This document discusses how the portrayal of vampires has developed from 1922 to the present. Early films like Nosferatu depicted vampires as physically repulsive monsters, while Dracula in 1958 appeared gentlemanly but still followed gothic conventions. Bram Stoker's Dracula in 1992 provided backstory to elicit more sympathy. The Twilight series from 2008 made vampires attractive and romanticized their relationship with humans. Let the Right One In in 2008 also portrayed a sympathetic vampire but with more graphic violence.

1. HOWHAVEVAMPIRES
DEVELOPEDOVERTIME?
1922TOPRESENT

2. INTRODUCTIONTOVAMPIRES
• Vampires are often portrayed to have human-like qualities and appear normal which evokes the fear
oftheunknownasnothingseemswrongbutunderneaththey’reamonsterthansurvivesondrinking
humanblood
• Vampires, specifically Dracula, are separated from society as they are immortal which people find
fascinatingasitisanalternateversionofthelivingdead
• Often portrayed to have the perfections humans desire, for example immortality, an attractive
appearanceandintelligence
• Vampiresoftencomethegothicthemeswhichpeoplefindfascinatingandcreepy
• Vampires started off as terrifying monsters in the early 90s and have developed into romanticised
beings that audiences now sympathise with, this cycle is repeat throughout horror and possible the
terrifyingfeaturesofvampiresmayreappearatsomepoint

3. NOSFERATU-1922
• This is a silent, black and white German expressionist film. The lack of speech allows the soundtrack
todo alotofworkincreatingacreepyatmosphere,aswellasthesoundsofthemise-en-scenesuchas
doorscreaking.Thesilencealsomeanstheaudiencenoticesmoreonthescreen
• The vampire, Nosferatu, is depicted as physically repulsive which audiences would find scary as this
point in time.He looksalmost zombie-like due tohis palegrey skin and blackcirclesaround his eyes,
his hands are also freakishly large with creepy, pointy fingers and he is dressed completely in black
whichindicatesthatheisanevilbeing
• TheuseofshadowsinthisfilmcreatesacreepyatmospheretheseshotsareusedwhenCountOrlokis
goingforhispreymakinghimseemevermoremenacingbecausetheyemphasisehisform

4. HORROROFDRACULA-1958
• InthisinterpretationofDracula,heappearslikeanormalhumanandhasquitegentlemanlyqualities
which disguises the monster inside, he is also an attractive being which allows him to get his prey
easierthereforescaringtheaudiencesbecauseattractionisusuallyagoodthing
• ThisversionofDraculafollowsthetypicalgothicthemesashelivesinaremote,darkcastleandsleeps
inacoffin
• He also wears all black with a cape that has a red underside, which has sexual or passionate
connotationsbutitalsoindicatesdangeroranger
• TheuseoflightanddarkinthisfilmissignificantasthedarknessisoftenusedwhenDraculaappears
buthisprey,theinnocentvictims,havemorelightonthem

5. BRAMSTOKER’SDRACULA-1992
• This version of Dracula is different to the rest as it gives a backstory of how Dracula came to be as he
wasoncehumanwhowentthroughalotmeaningtheaudiencecansympathisewithhim
• There’s a lot of focus on religion as the camera shows crosses often and at points them being
destroyedandDraculaattacksreligionthereforeannouncingthemonsterwithin
• His appearance is originally normal but it changes over time into a more unnerving figure as his skin
isverypale,hishandandfingernailsareverylongandrepulsive,hishairstyleisalsoverydatedwhich
canbeintimidating
• Asavampirehedoeshavesometypicalqualitiessuchasheturnsintoabat,he’sverypale,theoverall
theme is fairly gothic as he lives in a dark and frightening castle but also his shadows moves
separatelyfromhim

6. TWILIGHT–2008-12
• Thisseriesofvampirefilmschangedaudience’sviewofvampires astheydonotappeartobeat
allscarybuttheyareeasytosympathisewithduetotheirhumanlikequalitiesandappearnces
• The appearances of the vampires featured are very beautiful and attractive to other characters
and audiences – they still have the conventions such as pale skin, are old despite appearances
sayingotherwiseandunabletogoinsunlightexcepttheysparkleinsteadofburning
• Overall the films broke typical vampire conventions as they’re physically and emotionally
perfect,thefilmsareoverlyromanticisedandtheyare‘vegetarian’andonlydrinkanimalblood
• The use of shadows is continued into these films as it helps identify the good and bad,
taxidermyisalsousedalotinschoolsettings

7. LETTHERIGHTONEIN-2008
• Similar to Twilight in the way that the film is romanticised and you can sympathise with the
vampiresastheyseemvulnerable
• The main vampire appears normal like other humans as she goes to school and lives in a
councilestate,excepttheycan’tstandfoodorbeinginthesunandsheisalsoquitepale
• The main vampire is portrayed by a younggirl which is unnerving to audiences as children are
usually the picture or innocence however she is very destructive in the way she kills and the
filmsinvolvesalotofbloodandgore