The 1980s were responsible for a few vampire movies that weren’t just the most iconic in the subgenre, but also some of the most memorable in all of horror, even today. Films like The Lost Boys and Fright Night are revered for their incredible practical effects, classic performances, and rockin’ soundtracks. With juggernauts like those, some fantastic, lesser-known movies haven’t gotten their due over the years.
From underappreciated sequels to the greats, to underseen films from Academy Award-winning directors and horror masters, there are plenty of underrated, fun, ‘80s vampire flicks that simply don’t get the love they deserve.
Lifeforce (1985)
Directed by the late horror master Tobe Hooper (The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Poltergeist), Lifeforce is one of the more underrated movies of his career. The film takes a unique turn into the sci-fi side of horror, as a group of space vampires who have been caught hiding their spaceship in Halley's Comet, escape to Earth and start infecting the people of London.
The film is
based on the 1976 novel The Space Vampires by Colin Wilson, it's a little on the cheesier side of the horror spectrum, but the story is solid and gets pretty wild. It was adapted for the screen by Dan O’Bannon, who wrote the screenplays for Alien, The Return of the Living Dead, and Total Recall. Boasting a cast that includes Steve Railsback, Mathilda May, and Sir Patrick Stewart, Lifeforce also has the gore and excellent creature effects to hold up with the best of the subgenre.
Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat (1989)
Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat is an underrated, comedic vampire Western from Anthony Hickox (Waxwork, Hellraiser III), and stars David Carradine, Morgan Brittany, M. Emmet Walsh, and The Evil Dead franchise’s Bruce Campbell as Robert Van Helsing, a descendent of Dracula’s classic rival. The film follows a colony of vampires who live in the desert (and wear sunscreen for protection), surviving on artificial blood instead of attacking humans. A family on vacation gets caught between the battle between the vampires and Van Helsing’s descendent.
The gunslinging horror comedy gives the same vibes as From Dusk Til Dawn and John Carpenter’s Vampires, though it’s sillier than both. Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat isn’t a fantastic movie, but its uniqueness makes it well worth the watch, and it’s probably a film that’s flown under your radar. Rarely on paid streaming services, you can watch Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat on Tubi.
The Lair of the White Worm (1988)
Ken Russell’s The Lair of the White Worm puts another strange spin on the Bram Stoker novel of the same name. Starring Hugh Grant, in his only other horror role aside from Heretic, the British film features venomous, serpentine vampires who are responsible for the disappearances of locals and the investigation into their colony.
The Lair of the White Worm is seeping with English folklore storytelling, and its fantastic makeup and effects make up for a bit of a slower pace. The film tiptoes into dark comedy but emphasizes the dark, with a bonkers ending that makes it even more of an underrated gem.
Mr. Vampire (1985)
From director Ricky Lau, and part of Golden Harvest’s absurd action films from Hong Kong, Mr. Vampire is a slapstick horror comedy about a legendary Chinese hopping vampire’s revenge tour, while a priest and his disciples try to defeat him. The film is a perfect mix of ‘80s cheese, excellent martial arts choreography, and silly vampire lore.
Even with being a comedy, Mr. Vampire’s folklore-heavy inspirations and incredible stuntwork started a vampire craze in China and Japan in the 1980s, which culminated in more movies, TV shows, and toys. The film went on to spawn four more sequels, all equally as entertaining and hilarious as the first. Sporting an 86% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, Mr. Vampire isn’t just seen as underappreciated, but legitimately great.
Fright Night: Part 2 (1988)
The first Fright Night film, which just turned 40 years old, is considered one of the best vampire films of all time. The simple story of teens vs. the vampire next door is one that has been adapted repeatedly over the decades, because it just seems to work. While Fright Night: Part 2 isn’t as strong as its predecessor, Tommy Lee Wallace’s (Halloween III: Season of the Witch, Stephen King’s IT) 1988 follow-up is still a fun and worthy watch.
William Ragsdale and Roddy McDowall return to the sequel as Charley Brewster and Peter Vincent, this time, to take on the vampiric sister of Jeffery Dandridge, who was killed in the first film’s ending. What Fright Night: Part 2 does do well is develop previously introduced characters more on emotional levels, pull in even more fun vampire lore (like using roses to repel vampires), and it doesn’t skimp on the goopy, ‘80s practical effects. Fright Night: Part 2 is truly one of the more underrated horror sequels out there.
Near Dark (1987)
Almost two decades before Kathryn Bigelow won an Academy Award for The Hurt Locker, she directed one of the greatest vampire films of all time, Near Dark. The film follows the story of a man who is bitten by a woman that he falls for and is involuntarily brought into her small crew of vampires, who either want to see him complete the transition or kill him. Near Dark stars Adrian Pasdar, Jenny Wright, Lance Henriksen (Pumpkinhead), Jenette Goldstein (Aliens), and Bill Paxton in an incredible villain role as Severen.
A perfect blend of a neo-Western and a vampire film, Near Dark explores both the emotional backstories and daily trials of becoming a vampire, and the graphic, brutal life of living as one. Filled with great gore and effects, characters that stick with you, and a vastly underrated musical score by Tangerine Dream, Near Dark may be the best vampire film that most casual movie fans haven’t seen.