Vampires are mythical, blood sucking creatures and make an appearance only in the night (for reasons only known to them). Vampires are a favorite subject for movie makers and many movies based on these gruesome creatures have been created. Most of the vampire movies have been influenced by the famous 1897 novel Dracula, by Bram Stoker. The first vampire myths were heard in the Roman, Hebrew and Mesopotamian cultures where people told tales of demons and spirits who survived on human blood and flesh. Filmmakers in Hollywood have portrayed vampires in many ways; they are successful businessmen, next door neighbors (Fright Night), rock stars (Queen of the Damned), and melancholic aristocrats in Interview with the Vampire. The female vampires are shown as tempting seductresses and sexual predators in movies like Rabid and Vampyres. These are also some of the top vampire movies. Whatever be the interpretation, these vampire movies have created a huge impact on the audience and are a hot favorite. Popular Vampire Movies With the recent craze of the Twilight series, vampire movies have gained a renewed interest. There are so many movies featuring Dracula, that I found it a bit tough to pick out the best from the never-ending list of vampire movies. However, given below is a list of some of the top 10 vampire movies of all time;

• One of the first and well-known vampire movies is Nosferatu the Vampire, which was made in 1922. This is a black and white, silent feature film which has a very creepy looking vampire, sure to make your blood freeze. Max Schreck played the role of the main protagonist, Count Orlok, so well that it was rumored Schreck was indeed a real vampire.
• Another top grosser movie that can rightly be called one of the top grossing vampire movies is Dracula, adapted from Bram Stoker's Dracula. This movie received tremendous critical acclaim and is considered the best vampire movie ever made till date.
• The plot of The Lost Boys (1987), revolves around Sam and Mike, two brothers who live with their father. Sam shows signs of being a vampire and struggles to come to terms with this fact. Mike, in order to save Sam from getting doomed, hires two vampire hunters. This movie has a very thrilling climax that makes it a 'must watch' in every movie buff's list.
• Another popular vampire movie that has to be in this compilation is Blade, a movie directed by Stephen Norrington. This movie has an excellent screenplay and shows that Blade who is a superhero and half vampire, fights against vampires to rescue mankind.
• How can one forget Van Helsing, directed by Stephen Sommers, while mentioning the best vampire movies? Gabriel Van Helsing, a man cursed with a past is sent on a mission, to the spooky world of Transylvania, to terminate Count Dracula. This movie has a thrilling and blood chilling plot and has been one of the highest grosser of 2004.

Good Vampire Movies Here is a list of some of the vampire movies that are considered to be the best vampire movies of the twenty-first century;

• The Twilight Saga: New Moon
• Against the Dark
• Blood: The Last Vampire
• Underworld: Rise of the Lycans
• Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant
• Wannabe
• Feast of the Vampires
• Thirst
• Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Re-make of the original which was released in 1992)
• Twilight Watch
• Day Breakers
• Kiss of the Vampire

No matter how gory and barbaric they may be, vampire movies always invoke a sense of interest in their audience. So go ahead and buy or rent DVDs of these movies and enjoy these generic horror movies.