# Favorite Vampire Novel or Film?



## FleshEater (Jun 14, 2013)

I was thinking about this the other day, and about how the vampire market is becoming flooded with friendly,glittery vampires. I really want to write a vampire story, but it's almost like they've all been done. So, I figured I'd post this up and maybe some new material will spark creativity.

I don't generally read vampire novels, so I only have favorite films to list.

By far, my favorite vampire film is Near Dark. Bill Paxton and Lance Hendrickson play the best vampires I've seen. Then it's probably George Romero's Martin, and in third is Tobe Hooper's Salem's Lot adaptation.

One of the most interesting vampire films I've seen is called Livide, from the creators of Inside. Worth checking out if you have a PAL region player.


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## Leyline (Jun 14, 2013)

My favorite vampire film is _*Låt den rätte komma in (Let The Right One In)  *_(2008, Sweden). Just a gorgeous, moving, powerful movie. 

Not sure I have a favorite vampire novel. Not much into the genre.

ETA: Ack. I foolishly forgot Theodore Sturgeon's _Some Of Your Blood._ A classic.


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## JosephB (Jun 14, 2013)

I just have a favorite vampire song:

[video=youtube;oAS1QasEJMI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAS1QasEJMI[/video]


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## Staff Deployment (Jun 14, 2013)

Werner Herzog's _Nosferatu_.


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## Kevin (Jun 14, 2013)

_Shadow of the Vampire, 2000- a fictional making of Nosferatu: Eine Symphonie des Grauens, 1922. John Malkovich, Willem Dafoe. _ It's really creepy that people would use an actual vampire to make a movie, even sacrificing the other stars to do it.


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## Tettsuo (Jun 14, 2013)

Leyline said:


> My favorite vampire film is _*Låt den rätte komma in (Let The Right One In)  *_(2008, Sweden).


I second this motion!

Not the US adaptation, which lost something in the translation it seems.


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## Leyline (Jun 14, 2013)

Tettsuo said:


> I second this motion!
> 
> Not the US adaptation, which lost something in the translation it seems.



I'd agree with that. But I consider it one of the extremely rare American remakes of a foreign language film that doesn't actually embarrass itself. The tone is quite consistent, even if it lacks the complexity of visual and structural style that the original has in spades. And Chloe Grace Moretz gives an absolutely brilliant performance as the lead -- stunning for such a young actress. And the theme is the same, which is the aspect of foreign cinema so often lost in Americanization: neither movie is about vampirism, really: they're about childhood ostracism, bullying and the need for friends to take care of each other.


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## Terry D (Jun 14, 2013)

My favorite vampire novel (other than the one I wrote, of course) is the one which--for better or worse--resurrected the genre, Stephen King's _'Salem's Lot_. A very close second is Robert R. McCammon's _They Thirst_. There are few vampire movies that impress me (other than those old Christopher Lee Hammer Films I watched as Saturday matinees when I was a kid). I like _Near Dark_ also, and I like the way T_hirty Days of Night_ portrayed the vampires as true monsters.


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## Angelicpersona (Jun 14, 2013)

Mine! Haha, just kidding! (though I have had some people comment "now THESE are real vampires"). I know it's cliche, but I have a soft spot in my heart for Interview with the Vampire, since it was the first vampire movie I saw that turned me on to them. But I also agree that the Swedish Let the Right One In is very very good!


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## FleshEater (Jun 14, 2013)

Leyline said:


> My favorite vampire film is _*Låt den rätte komma in (Let The Right One In)  *_(2008, Sweden). Just a gorgeous, moving, powerful movie.
> 
> Not sure I have a favorite vampire novel. Not much into the genre.
> 
> ETA: Ack. I foolishly forgot Theodore Sturgeon's _Some Of Your Blood._ A classic.



Immediately after I posted this thread I thought of that film (but had to run out the door for work). Absolutely amazing. And, I'm referring to the original.


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## FleshEater (Jun 14, 2013)

Leyline said:


> I'd agree with that. But I consider it one of the extremely rare American remakes of a foreign language film that doesn't actually embarrass itself. The tone is quite consistent, even if it lacks the complexity of visual and structural style that the original has in spades. And Chloe Grace Moretz gives an absolutely brilliant performance as the lead -- stunning for such a young actress. And the theme is the same, which is the aspect of foreign cinema so often lost in Americanization: neither movie is about vampirism, really: they're about childhood ostracism, bullying and the need for friends to take care of each other.



I will actually have to add Silent House to that list. They did a very good job with that remake in my opinion. Of course, the original was made on like a $15,000 budget.



Terry D said:


> My favorite vampire novel (other than the one I wrote, of course) is the one which--for better or worse--resurrected the genre, Stephen King's _'Salem's Lot_. A very close second is Robert R. McCammon's _They Thirst_. There are few vampire movies that impress me (other than those old Christopher Lee Hammer Films I watched as Saturday matinees when I was a kid). I like _Near Dark_ also, and I like the way T_hirty Days of Night_ portrayed the vampires as true monsters.



Oh yeah, some of the Hammer Horror movies are absolute classics.


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## Leyline (Jun 14, 2013)

FleshEater said:


> Immediately after I posted this thread I thought of that film (but had to run out the door for work). Absolutely amazing. And, I'm referring to the original.



You know how I'm always harping on the importance of emotion, especially in regards to dark or violent material? The finale -- both the incredible swimming pool scene, and the coda with 'little kisses' -- is pretty much a masterclass in that.


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## FleshEater (Jun 14, 2013)

Leyline said:


> You know how I'm always harping on the importance of emotion, especially in regards to dark or violent material? The finale -- both the incredible swimming pool scene, and the coda with 'little kisses' -- is pretty much a masterclass in that.



I'll have to watch it again to properly remember those scenes. I remember it being a powerful film.


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## dale (Jun 14, 2013)

as a kid, "The Wurdalak" spooked me. we had a friday night horror film fest called "Sammy Terry" on every week and they always played these great old horror films. probably every region had something like it. i think the west coast had "elvira". who was a lot better looking than sammy terry. but the wurdalak was part of a old flick called "black sabbath". it had 3 different horror tales in 1 movie. as a kid, it had a real effect on me. i'd like to see it now to compare to an adult point of view watching it. it might be cheesy as all get out, for all i know.


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## Leyline (Jun 14, 2013)

dale said:


> as a kid, "The Wurdalak" spooked me. we had a friday night horror film fest called "Sammy Terry" on every week and they always played these great old horror films. probably every region had something like it. i think the west coast had "elvira". who was a lot better looking than sammy terry. but the wurdalak was part of a old flick called "black sabbath". it had 3 different horror tales in 1 movie. as a kid, it had a real effect on me. i'd like to see it now to compare to an adult point of view watching it. it might be cheesy as all get out, for all i know.



_Black Sabbath_ was directed by a master: Mario Bava. It's an incredible piece of film-making. You _probably_ saw the altered and edited American International Pictures version, which is inferior to the Italian original cut, but retains most of its power. 

'The Wurdalak' is not cheesy at all.


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## Leyline (Jun 14, 2013)

I'd also recommend Peter Watts' mind-bending _Blindsight_, which -- in addition to a hundred other fantastic ideas -- presents a perfectly science-fictional take on vampirism. It's available for free from the author himself.

Also check out the classic Fritz Leiber short 'The Girl With The Hungry Eyes'. Not only is it a brilliant twist on vampire lore, it's one of the first modern stories to link vampires with sex on a textual rather than sub-textual level. And, like everything Leiber wrote, it's completely delicious.


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## Kyle R (Jun 14, 2013)

How about the queen of vampire fiction: Anne Rice?


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## philistine (Jun 14, 2013)

Bram Stoker's _Dracula_, if I'm recalling things correctly, is the ONLY vampire novel I've ever read. I don't plan on expanding that list, either.

As for vampire films, most of them stink. However, _Let the Right One In_, _Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles_ and _The Lost Boys_ were all solid films, irrespective of genre.


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## Lewdog (Jun 14, 2013)

I know I'll catch hell for this, but I loved _The Lost Boys_.


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## dale (Jun 14, 2013)

KyleColorado said:


> How about the queen of vampire fiction: Anne Rice?


i really did enjoy her vampire books. i don't care what anyone says about it. they're a bit "gay" for my tastes, but i liked them anyway. i thought the 1st movie was great. except for antonio banderas playing armand. in the book, armand was a perpetual red-headed 15 year old. banderas didn't fit the character at all.


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## J Anfinson (Jun 14, 2013)

Terry D said:


> My favorite vampire novel (other than the one I wrote, of course) is the one which--for better or worse--resurrected the genre, Stephen King's _'Salem's Lot_.



Definetly my answer as well. I wish someone would write something that good again.


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## Lewdog (Jun 14, 2013)

dale said:


> i really did enjoy her vampire books. i don't care what anyone says about it. they're a bit "gay" for my tastes, but i liked them anyway. i thought the 1st movie was great. except for antonio banderas playing armand. in the book, armand was a perpetual red-headed 15 year old. banderas didn't fit the character at all.



Yeah I liked them as well, I read 9 of the 12 books.


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## FleshEater (Jun 14, 2013)

Oh man, I totally forgot about Black Sabbath! I have the Italian version Leyline; it's excellent. Clearly my memory is failing me.

Oh and Tombs of the Blind Dead! I forgot all about that one! So awesome. The Spanish version, of course.


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## Staff Deployment (Jun 14, 2013)

KyleColorado said:


> How about the queen of vampire fiction: Anne Rice?



I found that the way she drew attention to the unsatisfying ending of "Interview with a Vampire" doesn't excuse the unsatisfying ending of "Interview with a Vampire". But the rest of the book was unique and interesting.


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## Ariel (Jun 14, 2013)

As far as books go I liked "I Am Legend."  The movie? Not so much.  Also liked "Dracula."  Didn't care for Anne Rice's vampires so much.  Less scary and more um-yeah.  One of the few vampire movies I own is "Daybreakers."  It has a hokey premise at the end but it's very well done.


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## Grape Juice Vampire (Jun 15, 2013)

I am Legend is one of my favorite books, the will smith movie was alright, but i was disappointed with it. Now, Omega Man, which is also based on the book is superb. Lost boys and Vampires are also good films. I don't really like Interview with a vampire, I have only able to watch it once (admittedly i did like it when I saw it) but now, i can't even get halfway through it, it is so boring.

 I'm writing a fantasy novel where my mains are vamps, and like someone else mentioned earlier about theirs, I am frequently hearing from my betas that my vampires are perfectly monstrous. (especially the queen) On the flip side of that, I've also heard from a beta that my vamps should be more like twilight; when i heard that, I died a little on the inside.


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## Lewdog (Jun 15, 2013)

_Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter_ was pretty good.  

How about some of the worst vampire movies?  _Vampire in Brooklyn_ and the first _Fright Night_​ come to mind.


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## FleshEater (Jun 15, 2013)

I kind of wanted to write a vampire story that had them traveling in packs, far from a human form, and then I realized I'd be writing The Decent. Ha-ha!


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## FleshEater (Jun 15, 2013)

Lewdog said:


> _Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter_ was pretty good.
> 
> How about some of the worst vampire movies?  _Vampire in Brooklyn_ and the first _Fright Night_​ come to mind.



What?! Fright Night was awesome. Next you'll tell me you didn't like Blacula!


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## Lewdog (Jun 15, 2013)

FleshEater said:


> What?! Fright Night was awesome. Next you'll tell me you didn't like Blacula!



Well I haven't seen the new _Fright Night_ with Colin Ferrell yet.


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## Angelicpersona (Jun 15, 2013)

Grape Juice Vampire said:


> I'm writing a fantasy novel where my mains are vamps, and like someone else mentioned earlier about theirs, I am frequently hearing from my betas that my vampires are perfectly monstrous. (especially the queen) On the flip side of that, I've also heard from a beta that my vamps should be more like twilight; when i heard that, I died a little on the inside.



Hi! *waves* lol. It probably helps that I set up the book in a fairly monstrous way as well (one of the main characters is the product of an incestuous marriage between his father, dubbed "the blood king", and his niece).
I have had several people when, I tried to explain what my book is about ask me "is it anything like twilight?". I had to fight the urge to slap those people. While I enjoyed some of the dialogue in Twilight (my motto is that you can usually find SOMETHING to compliment) the rest of the story in general is just... *shudder*


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## Dave Watson (Jun 15, 2013)

Lewdog said:


> _Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter_ was pretty good.
> 
> How about some of the worst vampire movies?  _Vampire in Brooklyn_ and the first _Fright Night_​ come to mind.





Lewdog said:


> Well I haven't seen the new _Fright Night_ with Colin Ferrell yet.



You shame yourself, sir! The first _Fright Night_ is an absolute classic. Was really looking forward to the Colin Farrell remake, but it is an absolute stinker. _30 Days of Night_ was a fine film as well. 

Some literary favourites of mine would have to be McCammon's _They Thirst_ and _The Strain_ by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan. _'Salem's Lot_ of course is a classic, and The King has a few other really good Vampy short stories to his name as well, _The Night Flier_ being a standout.


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## Charlaux (Jun 15, 2013)

Favourite novel, probably _Guilty Pleasures_ by Laurell K Hamilton which is vampire fiction and crime fiction, a great and authentic 90s combination before the series went downhill, and for film... I will agree with everyone who has said _Lost Boys_.  


(But _Nosferatu_ is a close, fraction-of-a-point second place).


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## Staff Deployment (Jun 15, 2013)

Charlaux said:


> (But _Nosferatu_ is a close, fraction-of-a-point second place).



Murnau or Herzog? Vastly different movies. I detest Murnau's 1922 version because it's actually kind of uninspiring as a whole, but you'll find I'm the minority on that point. The 1979 remake is an astoundingly cool movie though.


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## Sam (Jun 15, 2013)

1. _I am Legend _- Richard Matheson. 

2. _Carmilla - _Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu. 

3. _Fevre Dream _- George RR Martin.

4. _They Thirst _- Robert McCammon.

5. _Enter, Night _- Robert Lowe.


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## FleshEater (Jun 15, 2013)

Lewdog said:


> Well I haven't seen the new _Fright Night_ with Colin Ferrell yet.



I haven't either. I'm referring to the original.


The Strain keeps coming up on the horror forum I visit. I might have to check that out. Also, They Thirst sounds promising.


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## Robert_S (Jun 15, 2013)

Tettsuo said:


> I second this motion!
> 
> Not the US adaptation, which lost something in the translation it seems.



Is the Swedish version subtitled?


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## Robert_S (Jun 15, 2013)

Dave Watson said:


> You shame yourself, sir! The first _Fright Night_ is an absolute classic. Was really looking forward to the Colin Farrell remake, but it is an absolute stinker.



I thought both were good on their own merits. The interaction of Tennant's character and his half-naked GF was hilarious and I didn't recognize Tennant at first, being so used to seeing him as The Doctor.


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## Jeko (Jun 15, 2013)

> Favourite novel, probably _Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K Hamilton which is vampire fiction and crime fiction_



Recently read that; was pleasantly surprised.

Not much to do with the vampires, but Darren Shan's Cirque du Freak saga is probably my favorite purely for reading like nothing else in the YA section of my local library.


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## Leyline (Jun 15, 2013)

> Is the Swedish version subtitled?



Yes, since it's in Swedish.


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## Robert_S (Jun 15, 2013)

Leyline said:


> Yes, since it's in Swedish.



Heh, I was afraid that they dubbed the Swedish version. It bothers me when the voice isn't in sync with the lips.


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## Grape Juice Vampire (Jun 15, 2013)

Angelicpersona, that sounds very interesting. In mine, I've set the tone with a weird and kinda barbaric religious ceremony that even one of my vampire mains doesn't quite understand. (which makes sense, she hasn't been a vampire for very long.)

As for twilight, i haven't found anything to like about it for me, but i do see why some people would like it. I forgot to mention the Anita Blake series in my earlier post, I love the older books, but i do enjoy the later books of the series.


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## Bruno Spatola (Jun 15, 2013)

Hell yeah: _Martin, Near Dark, The Lost Boys, Interview with the Vampire _. . . that'_s _about it.

I've heard the Blade comics are okay, but I haven't read 'em. I'm one of the few fans of _Blood: The Last Vampire _(anime) as well.


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## philistine (Jun 15, 2013)

Bruno Spatola said:


> I've heard the Blade comics are okay, but I haven't read 'em. *I'm one of the few fans of Blood: The Last Vampire (anime) as well.*



I no longer watch anime (except the few cemented as all-time favourites) though I remember enjoying that immensely. Completely forgot about it until now.


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## Bruno Spatola (Jun 15, 2013)

I don't watch it anymore either. The golden age of anime is long gone, for me, but Miyazaki is still keeping it real. I loved _Ponyo_.

_Vampire Hunter D_ is another highly regarded anime. The movie of it, _Bloodlust, _is pretty interesting. I didn't get into it but it's well made.


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## Leyline (Jun 15, 2013)

KyleColorado said:


> How about the queen of vampire fiction: Anne Rice?



No thanks. I find her writing dull and plodding. The nicest thing I can say about her is that she's not Laurell K. Hamilton.


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## Lewdog (Jun 15, 2013)

Leyline said:


> No thanks. I find her writing dull and plodding. The nicest thing I can say about her is that she's not Laurell K. Hamilton.



I think the key to reading Anne Rice, and even Stephen King for that matter, is to realize they aren't trying to write the next great American novel, but instead a story that people can casually read and enjoy.  It would be similar to MacDonald's verses a restaurant like The Chop House.  There are a lot of people that enjoy MacDonald's, and even those with fine taste can stand to eat there every now and again, but if you want a really good steak, you go to the Chop House where a lot more time and effort are put into make the meal worth the money.


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## Leyline (Jun 15, 2013)

Lewdog said:


> I think the key to reading Anne Rice, and even Stephen King for that matter, is to realize they aren't trying to write the next great American novel, but instead a story that people can casually read and enjoy.  It would be similar to MacDonald's verses a restaurant like The Chop House.  There are a lot of people that enjoy MacDonald's, and even those with fine taste can stand to eat there every now and again, but if you want a really good steak, you go to the Chop House where a lot more time and effort are put into make the meal worth the money.



I don't approach any piece of writing as anything other than a piece of writing, and I judge them by the exact same metric: _Does this work for me?_ I do not demand any novel be The Great American Novel. I judge Faulkner and King by the exact same criteria. There are King novels I love, and those I think fail. There are Faulkner novels I love, and those I think fail. I love Sturgeon's pulp stories as much as I love Kelly Link's stories, and see them as literature on the same level even though the first was written (and published) as three-cents-per-word boilerplate and the second was written (and published) as literature.

I am only a snob in the sense that I demand good writing _as I personally define it._

Also, I don't go to restaurants.


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## Ariel (Jun 16, 2013)

Blood: the last vampire movie was fantastic, the series--not so much.  I found Hellsing to be fun but ridiculous.  I enjoyed every one of the Blade movies.

I'm also, when it's not written, pretty easy to please with my media.


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## Charlaux (Jun 16, 2013)

Staff Deployment said:


> Murnau or Herzog? Vastly different movies. I detest Murnau's 1922 version because it's actually kind of uninspiring as a whole, but you'll find I'm the minority on that point. The 1979 remake is an astoundingly cool movie though.



Ha the 1922 version. Why did you find it uninspiring, may I ask? 

I haven't seen the remake, but if you say it's even better, I will seek it out soon .


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