It’s so hard to find a horror movie these days that I really like. Slasher films lack the campy feel of Jason and Freddy. Most psychological thrillers just think too much. Remakes are, well, remakes. But I stumbled onto a really decent vampire flick good enough to make me want to read the graphic novel of its origin.

I’m talking about 30 Days of Night. The premise is simple, albeit a bit silly. For 30 days, the town of Barrow, Alaska slips away into total darkness. Most residents skip town for the month long black-out, but after dark officially falls, no one is let in or out. It isn’t explained why, but one might assume it’s to protect the town from people who would take advantage of their situation.

You know that old saying, “Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you”? (For some reason, that was hanging in my school counselor’s office — how wacky.) Well, this is the town’s predicament. Despite the lock down, the town is invaded by a full shipload (yes, that’s with a P) of vampires looking for some easy pickins.

30 Days of Night is based on the comic book series written by Steve Niles, and illustrated by Ben Templesmith … based upon a failed movie idea of Steve Niles. (Interesting story of how it was made into a movie, don’t you think?)

I’ll be the first to admit I love a good vampire flick. Something about immortality, power, attraction … many of the classic elements of vampire stories were missing from 30 Days of Night, however.

In most vampire movies, the bad guys are charming, alluring, attractive. Vamps are even more seductive, capable of enchanting men with a glance. Not so in this story. The Nosferatu descending on Barrow are blessed with black eyes, sharp claws, gaping, razor-like teeth (not just fangs) and stretched and disfigured faces. Marlow, their apparent leader, is the only one who looks human.

It didn’t really seem like they were very interested in drinking blood either. More like shredding everything in their paths. I’m not sure how they fed at all, unless it was off the release of life force. Or, perhaps, by absorbing it through the skin, since throughout most of the film, the vampires are covered in blood.

Josh Hartnett played the town’s sheriff, Melissa George his estranged wife (who conveniently gets stuck in town) and Danny Huston does a great job as Marlow. You almost want to like him, or at least, see more of his story and how he wound up leading this ship of refugees around the Arctic Ocean.

This is definitely a movie to get your imagination flowing, though perhaps not one to watch over and again.

Sometimes I get caught up in other people’s interpretations of movies that I know … and still manage to love. This was one of the first horror movies that I because obsessed over, watching it again and again. Putting it on VHS and pulling the tab! This was, and in many ways still is, my all-time favorite vampire movie.

Why?

1 - It’s campy. Despite all the accolades it gets for shaking up two distinct genres - Westerns and vampire flicks - this has a gory, gooey, decidedly cheesey side. Many of these moments are propelled forward by Bill Paxton’s character, while Lance Hendrickson is quite convincing as the stodgy leader of this band of misfits.

2 - It’s romantic. Caleb and Mae’s chance meeting harkens back to love at first sight, and they offer up very real sacrifices for one another. They’re connection transcends that of family or friends. Young love.

3 - They’re fighting to survive. Jesse’s gang are rebels through and through, and they may lie, cheat and steal … but it’s all for a good cause as far as they’re concerned. The difference between Caleb and the rest of the gang, except possibly for Mae, is that they’ve come to enjoy their way of doing things.

Personally? I always feel like this movie ends halfway through, the bar scene, namely. It doesn’t seem like the rest of the movie was that developed. The resolution came too easily. They gave up without too much of a fight. It felt unrealistic and flat, at least to me, but you’ll still enjoy the hell out of it.