Is it just me or has the whole world gone vampire mad? It started with the sickeningly gushy Twilight, branched out in True Blood to sex-filled mayhem and now the new show 'The Vampire Diaries' is finding its way to our British screens. Add that with the new movie 'Daybreakers' as well as a few others appearing on our screens its clear that the nation has gone batty (cheap pun) for vamps. In this post I'll be looking at all of the aforementioned and evaluate whats creating hoards of fang-astics! (another cheap pun)
The Twilight Sega
The Twilight SegaLets be honest, you either love it or you hate it. We ATS tend to hate it, but we can't deny that its popular and is probably the reason behind the vampire mania. The book has sold over 17 million copies worldwide, the movie grossing more then $382 million and the movie sequel 'New Moon' managed to have the biggest single day domestic gross at $72.7 million. So its clear to say that despite its somewhat questionable themes; such as promoting teen suicide, pregnancy, marriage, marginalizing the main female protagonist and making every man in the world pale in comparison to a shiny, sparkly vampire; Edward Cullen and his band of merry vampires will probably go down in history alongside Dracula as some of the most famous vampires. And it is almost definitely what has stemmed this vampire craze. I could go on, but I've had this rant before.
True Blood
I am a massive fan of this TV show, but I will openly admit that I sometimes wonder how some of it is aired on TV. The pilot episode was vampire porn. Honestly. A lot of flesh finds itself onto our screens during this hour, whether its the main male, an old vampire called Bill (Stephen Moyer) or the Southern Belle Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin, from X Men). Despite this it actual has a very credible story line, unlike most vampire fiction humans know of their exist after they 'came out of the coffin'. There is a mixed reaction to this, series two sees the vampires clashing with 'The Fellowship of a Sun', an anti-fang religious group, but the Japanese have managed to create synthetic blood, called 'True Blood' so the vamps no longer need to feed on the living. Throw in drug addicts who thrive off vampire blood, a crazy goddess, telekinesis and stereotype Southern prejudices and you have yourself a humdinger of a TV show. It has won one golden globe and an emmy, so clearly the critics agree!
The Vampire Diaries
I watch this one too. Honestly, how can I complain about Twilight when I thrive off every other trashy vampire show? This one is set around two gorgeous brothers... wait, a minute, that's why I watch it. Got'cha. Anyway, these brothers, Damon (Ian Somerhalder- YUM, from Lost!) and Stefan (Paul Westley) are vampires and they both fall for Elena (Nina Dobrev) who looks remarkably like their old flame Katherine who drove the two brothers to become enemies. Think of it like your typical high school American TV show with a twist of supernatural. Don't be fooled by the first few episodes because honestly, they're shockingly bad, but as the series progresses it gets better and better and the plot thickens deeper. If you like 'True Blood' and trashy, teen TV like 'Gossip Girl' or '90210' then this a show for you. Or if you like chiseled chests and the beautifulest cheek bones you have ever seen (Paul Westley) then this is also the show for you.
Daybreakers
This hit the cinemas here and in America at the start of the month and I haven't got around to seeing it yet, but from the trailer it looks epic. This is completely different from the others, its set in a world full of vampires, where the small population of remaining humans are harvested for blood, but the stores are running out and without the blood the vampires turn into animalistic "sub-siders" driven by their hunger to feed and losing all humanity. Elvis, (William Dafoe) has managed to cure himself of the vampire plague and now Edward Dalton must find this cure once again before all the blood stores have run out and the remaining humans become extinct. This is a new look at the vampire, no romance, no starcrossed lovers, just the Gothic idea of vampires in its raw, original form.
True BloodI am a massive fan of this TV show, but I will openly admit that I sometimes wonder how some of it is aired on TV. The pilot episode was vampire porn. Honestly. A lot of flesh finds itself onto our screens during this hour, whether its the main male, an old vampire called Bill (Stephen Moyer) or the Southern Belle Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin, from X Men). Despite this it actual has a very credible story line, unlike most vampire fiction humans know of their exist after they 'came out of the coffin'. There is a mixed reaction to this, series two sees the vampires clashing with 'The Fellowship of a Sun', an anti-fang religious group, but the Japanese have managed to create synthetic blood, called 'True Blood' so the vamps no longer need to feed on the living. Throw in drug addicts who thrive off vampire blood, a crazy goddess, telekinesis and stereotype Southern prejudices and you have yourself a humdinger of a TV show. It has won one golden globe and an emmy, so clearly the critics agree!
The Vampire DiariesI watch this one too. Honestly, how can I complain about Twilight when I thrive off every other trashy vampire show? This one is set around two gorgeous brothers... wait, a minute, that's why I watch it. Got'cha. Anyway, these brothers, Damon (Ian Somerhalder- YUM, from Lost!) and Stefan (Paul Westley) are vampires and they both fall for Elena (Nina Dobrev) who looks remarkably like their old flame Katherine who drove the two brothers to become enemies. Think of it like your typical high school American TV show with a twist of supernatural. Don't be fooled by the first few episodes because honestly, they're shockingly bad, but as the series progresses it gets better and better and the plot thickens deeper. If you like 'True Blood' and trashy, teen TV like 'Gossip Girl' or '90210' then this a show for you. Or if you like chiseled chests and the beautifulest cheek bones you have ever seen (Paul Westley) then this is also the show for you.
DaybreakersThis hit the cinemas here and in America at the start of the month and I haven't got around to seeing it yet, but from the trailer it looks epic. This is completely different from the others, its set in a world full of vampires, where the small population of remaining humans are harvested for blood, but the stores are running out and without the blood the vampires turn into animalistic "sub-siders" driven by their hunger to feed and losing all humanity. Elvis, (William Dafoe) has managed to cure himself of the vampire plague and now Edward Dalton must find this cure once again before all the blood stores have run out and the remaining humans become extinct. This is a new look at the vampire, no romance, no starcrossed lovers, just the Gothic idea of vampires in its raw, original form.
4 comments:
'This is a new look at the vampire, no romance, no starcrossed lovers, just the Gothic idea of vampires in its raw, original form.'
I'm going to politely disagree, if you don't mind. The Gothic idea was, in its essence, the twinning of romance with the dark or macabre- hence, vampires in Gothic fiction were modelled on Medieval incubi (demons whose main weapon was their own crazy sexiness).
In it's day, works such as 'Dracula' weren't well received, and were seen as creepy and racy, but now they're considered classics.
Maybe one day, 'Twilight' and 'True Blood' will be viewed in a similar way. Christ, I hope not...
Hmm i agree, but I think Clo was refering to that film, which really isn't about love at all. When i watched it what struck me most was how the roles of vampire and human were reversed - i found myself feeling sorry for the vampires and hating the humans!
Tri's right, i was referring to it over all, but the film. Stereotypical vampire movies and i am talking about movies here eileen, i know you're a fucking genius on the novels, were meant to scare. True blood and twilight have made it into something romantic, whilst daybreakers have reverted back to the original vampire horror movies. i'm talking films, sorry it wasn't clear.
Ooh, for people who are interested in vampires, there's a programme called 'Vampires: Why They Bite' on BBC3 tonight. It's a documentary delving into the recent vampire obsession in pop culture. I probably won't be watching it, as I'll be geeking on Super Mario Sunshine :)
(This also only applies to fellow British people)
-Eileen
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