5 Morbidly Fascinating Takes On Vampires In Movies And TV
Sometimes creators let their imaginations run wild and create a new kind of vampire story.
Vampires are some of the most popular mythological creatures in the world, appearing in the myths and legends of almost every culture. It is no surprise that they have long since made their way onto the screen, with the 1922 silent film Nosferatu often cited as the first vampire movie.
There have been many pretty fascinating takes on bloodsuckers over the years, so let's take a look at five of the most unique.
The Strain (TV series, 2014–2017)
Created by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan and based on their own trilogy of novels, The Strain delivers a fresh take on vampires, or strigoi, as they are called in the series.
The strigoi have a distinctive anatomy with a proboscis (which mutates from the victim's tongue), lack sexual characteristics, and reproduce through parasitic worms that enter the victim's bloodstream.
Daybreakers (2009)
We are used to seeing vampires hiding among humans, but what about a world run by them?
This 2009 sci-fi action-horror starring Ethan Hawke shows just that. After a vampire plague transformed most of the Earth's population, the creatures of the night create a new society, complete with UV-protected cars, underground passages, and coffee served with blood. Yum.
Priest (2011)
Vaguely based on a South Korean comic of the same name, Priest introduces viewers to a world where humans and vampires have been fighting for centuries. What makes this story unique is that most of the bloodsuckers are blind and form an insect-like society with hives, drones, hive guardians, and queens.
American Horror Story: Hotel (2015–2016)
The fifth season of the horror anthology series features its own version of vampires, but these victims of a blood disease are almost completely devoid of typical vampire traits. While they are also immortal and crave blood, these characters are immune to sunlight, lack fangs, and can be killed almost as easily as any normal human.
Midnight Mass (miniseries, 2021)
Beware of spoilers, as what exactly is going on in the isolated town is the main mystery of this TV series by Mike Flanagan.
The blood of the so-called Angel, a winged humanoid creature, has a healing and de-aging effect on those who consume it. However, if they die while it's still in their system, they come back as bloodthirsty creatures more akin to classic vampires.