Vampires in Film & Television

There are numerous on screen vampire adaptions, all with different rules on what a vampire can and cannot do.



Nosferatu (1922)
Nosferatu (1922) started as an unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker’s novel “Dracula” and ended has one of the most influential horror movies ever made. Max Schreck starred in the silent film and played Count Orlok, a vampire in Transylvania whose blossoming feelings for a real estate agent's wife have tragic consequences. This film portrays the horrifying, evil aspect of vampires that modern vampire dramas miss. This vampire story is told through the lens of German Expressionism, an early 20th century art movement that emphasized the artist's inner feelings. The film is especially known for its shadow work and the interplay between light and dark to portray the Count Orlok. Movie Scene (end 1:25)

Let the Right One In (2008)
Let the Right One In (2008) is Alfredson’s Swedish gothic vampire romance. The movie follows a 12-year-old boy, Oskar, and the eccentric vampire girl, Eli, who befriends him. Oskar is an outcast at school, and Eli proves to be an unexpected resource against neighborhood bullies. As the title suggests, the movie plays on the rule that vampires have to be verbally invited into households by the owner of the house. Let the Right One In explores the exclusion and isolation associated with outsider status, and how this can be overcome through empathy and mutual support, a motif that transcends the limits of age and genre. Let the Right One In is a metaphor for xenophobia in 21st century Eastern Europe and the hostility that was felt towards immigrants.

The Vampire Diaries
The Vampire Diaries is an American supernatural teen drama television series. It follows Elena Gilbert and her journey navigating the world of vampires and the supernatural in her hometown, Mystic Falls. The Vampire Diaries is the only on screen adaptation that allows vampires to practice mind control. Vampires in the show can control the mind of others by simply making eye contact, also known as mind compulsion. This compelling is used to alter the memory and force the obedience of humans. Vampires can also be compelled by an Original Vampire. Vampires can also control people’s dreams. TV scene (end 0:49)

These popular film and television adaptions have contributed to the active imagination of many viewers. There are even people who identify as vampires in the real world.