History OurVampiresAreDifferent / Film

* ''Film/ShadowOfTheVampire'' has an interesting take on the shadow-film-reflection triad. Vampires don't reflect, but they ''do'' cast shadows (as per the original ''{{Film/Nosferatu}}'') -- and, of course, they ''can'' be caught on camera. The title may (as well as being a quote from ''Nosferatu'') constitute LampshadeHanging. Also, vampires are shown to be twisted disgusting creatures, taking on [[LooksLikeOrlock ratlike]] features. Despite their shrivelled withered appearance, they are still much stronger than humans. They may even age (albeit slowly) and one shows signs of senility, or at least a general loss of memory of events in his distant past. The one we see also needs to feed constantly and enormously, and is unable to create more vampires.

* In the film version of ''Film/{{Priest 2011}}'', vampires are a separate species from humanity, eyeless bat-like creatures that also have insect attributes (in that they have hives and [[HiveQueen queens]]). They also have Familiars, humans who have been infected with vampire blood and end up [[LooksLikeOrlock looking a bit like Orlock]], and are still able to go out in the sunlight, but aren't otherwise any different from regular humans. That's the closest humans ever come to being vampires themselves [[spoiler: until [[TheDragon Black Hat]] is turned by the blood of the Vampire Queen herself. He remains immune to sunlight, but gains the vampires' immense strength.]]

* In ''Film/{{Rockula}}'', vampires are immune to crosses and garlic (much to the consternation of Stanley, who's trying to prove his romantic rival Ralph is one). If Ralph and his mom are typical appearance-wise, they're indistinguishable from humans aside from tell-tale fangs (which no one seems to notice). Daylight is a problem, but due to RuleOfFunny it turns out it's easily circumvented with sun block. Not only does Ralph have a reflection, but it talks back to him, although it's unclear if that's supposed to be true of all vampires. Also, when he tries to turn into a bat [[CrowningMomentOfFunny he becomes a chubby, toddler-sized bat/human hybrid]], but the implication seems to be that he's ''supposed'' to be able to fully turn into a bat and he's just not very good at it.

* In ''Film/{{Lifeforce}}'', a.k.a. The Naked Space Vampire Movie, there is a naked vampire from outer space who sucks out people's [[LifeEnergy lifeforce]] (duh). Humans killed in that way rise as lifeforce-sucking vampires themselves, but they're still not from outer space if they weren't before, and they're only naked underneath their clothes. Also, while the space vampires are implied to be immortal, any humans who are turned into quasi-vamps need to regularly keep devouring more lifeforce lest their bodies turns to dust. Plus they can be killed by a lead spike through the "energy centre" two inches ''below'' the heart.

* In ''Film/PerfectCreature'', they are mutants created by a plague that only affects males, they can't turn other people into vampires, you have to be born one. They are much stronger and durable than humans, are long-lived rather than immortal (none of them died of natural causes, but their oldest members look quite aged) and are unaffected by the typical weaknesses, most notably holy items - In fact, the vampires form a '' Christian order'' in charge of guiding and protecting mankind and are referred to as "Brothers". They are also never called [[NotUsingTheZWord vampires]] during the movie, except for the opening narration, which mentions they used to be called like that before they formed the Brotherhood. They are taken from their mothers while they are still babies and indoctrinated into believing they are superior to humans, but in spite of all this, they managed to live in harmony with the humans as FriendlyNeighborhoodVampires who drink from their willingly donated blood.

* ''Film/GraveOfTheVampire'': hese ones can't make wounds with their fangs, and need a weapon. They also feed off of life force and youth with the blood.

* In the Japanese film ''Goke Body Snatcher From Hell'', people are turned into vampires by alien possession.

* In ''Film/{{Lifeforce}}'', a.k.a. The Naked Space Vampire Movie, there is a naked vampire from outer space who sucks out people's [[LifeEnergy lifeforce]] (duh). Humans killed in that way rise as lifeforce-sucking vampires themselves, but they're still not from outer space if they weren't before, and they're only naked underneath their clothes. Plus they can be killed by a lead spike through the "energy centre" two inches ''below'' the heart.

* Santi, the teenaged protagonist of ''Film/{{Eskalofrío}}'' (Spanish for ''Shiver''), has elongated canine teeth, a severe allergic reaction to sunlight and a tendency to view himself as a monster, [[NotUsingTheZedWord though he never actually claims to be a vampire]]. He has no supernatural powers, and his condition causes him no small amount of trouble when he moves to a small town in the countryside and people start turning up with their throats ripped out and their blood drained.

* Santi, the teenaged protagonist of the Spanish film ''Film/{{Shiver}}'', has elongated canine teeth, a severe allergic reaction to sunlight and a tendency to view himself as a monster, [[NotUsingTheZedWord though he never actually claims to be a vampire]]. He has no supernatural powers, and his condition causes him no small amount of trouble when he moves to a small town in the countryside and people start turning up with their throats ripped out and their blood drained.

* In the ''Film/{{Underworld}}'' series, vampires are the result of one of the sons of the first immortal having been bitten by a bat, which somehow caused the immortality virus in him to mutate into a vampiric one. Vampires have great strength and speed, as well as heightened senses. They need blood to survive and will actually die if they ingest normal food. It is interesting to note that one of the vampire's leaders, the Elder Viktor, promulgated a law that vampires are forbidden from drinking human blood (a rule which he himself routinely violated) to avoid antagonizing mortals. The vampires' only weakness is sunlight (specifically, UV rays), which have been weaponized by their enemies, the [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent lycans]] ([[spoiler:it is revealed in the second film that the UV rounds were designed by an exiled vampire historian in exchange for a comfortable life and protection]]). All immortals have an interesting trait that allows them to [[GeneticMemory experience memories transferred by blood]]. A vampire's (or lycan's) bite transfers the virus into the victim's bloodstream. Best-case scenario is the human turning into a vampire. Worst-case (happens most of the time) is the human dies an agonizing death within minutes of being bitten (the virus did evolve from a deadly plague). Vampires are not considered to be undead, as they are able to have children, even with lycans (although this is expressly forbidden by vampire law, so just guess what happens...).

* In ''Film/JohnCarpentersVampires'', vampires have most of the usual weaknesses, except for cross, however the original vampire, Jan Valek, is immune to silver bullets and garlic. In fact, the only thing that can harm him is the original cross from which he was crucified. His vampire minions can see through his eyes, and he's strong enough to decapitate a man with his bare hands. He is also still vulnerable to sunlight. Indeed, the plot of the movie revolves around him attempting to retrieve his cross in order to gain that immunity.

* The movie ''Film/FrightNight1985'' also played with this trope, as does the [[Film/FrightNight2011 remake]]. Vampires can definitely be killed by sunlight and a stake to the heart. Fire hurts like hell, and presumably will kill them. Beheading might work, but unlike most vampires, cutting off their head is just as diffecult as it would a normal person (i.e., bone is hard to cut through). Vampires are hurt by holy water, but not silver. Crosses hurt, but appear to be overcome easily. They can't shapeshift, which is different from the original. Plus [[spoiler: there is a special stake blessed by St. Michael that cures all the vampires created by a vampire killed by it]].

* In ''Film/PerfectCreature'', they are mutants created by a plague that only affects males, and they can't turn other people into vampires - you have to be born one. They are unaffected by the typical weaknesses, most notably holy items. In fact, vampires form a holy order in charge of guiding and protecting mankind.

* In the film version of ''Film/{{Priest}}'', vampires are a separate species from humanity, eyeless bat-like creatures that also have insect attributes (in that they have hives and [[HiveQueen queens]]). They also have Familiars, humans who have been infected with vampire blood and end up [[LooksLikeOrlock looking a bit like Orlock]], and are still able to go out in the sunlight, but aren't otherwise any different from regular humans. That's the closest humans ever come to being vampires themselves [[spoiler: until [[TheDragon Black Hat]] is turned by the blood of the Vampire Queen herself. He remains immune to sunlight, but gains the vampires' immense strength.]]

* In ''Film/InterviewWithTheVampire'', vampires have super strength and speed (so fast that humans cannot even see them move) which increases as they age with no defined limit. They also have other powers like mind-reading and walking on walls, but such abilities vary from vampire to vampire. They can't transform into animals like bats or wolves, but one of them is shown to be able to fly (or at least [[PowerFloats levitate]]). They don't spread "the dark gift" purely by biting; they have to mix their blood with the victim, a la Dracula. They stop aging when they are turned, making [[ReallySevenHundredYearsOld ancient child]] vampires possible, and forbidden to create. Their unchanging nature is exemplified when their hair is cut: it immediately grows back to the way it was at the time they were turned. Interestingly, they do cast reflections. All the "traditional" methods of dealing with vampires like wooden stakes through the heart, holy symbols, crosses, holy water, garlic, silver, etc are dismissed by one vampire as "nonsense", implying that they have no vulnerability to them. Sunlight still burns them to a crisp and it is shown that decapitation or [[HalfTheManHeUsedToBe bisection]] will kill them, but it seems that only another vampire has the strength and speed to kill one. Fire will also (eventually) kill them but not always, depending on how quickly they act to put out the flames. They require copious amounts of blood every night to survive, with humans as their largest supply. They can [[VegetarianVampire survive on animals]], but that diet only keeps them just above starvation. They can only consume "live" blood, coming from victims whose hearts are still beating. Consuming "dead" blood from a corpse will weaken them considerably, if not outright kill them (older vampires like Lestat appear to be strong enough to survive the consumption of dead blood). Vampires in the film are extremely rare and seem to be unable to psychologically endure immortality for long (or adapt quickly enough to the changing world), the oldest one being merely 400 years old.

* In ''{{Rockula}}'', vampires are immune to crosses and garlic (much to the consternation of Stanley, who's trying to prove his romantic rival Ralph is one). If Ralph and his mom are typical appearance-wise, they're indistinguishable from humans aside from tell-tale fangs (which no one seems to notice). Daylight is a problem, but due to RuleOfFunny it turns out it's easily circumvented with sun block. Not only does Ralph have a reflection, but it talks back to him, although it's unclear if that's supposed to be true of all vampires. Also, when he tries to turn into a bat [[CrowningMomentOfFunny he becomes a chubby, toddler-sized bat/human hybrid]], but the implication seems to be that he's ''supposed'' to be able to fully turn into a bat and he's just not very good at it.

* The 1973 {{Blaxploitation}}/horror film ''Ganja & Hess'' involves an archaeologist (played by Duane Jones, of ''Film/NightOfTheLivingDead'' fame) who develops vampirism after getting stabbed with an ancient sacrificial knife at a dig.

* The movie ''Film/FrightNight'' also played with this trope, as does the [[Film/FrightNight2011 remake]]. Vampires can definitely be killed by sunlight and a stake to the heart. Fire hurts like hell, and presumably will kill them. Beheading might work, but unlike most vampires, cutting off their head is just as diffecult as it would a normal person (i.e., bone is hard to cut through). Vampires are hurt by holy water, but not silver. Crosses hurt, but appear to be overcome easily. They can't shapeshift, which is different from the original. Plus [[spoiler: there is a special stake blessed by St. Michael that cures all the vampires created by a vampire killed by it]].

** According to the opening narration, however, Count Orlok is ''not'' a "vampire" but a "[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin nosferatu]]", which is... [[CallAPegasusAHippogriff basically a vampire]]. This is because the filmmakers erroneously believed that the word "vampire" was a copyright owned by the estate of Bram Stoker. The word never appears again in the entire film.

** According to the opening narration, however, Count Orlok is ''not'' a "vampire" but a "[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin nosferatu]]", which is... [[CallAPegasusAHippogriff basically a vampire]]. This is because the filmmakers erroneously believed that the word "vampire" was a copyright owned by the estate of Bram Stoker.

** According to the opening narration, however, Count Orlok is ''not'' a "vampire" but a "[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin nosferatu]]", which is... basically a vampire. This is because the filmmakers erroneously believed that the word "vampire" was a copyright owned by the estate of Bram Stoker.