10 Best Vampire Movies With Great Acting, Ranked

Vampires have long been a fascination of horror fans, as there are many ways in which these stories can be seen as a metaphor for issues within society. There is a grandiose history to vampire mythology that has significantly impacted the development of gothic media; although recently there have been many prestigious television shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Interview With The Vampire, and True Blood that have approached the subject, many of the best vampire stories have been told on the big screen.

Vampire stories tend to connect with audiences because they say something about the human condition, and thus require excellent performances from talented cast members that are comfortable with the body horror element that these narratives require. At their best, vampire films are so authentic that they can make the viewers connect with supernatural characters. Here are the ten best vampire movies with great acting, ranked.

10 ‘Blade’ (1998)

Directed by Stephen Norrington

Blade laid the groundwork for the superhero genre as it became known today, as there would certainly not be a Marvel Cinematic Universe if it wasn’t for the precedent that Stephen Norrington set with his 1998 classic. Blade certainly would not have become the sensation that it ended up being if it wasn’t for the pitch perfect casting of Wesley Snipes in the titular role, as he nailed every aspect of what had made the comic book character so beloved among Marvel fans.

Snipes was willing to take Blade seriously, which helped differentiate it from other superhero films that were far more tongue-in-cheek. The addition of the late great Kris Kristofferson as Whistler also added a weight of prestige that the film needed, as did Stephen Dorff’s scene stealing performance as one of the more underrated Marvel villains ever brought to screen.

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9 ‘El Conde’ (2023)

Directed by Pablo Larrain

El Conde is by no means a traditional vampire movie, as it blends supernatural elements with a biographical storyline centered around one of the most ruthless dictators in South American history. El Conde stars Jaime Vadell as the real political leader Augusto Pinochet, but creates a fictional horror storyline centered around his powers as a vampire.

El Conde works because Vadell understands how to blend legitimate menace with a sense of camp. Although there are interactions between Pinochet and his ungrateful extended family that play like a historical version of Succession due to all the quips, anything having to do with the actual reign of terror is handled with the degree of sensitivity that is required. Vadell does wear some heavy prosthetics throughout in order to become the supernatural figure, but that does not make his performance any less compelling.

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8 ‘Nosferatu the Vampyre’ (1979)

Directed by Werner Herzog

Nosferatu the Vampyre is among the rare remakes that is just as good as its original, as Werner Herzog was able to reinvent the 1922 film in order to examine the development of German politics in the 19th century. The film was one of many collaborations between Herzog and Klaus Kinski, whose terrifying performance as Count Dracula is enough to give nightmares to even the most veteran of horror fans. Kinski managed to honor what Max Shreck did in the original film whilst still being able to add his own interpretations to the role.

Kinski is horrifying in Nosferatu the Vampyre because his performance is subtle, and does not rely on jump scares to be effective. The film was also notable in how it emphasized its female characters, as Isabelle Adjani’s performance as Lucy Hacker was quite empowering within a genre that is often dominated by men.

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7 ‘The Lost Boys’ (1987)

Directed by Joel Schumacher

The Lost Boys played like a darker version of the “Brat Pack” movies that had dominated the 1980s, as it combined elements of a dark coming-of-age story with a great deal of vampire-adjacent action. The Lost Boys managed to connect with younger viewers because the lead characters were both relatable and very entertaining to watch; the real life friendship between child stars Corey Feldman and Corey Haim paid off, as their chemistry was electrifying in the final film.

The Lost Boys nailed its approach to vampires thanks to the incredible performance by Kiefer Sutherland, whose performance instantly became the film’s most recognizable element. As with many of the films directed by Joel Schumacher,The Lost Boys is very self-aware of how intentionally campy it is, and it is a credit to the entire cast that the understood the unique tonal balance required of them.

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6 ‘Interview with the Vampire’ (1994)

Directed by Neil Jordan

Interview with the Vampire was a highly anticipated adaptation, as Anne Rice’s novels had been considered to be some of the greatest works of vampire fiction ever written. Director Neil Jordan understood that the film needed to be a dynamic sexual noir with heartthrobs cast in the leading roles; Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise did a great job at playing age-old vampires that are never quite able to understand what makes someone “human.”

Although the film also features memorable work from Christian Slater and Antonio Banders, the most scene-stealing performance in Interview with the Vampire is by a young Kirsten Dunst, who gave one of the greatest child performances of all-time. Dunst added a surprising level of complexity to a character that could have easily been used as a gimmick, and managed to hold her own when cast alongside some of the most famous actors of the 1990s.

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5 ‘Fright Night’ (2011)

Directed by Craig Gillespie

Fright Night is a remake that truly elevated the original, as Craig Gillespie’s update of the 1985 cult classic nails the mix of camp, suspense, and dark comedy needed for this vampire noir story. Anton Yelchin brings out such charisma that it was easy to empathize with his character, and David Tennant brought out the same unusual charisma that had made Vincent Price’s performance in the 1985 film so beloved.

Fright Night made the brilliant choice of casting Colin Farrell as the leading vampire antagonist, as his performance is both frightful and funny at the same time. Fright Night manages to transform from a dark comedy of errors into a bloody, adrenaline-pumping thrill ride, and it’s a testament to Farrell’s bravery as a performer that he was able to make the tonal shift as effective as it ended up being.

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4 ‘What We Do In The Shadows’ (2014)

Directed by Taika Waititi

What We Do In The Shadows is one of the funniest movies of the 2010s, and certainly was responsible for putting Taika Waititi on the map as an actor, writer, and director. Waititi is often at his best when he is able to get as weird as possible, and What We Do In The Shadows succeeded by letting him bounce off of Rhys Darby, Jemaine Clement, and Johnny Brugh as they examined what vampires did when they weren’t trying to suck the blood from humans.

What We Do In The Shadows succeeded because of the commitment of its cast, as much of the film was reliant on improvisation that was conceived during the midst of shooting. The popularity of the film and performances grew so strong that it inspired a highly acclaimed television series of the same name, which is set to air its sixth season this year.

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3 ‘From Dusk Till Dawn’ (1996)

Directed by Robert Rodriguez

From Dusk Till Dawn is one of the most surprising vampire movies, as the film does not reveal itself to be supernatural until the plot has already begun. George Clooney and Quentin Tarantino may not look anything alike, but they were able to believable act as the Gecko brothers, who go on the run across the border of Mexico after kidnapping a priest (Harvey Keitel) and his daughter (Juliette Lewis).

From Dusk Till Dawn was a real star-making performance for Clooney, as at the time there was some hesitation on whether or not he could conceivably make the transition from appearing on ER to being the star of a hardcore genre thriller. Tarantino often makes cameos in his own films, but he ended up being a much stronger actor when his friend Robert Rodriquez was there to give him directions.

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2 ‘Bram Stoker’s Dracula’ (1992)

Directed by Francis Ford Coppola

Bram Stoker’s Dracula was a prestigious, gothic horror rendition of the classic story, as it featured all the elaborate production design that was inherent to a Francis Ford Coppola project. Although there have been many great actors that have played the role of Count Dracula over the course of film history, few have been as compelling as Gary Oldman; Oldman is frightful, yet decidedly vulnerable, and did not shy away from getting over-the-top when required.

The tragedy of Bram Stoker’s Dracula is exemplified by the brilliant performance by Winona Ryder, who perfectly captures the soul of an innocent young woman preyed upon by pure evil. While his British accent was admittedly not very believable, Keanu Reeves gives a very strong performance in the film, indicating that he had strengths as an actor that those only familiar with his work in the action genre may not have picked up on.

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1 ‘Only Lovers Left Alive’ (2014)

Directed by Jim Jarmusch

Only Lovers Left Alive is one of the most emotional vampire movies ever made, as Jim Jarmusch constructed a gorgeous love story about the relationship between immortal beings that lasts for generations. Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton could not have been better cast in the leading roles, as they both contain an ageless grace that feels like they could have conceivably existed on Earth for far longer than their outward appearances may suggest.

As with many of Jarmusch’s films, Only Lovers Left Alive consists almost entirely of intimate conversations between characters, so there was a great deal of pressure on the stars to make the most of the material that they were given. Swinton and Hiddlestons’ chemistry was arguably the reason to see the film, but Only Lovers Left Alive also featured noteworthy work from John Hurt and Mia Wasikowska.

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