10 Creepy Vampire Movies to Watch After Salem’s Lot

Those who say the vampire genre is dead are probably not aware of the latest release adapted from Stephen King’s book from 1975. Written and directed by Gary Dauberman, Salem’s Lot is the third adaptation of King’s novel about an author named Ben Mears who arrives in a town whose residents are being turned into vampires. Mears teams up with other residents of Jerusalem’s Lot, and they go on the hunt for the boss vampire who may be behind the recent killings.

While the genre has grown in various directions that range from the romantic to the straight-up weird, Dauberman’s film is a classic take on bloodsuckers who sleep during the day and at night, go out to hunt. To celebrate its “better late than never” arrival (it was completed in 2022 and released direct-to-streaming two years later), here are some terrifying vampire movies to watch after Salem’s Lot.

10 Near Dark (1987)

In Near Dark, Caleb Colton meets Mae, a beautiful and mysterious girl who unexpectedly bites him before running off. When the sun rises, Caleb sees he’s now vulnerable to sunlight. When a gang of nomadic vampires (that Mae belongs to) arrives and kidnaps him, he realizes he has no option but to join them as he has become one of them.

The Most Underrated Vampire Film There Is

Directed by Kathryn Bigelow, Near Dark is a 1987 variation on the vampire genre that blends well with some Western tropes. The result is a thrilling and gory experiment with well-designed characters that are eerily engaging. It gained its cult status very quickly after The Lost Boys, another vampire film released the same year, took all the attention and hurt Near Dark‘s chances of recovering its budget at the box office.

9 Afflicted (2013)

In Afflicted, best friends Clif and Derek go on a trip around the world. Their trip, documented on their web series, reflects Derek’s last wish as he suffers from a lethal condition. When Derek meets a stranger and wakes up the next morning bleeding and with no memory of what he did, their trip is cut short: Derek has been infected with vampire blood.

Made for $318,000, Afflicted is a great exercise in the found footage format of horror movies that gets rid of the jump scares and stays within compelling levels of realism. Even though it’s a vampire movie, it’s far from being sexy or romantic. On the contrary, it sees vampirism as a horrific disease you certainly wouldn’t want to catch during a trip to Europe.

8 30 Days of Night (2007)

30 Days of Night tells the story of residents in Barrow, Alaska, a snowy town entering its month-long period where the sun hides, and it’s always night. Sheriff Eben Oleson is forced to deal with a gang of vampires led by a boss vampire named Marlow as they frantically start feeding off the residents.

Vampires Get Hungrier and Scarier

Based on the comic book of the same name, 30 Days of Night is a vastly underrated horror film that dared to tweak the rules of vampires and showed them as feral creatures with only one thing in mind: to eat. It’s, by far, Josh Harnett’s best horror film, and Marlow, played by Danny Huston, is one of the best villain vampires of all time.

7 The Addiction (1995)

The Addiction follows Kathleen Conklin, a shy student at New York University who gets attacked by a mysterious woman who drinks her blood. Kathleen begins showing signs of vampirism, and no matter what she does, she can’t satisfy her craving until she feeds off another student. When she meets a “recovered” vampire, she’s hopeful that she can recover from her addiction.

The One Not Many People Have Seen

The film by Abel Ferrara is a cult horror film that not many people outside the indie circle have seen. Made for a little more than $300,000, the film stars Lili Taylor (in her best role), Christopher Walken, Edie Falco, Michael Imperioli, and Annabella Sciorra. While it’s inevitably set between the rules of vampires, it’s an allegory-ridden film that speaks highly of its director’s thought-provoking storytelling style.

6 Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)

In Only Lovers Left Alive, Adam and Eve are a married couple of vampires who live on different continents. Adam begins showing signs of suicidal tendencies, and Eve comes to comfort him, but Ava, Eve’s younger sister, also arrives in town and shakes their relationship beyond their fairly simplistic lifestyle.

The Weird and the Beautiful

Jim Jarmusch’s approach to vampirism is all style, but it also has a good level of substance with great characters following an interesting, almost surreal storyline. Jarmusch brings his signature uniquely bizarre touch, and the cast is out of this world: Tilda Swinton, Tom Hiddleston, Anton Yelchin, Jeffrey Wright, Mia Wasikowska, and John Hurt.

5 The Hunger (1983)

The Hunger follows Miriam and John Blaylock, a couple of ancient vampires who pose as music teachers, but at night, they go out hunting innocent victims to bring them back to their posh apartment in New York City. Upon realizing eternal youth is only a myth in vampirism, he finds a gerontologist who can help him solve the mystery. Dr. Sarah Roberts falls under the spell of the sexy bloodsucking duo.

A Steamy But Disturbing Variation on the Genre

Directed by Tony Scott in 1983, The Hunger is an extremely underrated Gothic horror film starring Catherine Deneuve, David Bowie, and Susan Sarandon. It’s very erotic in its compliance with the rules of vampire films (it’s about a love triangle gone berserk) and features makeup effects by cinema legend Dick Smith. The display of goth subculture alone will be enough to creep you out.

4 Cronos (1992)

In Cronos, antique dealer Jesús Gris finds a very strange device. The elderly expert tries to open it and receives a bite from a spider-like insect. Gris begins to crave blood, but at the same time, he starts feeling strangely invigorated. He will have to find a way to cure himself of the vampirism he’s now going through.

Barely Following the Rules

Guillermo del Toro’s feature directorial debut is a bizarre Gothic horror film that shatters conventions in a genre that’s usually too attached to its rules. Nevertheless, it’s a clever take on the vampire subgenre with an appealing lead character whose wickedness is only secondary in light of the circumstances.

3 Let the Right One In (2008)

Let the Right One In tells the story of an introverted boy named Oskar who feels a strange emotional connection to his new neighbor. In the cold darkness of Stockholm, Oskar begins a relationship with Eli, a girl who starts showing signs of being a vampire traveling with her “familiar.” Let the Right One In is the best vampire film made outside Hollywood.

The Best of the 21st Century, So Far

The film’s balance between romance and horror is framed under an engrossing coming-of-age story where Oskar is inevitably drawn to someone he’s supposed to be with. It’s a beautiful vampire film that checks all the items in the list of vampire tropes but also manages to be its own thing. The ending will leave you speechless and maybe disgusted at the violence.

2 Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)

In Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Jonathan Harker arrives in Transylvania to take Count Dracula as a client. When Dracula sees a photograph of Harker’s fiancée, Mina, he becomes infatuated with finding her, as he believes Mina is the reincarnation of the woman he lost centuries ago. The quest to find Mina takes Dracula to London, where he will try his best to make her fall in love with him.

The Best Adaptation of the Classic

Based on the literary classic, Bram Stoker’s Dracula is a Gothic classic that perfectly captures the spirit of its source material but embellishes it with enough romance to make you fall for its villainous monster. The film was extremely ambitious back in 1992, and it still has some detractors, but its legacy as a classic horror film is undeniable.

1 My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To (2020)

My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To follows Jessie and Dwight, two siblings who spend their days taking care of Thomas, their younger brother. Thomas’ “illness” requires the consumption of human blood, and Dwight and Jessie murder innocent victims to provide that blood. The family dynamics abruptly change when Thomas starts making additional requests.

An Indie With Enough Power to Make You Lose Your Sleep

With a 98% score on Rotten Tomatoes, the film is one of the highest-rated on the list. It’s an independent horror drama with many shades of the vampire subgenre starring Patrick Fugit in a very underrated performance as Dwight. It’s very bleak in how it presents an inevitable outcome for siblings who just want to help their brother.