Vampire legends have been a part of folklore around the world. Many cultures have vampires, although some are far from the traditional Hollywood definition. With its erotic overtones and wide range of myths, it's no surprise that the vampire is portrayed in more films than any other contemporary horror figure.

Bram Stoker's Dracula has been the "bible" for vampire filmmakers. The 1922 classic Nosferatu was the first film adaptation of Stoker's novel, and has remained one of the best. This film sticks closely to Stoker's description of Dracula as a repulsive creature, which uses its powers, rather than its charm, to prey on victims.

Later adaptations began to portray the vampire as a charming and romantic figure. Universal Picture's 1931 version of Dracula, starring Bela Lugosi, is perhaps the most influential of all vampire films. Lugosi's portrayal of a romantic and stately Count paved the way for elegant yet evil vampire.

Hammer Films became another major source of classic vampire films, when it released The Horror of Dracula in 1958. Christopher Lee portrayed a more sexual and more bloody Dracula. Dracula's nemesis, Van Helsing, was excellently portrayed by Peter Cushing. Both Lee and Cushing went on to star in many future Hammer vampire films in the 1960s and 1970s.

The vampire as an undead monster was portrayed in the 1971 adaptation of Richard Matheson's novel I Am Legend. The Omega Man stars Charlton Heston as a man who must fight to survive in a world whose entire population has been turned into the undead. Vampirism is portrayed as a frightening plague, rather than a romantic lifestyle.

Blood fetishism was combined with the traditional Hollywood vampire in George Romero's 1978 film Martin. Martin sedates his victims before cutting them with a razor blade to drink their blood.

Filmmakers continued portraying vampires in a less positive way into the 1980s, touching on the correlation between vampirism and addiction. 1983's The Hunger stars Catherine Deneuve as an ancient vampire who seeks the help of a medical specialist (Susan Sarandon) to reverse the process of her lover's (David Bowie) rapid aging. This film also touches more on the vampire sexuality, fully recognizing the lesbianism that had previously only been suggested.

The vampires in 1985's Lifeforce disregarded blood drinking altogether, preferring instead to drain their victims of their energy. This film combines horror and science fiction by having vampires from another planet turning hapless victims into whithered corpses.

Two popular vampire films were released in 1997. Near Dark had a family of nomadic vampires, led by Lance Henriksen. The vampires in this film are not the romantic type, but rather unfeeling killers doing what they need to in order to survive.

The second movie, which became a cult classic with the late teen to college crowd, is The Lost Boys. The vampires in this film are a heavy metal motorcycle gang, who revel in their vampiric powers, rather than fighting them.

The 1990s had many memorable vampire films, including 1992's Bram Stoker's Dracula. This film was filmed on a big budget, and promoted heavily, but didn't live up to all its hype as a "faithful adaptation." The story drifted from Stoker's story, and instead focused on a Dracula who was searching for his long dead love.

Interview with the Vampire became an instant favorite among vampire fans. This adaptation of the Anne Rice novel was surrounded by skepticism before its release, when it was found out that Lestat would be played by none other than "Top Gun" Tom Cruise. Everyone's fears (including Anne Rice's) were quelled when the movie was released, however. Cruise very successfully portrayed the beautiful and evil Lestat. Homoeroticism was once again portrayed here (this time male) much to the relief of Rice novel fans, who feared it would be ignored to appeal to the mainstream.

Full Moon Pictures' most popular series stars Radu (Anders Hove), an evil vampire who fights to keep his precious Bloodstone, and his rebellious "fledgeling." Four Subspecies movies have been released so far, and a fifth is planned for release in early 2000.

Latest vampire films have turned away from the romantic vampire, much to the relief of those sick of the angst-ridden, romantic vampire. 1996's From Dusk Till Dawn has vampires who don't waste time seducing their victims; they get right down to business killing.

1998's Blade, starring Wesley Snipes, is an adaptation of the comic of the same name. Snipes plays a Vampire Slayer with some impressive fighting abilities (due to being half vampire himself). Not a black cape or Gothic castle to be seen in this film, either. Just lots of action, and plenty of blood.

John Carpenter's Vampires , which was also released in 1998, kept with the theme of vampires as monsters. James Woods plays Jack Crow, the leader of an elite group of Slayers, sent by the Catholic Church to rid the world of vampires. The Slayers themselves are portrayed as monsters, treating the vampire's victims with no less reproach than they do the vampires