None of the creatures that go bump in the night are as iconic as the vampire.
With an ancient mythology spanning centuries and many cultures, the universal appeal of the mysterious and devilish creatures that stalk the night translated perfectly to the silver screen. These fonts of grotesquery and bloodshed have a morbid allure from their seductive power to their allegorical and thematic significance. The numerous iconic vampires we have in film and television are proof of that.
So today, we at Horror Press have decided to compile a list of the most iconic vampires, and what specifically makes them so special to have captured our minds and hearts. And necks, depending on if you’re unlucky.
8 Most Iconic Vampires of Film and Television
8) Kurt Barlow (Salem’s Lot 1979)
I honestly believe only one person has been able to recapture the creepiness of Max Schreck’s inimitable performance as Count Orlok in Nosferatu. That person is Reggie Nalder portraying the diabolical Kurt Barlow of the Salem’s Lot television miniseries.
His influence and physical performance extend beyond King’s work, influencing another vampiric show that skyrocketed in popularity; Midnight Mass’s Angel might be the prodigal son among all Mike Flanagan’s antagonists, but Kurt Barlow is his daddy (inspirationally speaking, of course).
7) Radu (Subspecies Series)
No vampire on this list has weirder powers or weirder motives, for sure. As Editor James and I have joked about, Radu is effectively a medieval goth whose goal is to steal a blood-flavored Ring Pop from his family using tiny baby vampires he makes by ripping off his fingers. Also, he’s weirdly good at sword fighting for someone who can just instantly kill you with his hands.
Like I said in my Subspecies review, a combination of how Anders Hove moves, his facial expressions, and incredibly ghastly makeup makes Radu the epitome of spooky and makes him an instant classic.
6) The Girl (A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night)
A Girl Walks may not be blood-curdlingly scary. Still, it touts a killer vampire protagonist: a mysterious young Iranian woman attempting to escape isolation and a violent city through her own form of grisly street justice. With a character concept like that for “the first Iranian vampire western, ” the lead would need to be legendary. And actress Sheila Vand fits that bill perfectly.
Vand not only looks incredible but lends an undeniable dynamism to the character of the Girl. At times ethereal, haunting, even frightening, she’s also got a vulnerability and striking humanity that makes her captivating and helps drive the film’s themes.
4-5) Angel & Spike (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
You’re not actually going to make me choose, are you?
The only other television vampires on this list are arguably the biggest, given the way this duo captivated TV viewers, if not for how charming David Boreanaz and James Marsters are themselves. Angel and Spike are two inverse pieces that make a perfect whole, two creatures plagued with a soul and hunger for romance.
They’re a package deal because the love triangle between them and the eponymous Buffy Summers was the hottest thing since sliced bread as far as viewers were concerned through the late 90s into the early aughts, and I, along with many other fans, must agree.
3) Jerry Dandridge (Fright Night)
When we talk about monsters standing in for persecuted groups across the world, vampires and queerness are aggressively bound like a bloodsucker to their coffin.
Fright Night is a vampire film where the homoerotic subtext (and plain text in many cases) of the genre shines. Created in the thick of the AIDs epidemic and a new wave of systemic violence perpetrated on the LGBT+ community, Dandridge became another case study of horror elegantly reflecting contemporary issues. What on the surface seems a pretty goofy and straightforward vampire flick evolves into a film about the demonization of gay men in modern society and makes Jerry Dandridge a fascinating antagonist to the milquetoast peace of suburban America.
2) Count Dracula (Bram Stoker’s Dracula)
Schreck blueprinted the hallmarks of a good Dracula in Nosferatu. Lugosi refined that blueprint. Lee mastered it. Now take all of this and throw it out the window, topping it with a more bombastic Count for the modern age. The ’92 iteration of Dracula is the perfect level of crazy for Francis Ford Coppola’s highly stylized and borderline operatic film.
What I truly love about Gary Oldman’s portrayal is that it plays into the decadent atmosphere of the film. He’s a lush in love who indulges in all the finer terrors of life, and it complements the bombastic blood splatter he causes and the lofty set design he’s placed in exquisitely. His clothes are better; his transformations are bigger; his voice is stronger; his makeup is better, and even his demise is cooler! Though the origins offered in this film may not be 100% faithful to the text it’s named after, Oldman’s Dracula is undoubtedly the best iteration of the Count when it comes to the unleashed hedonism of an immortal forsaken monster.
1) Prince Mamuwalde (Blacula)
The most fascinating part of Blacula as a touchstone of blaxploitation cinema, and more importantly, black horror in general, is that it’s a very heavy bait and switch. You go in expecting your typical Dracula fare, with a black lead and perhaps some comedic moments aimed at a black audience, but this movie is a complete and utter wild card thanks to its lead.
What we get is a tragic love story, with plenty of cape flashing and bloodsucking in 1970s Los Angeles, supplemented by the infinite, dignified charisma of William Marshall. Marshall is the definition of genteel and has a stage presence so large you can’t help but focus whenever that booming voice of his speaks; there’s a genuinely hypnotic quality to it. Marshall’s contributions, acting-wise and to the script, have helped Prince Mamuwalde transcend the character’s original concept and made him one of the most iconic vampires in film history.