10 best vampire horror films, ranked by thirstiness
Vampires are usually sexy as hell, am I right? Throughout the decades, we’ve dealt with a range of vampires in horror films. And some vampires are too monstrous for certain fans (meanwhile some of us aren’t scared away by that) to consider scorching.
Instead of talking about the hottest vampires, though, I’m diving into some of the best vampire horror films that incite…thirstiness. Grab your decanter full of blood and let’s see where each film ranks. Sorry to say that Dracula (1931), Dracula’s Daughter (1936), Let Me In (2010) won’t be making this list for various reasons. But be sure to watch those if you’re a connoisseur of vampire horror.
Nosferatu (1922)
Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu was inspired by this film, in case you didn’t know! Nosferatu is a silent horror film that follows a woman who is preyed on by the mysterious vampire, Count Orlok (Max Schreck). The performances are expressive, and Count Orlok is very dramatic throughout the film’s runtime. But as a vampire horror film, it’s not all that sexually charged.
Instead of embracing desire, Ellen (Greta Schröder) rejects it and decides to destroy Count Orlok at the end of the film. The conformity of the characters (it was the ’20s, so it’s not surprising) makes it the least sexy vampire film. And while it’s certainly a film that horror enthusiasts should watch, it doesn’t hold stand tall in the thirsty department.
30 Days of Night (2007)
It’s hard to thirst after vampires who are quick to tear your throat out on a snowy road. 30 Days of Night is based on the comic series of the same name and follows a group of folks in Alaska who are invaded by vampires and must survive a month of darkness. And the vampires are certainly not campy, sparkly, or anything of the sort.
While the vampires are genuinely terrifying and effective for 30 Days of Night, they shuck against the thirst factor. Unless your yum is being chased around an isolated town by vampires who are speaking in an ancient language. Otherwise? The film lands this low on the list because the vamps don’t incite thirstiness as easily as other films.
Near Dark (1987)
Insert moody Western scores here and drive on in your clunky RV. Near Dark follows a young man who finds himself tangled up with a found family of vampires. It’s not only a vampire horror film with a cult following, there’s queer coding within the film and it’s an interesting watch.
Near Dark is a blend of repression and conformity, as well as nonconformity The vampire family is intriguing, but they aren’t perfect (the Confederate flag in the RV says enough) nor are they all worthy of thirst. Mae (Jenny Wright) and Severen (Bill Paxton) are easily the hottest of the vamp family. But the problem is that the vampirism is seen as something to be cured, and the thirstiness meter dips quite a bit as a result.
Interview with the Vampire (1994)
It can’t go toe to toe with the television series, but it certainly levitates within the ’90s horror canon. Interview with the Vampire is a film adaptation based on Anne Rice’s book of the same name and follows Louis De Pointe Du Lac (Brad Pitt), his relationship with Lestat (Tom Cruise), and his journey as a vampire. As far gothic horror goes, it’s visually delightful, and Tom Cruise is one of the more memorable parts of the film. And he certainly brings the thirst as well as camp.
Despite landing higher on the list, mostly because of Cruise, there’s still rejection of sensuality coming from Louis. Ultimately leaving a sourness when he’s onscreen, rather than a feeling of being thirsty. Without Cruise letting loose during his scenes, there wouldn’t be much gothic thirstiness in this adaptation. Thus, it sits somewhere in the middle.
From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)
It’s hard not to think about that scene with Salma Hayek, right? From Dusk Till Dawn follows criminal brothers and a family they kidnap to drive to Mexico, only to find themselves battling to survive against vampires. It’s a film that’s got bits of comedy, lots of western horror imagery, and the practical effects are top-notch. But what about the vampires and the sexiness?
When people bring up From Dusk Till Dawn is brought up, most individuals will think about Santanico Pandemonium (Salma Hayek)’s unbearably hot dance sequence with the snake. And if that doesn’t practically explode the thirstiness bell, then I don’t know what will. On top of that, George Clooney looks great and nails the bad boy aesthetic. Therefore, it earns its place on this list because hot vampire ladies are practically enough to rank this high enough.
The Lost Boys (1987)
People and vampires are strange, but usually you remember their names. The Lost Boys follows Michael (Jason Patric) who finds himself falling in with a group of rebellious vampires in California. The film is a cult classic that is filled to the brim with queer subtext and sex appeal. Thank you, Joel Schumacher.
The Lost Boys has a deliberately sexy and slicker atmosphere than previous vampire horror films. David (Kiefer Sutherland) and his crew are very sweaty (which works for some folks), Michael is pretty, and Star (Jami Gertz) is a smoke show. The sex appeal makes for a lot of hardcore thirstiness, and who doesn’t love the beach concert scene with the sax man?
Fright Night (1985)
Grab a vampire’s hand and dance to the rhythm until you’re turned. Fright Night follows a teenager who discovers his neighbor is a vampire who is killing the locals. Leading Charley (William Ragsdale) to recruit a fake vampire hunter to help defeat Jerry. It’s a cult classic that still holds up with its practical effects and performances.
Fright Night not only has watchability status, it’s also very thirsty in its ambiance and some of the scenes. Jerry Dandrige (Chris Sarandon) in particular brings a mature thirstiness to his role and likely caused some queer awakenings for folks. Let’s be honest. Despite how he’s thwarted in the end, it doesn’t take away from any of that and thus its position on this list.
Blade (1998)
Imagine if Marvel had continued the trend of creating more gritty adaptations like this one. Blade follows a daywalker named Blade (Wesley Snipes) who seeks to take down a group of young vampires. The film not only helped kickstart success for Marvel, but it remains incredibly influential.
Blade might not seem like it’s thirsty or even remotely hot, but it absolutely is. The blood rave scene is thrilling in that blood soaked way, the young vampires are all thirsty and indulge in their desires, and there’s something so hot about most of the main vampires in this film. Who doesn’t love a little leather, blood, or unapologetic sexuality?
Daughters of Darkness (1971)
Erotic vampires? You don’t say. Daughters of Darkness follows a mismatched couple on their honeymoon who encounter the gorgeous Countess Báthory (Delphine Seyrig). The film is not only one of the most quintennial sapphic horror films, it also remains a great example of eroticism in horror. Very thirsty, very erotic, and delicious.
The film captures all types of thirstiness in different types of relationships, but the relationship that develops is the one between Bathory and Valerie (Danielle Ouimet). There’s queer longing and a desire for sexual expression and freedom that’s achieved by the end of Daughters of Darkness. As the film resides in the erotic horror subgenre, thirst is caked into the entire film and it’s unapologetic about it.
The Hunger (1981)
Bauhaus is playing and decadence is waiting for you. The Hunger follows a doctor and a vampire couple who become tangled up in a love triangle. On top of having a cult following by way of goth culture, it’s also extraordinarily queer on and behind the scenes.
The film’s title references vampirism and a hunger for blood, but it can also be read as a hunger for something else entirely. The Hunger oozes sex, desire, and a liberation from a restricted way of living. Considering it’s an erotic horror film with the main cast consisting of Catherine Deneuve, David Bowie, and Susan Sarandon, it was a given that it would be scorching at least. At the end of the day, The Hunger is at the tippy top of this list for good reason.
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