So I’ve been embracing the vampire this Halloween season. My lovely ladyfriend and I watched the Dracula tv show that premiered Friday night (It was kind of boring with not much vampire action… but come to think of it I did make popcorn with garlic butter on it so I guess the lack of vampires could’ve actually been my fault).
I also just read Richard Matheson’s I Am Legend for the first time and thought it was stellar. I’d seen all the film versions (except for the direct to tv movie made a few years ago) and like them all. The Will Smith one being my favorite by far with Vincent Price’s coming in second and Charlton Heston’s in last place.
Speaking of Vampire films… what are your top five?
Mine are:
1) Near Dark (Kathryn Bigelow’s 1987 film about a cowboy who becomes smitten with a girl who turns out to be a member of a family of vampires. He abandons his family and goes on the road with them as they perform their daily routines. Dark, yet at times laugh out loud funny, this film always made me think this is how vampires would actually behave in our reality. Warning: there is an extremely cheesy ’80’s ending to the film but other than that one shortcoming this is by far my favorite vampire film)
2) Vampire’s Kiss (This 1989 dark comedy is not for everyone. It’s pretty weird. Nicholas Cage plays a literary agent who is under the impression he’s turning into a vampire. His failed attempts to be a vampire are ridiculous and have me laughing every time I rewatch it… but that’s not to leave you with the impression that it’s a straight comedy. Like I said… it’s dark and weird. And definitely my second favorite vampire film)
3) I Am Legend (The 2007 film version of the Matheson book that I mentioned above. I just love all the visuals of the empty city as Robert Neville (Will Smith) forages for food, dvds and vampires to kill. It’s an added bonus that the screams of the vampires are done by Mike Patton but I swear that’s not the main reason this is my number three… it’s just a great film)
4) The Lost Boys (I saw this 1987 classic in the theater when I was ten years old so I admit that nostalgia plays a large part on this one. Kiefer Sutherland plays the leader of a vampire gang… wait, what am I doing… you’ve already seen this one. And if not you should check it out right now. It’s just a fun movie for kids and adults alike. I can’t vouch for either of the sequels though so I recommend sticking with the original)
5) Vamp (Another nostalgic movie from my childhood, this 1986 film stars Grace Jones as Katrina the queen of the vampires. Her lair is a strip club ran by and populated by vampires where she does a super artsy strip tease act featuring animal sounds and body paint. The plot revolves around three frat boys who stop by for an evening of pleasure… but they’re wallets aren’t the only thing these girls want to drain! Sorry… anyway, it’s dumb, it’s dated, but I frickin’ love this movie. And yes I realize it makes the list while Let the Right One In and From Dusk Til Dawn and Nosferatu and all sorts of other great films don’t… but this is my list. What’s yours?)
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That’s a gorgeous drawing.
That said it is still perplexing to me how we are even friends. How are we friends? I don’t get it. The Will Smith “I Am Legend” is truly a terrible movie. I also hate “Lost Boys” and “Vamp”, but I’m willing to let personal taste win out on that. “I Am Legend” is just… ugh. Who are you?
So feel free to go ahead and bash any of these:
1. Let the Right One In. So amazingly good. Haunting and quiet, dark, disturbing and ultimately sweet.
2. Near Dark. We agree on everything here except list placement. So good.
3. From Dusk Til Dawn. It’s such an over-the-top gorefest, I can’t not love it. That said, it’s one of those movies I wish people could watch without knowing what’s about to happen.
4. Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Gary Oldman’s Dracula. Mike Mignola designs, flashy and gorgeous and Gary Oldman. Plus, pretty faithful to the novel.
5. Martin. One of George Romero’s few non-zombie movies. It’s certainly dated and a slow-burner, but I think one of Romero’s best. Not so much a vampire movie as it is a flick about a crazy guy. Probably the pre-cursor to Vampire’s Kiss, without so much of the loony.
And I watched about 20 minutes of the TV Dracula and got pissed off at it and watched something fantastic on Netflix probably.
You know what, after reading your comment I think I actually agree with you. That is a gorgeous drawing.
1. Let the Right One In. This is #1 by a mile in my book. The feeling I get from this film chills me to the bone and makes me think “if vampires were real, this is what their life would be like”.
2. Fright Night (1985). Your so cool Brewster, nuff said.
3. Blood the Last Vampire. A very cool animated movie from 2000. It has gross vampires and an elder hunter ala Blade.
4. The Lost Boys. I loved this so much as a kid and it still holds up well. Kiefer and Bill S Preston have sick mullets.
5. That one were Alyssa Milano shows her boobs a bunch. I can’t remember what it’s called and I think the movie sucked but I like Alyssa Milano’s boobs a lot.
It’s Embrace of the Vampire. I grew up with a super crush on Alyssa Milano because she was about the same age as me while Who’s the Boss? was airing.
And yeah, Embrace is terrible but it sort of completed a portion of my childhood to finally see her in a steamy sex scene that wasn’t solely taking place inside my head.
I’m behind on my blog reading and just now getting around to this one. Please excuse my late reply. In chronological order, my fav five:
Nosferatu (or, A Symphony of Horror) (1922). – Public domain and available for your viewing pleasure on the Interwebs free of charge.
Vampyr (1932). – Ditto. So, you’ve got no excuse for having never seen Nosferatu or Vampyr.
The Horror of Dracula (1957). – I love Hammer Studios’ Dracula films. This is the first. Any of them are worth seeking out.
Black Sunday (1960). – One of the spookiest cinemaphotographic uses of black and white film you’ll ever see.
The Return of Count Yorga (1971). – Yorga’s vampire harem scared the hell out of me when I was a kid. They still do.