They are not Goths. They are not punks. They are vampires and are taking over grade schools all over the nation. Never fear: the 2011 vampires would rather control their hellish urges than take a nibble at you. Based off the main characters from the Twilight Saga, these premeditated vampires know how to fall in love, seem quiet or socially awkward, and of course, defend the word of Team Edward. Vegetarian vampires, like the extended Cullen family, choose to feed off animal blood to survive. Somehow, they can still thrive in society by not feeding off of human flesh. How refreshing, I suppose, but now vampires do not fit their original mold. The Twilight fans need to watch some real vampire movies – ones that actually contain badass vamps who view humans as fuel-filled vessels that must be drained and consumed. Ah, the good ol’ vampire days ended in the 20th century.
Let’s start as far back as Dracula (1931). Bela Lugosi stars as Count Dracula, the original cape wearing, widow-peaked bloodsucker. He was not sexy at all! Yet he was terrifyingly entertaining and perhaps the reason why vampire movies are produced today. Several other film visions branched off this black and white cult classic, such as Horror of Dracula (1958), Andy Warhol’s Dracula (1974), Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995), and Dracula 2000 (2000), just to name a few.
Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise are shockingly sexy in Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994), which is based off the novel by Anne Rice. Cruise plays Lestat de Lioncourt, a vampire who turns his plantation owner, Louis (Brad Pitt), into a vampire. Rice’s vampire novels include romantic themes just as Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight Saga does. However, Rice does not break the traditional rule of being a vampire: living solely off of human blood. Rice’s third book in her vampire chronicles, The Queen of the Damned, also became a film. Queen of the Damned (2002) stars the late Aaliyah as the sultry, flesh-eating Queen Akasha and Stuart Townsend as Lestat de Lioncourt, returning as a rockstar who takes over the music industry with his supernatural talents and eventually courts Queen Akasha.
Even Eddie Murphy makes a bloodsucker in Wes Craven’s Vampire in Brooklyn (1995). This film incorporates the style, sensuality, power, and art in the life of a sophisticated vampire.
At least Underworld (2003), starring the sexpot Kate Beckinsale, comes up with action-packed scenes to battle with the Twilight crew in this new era of vampire films. Underworld: Evolution (2006), and Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (2009) complete the Underworld trilogy.
Let The Right One In (2008), a Swedish film, actually involves a young boy, Oscar (Kåre Hedebrant), who cares for a (seemingly) young vampire girl, Eli (Lina Leandersson). The plot is similar to the one generally seen in Twilight when it comes to humans and vampires being drawn to one another. However, even though Eli is gentle toward Oscar, she still needs human blood to live and will perish in sunlight. An American version of the film was produced in 2010, re-titled as Let Me In, and starring Chloe Moretz (Hit Girl from the film Kick-Ass).
Even the characters who fight vampires like Kristy Swanson in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992) are more badass than the Twilight vampires. Buffy is a cute, blonde girl who was born with the mark of the destined vampire slayer. The film was a success and branched into a hit T.V. series, starring Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy, and lasted from 1997 until 2003. Wesley Snipes in Blade (1998) also aims to rid the world of vampires but is damned with the curse of being a vampire. This, like Underworld, is also action-packed and never underestimates the violent days that a vampires lives. Blade II (2002) and Blade: Trinity (2004) were produced in honor of such a unique vampire plot. Without a doubt, Buffy and Blade both define badass vampire killers.
Okay, I may be putting the Twilight Saga on blast, but only because it is entirely overrated. The novels, which the films are based on, are not subject for criticism here. If Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner were not casted for these films, there would not be enough revenue collected in order to produce sequels. Kristin Stewart’s crappy acting skills and mediocre appearance could never be the source of sold-out film premieres. Lautner’s abdominals could replace cheese graters in everyone’s kitchen and Pattinson’s bone structure is comparable with the Greek gods.
Skin shining like diamonds as it hits the sun, vampires are supposed to be defeated by sunlight! “New-born” vampires having more power than other vampires are also a new vampire rule to me. Ancient vampires, like the ones featured in Anne Rice’s novels, are the most powerful because they are the original vampires. Stephanie Meyer is original in the sense that she has given a new definition to the word “vampire,” but I do not praise her. When I rent a vampire film, I expect violence and possibly some sexuality, but mainly cold-hearted bloodshed! Dracula’s catchphrase will forever dwell in my brain: I vant to suck your blood.
Sources:
http://www.imdb.com
http://www.annerice.com