 As the evenings draw in and as the dark season approaches, what better time to return to the legend of the vampire? Bloodsuckers thrive, after all, on long nights and short days. And they do so upon one special night in particular… At Ginger Nuts’ kind invitation I’ve put together a list of my favourite vampire flicks to see you through this year’s Halloween. Candy and wine are strictly optional, of course, but what follows might make the most sense if approached in a spirit of at least mild intoxication… (editors note if you would like to match these films with some wine and Candy, Ginger Nuts of Horror's resident sommelier and sweetie expert Jim Mcleod is here to suggest some great pairings) Please note I know NOTHING about wine 1) Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966).The third Dracula film from Britain’s Hammer studios, and one of the very best. Christopher Lee, in his pomp, gives a near-definitive performance as Dracula, pitted against Andrew Keir’s indefatigable holy man in a Hammer vision of Eastern Europe. At a brisk 90 minutes it’s a short sharp shock of horror with which to begin the evening. Apiothica Red Red Californian Wine Inspired by the "Apotheca", a mysterious place where ancient wines blended, Apothic Red is a masterfully crafted smooth Red Blend. Rich layers of Dark Fruit are complemented by hints of Mocha and Vanilla. Possibly the only sweet that could go with such a sophisticated film and wine is a classic coffee cream 2) Queen of the Damned (2002).I almost went for Interview with the Vampire here, that strangely languorous interpretation of Anne Rice’s megaselling novel. On reflection, however, I’ve plumped instead for this lesser-known sequel. It’s pulpier by far than the original (with which it shares no cast and very little cinematic DNA) yet it’s got an odd, mournful quality nonetheless, with arresting performances by Paul McGann and the late Aaliyah. Barefoot Jammy Red Tasting Notes Barefoot Jammy Red is a sweet blend featuring flavours of cherry, strawberry jam, and blackberry. To go with the pulp nature of the film I would recommend filled chocolate eyeballs 3) 30 Days of Night (2007).Set in an Alaskan town which annually endures a month-long polar night, this is one of the very few horror films I could never finish. I’ve sat through scarier and certainly grislier and gorier movies but there was something about the premise of this one - together with the mesmerising Danny Huston as the vampire leader - which made me reach, shakily, for the remote. If you manage to reach the end, do drop me a line to let me know what happens! 19 Crimes Red Wine As pioneers in a harsh frontier colony, they forged fresh pathways and built new lives from their chequered pasts, brick by brick. This wine honours the history they wrote and the culture they built. For such a hardcore film you must go with Highland Toffee Chews 4) Nosferatu (1922).Time to slow things down bit as this haunted night wears on. Almost a century old, this remarkable film has acquired many of the qualities of a dream, or perhaps a nightmare. A bootleg, silent version of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, the lineaments of the original plot are only dimly visible. Max Schreck’s hideous Count Orlok is a world away from the novel’s roving aristocrat but is now almost as indelibly imprinted into popular culture. Allow yourself to drift, then, into this weird world, at once alarming and curiously beguiling… Grandeza Aged Grandeza Gran Traditión is a smooth, rounded red from the sun-drenched vineyards of the central Spanish plains. Hot, dry summers and cold winters are key to achieving a unique balance of flavours, while the old vine fruit gives depth and complexity to the blend. Another sophisticated film requires another sophisticated sweetie a Halloween Praline Selection Box from Fortnum & Mason must be the way to go 5) Carry on Screaming! (1966)And to finish, a copper-bottomed British classic. The Carry On gang have uproarious fun with the whole kit and caboodle of horror cinema, leaving no trope untouched and no cliche unparodied. One of the most consistently entertaining of this very British sequence - beloved in some quarters, notorious in others! After all of this, just as dawn approaches and, with it, the safety of daylight, you can retire to bed. Once the night comes and it’s time to rise again, however, can I cordially suggest an evening away from the television screen? Why not make a start on my new novel - Dracula’s Child - instead? Blue Nun The only wine that could be paired with this film is the wine of the 60's and 70's Blue Nun, this fruity wine will transport you back to a time of pineapple and cheese hedgehogs. And this can only be paired with something equally cheesy, a big bowl of fake chewy vampire teeth  JS Barnes is the author of three previous novels - The Somnambulist, The Domino Men and Cannonbridge - as well as numerous audio originals for Big Finish and Audible. He has taught Creative Writing internationally for more than a decade and is a regular contributor to the Times Literary Supplement and the Literary Review  Evil never truly dies... and some legends live forever. In Dracula's Child, the dark heart of Bram Stoker's classic is reborn. Capturing the voice, tone, style and characters of the original yet with a modern sensibility this novel is perfect for fans of Dracula and contemporary horror. It has been some years since Jonathan and Mina Harker survived their ordeal in Transylvania and, vanquishing Count Dracula, returned to England to try and live ordinary lives. But shadows linger long in this world of blood feud and superstition - and, the older their son Quincey gets, the deeper the shadows that lengthen at the heart of the Harkers' marriage. Jonathan has turned back to drink; Mina finds herself isolated inside the confines of her own family; Quincey himself struggles to live up to a family of such high renown. And when a gathering of old friends leads to unexpected tragedy, the very particular wounds in the heart of the Harkers' marriage are about to be exposed... There is darkness both within the marriage and without - for new evil is arising on the Continent. A naturalist is bringing a new species of bat back to London; two English gentlemen, on their separate tours of the continent, find a strange quixotic love for each other, and stumble into a calamity far worse than either has imagined; and the vestiges of something forgotten long ago is finally beginning to stir...   Comments are closed.
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