Trends in the entertainment world are something that we always watch closely. Everyone looks for what the next hottest fashion trend will be. We wait to see which A-list celebrity has a baby and what the new name trends will be. And then we patiently wait for the next greatest thing to come about that will clearly dominate all the markets. Well, the wait is over. The newest greatest thing since pizza bread has finally arrived and it is blowing all of its rivals clear out of the water. Actually it is sucking the blood out of any competitor who poses a threat. Vampires are taking over the world. Our fascination with the dark creatures of the night is something that no one has truly been able to describe or explain completely. But as you watch the reports coming back from this weekend’s Hollywood releases you will see that vampires are taking over the big screen, as well as every other media market.
I was first bitten by the vampire bug after reading Christopher Pikes' The Last Vampire series back in elementary school. Today I find myself completely glamoured by the dark and mysterious creatures of the night, although the vampires I speak of are not actually creatures of the night at all. Stephanie Meyer, the author of the Twilight series, has created a story and character that has captured the hearts, minds, and even souls of many tweens, teens, and adults alike. The ember eyes of Edward Cullen first captured us in literature, but after this weekend he, along with the entire Cullen family, will have captured the hearts of fans and non-fans alike.
In 2005 a new teen novel was published by Little, Brown and Company written by an unknown author that was like no other. It brought out a whole new side to the mysterious creatures that have been previously known to stalk the innocent at night. The type of characters that are usually described as being soulless and wake to live an undead life only during the night hours are being introduced as supernatural beings that are far more complex than any other vampires before them. Of course they do resemble previous vampires like those from the Underworld series with their dislike of lycans (werewolves), and even a resemblance to the characters from Charlaine Harris’ Harris’ Sookie Stackhouse series, which is sweeping the broadcast market called True Blood as one of the greatest HBO series since The Sopranos and Sex and the City, as beings having a conscience regarding their previous actions and ways of living that they wish were better understood. The Cullen family has more heart than any other undead creatures I have previously read about, and I believe they are the first vampires that have retained a soul. Twilight fever has truly swept the nation and when word reached fans about a film option the craze grew exponentially and the anticipation for further news became painful to endure as Twilight nation became obvious to the author and director.
Film options for literature are always something to be desired; yet they create a sense of fear for both avid fans and those involved with the actual production. The writer is usually consulted in final decisions and the creative aspect of casting, set design, and story editing; but the process can be tedious leaving mixed feelings. The author is also consulted on any gaps that need to be filled in for visual story telling purposes that may not have been covered in a novel due to the point of view from which the story is told. The director strives to create a film that best represents the original story, but sometimes there are things that must be altered for timing and budget limitations. All of these factors make any news of leaks, exclusive clips and interviews, and official releases dyer information coveted by fans. We waited a year after the release of Eclipse for the final book in the series, with many avid fans participating in mid-night release parties that could rival those during the days of Harry Potter. We waited in long lines just to pickup a book hours before it would be released, we waited anxiously for casting photos and the ballet room scene to be released this past June, and then on Thursday, November 20 we waited one last time.
In mid-town Manhattan I saw fans wearing Twilight merchandise wandering the streets passing time to stand in line for a mid-night screening. 42nd Street theaters were all sold out, 34th Street theaters were all sold out and $7 million dollars in sales for just the mid-night screenings has been reported. I was one of those avid fans standing in line for over 6 hours waiting to see how director Catherine Hardwicke adapted the newest pop culture phenomena.
Standing in line you meet many interesting people. I stood at the front of the cue with fans of the novels that varied in ages from 16 to middle-forties, and as we spoke with each other about various details from the books, our expectations of the film, and our hopes for scenes in the film, I realized that this author had done something I did not expect. Stephenie Meyer has brought complete strangers together in such a way that while we waited I felt like I was surrounded by friends. Sitting and waiting for over 6 hours was an experience that surprised me as much as the final film did and I will say that I cannot wait for New Moon to hit theaters in 2010. If you have read the Twilight series, I believe the film will delightfully surprise you. It is everything I expected and more. I felt like I was watching a film with all my best friends and everyone in the auditorium was included and involved with the running inside joke. I have never before had so much fun at the theater. I laughed and cried along with everyone sitting around me in a stadium theater that sits 300. We laughed, cheered, and gasped together. Every emotion I felt reading the book was intensified by watching the film version unfold before me, and it was fun being able to share that with people I had never met. It was an unusual experience to have at a theater and one that I hope to experience again.
Stephenie Meyer and Catherine Hardwicke could not have done a better job to make their fans happy with this film. It is truly something that has surpassed all expectations and it was a roller coaster ride that we enjoyed together. It is something that those who have not yet read the books can also enjoy and understand because of how everything has been brought to the big screen. It is a story of forbidden love between a human and a vampire, unlike any other vampire genre. It has enough adventure to keep any action fan entertained, and it has so much heart and soul that it reminds us of things we have forgotten or experiences we are going through in our own lives. It brings the supernatural world close to the human world unlike any other vampire story. I am only disappointed to say that I now have to wait for the next installment in the series to hit the theaters. So if you are looking for something a little different this Thanksgiving weekend, take your friends or family to the theater and check out the newest vampire trend to sweep the nation. The newest addition is the upcoming CW's season of Vampire Diaries adapted from author L.J. Smith.
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