What Makes a Vampire?

I’m a fan of bloodsuckers. You can obviously tell that by reading some of my past entries (see here and here). To me even a bad movie about vampires can still be pretty entertaining (yes, I am even including the Twilight movies in this list). But with so many different versions of vampires out there I have ask “what makes a vampire?” What are the core attributes that allow the term vampire to be applied to a character?

Blooddrinking

This seems to be the most common attribute of all vampire stories. A vampire must drink blood. But the motivation behind such blood drinking has been different in the multiple versions of vampire stories. Some vampires are portrayed as having to drink due to a blood disorder (Blade). Other vampires have to drink for food/nourishment (Underworld). Perhaps my favorite depiction of blood drinking is the one that likens it to a drug addiction (Being Human). Drinking blood is equal to the ultimate high, which certainly gives an added layer of interest towards the brutal murders that vampires must commit to live. There are also things known as “psychic vampires.” Essentially these types of vampires feed on a sort of life force rather than blood (think Rogue from X-Men). These are less common in popular fiction and more common in vampire folklore (the terms succubus and incubus usually refer to these types of vampires). So even the most common trait associated with vampires is not necessarily a requirement.

Sunlight

This is the next most common trait associated with vampires. These mythical creatures avoid exposure to sunlight. And again there are various reasons for avoiding sunlight and even ways for vampires to get around it. In the Twilight movies, sunlight has no adverse affect on vampires, instead causing them to sparkle when exposed to it (why they don’t sparkle when exposed to any other kind of light was not explained by author Stephanie Meyer). The vampires on Being Human (both American and UK versions) aren’t burned by sunlight, but they do seem to be sensitive to excessive sun exposure (if that’s the case then I might be one as well). Besides those exceptions, most vampires are portrayed as burning to ashes when exposed to sunlight. Which is interesting when the most famous vampire of all time, Count Dracula, was often portrayed as walking in daylight in several incarnations of the character.

Shape-shifting

Another aspect of the vampire made famous by the character Dracula, most modern vampire films have dropped this particular skill from the vampires’ arsenal. Perhaps it seems too outlandish, or merely cost effective as the glut of films and television shows about vampires delude the big and small screens. I put flight in this category as well. While sometimes vampires have been shown flying, usually they have changed into bat to do it.

Psychic abilities

"I see the future!"

While there has always been something hypnotic about vampires, many writers have gone so far as to give vampires amazing mental abilities. While these have mostly involved a form of telepathy (reading thoughts which was suggested as an ability  of vampires by Anne Rice) or a suggestive voice (both The Vampire Diaries and True Blood allow their vampires to control people through suggestion) the author Stephanie Meyer went so far as to give her vampires a wide array of amazing abilities. So many different abilities were given to her vampires that the film adaption of her final book appeared more like an X-Men movie than a film about vampires.

Immortality/Increased Physicality

This is the one universally accepted vampire trait. When you become a vampire you will be both immortal and also much stronger and faster than you were in your human life. The degree to which your physical strength and speed is increased can often vary but they all have it. Some show a mere increase (such as the vamps on Buffy the Vampire Slayer) while others have Herculean strength (Twilight) and faster than sight speed (True Blood). This of course seems to be the major draw presented in every film or TV show about vampires. The chances to last forever.

As time goes on, I’m sure we will see many more changes to the vampire genre. To many fans (such as myself) there was probably no inkling that vampires would stop being monsters and become love interests. A vampire who sparkled in sunlight was (and still is) an odd notion to imagine. I look forward with curious dread about how vampires will be portrayed in fiction twenty years from now.