October calls for a series of special Halloween-themed features from us. Yes, it’s that time of the year again. Clip on your velvet capes and don those fake fangs–this one’s for all you vampire enthusiasts. We swear these are actually real quality movies; no Twilight or any of those campy horror bs.
If there’s anything we honor at Scout, it’s #aesthetic. We love anything with good design, good angles, and good colors. We’d like to imagine that if vampires were real, they’d have the same sentiments as well. After all, most movies portray them as sophisticated and cultured creatures who’ve gone through centuries of life–or rather, death.
Here are five quality vampire flicks that not only express vital philosophical values of life and humanity, but also contain A+ visuals and haunting images that are more than worthy to screencap and post on your social media feed.
Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)
If Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston haven’t gotten you sold yet, Only Lovers Left Alive is a melancholy but beautifully written film chronicling a brief time in the life of an age-old vampire couple. Swinton’s Eve flies to Detroit to comfort the withdrawn and suicidal Adam, played by Hiddleston, before Mia Wasikowska’s Ava decides to visit and cause a little mischief. Watch out for the stunning musical number at the end of the movie.
Let the Right One In (2008)
Don’t watch the American remake because the Swedish original is by far a million times better. The movie revolves around two children–one a human, the other a vampire–and the dangerous friendship formed between them. Though the dialogue is simple, the film is packed with pregnant thrills and nuance, leaving the viewer shocked by the end of it.
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014)
If we had to pick the vampire movie on the list with the most stylistic visuals and aesthetic, it’d be this one. Set in the fictional Bad City, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night is a purely black and white, ’50s inspired film with feminist values. The Girl is a lonely vampire who finds an unlikely companion in Arash, ironically dressed like a vampire for Halloween. You gotta watch it to get the hype.
Thirst (2009)
Thirst is one of Park Chan Wook’s most popular movies (aside from his widely successful Revenge Trilogy, which includes the classic Oldboy). The Korean film is a dramatic roller coaster ride filled with violence, faith, bloodlust, viruses–the list is endless. Fun fact: the plot is actually a reimagining of the classic novel Thérèse Raquin by Émile Zola.
Byzantium (2012)
Gemma Arteron and Saoirse Ronan play two vampire sisters running from a group who seeks to hunt them down. In the world of Byzantium, one can only become a vampire if they go to a secret island (with metal af blood waterfalls!) that harbors a cave that allows one to gain eternal life. In the process, Ronan’s Eleanor falls in love with a human (Caleb Landry Jones), much to her sister’s dismay.