Vithanage Erandi Kawshalya Madhushani Jade Times Staff
V.E.K. Madhushani is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Entertainment.
Why Vampires Keep Returning to Pop Culture
Sex, Love, and the Allure of Immortality: Why Vampires Endlessly Fascinate Us
Vampires those immortal, bloodthirsty creatures that lurk in the shadows, wielding both seduction and terror have fascinated humanity for centuries. From classic fangs to modern allure, these creatures have become icons in popular culture, evolving from the fearsome Nosferatu to the seductive Edward Cullen of Twilight. But why does our fascination with vampires never fade?
A Tale of Immortality and Disease
The origins of vampires in English literature trace back to 1819, with John Polidori’s short story The Vampyre. Decades later, Bram Stoker’s Dracula introduced audiences to Count Dracula in 1897, inspiring F.W. Murnau’s silent film Nosferatu in 1922. Set to be reimagined in 2025 by Robert Eggers, this new version of Nosferatu will star Bill Skarsgård, Lily-Rose Depp, and Nicholas Hoult. But beyond the thrill of horror, these tales persist because vampires pose fundamental questions about love, immortality, and the afterlife.
Associate Professor Dr. Sam George, who studies vampires in literature, believes the appeal stems from their ability to help us confront mortality. “Vampires get us to think about the big questions that concern us aging, death, and what happens beyond the grave,” she explains. Throughout history, the vampire myth has often linked closely with periods of disease. The rise of fictional vampires in 1819 came during tuberculosis outbreaks, while Nosferatu, which featured plague ridden rats, arrived just after the Spanish influenza pandemic. According to Dr. George, this is “why vampires are so popular and on trend now, as we think of vampires post-COVID as contagion personified.”
Immortal Love and Seduction
Mark Gatiss, co writer of the Sherlock and Dracula series, has been captivated by vampires since childhood. To him, vampires are like Sherlock Holmes mythical and enduring characters we return to repeatedly. His fascination led him to both star as Dracula in an audio production and bring the character to life in the 2020 Dracula series, starring Claes Bang as the Count navigating the streets of London. “If anyone gives you the chance to bring Dracula to life, you have to do it,” says Gatiss.
For Interview with the Vampire executive producer Rolin Jones, vampires carry a powerful allure because of their sensuality and mystery. The popular series, adapted from Anne Rice’s novels, follows the story of Louis de Pointe du Lac, played by Jacob Anderson, as he recounts his life and intense relationship with Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid). “They’re the sexiest, most sensual of monsters,” Jones remarks. He notes that the fan base for Rice’s characters is deeply loyal, with people often tattooing the faces of Lestat and Louis on their bodies. “They get in your bones and haunt you,” he says, describing the pull of these timeless figures.
Dr. George also believes vampires embody themes of love and desire. She points out that vampires have grown younger and more attractive over time evolving from Nosferatu’s monstrous form to Twilight’s brooding Edward Cullen, played by Robert Pattinson. This shift has led to a greater focus on vampire sexuality and the concept of “queer families,” which Anne Rice explores in Interview with the Vampire. According to Dr. George, Rice’s work is “a repressed and messy love story,” presenting a complex mix of grief, longing, and eternal companionship.
The Power of Love That Never Dies
For Dr. George, another core part of vampire appeal is the portrayal of undying love, a theme that resonated in Francis Ford Coppola’s 1992 adaptation of Dracula, which used the tagline “love never dies.” This interplay of death, immortality, and passionate love continues to resonate, she explains, “because vampires let us explore these ideas all at once.”
Through their terrifying beauty, vampires allow us to confront fear, love, and mortality, creating a timeless connection that will likely keep them alive in literature and media for generations to come.
