Twilight and Vampires

[latin_rite]

Wow! I thought I was the only person who preferred the traditional vampire legend over the new trendy sympathetic Hollywood vampire. I also wish people wouldn’t change the legends around.

Bein a horror fan. I agree with you on this. I hate it when they turn such a wonderful fictional character like a vampire into some love sick puppy. That bein said.
I find twilight to be nothing more than a rip off of Charlaine Harris books “southern vampire” The author says she never read nor heard of these books (yeah right) But if harris doesn’t care who am i to complain? The underworld series where just a joke. When i saw the scene of the werewolf and the vampire faceing off. i almost laughed. The vampire looked like a little kitten trying to hiss down a rabid pitbull. I turned it off it was pathetic. I guess now there are two types of vampire movies. The days of our lives type and the horror ones.
My two favourite vampire movies are the original saloms lot and 30 days of night. Saloms lot did have a interesting story line. And 30 days of night didn’t have much of a story really. But they both had one thing in common. The vampires in it were just plain evil. They didn’t go around boring thier victims by asking them the meaning of life or harassing them for a date. They were just pure evil. Which was the source of the horror. I guess Modern writers aren’t able to or don’t have the talent to write that stuff anymore.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

They were just pure evil. Which was the source of the horror. I guess Modern writers aren’t able to or don’t have the talent to write that stuff anymore.

Traditional depictions can get a little old you know. :\

 

[AmberDale]

I find twilight to be nothing more than a rip off of Charlaine Harris books “southern vampire”

You know, I thought the same thing. I read the Twilight Saga BEFORE I read the Sookie Stackhouse (aka True Blood) books (I’ve read 1-3 only so far). And when I was reading the first Charlaine Harris book, I was like “wow, this is very familiar”…Not completely but bits and pieces of it.

 

[latin_rite]

Traditional depictions can get a little old you know. :\

Yes they can get old. And they get old for one reason. they are good. Its the tradition that gives them their value. In fact I shall not call the “vampires” from movies like twilight or sourthern vampire. vampires. I shall call them wigglewoggles:. Because they are not vampires…In the traditional sence.

 

[kennerbabe09]

Good point.

Yeah, he just doesn’t match what I envisioned reading the books. He does have on-screen chemistry with Kristen, but unfortunately for him, she’s the better actor so their scenes together don’t help him at all.

Since the topic of this thread is Twilight and Vampires your premise here is worth discussion.

Meyer did not rewrite the stories of vampires. Most of them in her books do feed on humans, thriving on their enhanced physical powers, much as would be expected from a book about vampires.

What she did is present an interesting perspective to that existence.

Following your premise that legend has murderers as the source of the existence of vampires, that murderer was created first and foremost, human, by God, and thus, was good. Not evil.

Somewhere down the line the person chooses to kill. Are all murders automatically evil? We don’t believe that. We still believe in redemption for even the most heinous murderers. Certainly their actions are evil, but not their soul. Not automatically.

For whatever reason, the consequence for that particular person was eternal existence on earth requiring sustenance from blood, and vampires came to exist (at least with regard to fiction).

Meyer poses the question of the victims of vampires: If you and I were walking down the street one night and fell under attack by a vampire, would we awake a totally changed person?

Devout in our Catholicism before the event, would that suddenly no longer matter to us in our new state?
Wouldn’t we wrestle with this new turn of events from a Catholic perspective, trying to figure out what this has to do with God’s greater plan?
Wouldn’t we drop to our knees and pray for some understanding and guidance?
Would we believe our souls are damned on the turning alone or would we cling to the hope that what matters is what we do next?
Wouldn’t we consider ‘what if’?
What if we never kill a human?
What if we use our hightened skills/powers to help mankind?
What if we continue to praise and honor him for our eternal life?
Would it matter?

I found the perspective rather intriguing and that’s why I enjoyed the series.

I agree…in the whole Twilight series Stephanie Meyer did make most of the vampires feeding on humans… but the Cullens did not eat any humans because they wanted to be good. So there for not all are bad.

 

[Little_Katie]

You know, I thought the same thing. I read the Twilight Saga BEFORE I read the Sookie Stackhouse (aka True Blood) books (I’ve read 1-3 only so far). And when I was reading the first Charlaine Harris book, I was like “wow, this is very familiar”…Not completely but bits and pieces of it.

I dunno. I never read the Sookie STackhouse books, but when I watched a few episodes of the tv show it was practically softcor porn. Were the books that bad?

I kind of liked Twilight. Ha ha. But I don’t like how far the fans take it. It’s ok to like a book. But to swoon over a fictional character is too much (says the girl who swooned over the movie depiction of Legolas in highschool…).

 

[Tyuiop411]

Now that’s more like it. In my opinion, people who bash Twilight from your angle are the ones really worth listening to. I myself may have nothing against Edward but the whole idea of making vampires into hopeless attractive bishounen is the reason why I don’t like the genre so much. (coughVampire Knightcough) >_<lll

Then again, the crazy fan girls tell me I’m just jealous. 7_7

Yeah that’s my generic Twilight response usually when i say that i get devoured by fangirls like a raw steak in shark infested waters. This board is refreshingly different from others I’ve been on and is it me or does almost everyone on Catholic Answers seem smarter than people on your average Internet forum. (when i was a Atheist i used to hang around on 4chan /b/ so i guess my standards are pretty low).

(says the girl who swooned over the movie depiction of Legolas in highschool…).

The Lord of the Rings is an exception. Me and a group of my friends dressed as all the heroes of the Lord of the Rings and went to school like that once (Our Legolas was short though becasue well we were all short)

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

Yes they can get old. And they get old for one reason. they are good. Its the tradition that gives them their value. In fact I shall not call the “vampires” from movies like twilight or sourthern vampire. vampires. I shall call them wigglewoggles:. Because they are not vampires…In the traditional sence.

Actually they get old because they’re outdated, cliche, and obsolete. Old traditions never revive by themselves. They need something that gives them that same fresh perspective as the deviant ones. Sadly, I’ve seen enough gory “traditional” vampire flicks to say that all the horror has been milked out and the only thing left is disgust.

When people say stuff like, “Oooh, this movie has a vampire that stalks and drinks people’s blood! Epic gruesome man!” or “This cartoon’s about a knight rescuing a princess”, I say.

“What else is new? ”

 

[Tyuiop411]

Actually they get old because they’re outdated, cliche, and obsolete. Old traditions never revive by themselves. They need something that gives them that same fresh perspective as the deviant ones. Sadly, I’ve seen enough gory “traditional” vampire flicks to say that all the horror has been milked out and the only thing left is disgust.

When people say stuff like, “Oooh, this movie has a vampire that stalks and drinks people’s blood! Epic gruesome man!” or “This cartoon’s about a knight rescuing a princess”, I say.

“What else is new? ”

Yeah but everyone loves tradition all of us watched the Knight rescues a Princess Cartoons/Movies when we were younger and our children’s children will still be watching them. As for vampires i tend to agree that there a little played out but i would prefer they be taken in a darker direction and not Twilight’s approach of “Vampires are just really beautiful humans.”

 

[Little_Katie]

Ha ha ha. When Return of the King came out, me and my friends did that. We were the 4 hobbits. And it oddly worked w/ all of us being girls… Ha ha ha. I was Frodo.

 

[latin_rite]

Actually they get old because they’re outdated, cliche, and obsolete. Old traditions never revive by themselves. They need something that gives them that same fresh perspective as the deviant ones. Sadly, I’ve seen enough gory “traditional” vampire flicks to say that all the horror has been milked out and the only thing left is disgust.

When people say stuff like, “Oooh, this movie has a vampire that stalks and drinks people’s blood! Epic gruesome man!” or “This cartoon’s about a knight rescuing a princess”, I say.

“What else is new? ”

Like i said vampires are a old folklore because they are good. Funny you talking about vampires being outdated, cliched and obsolete. My son and i were just talking about this the other night. How the new type of “vampire”(wigglewoggles) movies are so predictable and cliched. (not to mentioned very very boring.). Just about every recent wigglewoggle movie has involved some sort of love story. Or a wigglewoggle with a Conscience.
It seems the new has become very old very fast. Vampire movies that involve the tradtional pure evil vampire are always the best. And i know many horror fans who agree.
I think its a reflection on the lack of talent amongst writers of today. So really there must be two versions of this genre. the tradtional horror one, the best and most creative one. That cater for true horror fans. And the second one involving wiggle woggles. the more boring and predictable one. which apeals to pre-teen girls. Which are writen by writers who lack the talent to write a true horror novel/screenplay.

 

[Sir_Knight]

Again, you too can’t see that you’re using extreme analogies that can’t be applied.

Extreme examples are used to more clearly illustrate the point. If the point if valid, then it is valid in extreme cases and less extreme cases.

 

[Sir_Knight]

Traditional depictions can get a little old you know. :\

Then why not create an entirely new creature and none of it will be “old”?

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

Extreme examples are used to more clearly illustrate the point. If the point if valid, then it is valid in extreme cases and less extreme cases.

The problem is the point is not valid because, like I said, you can’t apply them.

Then why not create an entirely new creature and none of it will be “old”?

It’s for the same reason some inventors prefer to upgrade an existing car model instead of blowing up all their time, energy, and money making a new one.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

And i know many horror fans who agree.
I think its a reflection on the lack of talent amongst writers of today. So really there must be two versions of this genre. the tradtional horror one, the best and most creative one. That cater for true horror fans. And the second one involving wiggle woggles. the more boring and predictable one. which apeals to pre-teen girls. Which are writen by writers who lack the talent to write a true horror novel/screenplay.

The problem is not everyone is the typical horror fan who loves seeing people mutilated, mangled, and shrivel up like prunes as feral vampires ravage them like mindless beasts. People who don’t get tired of stuff like that are really just people who limit their tastes to one genre. I’d prefer a bit more variety in my life, thanks.

Besides, who are you to tell writers what genre a certain creature is only supposed to show up in? The Muppet Count von Count is not a traditional horror vampire either (the same with the kiddie show he stars in) but he’s still a vampire.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

Yeah but everyone loves tradition all of us watched the Knight rescues a Princess Cartoons/Movies when we were younger and our children’s children will still be watching them. As for vampires i tend to agree that there a little played out but i would prefer they be taken in a darker direction and not Twilight’s approach of “Vampires are just really beautiful humans.”

Not me. I got tired of that kiddie stuff when I entered high-school. Honestly when I watched Enchanted one time, I’ve kept wondering… just what was it that I liked in this stuff? Ugh…

 

[Little_Katie]

Like i said vampires are a old folklore because they are good. Funny you talking about vampires being outdated, cliched and obsolete. My son and i were just talking about this the other night. How the new type of “vampire”(wigglewoggles) movies are so predictable and cliched. (not to mentioned very very boring.). Just about every recent wigglewoggle movie has involved some sort of love story. Or a wigglewoggle with a Conscience.
It seems the new has become very old very fast. Vampire movies that involve the tradtional pure evil vampire are always the best. And i know many horror fans who agree.
I think its a reflection on the lack of talent amongst writers of today. So really there must be two versions of this genre. the tradtional horror one, the best and most creative one. That cater for true horror fans. And the second one involving wiggle woggles. the more boring and predictable one. which apeals to pre-teen girls. Which are writen by writers who lack the talent to write a true horror novel/screenplay.

It figures your son and you would find it borring. Your “wigglewoggles” are directed at a female audiance who are attracted to the strong and slightly dark types xD.

 

[Little_Katie]

I have a hard time relating to people who want “traditoinal” vampires because I grew up on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. That was where I got my first taste of vampires. Honestly they were evil blood sucking creatures and true to most every point that the traditional vampire likers in this thread have brought up thus far, but with one exception… the character Angel.

While the Buffy Vampires couldn’t come out at night and had to drink blood and were driven away by crucifix etc… Angel seemed to have a good heart and always helped Buffy to destroy the evil vampires.

Do you guys think Angel was a wiggle woggle???

Since liking Buffy as a little girl I have read tons of fiction and apart from Bram Stoker, I have never read a novel that doesn’t have at least ONE good vampire. I don’t think it is as new or untraditional idea as you may think.

I have also found old middle ages folklor that suggests there were vampires that could indeed come out in the sunlight (granted they deffinately don’t sparkle!!).

 

[AmberDale]

I dunno. I never read the Sookie STackhouse books, but when I watched a few episodes of the tv show it was practically softcor porn. Were the books that bad?

I kind of liked Twilight. Ha ha. But I don’t like how far the fans take it. It’s ok to like a book. But to swoon over a fictional character is too much (says the girl who swooned over the movie depiction of Legolas in highschool…).

I tried watching the HBO series and had to fast forward through the “porn”. The books were not nearly has bad nor as descriptive. HBO went OVER THE TOP with True Blood in sex scenes.

 

[Little_Katie]

I tried watching the HBO series and had to fast forward through the “porn”. The books were not nearly has bad nor as descriptive. HBO went OVER THE TOP with True Blood in sex scenes.

Figures… seems like all the chanels you have to pay for (HBO, Showtime, etc) take a lot of liberties w/ their “evening entertainment”.