Diksha Sundriyal
There was a time when the mention of vampires was a subject of horror. There have been films that have used these mythical creatures to scare the audience witless. But things are different now. Considering the vampires to be the merciless beasts, as they used to be, a section of storytellers spawned new tales around them. Perhaps it was the idea of forbidden love or that people like to see broken souls repaired with love. Or maybe, just that, they made good ‘bad boys’ who would totally have the attention of a teenage girl looking for some dangerous romance. Whatever it was, it added a new genre to romance.
If you, too, are someone who loves watching some other-worldly love stories or someone who just likes supernatural films and doesn’t mind a touch of romance, then these films should be on your watch list. Following is the list of top vampire romance movies of all time you must see:
10. Dracula Untold (2014)
Ever since Bram Stoker introduced the world to Count Dracula, people have been fascinated with his story. This film takes the viewers deeper into the origins of the mysterious Count. Taking into account all the myths and lore that have been swimming around the world, ‘Dracula Untold’ condenses everything into one action-packed flick. It is sometime before the Renaissance in Transylvania, when the Ottoman Empire was lurking in its territories. Vlad refuses to pay the tribute of 1000 boys, including his son, to the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. This leads to a war that Vlad knows his people can’t win. Educated by a monk about a creature who lives in a dark cave, Vlad decides to find a way to save his people at all costs.
9. Twilight (2008)
Oh, well! This’ll ruffle some feathers. Here’s the thing. No matter how much you hated this film, you can’t deny the frenzy that it created all over the world. The real, fervent craze for the love between a vampire and a human escalated to new heights after this film took center stage. There is a section of people who secretly love it (you know who you guys are). So, let’s just agree with the fact that it was the film (franchise) that made a lot of money and made a couple of people famous while simultaneously tainting their careers.
Bella Swan moves to the small town of Forks, where people disappear mysteriously. She soon finds out that a family of vampires has been living in the town. But they are the good guys; they are the bad ones who are eating people. As she falls hopelessly in love with Edward, she is drawn into a world where being human is a dangerous thing.
8. The Hunger (1983)
Miriam Blaylock is a vampire who chooses young lovers for herself and then turns them into vampires. When her 200-year-old lover John starts aging, she seeks the help of Sarah, an expert in the aging process. John soon realizes that turning into a vampire was never meant to bestow him with eternal youth. Miriam subsides him and is fixated on Sarah, who wants to be her next lover. As the love triangle progresses, a terrible and dark truth about Miriam and her lovers is revealed.
7. Byzantium (2012)
Clara Webb has been on the run, with her daughter Eleanor. They finally settle down in a coastal resort where Eleanor meets Frank, and they both are instantly attracted to each other. Meanwhile, Clara seduces the owner of a run-down hotel and takes charge of his business to earn some money for herself and her daughter. But the past isn’t letting go of them. The Brotherhood of vampires is chasing them because Clara broke their code by turning her daughter into a vampire. In the end, for both Eleanor and Clara, it comes down to choosing between love and survival.
6. Near Dark (1987)
Before Kathryn Bigelow turned toward military films, she tested the waters of the vampire genre, as well. Caleb Colton is a cowboy who lives with his sister and his father. One night, in a bar, he meets Mae. There is something about Mae that intrigues him besides the fact that she is beautiful. She reciprocates his feelings. But what is supposed to be a romantic night takes a drastic turn when Mae bites Caleb in the neck and runs away. The next day, Caleb discovers his inability to come out in the sun and an unquenchable blood thirst. There is no other option left for him except to leave his family and join Mae’s gang of vampires.
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5. Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
As much as I love Gary Oldman (who doesn’t!), and how absolutely fabulous he was in this film with those vintage sunglasses (and the acting, of course), this film has been trumped by other better films on the list. But if you love the classic, doomed love of Dracula and his long-lost wife that he finds in Mina Harker, then this is your go-to film. A very close adaptation of Bram Stoker’s novel (hence the name), it starts in 1462, when Vlad Dracula returns from a war only to find out that his beloved wife is dead. Vowing to get her back, in this life or another, Dracula renounces his faith and becomes a vampire. About four centuries later, he discovers that his wife has reincarnated as Mina. Driven by love, he destroys anything and everything that comes in his way.
4. Thirst (2009)
This South Korean film takes Emile Zola’s classic novel and adds a twist of vampirism to it. Sang-Hyun volunteers to be a test subject for a new vaccine, but the results don’t pan out as they were supposed to. He finds himself a slave to the thirst for blood that needs to be satisfied if he is to stay alive. When he visits his childhood friend, he is attracted to his wife, Tae-Ju. They become romantically involved as Tae-Ju is not happy in her marriage. Then ensues a tale of love, betrayal and murder that doesn’t end well for anyone.
3. A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014)
Arash works hard to earn a living and take care of his addict father. As he tries to pay off his father’s debt, he is ensnared in the world of drug-dealers. One night, as he walks alone on a deserted road, he comes across a woman who comforts him. Arash can sense that there is something off about her, but he can’t put his finger on it. Unfazed by whatever lies in her past, he pursues her romantically. While the woman is attracted to Arash due to his compassion and humanity, she doesn’t want to put him in danger by being around him. As the secrets come to light, Arash is forced to make a choice.
2. Let the Right One In (2008)
Oskar is a troubled child. His classmates bully him, his parents are divorced, and his father is an alcoholic who doesn’t pay much attention to him. Living with his mother, Oskar fantasies about the ways he would get rid of his troubles. And then, one day, there comes a neighbor in the next-door apartment. Despite her attempts to stay away from him, Oskar manages to develop a friendship with Eli. They start spending much time together, and after some time, Oskar begins to wonder about their strange habits and behavior of Eli. Fascinated by her, Oskar continues to see her as the number of murders in the town increases.
1. Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)
If I ever had the chance at eternal life and youth, I’d spend my time like Adam and Eve. Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston star as the centuries-old vampire couple who have been busy creating and absorbing art, science, and literature over the years. They are careful in their supply of blood because they fear that human blood has been contaminated due to the degradation of the environment. But the life over all these years has taken a toll on Adam, who has become withdrawn and developed suicidal tendencies. Sensing his behaviour, Eve decides to re-ignite the passions that once drove him.
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