The current popularity of vampires

[Monika]

I watched Moonlight too - and liked it - even though it never came close to the originality of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, in my opinion. I liked Mick and Beth though, and of course Jason Dohring (Veronica Mars - talking about shows cut way too early).

I didn't care much for Twilight. I'm used to Buffy and to watch Bella faint every other second therefor didn't do much of an impression on me...
True Blood however has a lot of things to recommend it - it's original, has a very cool and no-nonsense heroine and is damn sexy to boot. And then there is Alexander Skarsgard as Eric....woho. It´s the only show on tv that I´m currently following.

[oilgun]

I've never seen MOONLIGHT but i did catch BLOOD TIES a couple of times which played around the same time, but it was too cheesy for me.  I also remember FOREVER KNIGHT, another modern-day vampire show from 20 years ago.  None of them compare to TRUE BLOOD though, that's the best!  I was so upset that there was no new episode yesterday, i didn't know what to do with myself.  I've watched episode three, like, 5 times already!  Man, I need it bad!

[Lynne]

I watched the first two episodes of True Blood this weekend and enjoyed them tremendously.  I'm looking forward to more - Netflix hurry up now!!

And thanks for the tips about Moonlight, Dark Shadows and Blood Ties - none of them were on my radar screen.

I agree that I use Whedon's Angel and Spike as my vampire archetypes, so everything else gets compared to them...which is why I really really did not like Twilight (movie).  I haven't brought myself to read the book, but I thought the film completely excruciating in that teenage angst way.  Whedon had much teenage angst, but they didn't wallow - they moved on.

 

[Monika]

I've never seen MOONLIGHT but i did catch BLOOD TIES a couple of times which played around the same time, but it was too cheesy for me.  I also remember FOREVER KNIGHT, another modern-day vampire show from 20 years ago.  None of them compare to TRUE BLOOD though, that's the best!  I was so upset that there was no new episode yesterday, i didn't know what to do with myself.  I've watched episode three, like, 5 times already!  Man, I need it bad!

Oh yes, Blood Ties. I watched it when it was on and quite liked it. I thought Vicky was a good character and she had a lot of chemistry with Henry. I even read the series of books the series is based (by Tanya Huff) and they were quite good. They are quite different from the series though in that that they contain much more sex and overall are a lot darker. I can recomend them.
I agree though, that True Blood is better.

[oilgun]

Here is Alexander (Eric) in the shower!:



Does anyone know where it's from?  Is it Generation Kill?

[Mikaela]

Does anyone know where it's from?  Is it Generation Kill?

No idea where it's from, but this is my reaction: 



I unfortunately haven't seen True Blood because AFAIK it hasn't been picked up by any local network (yet).

But I've been a vampire story fan since I was a kid. I read the original "Dracula"while still a kid and I remember how I had real nightmares after the scene where Dracula makes Mina Harker drink his blood. I was so scared!

Later on I saw Coppola's "Bram Stoker's Dracula" and detested it mightily - what pathetic misogynistic drivel!! But Gary Oldman was way cool as the fanged Count, nevertheless.

I read a number of Anne Rice's vampire novels back in the day - I remember the tiff when Ms. Rice objected to Tom Cruise's casting as Lestat. And her eventual retraction of the objection as Tom did a very decent role there. The film version of Interview with the vampire wasn't all that, despite the presence of Cruise, Banderas and Pitt I thought it was boring.

But Buffy - OMG I still love Buffy. And the Angel spinoff was so great for its first 2-3 seasons. I'm a total Buffy/Angel shipper to this day. I've got a lot of Buffy and Angel comics too. And of course it's completely impossible to not love and adore Spike. 

I've read "Twilight" because someone who knew my past obsession with vampires figured I would like the book and gave it to me. Wrong! It's absolutely abysmal, a sort of pathetic Mary-Sue fanfic where Bella (who tells the story) goes on and on and ON over hundreds of pages about the physical beauty and beautiful eyes and sculpted chest etc etc. of her vampire boyfriend-to-be. And throughout the book she is and remains nothing but a damsel in distress, to be saved over and over by said boyfriend. UghUghUgh. But in a way I admire Robert Pattinson for taking on that role as Edward - there was a risk of not being deemed sufficiently sculptedy-chesty, with howls from enraged fangirls as a consequence if so. He must have known that that role was all about looks. Only about looks. His looks. Fulll stop. (But I gather he rose to the sculpted chest occasion. I haven't seen the film.)

So to end my reminiscing, I'd say vampire stories and movies have been popular and in the cultural mainstream continually since I was a girl, and looooong before that of course. "Nosferatu" and all.

I suppose it's the heady mix of themes such as the unknown, danger, eternal " life"and not least dark, strong sexuality that make vampires so captivating and fascinating and see them reinvented again and again in popular culture.

[Monika]

Here is Alexander (Eric) in the shower!:



Does anyone know where it's from?  Is it Generation Kill?

*high-pitched giggle*

[Monika]

But Buffy - OMG I still love Buffy. And the Angel spinoff was great for its first 2-3 seasons. I'm a total Buffy/Angel shipper to this day. I've got a lot of Buffy and Angel comics too. Of course it's completely impossible to not love Spike, too.

Oh..I got Buffy comics too. And...Buffy action dolls...several

[Mikaela]

Oh..I got Buffy comics too. And...Buffy action dolls...several

I even bought various spin-off novels. Both Angel and Buffy ones. But all that I read felt sloppy and without any passion for the subject matter. They  sucked worse than any vampire!   There were so many fantastic fanfics that were many times better.

[Monika]

I even bought various spin-off novels. Both Angel and Buffy ones. But all that I read felt sloppy and without any passion for the subject matter. They  sucked worse than any vampire!   There were so many fantastic fanfics that were many times better.

Oh I definately agree. One novel I did like was "Spike & Dru; Pretty Maids all in a row", but generally I always prefered fan fiction.



Before Buffy, I was never interested in vampires. I remember reading Bram Stoker´s Dracula as a child, and didn´t find it very interesting. I never liked those seventies movies either.
But then Buffy came along and suddenly I totally got it.

I think that people in general are fascinated with death and the though of eternal life. Mix that with blood and sex and you got yourself a winning concept.
I don´t think the vampire theme will ever get out of fashion.