8. A Fool There Was (1915) - Theda Bara
Possibly the screen's first ever vamp, Theda Bara plays a woman who entrances a man, wealthy diplomat John Schuyler, who leaves his nice wife and little daughter to cavort around Europe. He returns to New York a broken man and dies. Theda is described as a woman of 'vampire origins' and it is pretty entertaining to watch her in this film carrying on like a cold hearted harlot. As for the vampire bit, it is unknown how Theda bewitches men - but she bewitches them good, chews them up and spits them out. This was a star making role for Theda Bara in 1915. Some of her acting is pretty over-dramatic, but that is probably par for the course in a lot of silent movies. The studios really hyped the presence and mystery of Theda ("born in the shadow of the Sphinx" or some such nonsense) who became a major screen sensation in the silent era. Her role as the 'Vamp' would stick to her and become the template of her career (She also starred as Cleopatra in a lost film) although she tried hard to get rid of it and assume more serious roles. But as a femme fatale, she set the bar for subsequent heartless screen tramps to follow in her wake.