Vampires. They're so busy with the blood of the innocent that we almost forgot how amazing it can be when they finally kick the bucket on the silver screen, so it's about time we hacked things down to shape and presented you with our favourites.
WARNING: CONTAINS SPOLIERS, SCENES OF GRAPHIC VIOLENCE AND WEIRD TEETH
Pretty much the entire film warrants mention in this list given its thoroughly tongue-in-cheek treatment of gruesome deaths as a whole, but who better to single out than the very lovely Salma Hayek. Admittedly, a good number of people watch this movie simply for her early… performance… but even in her nasty demise she manages to look kinda hot.
Potentially the first use of really graphic violence when treating the legendary tale, here we see Britain’s most notorious Dracula, Christopher Lee, bring a hitherto unseen level of energy and threat to the titular role. This gruesome death is rife with horror and, for 1958, is brutal as hell!
By modern values some could say that this seems a little clunky, but bear in mind that this was made in 1922. There have been countless attempts at new scores for this silent groundbreaker, but as the original vampire flick merely its visuals alone set the most amazing atmosphere. Often parodied, Max Schreck’s ingenuity for creating that long-fingered, creepy performance has to be admired.
Featuring one of the most legendary soundtracks that the 80s has ever produced, The Lost Boys stands up there with the likes of The Breakfast Club & Footloose. There are actually a fair few classic death scenes in this one, but perhaps the most quotable has to be Billy Wirth (as Dwayne) being shot… with an arrow… into a Hi-Fi system.
The ‘Titanic’ of vampire movies, Francis Ford Coppola spared no expense with this distinguished re-telling of Stoker’s novel whilst openly lacing it with references to past cinematic points of history. Providing an incendiary performance as the iconic and tortured villain, Gary Oldman introduces a new emotional slant on his character which certainly packs a punch at its conclusion. It’s almost enough to make you forget that Keanu Reeves also appears in the movie.
Here we give you an insight to those unlucky bloodsuckers who just missed our Top 5… Dracula (1931) - ‘Dracula is dead forever’
Whilst Lugosi’s performance is brought to an abrupt end by a plank of wood hammered into his heart, it’s actually off-camera; you only hear it (which in itself is quite horrific), so technically we couldn’t include it in our top list of undead deaths on camera. Near Dark - ‘Fun Times’
Bringing the long lost sense of genuine horror back to the vampire flick genre, the little known / cult classic is even classed by some as the quintessential vampire film. The family death scene at the film’s conclusion is simply mortifying. Twilight
As potentially the most successful franchise of bloodsucking blockbusters, it’s tricky to ignore the Twilight sagas (however hard one may try). Someone had to miss out though. Interview With The Vampire - 'Goodnight, sweet prince' Whilst this is without a doubt one of the higher profile vampire productions that Hollywood has made, technically we couldn’t include this infamous (and brilliantly gory) scene because Tom Cruise’s character Lestat doesn’t actually die. Ooh, spoilers... The Hunger (end scene)
For what could very possibly be one of the most beautifully stylised vampire flicks ever made (Bowie, Deneuve, slow motion bedsheets blowing in the wind etc.), there are some who could argue that it may not be the finality of death that ends it.