Since this week unleashes the third entry into the braindead Twilight series, we decided to compile a list of 30 vampire, and werewolf related films that we feel you should watch, instead of pouring more money into this poorly written series of mall goth crap. It should be noted, that the vampire portion of this list was very easy to do. The werewolves though, wow. There is a severe, criminal lack of werewolf movies. There aren't even an abundance of BAD werewolf flicks. How is it that this sub-genre of film has gone so grossly ignored? Is it because it's such an FX heavy project? Either way, it took us almost 3 days to come up with 15 werewolf movies that we feel were worth watching. Some people are bound to disagree, so if you have 15 better suggestions, we're all ears.
Near Dark(1987) Near Dark follows farmboy Caleb, as he falls in love with what turns out to be a creature of the night. When Caleb meets her family, it's quite clear that they aren't quite the polite vampires that his undead girlfriend is. Near Dark is, as far as I'm concerned, the peak of the mountain when it comes to vampire films. It's gritty, dirty, and bloody, but also manages to squeeze in a love story without dragging the film down into soap opera territory. Bill Paxton is the alpha-male of all vampires., in what's one of the best performances of his career. If you haven't seen this movie, what the hell are you doing reading this article?
Innocent Blood(1992)
Innocent Blood is one of those early 90's horror flicks that feels like it's left over from the 80's. Directed by “American Werewolf” creator “John Landis” It retains that dark sense of humor that made Landis such a big name in film. The story follows Marie, a nymphomaniac vampire with a moral code. Marie keeps a close eye on the newspaper, looking for someone that deserves to die. Only then will she quench her lustful thirst for blood. Marie makes two fatal mistakes, she lets her anger choose her prey, and she fails to finish the job. Because of her mistake, mobsters have now become immortal, and all hell is about to break loose. Innocent Blood is a fun watch. It's not quite as good as “American Werewolf” but it still has that feel. It's smart, and funny, and if you like blood and titties, you're in for a treat.
John Carpenter's Vampires(1998)
John Carpenter's Vampires presents us with a world in which not only vampires exist, but the catholic church employs hunters in order to hunt and kill them. We follow James Woods as Jack Crow, the veteran, jaded, vampire slayer, and his sidekick, Montoya, played by Daniel Baldwin, as they track down a master vampire, on a quest to become a daywalker. “Vampires” is a fun ride, and one of Woods' best performances. It's gritty, and bloody, and fun to watch.
The Forsaken(2001)
The Forsaken follows Sean, who's taken a job driving a classic Mercedes across the desert to deliver it to the buyer. Along the way, Sean picks up Nick, a seemingly harmless drifter in need of a ride. At a stop for food, they run into a sick girl, who turns out to have been bitten by a vampire. It's soon revealed that Nick himself had once been bitten by a vampire, but has been able to prolong his transformation by taking various drugs. Nick has also been hunting and killing vampires ever since. The duo then run in to Kit, and his band of ragged vampires, and the clash begins. I enjoyed The Forsaken because it was gritty, and dirty, much like Near Dark. The vampires aren't flashy mall punks, and are only interested in murder. It's a good blend of a road movie, and a vampire movie. Some people will disagree, but for me, “The Forsaken” is pure fun.
The Night Flier(1997)
“The Night Flier” follows tabloid reporter Richard Dees, played by Miguel Ferrer in what I think is one of his best performances, who is investigating a series of strange murders. The murders involve a serial killer, who travels from state to state in a small private plane. Strange occurrences lead Dees to believe that the killer might actually be a vampire. This is a solid Stephen King adaptation. It's creepy as hell, and extremely bloody, and gory. I remember when the movie first came out, it premiered late one weekend night on HBO, before it's theatrical run. The vampire in this film is insane looking, he doesn't sparkle, but he does transform into something completely different than his true form.
Let The Right One In(2008)
“Let The Right One In” is an amazing Swedish vampire film, that also contains a love story. This is a perfect example of how to combine these two elements competently. “Right One” follows Oskar, and he becomes infatuated with his mysterious neighbor Eli. It quickly becomes apparent that Eli isn't quite like other girls. She avoids sunlight, and has a pesky need to feed on human blood. Oskar and Eli's young love is put to the test, as they try to maintain their relationship, while dealing with Eli's thirst for blood. This is one of the best vampire films I've ever seen, it's absolutely beautiful, but creepy and bloody at the same time. If you absolutely NEED a romantic vampire film, this is the movie to turn to.
The Lost Boys(1987)
After moving to California with her two sons Michael (Jason Patric) and Sam (Corey Haim) Lucy (Dianne Wiest) and her family soon realize things are not as they seem in the town of Santa Carla. A true classic vampire film and a must see for any fan of the sub genre although I highly recommend staying away from the sequel.
The Hunger(1983)
Miriam (Catherine Deneuve) an Egyptian era vampiress promises her loves the gift of forever life, after one of her loves John (David Bowie) suddenly ages and dies she seeks the assistance of Sarah (Susan Sarandon), a doctor who researches premature aging. Featuring one of the most well known and epic opening scene of the band Bauhaus performing "Bela Lugosi's Dead".
Children Of The Night(1991)
If a teenager wants to get away from Allburg, USA, he or she must swim the water-filled crypt under the church on Cherry Street. Cindy Thompson (Maya McLaughlin) and Lucy Barett (Ami Dolenz) travel to the church in hopes of completing this task unintentionally awakening a vampire who has been submerged in the crypt for 50 years. Leaving it up to a schoolteacher and priest to save the town from the awoken evil. I loved this flick growing up a very fun watch be sure to search for this one it's worth it.
Fright Night(1985)
Charlie Brewster (William Ragsdale) a huge horror movie fan starts to suspect the two men who have moved in next door to him are in fact vampires. When girls in town start to die mysterious deaths his suspicions rise to even higher levels and turns to his favorite horror host Peter Vincent (Roddy McDowall) for help. This may been my earliest horror/comedy experience as a huge horror fan since a young age I was always able to relate to Charlie, great flick.
From Dusk Till Dawn(1996)
Seth (George Clooney) and Richard (Quentin Tarantino) Gecko find themselves on the run after a back robbery in Texas. Seeking refuge in a strip joint they soon find themselves surrounded by the undead and the battle to survive from Dusk Till Dawn begins. One of my favorite Tarantino films and one hell of a directing job by Robert Rodriguez a must see for any vampire fan.
Dracula(1931)
Based on Bram Stokers 1897 Novel "Dracula", the film that introduced the world to the count portrayed by the horror legend Bela Lugosi perhaps the most famous Dracula among horror buffs of all ages. Dracula is a must see film, as it influenced heavily the image produced by our minds eye, when we hear the word "vampire". And sorry kiddies Bela don't sparkle and he isn't interested in playing doctor unless it involves a blood transfusion via your neck and his teeth.
Vamp!(1986)
Two fraternity pledges are sent on a journey into a dive bar in search of strippers for their fellow brothers in hopes of impressing them. They find themselves inside a bar that's owned and ran by vampires. If you enjoyed The Hunger this is a great follow up film.
Rabid(1977)
After experimental plastic surgery a women develops a hunger for human blood. After feeding on her victims they join her as the undead quickly building a ever growing army of blood craving undead. David Cronenberg's masterpiece make sure you see this film before you die.
The Subspecies Series(1991-1998)
The subspecies series is one of the best examples of vampire movies in my book, Radu is a name you will never forget after viewing these films. A total of 4 films in the series a great marathon for fans of old school 90's Full Moon horror.
Bad moon (1996)The struggle of a man to hide his dark secret. To hide from his family and the world that he has been cursed to turn into a part man part wolf blood thirsty monster each time the moon is full. I ended up watching this movie randomly as a teen and it turned out to be one of the few watchable werewolf movies from 90's that come to mind. It's worth checking out and the "wolf out" transformation is pretty cool in this one.
Blood Moon (2001)Tara Talbot is cursed with the rare genetic condition called hypertrichosiss, causing her to be covered head to toe in hair. She lives her life in Harley Dune's Travelling Freak Show, on display as the 'Terrifying Wolf Girl', but dreams of living her life like a normal teenage girl. A much better horror movie with "romantic" undertones choice then you know what.
Brotherhood of the Wolf(2001)Is it technically a werewolf? That's up to you. For me, it's close enough to make the list. “Brotherhood” is the first film that made me really start paying attention to French Horror. The film is set in 1765, and something is stalking and killing people in the mountains of France. After the “beast” murders women and children for months, the King of France deploys an envoy to investigate the vicious attacks. “Brotherhood” is really an action packed wolf flick. It came out around the same time that 'The Matrix” films were popular, so it does borrow some of that style. This film is an exhilarating watch, and highly recommended.
The Wolf man (1941)Larry Talbot (Lon Chaney Jr) returns to Wales after the death of his brother. While visiting a gypsy camp he witnesses a village girl Jenny (Fay Helm) being attacked by Bela (Bela Lugosi) a gypsy who has been infected by a werewolf. Larry manages to kill the creature but is bitten in the process cursing him to become a werewolf each full moon. This should be your first stop if you haven't see it as far as werewolf movies go the 2010 remake does not do this class justice.
I Was a Teenage Werewolf(1957)A troubled teenager seeks help from a doctor who through hypnotherapy uses him for regression experiments that transform him into a part man part wolf monster. I love this movie as a kid I owned it on VHS twice and watched it so many times both tapes broke. A must see for any classic horror or werewolf fans out there.
Wolfen (1981)A big city cop is assigned to solve a grizzly set of violent murders where it appears that the victims were killed by animals. This was one of my favorite werewolf flicks growing up the name always stood out to me when I would go to the video store when I finally brought it up I was very pleased.
The Company Of Wolves(1984)
“The Company Of Wolves” is a mixed bag of folklore, and fairy tales, dressed up as a werewolf flick. It's less of an actual horror movie, and more of a sexually charged adult fairy tale. We're even treated to the story of Little Red Riding Hood. Most of what occurs can be taken as a metaphor for adolescence, and a budding sexuality.
Wolf (1994)Down and out Will Randall (Jack Nicholson) finds himself attacked and bitten by a wolf, giving him a new boast of energy and the sense of an animal. Inside begins the struggle of wolf and man. One of the best werewolf movies ever made a stunning performance by Jack Nicholson and Michelle Pfeiffer as well.
Silver Bullet (1985)The small town of Tarkets Mill is disturbed after a spree of extreme murders, fearing there is a serial killer among them. Until a young handicapped boy Marty (Corey Haim) starts to suspect it's the work of a werewolf that is living in their very own community. This is by far my favorite werewolf movie (ritualistic speaking) and it also stars one of my favorite human beings of all time Gary Busey as Uncle Red, enough said watch it and tell me it doesn't make "Jacob" look like a total knob in comparison of pure awesome.
Ginger Snaps(2000)Ginger Snaps follows Ginger, and Bridgette, two teenage girls with an odd obsession with death. For fun, the girls take photographs of staged death scenes. One night, Ginger is bitten by what turns out to be a werewolf in the woods, and quickly develops a taste for human flesh. “Ginger Snaps” cleverly uses the werewolf legend as a metaphor for puberty. You thought your first period was a bitch? What till you get a load of Ginger. This Canadian wolf flick is by far one of the best modern werewolf movies.
Dog Soldiers (2002)A squad of British soldiers on a training mission in the desolate Scottish wilderness find themselves in a fight for survival when they encounter werewolves. A great hidden gem a lot of people maybe of missed but one of the better werewolf related flicks out there.
The Howling (1981-1991)After an encounter with a serial killer, a newswoman is sent to a rehabilitation center whose inhabitants may not be what they seem. This is a classic werewolf series, growing up "The Howling" was your go to series for werewolf entertainment.
Big Bad Wolf(2006)Big Bad Wolf is your standard horror set up. Kids, partying in a cabin in the woods, are attacked by a vicious creature, that turns out to be a werewolf. It sounds cliché, and it is, but it's a fun ride. Big Bad Wolf has that old school feel about it. It's one of those movies you know you should hate, but can't help but have a great time watching it. “Big Bad Wolf” contains all the elements to have a good time. Vicious, bloody gore, appealing T&A, and Clint Howard. What more could you ask for?
An American Werewolf in London(1981)Two American students visiting England are attacked by a werewolf during a walking tour, David survives but Jack isn't so lucky dying in the attack. Soon David starts having nightmares of his friend and other victims of the wolf pleading for him to find a way to die in order to release them from their limbo in-between this world and the next. John Landis created one of the best werewolf moves in existence even by today standards and it is a must see for any horror fan.
Wolf Moon (2009)
A small town girl falls in love with a drifter boy, who just happens to be a werewolf. When we were making this list we spent forever trying to find one last werewolf movie that was worth watching. This little gem was hidden within Netflix instaview and even features Sid Haig, if you can't remember the last time you saw a good werewolf movie check this out you may be surprised I know I was.
Bonus:
The Monster Squad(1987)The Monster Squad is one of my fondest childhood memories. I remember, I was the only kid in town that had HBO, so every time they would air it, we would all gather at my house, pizza rolls in hand, to watch the collest fucking 80s movie ever made. "The Monster Squad" follows a group of horror-obsessed 12 year old boys(Gee, wonder why I identified with the characters so easily) whom have created a club to discuss monsters. A squad if you will. Some might refer to it as sort of a Monster Squad. Anyway, due to some ancient mumbo jumbo, the boys' suburban dwelling starts to become infested with classic horror movie monsters. Frankenstein, of course, being the "good" monster, who helps them battle off the likes of Dracula, The Mummy, and The Wolfman, while they attempt nab Sean, our main character's little syster, in order to perform some sort of ritual that will basically open the gates of hell. Crazy right? You know, you've seen it. If not, somebody has homework.
Fright Night 2 (1988)Charlie Brewster and Peter Vincent return in this sequel to "Fight Night" this time around Charlie finds himself bitten by a female vampire cursing him to join their ranks unless he can find a way to break the curse. On top of bloodsuckers you also get a dash of werewolf's as well blending the two genres together without underage sparkly boys on your screen.
Written by: Napalmfuzz & Ritualistic
Halloween night 1962, Frank finds himself locked inside the school coat closet, It is here that he witnesses a replay in time as he watches the ghost of a young girl being murdered by a mysterious man. After this vision he finds himself being stalked by the very killer who took the young girls life many years before, Soon Frank starts to realize the killer may be closer to him than he could of ever imagined.
