Summary
The first vampire movie, released all the way back in the early 1920s, was loosely based on Bram Stoker’sDracula,but took the eponymous vampiric Count and transformed him into the terrifying Count Orlok.Nosferatuunsettled audiences at the time, relying on images to belay terror, as movies were silent during this era. It was undoubtedly influential in other vampire movies, inspiring Barlow fromSalem’s Lot, and even Petyr fromWhat We Do in the Shadows.
A product of its time through and through, the silent movie genre can be off-putting to an audience used to sound, which has become important, especially in the horror genre. There have been more modern versions of the movie Vampire to make it more palatable, such as a version that played songs by the moody metal band Type O Negative, and even a brand-newNosferatumade in the 70s. But now, fans are being treated to a full modern remake from Robert Eggers ofThe VVitchandThe Lighthousefame.While patiently awaiting the 2024 release ofNosferatu (or after catching an early viewing),here are some other movies to slake peoples' thirst.
Updated by Mara Cowley on December 20th 2024:2024 has been an exciting year for vampire movie enjoyers, purely because of the hotly anticipated Nosferatu 2024 remake. Now with the holiday season here, many fans have already secured their tickets for the biggest movie event of the year, but for those looking for more movies to watch before Nosferatu, there are plenty more vampire movies to sink their fangs into from past years, ranging from the gothic and macabre to the more humorous takes on the vampire mythos. As such, this article has been updated to provide more movies for those that enjoyed Nosferatu (or those who are still waiting for its wide release).
2023
Director
Chris McKay
When Nicolas Cage is cast in a major role, viewers know they are in for a fun time, at the very least. But, it is Nicholas Hoult who shines as the main star here, who Nosferatu 2024 fans will recognize from his time in that movie as Thomas Hutter.
In this loose 2023 adaptation of theDraculanovel, Hoult starts as the eponymous Renfield, the long-suffering servant who wishes to break free from his obligations to the tyrannical count. While the audience shouldn’t expect a faithful adaptation or a more serious movie, they can expect plenty of hilarity and over the top moments of gore and blood. It is the perfect movie to relax to after enduring the more serious and brooding 2024 remake ofNosferatu.
Andre Overdal
With so many adaptations of Stoker’sclassic gothic novelacross almost every form of media, it would be difficult to find a new way to tell the tale of the vampiric count. But this is exactly what the minds behindThe Last Voyage of the Demetermanaged to pull off, with an entire movie centered around that fateful boat ride from the book that brought him from Translyvania to the docks of Whitby.
The Last Voyage of the Demeteris pure horror as the crew slowly begin to fear they are not carrying an ordinary cargo, as strange events continue to occur during their voyage. The crew are warned about a creature named Dracula, but the warning comes too late as the count has awoken, and he uses the crew to slake his bloody thirst. There is no romance to be found as in the likes of the 1992 filmBram Stoker’s Dracula, but this is an excellent watch for those who enjoy their vampires with a slice of horror.
1994
Neil Jordan
Based on the Ann Rice novel of the same name,Interview with the Vampireis one of the mosticonic vampire moviesof all time and is a favorite among those who enjoy vampire media. Louis’s story, and his fateful meeting with the vampire Lestat, is conveyed as an interview to a reporter, sparing none of the gory details of his sordid life and subsequent afterlife as Lestat’s undead companion.
Brooding, gothic, and melancholic,Interview with the Vampirehits all the perfect notes a vampire film should, with stellar performances from the cast, including a young Kirsten Dunst, whose character provides an interesting conundrum concerning eternal childhood. For vampire fans who somehow missed the iconic gem, they are doing themselves a disservice if they do not make watching this a priority.
1979
Werner Herzog
Years after the original 1922 movie, German director Werner Herzog decided to put his own spin on theclassic black and whitesilent movie, resulting inNosferatu the Vampyre, complete with sound and color. It is more or less a faithful remake of the original movie, which was itself a retelling of the original novel.
There are differences, with Count Orlok referred to as Count Dracula, and full audio, a relief to those who are not used to silent movies. Fans of either the original movie or the novels it was based on, or those looking to sink their teeth into their first classic vampire movie, would be remiss to not watchNosferatu the Vampyre.
2014
Taika Waititi, Jemaine Clement
Vampire moviesnormally delve into genres such as horror or drama, providing gritty, somber, and serious storylines for viewers to immerse themselves in. However, such plots aren’t for everyone, and viewers may prefer a side of levity along with their creatures of the night.
This is exactly whatWhat We Do in the Shadowsprovides, acomedy mockumentaryfollowing the nightly lives of vampire housemates “unliving” together. They find themselves embroiled in somewhat pedestrian antics, like readying themselves for a night out, with hilarious outcomes. Not to mention, the vampire Petyr is a clear parody of Count Orlokwith his two pointy front teeth, bald head, and pointy ears. What’s more, there is evena multi-series television showfor those who can’t get enough of the hilarity this movie provides.
1992
Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola’s 1992Draculamovie may not be the most faithful adaptation of Bram Stoker’s novel, with more than a few deviations from the source material, but none can deny that it is one of themost laudedDraculamovies of all time. With big stars such as Anthony Hopkins, Gary Oldman, Keanu Reeves, and Winona Ryder making up the main cast,Bram Stoker’s Draculawas an excellent andpalatable gothic tale of romanceand horror.
The in-depth glimpse of Mina and Johnathan’s love, the peek behind the curtain to see how Dracula became a vampire, and the allusion to reincarnated loves are all boldly new but welcome additions to theDraculamythos. Those looking for an all-around excellent vampire movie cannot afford to miss this one.
2000
E. Elias Merhige
Nosferatu2024 won’t be Willem Dafoe’s first foray into the world of vampires. In the year 2000, he starred in a movie calledShadow of the Vampire, a meta-movie that tells thetale of a studio making the movieNosferatu, withDafoe portraying Count Orlok’sactor, Max Schreck. Max only appears in full makeup and costume, and only films at night to immerse himself in the role, but strange occurrences happen when they start shooting on location, all culminating in a shocking reveal.
The plot of the movie is clever and unique, and Dafoe’s performance is nothing short of excellent. It gives viewers a fantastical glimpse into movie production, all the while telling atale of gothic terror.
2019
Robert Eggers
Willem Dafoe andRobert Eggersworked together before the latest iteration ofNosferatu, in the black-and-white surreal horrorThe Lighthouse. In this movie, two lighthouse workers are stranded on an island lighthouse and witness some truly bizarre events that throw the characters' sanity into question.
The two leads, expertly played by Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson, make up pretty much the whole cast, and yet still manage to carry an intriguingplot that will continue to surprise the audience.Though there are no fanged creatures to be found in this movie, it is still agreat introduction to the visionary behindNosferatuand one of the upcoming film’s leading actors.
Tobe Hooper
Based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name,Salem’s Lotis a two-parttelevision miniseriesthat brought the novel to life, providing ample screentime to do the story justice. It proved popular among horror fans, becoming one of the most loved vampire movies of all time. Scenes such as theawakening of Kurt Barlow, and the vampire children floating outside of windows, have cemented themselves in the minds of viewers for years, haunting their nightmares to this day.
Salem’s Lotis another vampire movie that is receiving a more up-to-date adaptation, which only provides another reason for people to watch this version first and experience the vision that has terrified and thrilled millions.
1922
F. W. Murnau
The most obvious movie that is a must-watch beforeNosferatu2024 is the black-and-white classic dating way back to the 1920s. The original movie startled audiences back in the day and even received a ban in countries like Sweden and Germany. In more modern times, it’s considered tame in terms of horror but is still amust-watch classic for fans of vampiresas well as horror movie aficionados.
Inspiringcountless other vampire moviesand characters,Nosferatueventually led to the creation of many modern horror films, and horror fans should watch it just to witness the first vampire movie ever made. It is available to stream for free on a variety of platforms, including YouTube, thanks to it being part of the public domain, so nobody has an excuse not to watch it.
