There have been vampire films ever since the 1910s, and throughout the subsequent century plus they haven’t gone away. Of course, it takes a lot of fresh new spins to keep narratives about the eternal life of a bloodsucker relevant. And, throughout all that time, some decades have brought more to the table than others. For a while, though, they were fairly straightforward. For instance, the ’30s and ’40s mostly had the Universal Monsters while the late ’50s to the ’70s had the Hammer movies (led by Christopher Lee). It was in the ’80s that the vampire movie formula started to be toyed with, and some of the results remain beloved classics.
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From genre-blenders to dramas that upped the eroticism, the following vampire movies represented the best of the decade’s output in the subgenre. But which of them is the best of the best?
7) The Hunger
The studio-mandated ending may suck the impact out of the film’s otherwise excellent conclusion, but Tony Scott’s The Hunger is an otherwise tight and erotic vampire horror drama. We follow Miriam Blaylock, a vampire who promises a series of lovers that they can have eternal life as long as they become her companion.
What she fails to mention, however, is that they don’t retain their youth. This is something her current companion, John (David Bowie), learns the hard way when, like those before him, he begins to wither away. He seeks to have his rapid aging reversed so he seeks out a pair of doctors studying rapid ageing in primates. One of the two, Dr. Sarah Roberts (Susan Sarandon), comes to believe him but, when she seeks him out, she instead finds Miriam, who comes to believe she’s found her next companion. However, Dr. Roberts may prove to be her final companion, and that’s if she says yes to the gig at all.
Stream The Hunger for free with ads on Tubi.
6) The Lair of the White Worm
Technically, The Lair of the White Worm (a loose adaptation of the novel by Dracula author Bram Stoker) doesn’t feature a vampire as much as it features a snake monster whose bite turns others into her slaves. But, really, she’s basically a vampire.
Ken Russell never made a universally accessible movie, and The Lair of the White Worm is no different, but it’s a compellingly watchable fever dream, nonetheless. It also features a young Hugh Grant and Peter Capaldi in major roles, so there’s a certain pop-culture curiosity in play as well.
Stream The Lair of the White Worm for free with ads on Tubi.
5) Lifeforce
Most of Cannon’s films were visually unimpressive and hokey. For instance, most of Chuck Norris’ early movies. Tobe Hooper’s Lifeforce was a little different. It’s still a little hokey, but it’s also aided by excellent visuals and a surplus of ambition.
Admittedly, its ambition can get the better of it, but for the most part this movie about a seductress space vampire works. It’s almost certainly entirely unlike every other vampire movie you’ve ever seen.
Stream Lifeforce for free with ads on Tubi.
4) The Monster Squad
The Monster Squad isn’t the last movie on this list to feature a few young protagonists who love horror films and get to meet a monster in real life. As it turns out, that was pretty much the key to making a great ’80s horror comedy.
In the case of The Monster Squad, though, it’s not just Dracula the kids have to run up against, but also other Universal Monsters legends such as the Mummy, Frankenstein, and the Gill-man. With jokes that are neither inappropriate for children nor too silly for adults, The Monster Squad is a good time for all.
Stream The Monster Squad on Prime Video.
3) The Lost Boys
Joel Schumacher was great at creating rewatchable blockbuster entertainment, and The Lost Boys is the best of his bunch. It’s stylish, well cast, and comes with a third act twist that, much to its credit, isn’t predictable.
Schumacher and the film’s three screenwriters have a lot of fun paying homage to and having fun with the subgenre’s conventions. It’s a horror movie for people who like horror movies as much as it’s a movie for people who like coming of age stories with a classic rock-infused soundtrack.
Stream The Lost Boys for free with ads on Tubi.
2) Near Dark
One of the most impressive directorial debuts ever made, Kathryn Bigelow’s Near Dark is a heartfelt and visually stunning vampire Western with a game cast and fantastic score by Tangerine Dream. It wasn’t recognized at the time of release, but those who have come to see it have come to love it.
Not to mention, along with being a top-tier vampire movie, this is also the ultimate companion to Aliens, at least in terms of movies that don’t feature a Xenomorph. Why? It features three of that classic’s cast members: Lance Henriksen, Bill Paxton (who has a lot of fun playing a villain), and Jenette Goldstein.
Stream Near Dark on Shudder.
1) Fright Night
One of the most eminently likable movies of the ’80s, Fright Night is very much like The Lost Boys in that it’s a movie for those who grew up watching horror movies. It always come equipped with a charming but simple concept. We follow a horror movie-loving teenager who finds out that his new next-door neighbor just so happens to be a creature of the night.
From the tone, which is both light but not afraid to be scary, to the note-perfect work by the cast, Fright Night is a masterclass of a horror comedy. And, not unlike how Near Dark was a highly impressive directorial debut for Kathryn Bigelow, this was a phenomenal first time behind the camera for Tom Holland, who went on to helm Child’s Play.
What is your favorite 1980s vampire movie? Let us know in the comments.
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