I heard once that more movies have been made about vampires than any other subject. While that may be perfectly untrue (can't remember the source), it is apparent that a lot of people really like vampires. My question is: WHY?
I think they are evil and creepy. They suck blood for goodness sake! I am at a loss to see their appeal. I could never deal with them long enough to write anything about them. The only idea I ever had was having vampire living in the Arctic and running a blood bank--idiotic.
Do you like vampires and if so, can you explain why?
[This message has been edited by UnheardOf (edited May 18, 2004).]
Posted by EricJamesStone (Member # 1681) on :
I think vampires are popular because once you get past the whole evil and undead thing, they have the reputation of being witty, charming, romantic, good dressers, sexy, etc.
Zombies, mummies and werewolves don't have that kind of reputation.
Ghosts may have some of those qualities, but their lack of bodies hinders them in the romantic arena.
Posted by Christine (Member # 1646) on :
To be honest, I don't understand the vampire fetishes in this country myself, but I do believe the stat that they are the subject of a great many movies.
I agree with ERic...charming, witty, and many people (women, as far as I can tell) find them sexy. There is an entire erotic magazine devoted to vampires. (I found it searching for something else....I PROMSIE! )
I, personally, dont' see the attraction, but I think that from an academix point of view, I might be able to try to explain. There is a thrill of excitement when it comes to toying with evildoers, especially suave and sophisticated evildoiers. Vampires are almost human and were human at one pint, so we can relate to them. They are only trying to survive, after all.
Posted by Jules (Member # 1658) on :
Also, immortality is a subject that can hold people's interest time & time again. Plus it makes the stories of individual vampires more interesting, because they can live through several distinct historical periods.
Posted by UnheardOf (Member # 2022) on :
quote:Vampires are almost human and were human at one pint
rofl Don't know if you were being punny or if that was a Freudian typo--but it's the funniest thing I've read/heard all day!!
Posted by Christine (Member # 1646) on :
Glad I could amuse you. Posted by Nick Vend (Member # 1816) on :
It does seem to be the sex appeal thing that appeals. Describing the act of sucking blood is a way of having something extremely sexual happening on stage/in print/in film without actually depicting sex.
Posted by Alias (Member # 1645) on :
quote:I think they are evil and creepy.
It seems to me that you have answered your own question.
Posted by punahougirl84 (Member # 1731) on :
I've never read any vampire books, but have read short stories where they were were used. From what I've read, I would say the human and sexual aspects are hooks into the stories.
The only thing I remember liking was the movie "Love at First Bite" with George Hamilton - it is not creepy - he is looking for a female companion, and there are comedic hijinks involved! The biting is definitely sexual there, though low key.
Of course, the only Frankenstein stuff I've read/watched is Mel Brooks' "Young Frankenstein" with Gene Wilder. So I guess I like these things when they are funny and tongue-in-cheek portrayals.
Posted by MaryRobinette (Member # 1680) on :
I've always thought that it was because they make easy protaganists. They already have the tragic character flaw and internal conflict built in.
Posted by Pyre Dynasty (Member # 1947) on :
I love vampires, I even thought I was one in my youth. (of course it was just a game and I didn't bite anyone.) And I'm about to watch the finale of my favorite show Angel. I think they make very good chars, an inner conflict between who they used to be and who they are. the immortality at a price. and an increadible fashion sense.
Posted by Hildy9595 (Member # 1489) on :
Hey, Pyre, pretty good finale, wasn't it?
I am also a fan of the fanged. I think everyone here's already captured the reasons for their popularity: built-in angst, great wardrobes, sexy as all get-out, seen it all, done it all attitudes to go with the immortality.
I'd also add that they are often written as having similar qualities as superheroes (especially these days) -- incredibly strong, nearly unkillable, inhumanly fast, some have psychic abilities, etc. When written as dark heroes (like Angel) they're even more appealing.
Posted by EricJamesStone (Member # 1681) on :
Yes, the Angel finale was pretty good.
The best TV show about vampires, though, was Buffy.
In fact, as far as I'm concerned, Buffy was the best TV show. Period.
Posted by Christine (Member # 1646) on :
I'm actually becomming a quick fan of Smallville, which I ignored for the first two seasons and now never miss an episode of. I thought it would be terrible, but I love the story of a teenager learning to deal with special powers far more than I enjoyed the superficial adult who stood for, "Truth, Justice, and the American Way." Whatever that was. Posted by Pyre Dynasty (Member # 1947) on :
It was a wonderful finale, the whole next day I was writing in my head what came next. I think that would make a good movie cap to the Buffy/Angel story. (I consider Buffy and Angel the same show, it was the same story and interveined often. Even though I don't like Buffy (the Char).) They've set the stage for a great war, the bowels of hell vs. the army's of good. "Well I kinda want to slay the dragon." Angel
Posted by Jules (Member # 1658) on :
Angel is a much better character than Buffy, IMO. Some of the later series developed Buffy into a more interesting character than the early ones, but still Angel came out on top, I think.
I still prefer Firefly.
Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :
I think that a show has crossed the line between good and not so good when I start rooting for a superpowerful bad guy (modeled on yours truly) to show up and totally destroy (or subjugate) all the "good" guys.
Posted by Hildy9595 (Member # 1489) on :
I thought the characters that crossed over to Angel from Buffy were better-developed on the latter show. Compare Wesley, Cordelia, Spike, Harmony, and even Willow and Faith in guest appearances. They were much cooler in the Angel-verse.
Nevertheless, Buffy the series was really superb genre programming. Episodes like "The Body" and "Hush" were especially breathtaking.
Posted by cvgurau (Member # 1345) on :
I don't know if it was predictable, or if it's just the writer in me (I can sort of predict a lot of stuff I see on TV), but I knew that...uh, that person--I don't want to give it away for those that haven't seen it...all two of you--died. I saw it coming. The way s/he did, though, I thought was kind of touching. Or maybe I'm just sappy.
All in all, though, it was an all around kick@$$ ending. I liked this show better than Buffy--unlike Buffy, they went out on top; with the Slayer, I stuck out the last season or two because of a loyal and perhaps naive hope that it would get better--and am tremendously sad to see it go.
The WB is run by a bunch of morons, IMO.
CVG
"I am sad. I want to cause violence." Illyria. Ha!
PS--Smallville's good too. You guys catch the finale? Awesome.
Posted by Kathleen Dalton Woodbury (Member # 59) on :
quote:it's just the writer in me (I can sort of predict a lot of stuff I see on TV)
I consider that part of what I call "the writer mindset" and I strongly recommend that anyone who aspires to be a writer should cultivate that ability--while watching movies and TV and plays, and while reading stories and listening to jokes.
Try not to ruin things for the nonwriterly within hearing distance of you, though (as Chris so kindly managed to do elsewhere in his post).
I have managed to drive my children crazy by voicing my predictions too many times. Of course, they have managed to drive me crazy at other times by asking me what is going to happen next when I don't have any idea.
Posted by cvgurau (Member # 1345) on :
That, or we're just psychic. Posted by Hildy9595 (Member # 1489) on :
I guess I'm a sap too, CV, because that death got to me, too.
"I killed all of mine." - Illyria
Posted by cvgurau (Member # 1345) on :
Yes, it was exceptionally well done. Good script. Good acting. It was no less touching for it's predictability. Good job, all.
edit: I've heard that the WB has another vampire in the works, some remake of some old TV show. It's almost an insult. Like we're going to watch because there's a vaguely similar theme? Like we're mindless sheep?
Pshh. Idiots.
[This message has been edited by cvgurau (edited May 23, 2004).]
Posted by Jules (Member # 1658) on :
Err... hello! People who watch a lot of TV, mindless sheep -- I think I see a correlation.
Posted by cvgurau (Member # 1345) on :
Oh. heh. Zing.
Posted by MaryRobinette (Member # 1680) on :
Whew. I've been avoiding this thread since the first Angel comment came up because we'd taped the finale to watch later. I was sooo afraid of spoilers. It was a nice sendoff. I'm a sucker for such things but I was also moved by the death scene.
Posted by Pyre Dynasty (Member # 1947) on :
I'm psyco too, I usually watch a show till I can tell what happens then go do something else. (unless I care if I'm wrong or not.) Sometime during a movie my sister asks why someone said something, and it's hard for me to say 'just wait.' rather than telling her that he is the killer.
Posted by Monolith (Member # 2034) on :
Have you heard of the " Anita Blake Vampire Hunter " series by Laurell K. Hamilton?....She portrays her vampires as more human ( IMO ) and they have their faults and ambitions and all that...yet she reminds us that they are vampires and I would like to say that yes I do like vampires and the fear that they can bring to your mind just by the word " vampire "....Have you read " Dracula " by Stoker?....that was a different type of vampire story....but then again....have you seen the movie " Blade " ?...yet again, different....but the draw for them to me is the difference in mentality about life and such...The movie " Underworld " gives a totally different take on vampires and werewolves on a different level...I just remembered this so that's why the editing of this message...but I enjoy that genre of writing...some of it can be vicious and others can be ( like Ms. Hamilton exhibits ) really graphic and sometimes nauseating....but it only happens in her novels as part of the story.....and she has an entertaining way of her magic.....If any of you enjoy this particular genre, I would recommend any of you to read Laurell K. Hamilton....
[This message has been edited by Monolith (edited June 03, 2004).]
[This message has been edited by Monolith (edited June 04, 2004).]
Posted by punahougirl84 (Member # 1731) on :
Thought of one other I like...
The Count on Sesame Street!
Never watched any of the Angel or Buffy stuff, but think I watched the finale of Buffy, or it just happened to be on and I was surfing/procrastinating. Not enough to 'get it' obviously! I did like 'Witchblade' though, for a while, but they didn't seem to know where to go, then they did that stuff to back up and start over - puh-lease.
[This message has been edited by punahougirl84 (edited June 01, 2004).]
Posted by MaryRobinette (Member # 1680) on :
quote:Thought of one other I like... The Count on Sesame Street!
I've met him. He's a swell guy.
(I'm actually not making this up, just name-dropping a little. I worked his right-arm once, his puppeteer, Jerry Nelson, is a real-sweetheart.)
Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :
According to tradition, real vampires are more like the Count than any other fictional vampires around. They are compulsive about counting things, so if you fear you have a vampire on your trail, all you need to do is throw a handful of grain on the ground.
Ye ol' vampir will sit there going "one! grain of meell'it, ah ah ah! Two! grain of meell'it, ah ah ah--" all night and get caught by the sun in the morning.
Posted by MaryRobinette (Member # 1680) on :
To that I say. One, one LOL bwah ha ha ha.
Posted by punahougirl84 (Member # 1731) on :
I didn't know that about vampires, Survivor - I'll have to remember that next time one is following me - does it work at conventions too?
Mary - that must have been a fun experience! I've always liked the Count - must be the wonderful puppeteer! My daughter was scared of him at first, but now she and her brother count right along with him.
We have a friend who does the Count's bit in movie theaters, "One, one wonderful trailer, ah ah ah. Two, two wonderful trailers, ah ah ah..."
Posted by Pyre Dynasty (Member # 1947) on :
Three hours of trailers bwa ha ha. I love the count.
But you guys with your vampire talk has given me nightmares. it might make a good story though.
)
