15 Vampire Movies That Aren't Twilight (And Genuinely Scary)

These vampire flicks aren't just date night material but genuinely scary, so please consider yourself warned.

1. "Let the Right One In" (2008)

Ever been to Sweden in the winter? It's cold, it's bleak, and oh yeah, it's got child vampires. This Swedish film centers on Oskar, a bullied 12-year-old who befriends Eli, a mysterious new neighbor. Plot twist: Eli needs blood to survive. Cue a series of strange deaths in the town. As Oskar gets closer to Eli, he learns the ins and outs of her gruesome lifestyle, including the man who helps her collect blood. This one's a slow burner, but oh, it bites hard.

2. "Nosferatu" (1922)

Let's go vintage for a sec. You might've heard of this silent German flick. Based on Bram Stoker's "Dracula," this one features Count Orlok, who's just as charmingly creepy. A real estate agent, Hutter, visits the Count to sell him a house near his own. Big mistake! Orlok has an eye for Hutter's wife and some pretty strange nocturnal habits. We're talking long shadows on the wall and late-night creep-ins.

3. "Day Watch" (2006)

Coming at you from Russia, this one's the sequel to "Night Watch" but stands on its own as a high-octane supernatural thriller. Anton, a member of a group monitoring the forces of darkness, finds himself in the middle of a prophecy. The prophecy involves a powerful object that can tilt the balance between good and evil. Anton's son and ex-wife are vampires, and they get wrapped up in this mess, leading to some intense family drama and epic battles.

4. "30 Days of Night" (2007)

So, what happens when vampires find a place where the sun doesn't rise for a month? They throw a bloody feast. Set in Barrow, Alaska, the town gets invaded by a group of vampires led by Marlow. Sheriff Eben and his estranged wife Stella have to protect the townsfolk as they get picked off one by one. The vampires aren't the seductive type; they're fast, brutal, and have mouths full of shark-like teeth.

5. "A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night" (2014)

Billed as "the first Iranian Vampire Western," this film's a whole mood. Shot in black and white, it's set in a fictional Iranian ghost-town. Arash, a hardworking guy, crosses paths with a lonely vampire known only as The Girl. She skateboards around town at night, preying on men who disrespect women. Arash has to navigate his attraction to her while staying off her dinner menu.

6. "Thirst" (2009)

Brought to you by South Korean master Park Chan-wook, "Thirst" is not your average love story. Sang-hyun is a priest who undergoes a medical experiment to find a vaccine for a deadly virus. He gets infected, but a transfusion of mysterious blood cures him, turning him into a vampire. The catch? He's now got a hot-and-heavy thing for Tae-ju, a friend's wife.

7. "Cronos" (1993)

Del Toro's directorial debut, this Mexican gem, is a real standout. An antique dealer, Jesús Gris, discovers a golden scarab that, when activated, gives him eternal youth. Sweet deal, right? Not so fast. Turns out it also gives you a thirst for blood. Meanwhile, a dying businessman is after the scarab to prolong his life, and he's willing to do anything to get it. It's a unique twist on the vampire myth with a Latin flair.

8. "Stake Land" (2010)

Think of it as a post-apocalyptic road trip with vampires. America is now a wasteland overrun by vampires, and young Martin teams up with a vampire hunter known only as Mister. They embark on a journey to the rumored safe haven "New Eden" while fighting off not just vampires but also religious cultists who see the vampires as God's judgment. The stakes (no pun intended) get real high, real quick.

9. "What We Do in the Shadows" (2014)

If you want some laughs with your scares, this New Zealand mockumentary is pure gold. Four vampire roommates are trying to navigate modern life in Wellington. They argue about chores, struggle with technology, and yes, drink human blood. They even have a human friend who they promise not to eat. The movie hilariously captures their daily struggles, like trying to get invited into nightclubs when they can't enter anywhere uninvited.

10. "Afflicted" (2013)

Two best friends, Derek and Clif, embark on a travel adventure to document their journey. All is well until Derek has a one-night stand in Paris, waking up with strange symptoms. He develops superhuman abilities but also an insatiable thirst for blood. As they continue traveling, his condition worsens, and they both realize something has to give before he fully turns.

11. "Let's Scare Jessica to Death" (1971)

Here's a good old American psychological thriller. Jessica, freshly out of an institution, moves to a country house with her husband and a friend. They find a squatter named Emily already living there. Emily claims to be a vampire, and weird things start happening—voices, apparitions, and mysterious bites. Jessica begins to question her own sanity as her friends become increasingly estranged.

12. "Black Sabbath" (1963)

This Italian anthology film has three separate tales, but the standout is "The Wurdalak," featuring Boris Karloff. It revolves around a family terrorized by a Wurdalak, a sort of Eastern European vampire. The patriarch goes out to kill it but returns acting oddly. Soon enough, the family's put to the test: kill the ones you love who've turned, or be killed by them. Classic horror themes with a vampiric twist.

13. "Vamps" (2012)

This comedy-horror combo features Alicia Silverstone and Krysten Ritter as modern-day vampires in New York City who've sworn off humans, instead getting their fix from rat blood. They're living the undead high life until love gets in the way. Goofy? Yes. Scary? Well, the stakes are real when they have to choose between love and eternal life.

14. "Blade II" (2002)

Comic book movies can be scary too, okay? Blade, the half-vampire, half-human, is back and this time he's up against the Reapers, a new breed of super-vampires. These bad boys are immune to all vampire weaknesses and love snacking on regular vampires. Blade has to team up with his vampire enemies to take them down. Imagine having to work with your food to defeat a bigger predator. Yeah, it's like that.

15. "Near Dark" (1987)

A young cowboy named Caleb meets the gorgeous Mae. After a kiss, she bites him and runs off, leaving Caleb to deal with his new vampiric condition. He's taken in by Mae's family, a gang of outlaw vampires. Caleb must decide if he's ready to kill to be with the woman he loves. Think of it as a twisted Romeo and Juliet with way more leather and gore.