{"id":12029,"date":"2011-11-21T04:58:41","date_gmt":"2011-11-21T04:58:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thisblogrules.com\/?p=12029"},"modified":"2011-11-21T14:39:26","modified_gmt":"2011-11-21T14:39:26","slug":"werewolf-vs-vampire-which-is-the-better-cinematic-sub-genre","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thisblogrules.com\/werewolf-vs-vampire-which-is-the-better-cinematic-sub-genre\/","title":{"rendered":"Werewolf vs. Vampire: Which is the Better Cinematic Sub-Genre?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The idea of vampires battling it out with werewolves seems an awesome one; they\u2019re both terrifying, albeit fictional, creatures of the night, and I\u2019m sure the brawl would be a viciously entertaining one. However, the idea also brings to mind the \u201cTwilight\u201d saga, a teenage-targeted fantasy film series in which glittering vamps and oversized Chihuahuas regularly rip off their tops, speedily gallop towards one another and furiously prepare to get their bitch-slapping on — that is, when they\u2019re not moaning about the complicated love triangles they frequently stumble into accidentally on purpose. As such, the idea of vampires battling werewolves becomes significantly less awesome and more, well, homoerotic.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Srsly.<\/p><\/div>\n

With the \u201cTwilight\u201d saga\u2019s fourth chapter, \u201cBreaking Dawn – Part 1,\u201d hitting cinemas on 18 November, I thought I\u2019d take a look at the vampire and werewolf cinematic sub-genres. Both sub-genres have been around since horror first sprung up in the world of film, and both have since presented many howlers that lack bite as well as some very effective spook-em-ups that sink their fangs right into your neck. But which sub-genre is the most bestest ever? Well, there\u2019s only one way to find out: making lists!<\/p>\n

So, let\u2019s take a look at the five best werewolf films and the five best vampire films to ever grace cinema screens, starting with vampires (because \u201cv\u201d comes before \u201cw,\u201d and because Edward is totally hotter than Jacob).<\/p>\n

ROUND ONE: VAMPIRES<\/span><\/p>\n

5. \u201cFright Night\u201d (1985)<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

First up, it\u2019s Tom Holland\u2019s cult classic vampire horror-comedy \u201cFright Night,\u201d which primarily takes place in the suburbs. The film centres on Charley Brewster, a teenage boy who, through perverted window-peeping, discovers that his mysterious new neighbour is in fact a vampire. In reaction, Charley seeks out elderly TV vampire hunter Peter Vincent (a play on Peter Cushing and Vincent Price, of course) and begs that he help Charley kill the vampire. Peter reluctantly agrees and, after sufficient evidence, sets out to slay Charley\u2019s undead neighbour, but the vicious bloodsucker will not be slain quietly. More funny than it is scary, the frequently amusing \u201cFright Night\u201d delivers a whole heap of thrills, laughs and features terrific performances from a brilliantly hammy Roddy McDowall as the vampire slayer and an irresistibly sexy Chris Sarandon as the villainous vamp. Colin Farrell and David Tennant, eat your hearts out (just kidding, you guys were awesome in the remake, seriously).<\/p>\n

4. \u201cThe Lost Boys\u201d (1987)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Acting rather well as a time capsule of \u201880s culture, \u201cThe Lost Boys\u201d is Joel Schumacher\u2019s vampiric tale of a young man, Michael, who becomes involved with some rather dodgy individuals (read: vampires) when his family moves to California. Turns out these dodgy individuals are, gasp, vampires, and they\u2019ve sneakily turned Michael into one of them too! So, Michael, along with the help of his younger brother, Sam, sets out to stop the bloodsucking biker gang, all the while trying to find a solution to his worsening case of vampirism. Sometimes funny and sometimes bloody, this slick and cool vampire horror is a highly entertaining and slightly sexy career-high for Schumacher; it\u2019s much better than his escapades with a certain Batman and a certain Robin, anyway\u2026<\/p>\n

3. \u201cDracula\u201d (1931)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

When you think \u201cCount Dracula,\u201d you think Bela Lugosi. Or maybe you think Christopher Lee. Or maybe Gary Oldman. Y\u2019know, Frank Langella was pretty good as him too\u2026 Anyway, Lugosi is widely considered the number one king of the vampires, and rightfully so. His first (and best) performance as Dracula was in this 1931 Universal production directed by Tod Browning. The film follows the plot of Bram Stoker\u2019s classic novel fairly closely, with the castle-dwelling eponymous count meeting with an Englishman and soon moving to England to feast upon two lovely ladies. Sure, the film has pacing issues and becomes less interesting after the mesmerising first act, but Lugosi\u2019s legendary performance makes it worthy of a watch from any film buff. The role is in fact one Lugosi understandably never outlived; indeed, he was even buried in his Dracula cape.<\/p>\n

2. \u201cLet the Right One In\u201d (2008) \/ \u201cLet Me In\u201d (2010)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve counted both of these films as one because, let\u2019s face it, they pretty much are the same film, just with minor differences here and there. They are both based on \u201cLet the Right One In,\u201d a vampire novel written by John Ajvide Lindqvist; Tomas Alfredson\u2019s \u201cLet the Right One In\u201d is a Swedish adaptation (for which Lindqvist wrote the screenplay) and Matt Reeves\u2019 \u201cLet Me In\u201d is an American adaptation. Both tell the tale of a bullied young boy who becomes infatuated with the young girl who\u2019s just moved in next door. Much to the boy\u2019s glee, they soon strike up a friendship, though the boy begins to suspect that something is a tad askew with his newfound friend; for one, she eats people. Whether you prefer the Swedish version or the American version (I personally prefer the latter), there\u2019s no doubting that they are both overwhelmingly atmospheric and oddly beautiful chillers that will chill you right to the bone; they\u2019re essentially \u201cTwilight\u201d for the arthouse crowd, in a good way.<\/p>\n

1. \u201cNosferatu\u201d (1922)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The only silent film to appear in this article, F. W. Murnau\u2019s \u201cNosferatu\u201d is an unofficial German adaptation of Bram Stoker\u2019s \u201cDracula.\u201d But instead of the charming Count Dracula, this time we have the repulsive Count Orlok, a bony-fingered, rodent-faced monster played magnificently by German method actor Max Schreck. In the film, the hideous Orlok lives on his lonely lonesome in a gothic castle and is doing a deal with real estate agent Thomas Hutter. Orlok, being the monster that he is, very quickly yearns for the sweet taste of Hutter\u2019s blood, as well as that of Hutter\u2019s wife, Ellen, and gets to quenching the monstrous thirst that doth overwhelm him. Ninety years later, this horror masterpiece is still persistently frightening and relentlessly haunting, thanks in large part to Schreck\u2019s legendary performance as creepy creeper Mr. Orlok; it\u2019s as badass as Darth Vader, but, like, scary and stuff.<\/p>\n

Honourable mentions:<\/strong> \u201cBram Stoker\u2019s Dracula\u201d (1992), \u201cFright Night\u201d (2011), \u201cHorror of Dracula\u201d (1958), \u201cNosferatu the Vampyre\u201d (1979), \u201cShadow of the Vampire\u201d (2000)<\/p>\n

Right, so, that\u2019s the vampires done with. And now we move onto the werewolves. First up, it\u2019s \u201cDances with Wolves\u201d\u2026 wait, what do you mean that\u2019s not a werewolf musical with a break-dancing Kevin Costner? It isn\u2019t? Damn it. Okay, first up is this:<\/p>\n

ROUND TWO: WEREWOLVES<\/span><\/p>\n

5. \u201cThe Wolf Man\u201d (1941)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Wolf Man\u201d was Universal\u2019s second attempt at a werewolf film, following the 1935 box-office flop that was \u201cWerewolf of London,\u201d Hollywood\u2019s first stab at werewolf horror. Fortunately for Universal, \u201cThe Wolf Man\u201d proved to be significantly more popular and has since become a rather iconic part of the sub-genre it helped kick-start. Starring as the eponymous creature in this George Waggner-directed monster movie was Lon Chaney, Jr., son of make-up maestro and silent film legend Lon Chaney, Sr. In the film, Chaney, Jr. plays Larry Talbot, an American who, while visiting his ancestral home in Wales, is unfortunately bitten by a werewolf. Soon enough, whenever the wolfbane blooms and the moon is bright, Larry transforms into a werewolf himself; either that, or he turns into a drunken hobo who forgot to shave for a few days. While it didn\u2019t quite climb to the heights of fame reached by \u201cDracula\u201d and \u201cFrankenstein,\u201d \u201cThe Wolf Man\u201d is nonetheless highly regarded among horror buffs and essentially set the standard for werewolf fiction, fully launching knowledge of the mythical beast into the mainstream. And people have been scared of unshaven drunken hobos ever since.<\/p>\n

4. \u201cThe Howling\u201d (1981)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Sadly overshadowed by the success of fellow 1981 werewolf flick “An American Werewolf in London,” Joe Dante’s satirical horror “The Howling” has nonetheless become something of a cult classic over the years. It centres on Karen White, a news anchor who, as part of a police investigation, decides to meet up with a serial killer in a dark and dirty porno theatre (clearly nothing can go wrong here). The meeting, surprise surprise, goes horribly wrong, leaving Karen in a state of shock and suffering from amnesia. She is advised to stay in The Colony, a treatment centre in the countryside, while she recovers. However, The Colony turns out to be the worst possible place for her to be staying in; I mean, it’s inhabited by werewolves, for starters. “The Howling” features very impressive makeup work and state-of-the-art prosthetics, most notably during the nauseating transformation sequences; it’s also splendidly entertaining and is one of those rare horror films that actually manages to be a genuinely terrifying experience. Also, it’s got kinky werewolf sex in it, which is always a plus.<\/p>\n

3. \u201cDog Soldiers\u201d (2002)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cDog Soldiers\u201d is the first feature-length film from writer-director Neil Marshall, a filmmaker who has proven time and time again that he loves drowning his actors in pools of blood; his debut is no exception. It follows a group of British soldiers who are sent into the Scottish Highlands for what appears be a routine training mission. Unfortunately, they soon find themselves barricaded inside a small remote house, determinedly fighting off a large pack of bloodthirsty, limb-tearing werewolves; they\u2018re Scottish werewolves, the worst kind. Tremendously gritty and yet helplessly goofy at the same time, the intensely suspenseful \u201cDog Soldiers\u201d is a blood-soaked, shit-scary and blackly comic horror debut from the guy who would go on to give us the utterly terrifying \u201cThe Descent\u201d and the utterly dreadful \u201cDoomsday.\u201d Stick to horror, dude, \u2018cause apocalyptic thrillers ain\u2019t your strong suit.<\/p>\n

2. \u201cGinger Snaps\u201d (2000)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cGinger Snaps\u201d is a film that uses lycanthropy as a metaphor for puberty; you know, that time when hair grows where it never grew before, when sexual urges begin to develop and when you start viciously devouring your neighbours\u2019 mouthwatering flesh. Ahhh, such confusing times. The film is set in a town in which local dogs are being mysteriously mutilated by either an animal or a person — maybe both\u2026 Goth sisters Ginger and Brigitte Fitzgerald venture out into the woods one night and are unexpectedly attacked by a werewolf. Unfortunately for her, Ginger is bitten, and thus begins her slow but inevitable transformation into a howling, prowling creature of the night. There\u2019s not a dull moment in this low-budget, Canadian indie horror from director John Fawcett; it\u2019s relentlessly entertaining, oozing with jet-black humour, blood-soaked carnage and witty dialogue featuring the constant moping of two sibling Goths; if you don\u2019t like it, you\u2019re, like, a conformist and you should, like, totally kill yourself. Chyeah.<\/p>\n

1. \u201cAn American Werewolf in London\u201d (1981)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cAn American Werewolf in London\u201d is a fish-out-of-water movie, or should that be a werewolf-out-of-America movie? Directed by John Landis (he did the video for Michael Jackson\u2019s \u201cThriller,\u201d y\u2019know), this classic horror-comedy sees two American tourists being attacked by a big, bad werewolf in the middle of the English moors. One of them lives, the other meets his maker. The one that lives, however, was bitten, and soon begins suffering from deeply disturbing dreams, visions of his dead friend and undergoes a horrifying transformation whenever the moon shines full in the night sky. Laden with rib-tickling dark humour, quite a number of frightful frights and a fair share of grisly gore, \u201cAn American Werewolf in London\u201d truly is the ultimate werewolf flick. However, it\u2019s probably best known for Rick Baker\u2019s gruesomely ground-breaking special effects, most notably those shown off in the infamously nasty transformation sequence. That scene is still stomach-churning to this day; it sure put me off becoming a werewolf.<\/p>\n

Honourable mentions:<\/strong> \u201cBad Moon\u201d (1996), \u201cThe Company of Wolves\u201d (1984), \u201cGinger Snaps: Unleashed\u201d (2004), \u201cSilver Bullet\u201d (1985), \u201cWerewolf of London\u201d (1935)<\/p>\n

AND THE WINNER IS…<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/strong> Neither. I\u2019m sorry, I really cannot decide between the two; both have their fair share of great movies under their belts, and deciding between them is like deciding if the pear is better than the banana; I like both, goddamn it! However, what I will say is this: the best movie of the two sub-genres without a doubt comes from the vampire side in the form of “Nosferatu;” it’s the only film here I can say is a masterpiece without too much hesitation.<\/p>\n

Anyway, I would love to hear what you have to say in the comments below, as I\u2019m sure many will have a personal preference between the two contenders, unlike my indecisive self. So, which do you think is the better sub-genre? Which creature of the night has delivered the most goods over the years? You must decide: vampire or werewolf? Bloodsucker or lycanthrope? Team Edward or Team Jacob? Let me know, or I’ll set the wolves and the bats on you — yes, they bite.<\/p>\n

Header image source<\/a><\/p>\n

By Stephen Watson<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The idea of vampires battling it out with werewolves seems an awesome one; they\u2019re both terrifying, albeit fictional, creatures of the night, and I\u2019m sure the brawl would be a viciously entertaining one. However, the idea also brings to mind the \u201cTwilight\u201d saga, a teenage-targeted fantasy film series in which glittering vamps and oversized Chihuahuas […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":37,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":""},"categories":[20,211],"tags":[3458,3459,3465,1954,3366,3466,3463,3464,1703,3460,3461,1414,2487,3457,1714,3462],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","yoast_head":"\nWerewolf vs. Vampire: Which is the Better Cinematic Sub-Genre? 2023 | This Blog Rules<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The idea of vampires battling it out with werewolves seems an awesome one; they\u2019re both terrifying, albeit fictional, creatures of the night, and I\u2019m sure\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/thisblogrules.com\/werewolf-vs-vampire-which-is-the-better-cinematic-sub-genre\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\">\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"11 minutes\">\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thisblogrules.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/thisblogrules.com\/\",\"name\":\"This Blog Rules | Why go elsewhere?\",\"description\":\"Leading Entertainment Blog and Daily Source for Fun\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":\"https:\/\/thisblogrules.com\/?s={search_term_string}\",\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thisblogrules.com\/werewolf-vs-vampire-which-is-the-better-cinematic-sub-genre\/#primaryimage\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/www.thisblogrules.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/header-550x425.jpg\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thisblogrules.com\/werewolf-vs-vampire-which-is-the-better-cinematic-sub-genre\/#webpage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/thisblogrules.com\/werewolf-vs-vampire-which-is-the-better-cinematic-sub-genre\/\",\"name\":\"Werewolf vs. Vampire: Which is the Better Cinematic Sub-Genre? 2023 | This Blog Rules\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thisblogrules.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thisblogrules.com\/werewolf-vs-vampire-which-is-the-better-cinematic-sub-genre\/#primaryimage\"},\"datePublished\":\"2011-11-21T04:58:41+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2011-11-21T14:39:26+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thisblogrules.com\/#\/schema\/person\/292315f075662c95590c0b250f432345\"},\"description\":\"The idea of vampires battling it out with werewolves seems an awesome one; they\\u2019re both terrifying, albeit fictional, creatures of the night, and I\\u2019m sure\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thisblogrules.com\/werewolf-vs-vampire-which-is-the-better-cinematic-sub-genre\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/thisblogrules.com\/werewolf-vs-vampire-which-is-the-better-cinematic-sub-genre\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thisblogrules.com\/werewolf-vs-vampire-which-is-the-better-cinematic-sub-genre\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"item\":{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thisblogrules.com\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/thisblogrules.com\/\",\"name\":\"Home\"}},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"item\":{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thisblogrules.com\/werewolf-vs-vampire-which-is-the-better-cinematic-sub-genre\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/thisblogrules.com\/werewolf-vs-vampire-which-is-the-better-cinematic-sub-genre\/\",\"name\":\"Werewolf vs. Vampire: Which is the Better Cinematic Sub-Genre?\"}}]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thisblogrules.com\/#\/schema\/person\/292315f075662c95590c0b250f432345\",\"name\":\"Vernon Gadson\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thisblogrules.com\/#personlogo\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d00d45163899a884751d58ee9b372fc9?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Vernon Gadson\"},\"description\":\"I currently live in the USA, but I learned to speak fluent Italian from my mother who grew up in Italy. 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