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Top 10 List: best vampire movies, no Twilight here
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Here is a list that is constantly debated. Of all the fictional characters to ever grace the silver screen, Dracula is one of most popular. Likewise, there have been dozens, probably hundreds of films starring vampires of all kinds. Some that can come out during the day, some that cannot. Some are allergic to garlic, while others order double garlic on their pizzas. Crosses and holy water will instantly destroy vampires in some stories, while others have the vampire just laugh and knock these items out of the hero’s hand.
Yes, the vampire myth has been told nearly as many different ways as there are films portraying these undead beings. Where the vampire myth started is also debated amongst scholars (yes, there are vampire scholars). The name “Dracula” almost certainly came from Vlad Dracu or Dracul (1431-1476), aka “Vlad the Impaler.” Vlad was born in Transylvania, now a part of Romania. He was notorious for impaling his victims on sharp wooden posts. “Dracula” became the name of the famous vampire as it means, “little demon/dragon,” or “son of the Devil.” Here is some great information on Vlad from WikiAnswers (though the accuracy has not personally been verified).
The “undead” myth of vampires was most likely born many years ago when bodies were dug up for many different reasons (robbery, fear of the “undead,” etc.) and the appearance of the corpses had drastically changed. Due to decomposition many times the body would be discovered in a different position (when muscle decayed rapidly the body often shifted), hair would appear to be longer, and fluids or blood would be coming out of the mouth. All these things led to the belief that these bodies were actually the “undead.” Many times they were then burned, or the heart removed and burned as a way to “kill” the “undead.”
However, as with many myths, the tales take shape slowly over hundreds of years and trying to pinpoint exactly when and what sparked a myth is nearly impossible. But, the vampire myth lives on strong to this day and has been the subject of many great movies. Pooling from many lists and other sources, here is the Top 10 Best Vampire Movies:
Click the movie title for complete information on the film, including videos of the trailers (will stay in the same window).
1) Nosferatu (1922)
2) Dracula (1931)
3) Horror of Dracula (1958)
4) Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
5) Fright Night (1985)
6) Interview with the Vampire (1994)
7) From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)
8) Blade/Blade II (1998/2002)
9) The Lost Boys (1987)
10) 30 Days of Night (2007)
Honorable Mentions: Near Dark (1987), Martin (1977), Cronos (1993), Shadow of the Vampire (2000), and Salem’s Lot (1979)
Top 10 lists should always respect and pay homage to the films that were groundbreaking. Nosferatu is hands down the vampire film that started it all and set the bar for all others to come. Made during the infancy of film it was said to be the scariest movie ever made. Compared to today, that would certainly be a stretch, but in 1922 it gave the audience things they could hardly imagine. Some say Bela Lugosi’s performance in Dracula (1931) is the best portrayal of the character to ever hit the silver screen. He was the first to really bring the “sexy side” of vampires to light. Horror of Dracula was also pretty groundbreaking combining the romantic side of the vampire allure with the gory side of their animal thirst for blood. For the period in which it was made, it had a large amount of special effects and gore. There are many others from many different decades that could easily be on the list, but in order to span all of movie history and throw in a couple from the modern era, many of these were sadly left out (hey, there are only 10 spots).
And to answer your question, No, Twilight does not deserve a spot on the “Best Vampire Movies” list. Perhaps it would make the “Best Teenage, High School, Romeo and Juliet type, Shiny Skinned Vampire” list. Check back for that Top 10 later.
But, here’s your chance to let the world know which ones you thought were left off the list. The comments section is yours.
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See what all the talk was about on Fark.com: Biggest Box Office Bombs list.
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Here is some information about films coming out in 2010.
Check out some reviews:X-men Origins: Wolverine, Angels & Demons, Terminator Salvation, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, Star Trek, Land of the Lost, The Hangover, The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3, Year One, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and Public Enemies.
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