Looking for some vampire classics to watch on your next coffin-and-chill night? We got you covered. Here are 20 Must-See 80s Vampire Movies!
1980s vampire horror movies are defined by camp, gory practical effects, and comedic undertones, but no monster was more camera-ready than the vampire. It’s no surprise that some of the best vampire movies back then are still some of the best vampire movies now.
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#1. Vamp (1986)Two fraternity pledges go to a sleazy bar looking for strippers to entertain their college friends. They have problems with transportation, Biker gangs, and worst of all, the staff of the bar, all of whom seem to be vampires, with Grace Jones playing the head vampire. |
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#2. Once Bitten (1985)The film debut of Jim Carrey, Once Bitten is often forgotten but is typically loved by those looking for some cheesy vampire action. A vampire Countess needs to drink the blood of a virgin in order to keep her eternal beauty. It seems that all is hopeless, until she bumps into Mark Kendall. |
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#3. Sundown (1989)An engineer (Jim Metzler) comes to a Western town with his wife to fix a vampire’s artificial-plasma plant. |
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#4. The Hunger (1983)John (David Bowie) is the lover of the gorgeous immortal vampire Miriam (Catherine Deneuve), and he’s been led to believe that he’ll live forever, too. Unfortunately, he quickly deteriorates into a horrible living death, and Miriam seeks a new companion. |
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#5. Lifeforce (1985)A space crew stumbles upon a massive ship while investigating Halley’s Comet. The crew returns to Earth with a bat-like creature and three comatose humanoids from the ship, who all turn out to be members of a vicious species of intergalactic bloodsuckers. The vamps are set loose in London, where they turn people into zombies. |
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#6. Waxwork (1988)A prime example of ’80s horror-comedy, Waxwork follows a group of high school students who find themselves in a mysterious wax museum. Inside the museum, the stock wax figurines from classic horror stories come to life. |
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#7. Vampire’s Kiss (1989)Nicolas Cage stars in this bizarre black comedy about a literary agent who becomes afflicted about being seduced and bitten by a female vampire. |
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#8. The Monster Squad (1987)Led by Count Dracula, the supernatural crew return to Earth, where a group of monster-hunting kids pledges to keep them from destroying the planet. |
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#9. The Lair Of The White Worm (1988)Ken Russell’s surreal horror film is based on the novel of the same name by Bram Stoker, published in 1911. Set in a remote part of England, The Lair of the White Worm takes the vampire legend into new, occult territory. |
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#10. The Monster Club (1981)An anthology film, The Monster Club’s narrator is none other than Vincent Price. Price plays a vampire named Erasmus who attacks a fictionalized version of British horror author R. Chetwynd-Hayes, played by John Carradine. After sucking on the author’s blood, Erasmus invites him to a special club for supernatural creatures. |
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#11. The Lost Boys (1987)Joel Schumacher’s teen vampire drama turned out to be one of the more popular mainstream horror movies of the ’80s. With its attractive cast, angsty supernatural battles, and illicit romance, The Lost Boys spawned a franchise. |
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#12. Vampire Hunter D (1985)Vampire Hunter D is a seminal animated feature film from Japanese director Toyoo Ashida. Based on the light novel series of the same name, the film tells the story of a girl bitten by a vampire, who requests the help of a vampire hunter to help her kill the source of her infection. |
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#13. Mr. Vampire (1985)A comedic Kung-Fu movie that just so happens to have vampires. It never takes itself seriously, and that’s what makes it work so spectacularly. |
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#14. Near Dark (1987)Lance Henriksen, Bill Paxton, and Jenny Wright play a trio of nomadic vampires at the center of the film’s action. Wright’s character Mae meets a young man, Caleb, and bites him at the end of their night together, turning him into a vampire. Caleb is forced to join the bloodsucking gang, embarking on a journey full of bloodshed, carnage, and endless hunger. |
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#15. Fright Night (1985)17-year-old Charley Brewster is a horror-obsessed teen who believes his attractive new neighbor is a vampire. Chris Sarandon plays the neighbor, Jerry Dandrige, who is exactly what Charley believes he is. Dandrige goes after Charley when the vampire realizes the young man hopes to kill him. |
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#16. Fright Night 2 (1989)Following Fright Night, Charley and his friends discover that their art professor is a real-life vampire who is on a mission to complete an ancient ritual in which she drinks Amy’s blood. |
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#17. The Keep (1983)The original cut of this film was roughly three and a half hours. This movie is about vampires but in the loosest sense of the term. The monster featured is more of a creep than Dracula. The final cut wasn’t exactly what Michael Mann wanted, but it will still prove to be quite intriguing. |
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#18. Transylvania 6-5000 (1985)Tabloid reporters were sent to Transylvania on a mission to find Frankenstein’s monster, or they were at risk of being fired. As they rush to uncover the truth, they encounter other horror film staples, including a mummy, werewolf, and vampires in this horror-comedy. |
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#19. My Best Friend is a Vampire (1988)A delivery boy has an encounter with a beautiful client, only to find that he was turned into a vampire. At first, he doesn’t believe what is happening. That is until he takes his first taste of blood. This comedy horror film was directed by Jimmy Huston and starred Robert Sean Leonard and Cheryl Pollak. |
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#20. To Die For (1988)Kate Wooten is a real estate agent in Los Angeles. Her client is a mysterious and handsome man looking for an isolated house in Hollywood Hills. She soon falls in love with him, only to learn that he is a real-life vampire. This vampire movie stars Brendan Hughes, Sydney Walsh, and Amanda Wyss. |
Why Are Vampire Movies So Popular?
While these movies were all from the 80s, we are sure you have noticed that the popularity of vampires has continued to grow through the years. From Van Helsing to Bram Stokers Dracula and even the Twilight Saga, we have seen shows, movies, and books come out of the vampire genre.
Some feel they have remained popular in contemporary culture because they can work as an effective metaphor for people’s desires and anxieties.
What Is the Oldest Vampire Story?
“The Vampyre” was a short story that made its way into English literature in 1819. It was written by John Polidori. When it comes to the oldest vampire movie, that title will go to Nosferatu (1922). It is considered the first vampire movie ever made.
Tell us below in the comments which of these Vampire Movies from The 80s was your favorite! Did we miss a good one? Let us know!
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