Sucked in by vampires
Tyler Landis REPORTER
Issue date: 2/5/09 Section: Features
Blood suckers were a hot commodity in 2008; movies, books, and bands all had a valiant hand in this pop culture wave coming full circle. Vampires have been a popular subject in past years with TV shows like Buffy, and `80s flicks like "The Lost Boys," and various Dracula re-creations.
The most obvious source for this new rage was the "Twilight" books. Written by Stephanie Meyer, "Twilight" is a series of four vampire/fantasy/romance books. The main storyline of the first novel follows Isabella Swan's adventures into the vampire world when she falls for a mysterious boy named Edward Cullen. Book translated into film, and the rest was history. The film has earned more than $180 million worldwide, and sequels are on the way.
The "Twilight" movie has made its money, but how do fans compare it to the book?
Junior Lauren Rider has her own opinion. Many people who read the books went into the movie with high expectations, she said.
"They were disappointed when they realized that some parts of the book had to be left out because there just isn't enough time in a movie to retell an entire book," Rider said.
The film stands at a mediocre 50 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, a Web site devoted to news, information and reviews of movies.
Some are awaiting something better the second time around.
While Angela Messenger, interim coordinator at the Youngstown State University writing center, acknowledged that the movie has made a large profit, she admitted that certain parts of the film felt decidedly low budget.
"It's very entertaining, but I hope the producers loosen their purse strings a bit more for future productions," Messenger said.
Still, Messenger has her own theories on the appeal the books have to a mass audience. A loyal fan to the series, Messenger first caught on when her Barnes and Noble book club suggested that the club read "Twilight" in November 2007.
"Vampirism has always been appealing whether for the heightened strength and senses, immortality, or supernatural abilities that writers sometimes bestow on these creatures as in the case of Meyer. Twilight further appeals to our lust for true love," Messenger said.
The most obvious source for this new rage was the "Twilight" books. Written by Stephanie Meyer, "Twilight" is a series of four vampire/fantasy/romance books. The main storyline of the first novel follows Isabella Swan's adventures into the vampire world when she falls for a mysterious boy named Edward Cullen. Book translated into film, and the rest was history. The film has earned more than $180 million worldwide, and sequels are on the way.
The "Twilight" movie has made its money, but how do fans compare it to the book?
Junior Lauren Rider has her own opinion. Many people who read the books went into the movie with high expectations, she said.
"They were disappointed when they realized that some parts of the book had to be left out because there just isn't enough time in a movie to retell an entire book," Rider said.
The film stands at a mediocre 50 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, a Web site devoted to news, information and reviews of movies.
Some are awaiting something better the second time around.
While Angela Messenger, interim coordinator at the Youngstown State University writing center, acknowledged that the movie has made a large profit, she admitted that certain parts of the film felt decidedly low budget.
"It's very entertaining, but I hope the producers loosen their purse strings a bit more for future productions," Messenger said.
Still, Messenger has her own theories on the appeal the books have to a mass audience. A loyal fan to the series, Messenger first caught on when her Barnes and Noble book club suggested that the club read "Twilight" in November 2007.
"Vampirism has always been appealing whether for the heightened strength and senses, immortality, or supernatural abilities that writers sometimes bestow on these creatures as in the case of Meyer. Twilight further appeals to our lust for true love," Messenger said.
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