Today's post is all about vampires. I've been fascinated with them for as long as I remember, and the fascination hasn't stopped at all. I'd read about vampires in children's books, in particular Room 13 (where a group of English school children spend time at a seaside hotel, only to discover that a vampire lives in one of the rooms). My first movie vampire experience was watching Interview with the Vampire, based on Anne Rice's novels (it was only after watching the movie again while at University that I saw the homoerotic overtones to the movie).
What is it about vampires that so fascinates me? I love the predatory aspect of them. I'm not into the whole 'I'm immortal and I've never known love, please sex me up' aspect of vampirism. I see vampires more like lions or wolves, real predatory animals that'll kill you without mercy because you're their food. The best example of these kinds of vampires that I can see are in Blade. Deacon Frost (Stephen Dorff) is a viscious, bloodthirsty (literally!) predator with no concept or care for the human condition. This, ladies and gentlemen, is a vampire.
Another thing that I've found really interesting about vampires is that many many cultures throughout history have had some sort of belief in them. My current research in University is looking into the Ancient Egyptian belief in vampirism.Not the undead Slavic vampires of popular fiction, but their religious beliefs involving drinking blood (they did have them, trust me on this).
Are you a vampire fan? What would be your #1 vampire and why? (If you say Edward Cullen, I'll leave the comment up, but I won't be held responsible for the backlash that is thoroughly deserving).
P.S. This is posting on a wing and a prayer. I'm having some serious trouble with my Internet connection at the moment i.e. the others in my house are draining it by streaming anime.
P.S. This is posting on a wing and a prayer. I'm having some serious trouble with my Internet connection at the moment i.e. the others in my house are draining it by streaming anime.
If it sparkles, it's not a vampire, it's a faerie.
ReplyDeleteBest vampire movie - Near Dark. You want predators? You got 'em! From Dusk Til Dawn is pretty wicked as well.
And I'm surprised this is only the second vampire post I've seen today.
Great post, I loved the Blade vampires! Stephen Dorff was menacing and so heartless, I loved that character. He may well be my favorite on-screen vampire.
ReplyDeleteI like the Underworld vampires as well just because their hierarchy and relationships were kind of cool and those stories have a pretty well done, legitimate reasons behind the vampire/werewolf feud - that the werewolves were slaves to protect the vampires during the day. The vampire/werewolf feud in the Twilight series just seemed kind of... arbitrary...
Awesome post! haha now I am not into sparkily gay vampires either. The Cullens seriously don't make sense. My favourite vampire who have to be Selene from Underworld. They way they left her in the second movie made out that she is now seriously immortal without getting affected by the sun. Great job
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ReplyDeleteI agree that Underworld is another awesome vampire movie. I think the whole werewolf slavery/uprising thing worked out well, and the internal politics of vampires played out great too (something you don't see too often).
ReplyDeleteAlex - Near dark is a damn good movie!