Blood lust: Vampire tales chilled, thrilled us for more than 80 years

By Lisa Ryckman, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published October 25, 2008 at 12:53 a.m.

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There’s something about a vampire story that just grabs you by the throat and sucks you right in.

Maybe it’s the idea of being a vampire — sleeping all day and going out every night (no more grocery shopping!). Never having to worry about wrinkles or middle-age spread or that inconvenient dying thing (barring the unlikely event of a stake through the heart or exposure to sunlight).

Or maybe it’s the allure of being with a vampire, like Bella Swan and the impossibly hunky Edward Cullen in Stephenie Meyer’s wildly popular Twilight series (hang on, kids — the movie’s less than a month away). Really, who could say no to a beautiful bad boy who lives forever and never loses his hair?

“Would a handsome vampire sit in front of the television, scratching his stomach and drinking beer? Are women lusting after the undead Homer Simpson? Probably not,” says Boulder psychotherapist Linda Hilburn, author of The Vampire Shrink. “Imagining a heart-stoppingly gorgeous man hovering outside your window is much more fun. Most of my clients would open the window.”

So whatever your taste in vampires — sinister, silly, seductive or blood-soaked — check out our guide to getting the most out of your undead experience. There’s plenty to sink your teeth into this Halloween.

Who was that Dracula guy, anyway?

Vlad III Dracula, also known as Vlad the Impaler, was a 15th century prince of Wallachia, a province of Romania. Dracula was known for his atrocities, which included — in addition to impaling on stakes, one of his favorites — blinding, nailing hats to heads, cutting off limbs, strangulation, burning, scalping, skinning and boiling alive, to name a few. The word “Dracula” either means “son of the dragon” or “son of the devil,” depending on the translation.

Memorable Movie Draculas

1922 Max Schrek, Nosferatu

1931 Bela Lugosi, Dracula

1958 Christopher Lee, Dracula

1979 Frank Langella, Dracula

1992 Gary Oldman, Bram Stoker’s Dracula

2000 Gerard Butler, Wes Craven’s Dracula 2000

Like funny with your fangs? Try these:

* Bud Abbott & Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein

*Love at First Bite

* Fright Night

* The Fearless Vampire Killers