10 Best Movie Vampires
2. Lestat de Lioncourt – Queen of the Damned (2002)/Interview with the Vampire (1994)
Joining Interview with the Vampire character Louis de Pointe du Lac on this list is fellow Anne Rice creation Lestat de Lioncourt.
Played by Tom Cruise in the 1994 Interview movie, and then by Stuart Townsend in the 2002 film Queen of the Damned, the French aristocrat turned rock star vampire is unlike anyone else on this list.
In both of these famous portrayals, Lestat is shown to have a brutal disregard for human life, and his inhuman speed, thrall and power assist his wit and manipulative skills to help him get what he wants when he wants it.
There are many scenes throughout both films that portray Lestat feeding from humans and killing humans and vampires alike, but perhaps more importantly he is shown to turn humans into vampires – something more rare than you might imagine for vampire characters on film.
Lestat is undoubtedly one of the most well known vampires in film and literature, even being referenced in other films and tv shows. This fame-seeking vampire with a penchant for blood and destruction both charms and frightens audiences. For that reason, Lestat makes number 2 on this list.
1. Dracula
What do you think of when you hear the word “vampire”? Odds are that it’s Dracula.
The Prince of Darkness has been the most portrayed vampire in the history of cinema, and there’s no denying his legendary status as the king of the vampires (not even in this list).
Charming and attractive, and always dressed to impress, Dracula is the original vampire and the one all the others can only aspire to be. When a character literally writes the rule book for the entirety of vampire mythology, it’s hard to overlook them in a list of greatest vampires…
All the famous mythology – dirt from his homeland, sleeping in coffins, the “Renfield” (loyal subjects hoping to be “turned”), disappearing into smoke, mind control and being staked, to name but a few – can be traced back to the source: Dracula.
On film, the character persists as a must-watch figure, running from Bela Lugosi’s portrayal in 1931’s Dracula to the BBC’s three-part mini-series ‘Dracula’ in 2020, proving his impact and longevity as a vision of a darker side of humanity.
With all the respect and adoration of all other vampires, Dracula seems to be the most consistently fascinating and horrifying for audiences, a timeless figure who will likely thrill for centuries to come.
Recommended for you: Where To Start with Universal Classic Monsters
With so many great vampires put to screen over the past 100 years or so, we’d love to hear who your favourites are. Let us know in the comments, and follow us on Facebook and Twitter to get updates on more articles like this one.
