James Wan Reveals 16 Essential Movies on His Halloween Vampire Watchlist

As a lifelong horror enthusiast and connoisseur of all things undead, I must say James Wan’s Vampire Watchlist for Halloween 2024 is a delightfully chilling collection that truly resonates with my own experiences. It’s like he’s been peering into the darkest recesses of my soul and plucking out the most iconic vampire flicks that have left their mark on me over the years!


For Halloween 2024, renowned horror director James Wan, known for his work on the Saw and Conjuring series, has shared a list of essential vampire movies on Instagram, which he calls the Vampire Watchlist. This collection includes sixteen classic and contemporary bloodsucker films, ranging from original works to the recent adaptation of Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot, now available on Max.

This list is, for the most part, pretty spot on. And it actually reflects our own list of some of the most iconic modern vampire films ever. The inclusion of Bram Stoker’s Dracula from Francis Ford Coppola is a no-brainer. Also a no-brainer are the OG cinematic undead, Nosferatu and Universal’s Dracula from 1931. Horror of Dracula, which made Christopher Lee the version of the Count for Baby Boomers, is also included. 1979’s Salem’s Lot, which traumatized young Gen Xers with the floating vampire kid in the window, gets a nod. Other iconic ’80s/’90s films made the cut, like Fright Night, Near Dark, Interview with the Vampire, and Blade.

This list also includes some lesser-known gems that are worth revisiting. For instance, “The Night Stalker,” a TV movie from the ’70s that spawned a series, is often overlooked today but deserves recognition. Similarly, Hammer Films’ classics like “The Vampire Lovers,” “Vampire Circus,” and “Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter” are underappreciated. Interestingly, the Italian film “Planet of the Vampires” served as a precursor to Ridley Scott’s original “Alien.” However, we might have some discussions with Mr. Wan about including “Subspecies 2” in this list, given its comparison to movies like “The Lost Boys,” “From Dusk Till Dawn,” “Let the Right One In,” and even “What We Do in the Shadows.” While every list needs a surprise entry, we believe any one of these could replace “Subspecies” in terms of quality.

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2024-10-29 22:32