli, he finds the strength to stand up for himself, but he also finds out that she is a 200-year-old vampire who feeds on the living. Where “Twilight” takes the wussy (and I meant that with a “p”) way around vampire survival, “Let the Right One In” tackles it head on, making a much more effective movie. There are no cheesy sparkling vampires feeding on animal blood, here we have a story of first love combined with all the horrors of being a true vampire.