I was never really a big fan of vampires, celluloid or the written word.
I certainly didn't watch any of the plethora of vampire/Dracula movies from the 30's through the 50's, nor did I watch the blaxtoplation films that were all the rage of the 70's. And I certainly didn't watch any of the comedic ones featuring the likes of George Hamilton, Eddie Murphy and Leslie Nelson.
Come to think of it, I haven't watched the Brad Pitt vehicle either, although I do like the theme song by Oasis. And I definitely didn't watch any of the 90's t.v. shows and as for the HBO series, it didn't really impress me much, as I was basically one and done.
As for reading about them, up until this year I have not read one story about them. And to complete this wonderful circle, not one of my six dozen stories features straight up vampires. Hybrids, yes, but vampires, nada.
Having now enlightened you with a decent info dump, we now move onto the main topic of discussion: vampires, or rather, some decent realistic portrayals of such.
As I've mentioned in the 3rd paragraph, I have not read any stories of vampires. That is until I saw a short story collection by John Lindqvist at my local library. The reason why this name actually resonated with me is due to the simple fact that two of my favorite horror movies (there are roughly five all together that I will watch) were created from his novel "Let The Right One In".
The reason why I say two is that the first version is done in Swedish and for the most part stayed true to the story, thus making it more of a psychological horror movie. The 2nd version was done in the U.S., and although it also stays true to the story, was just a tad more graphic.
Normally I wouldn't recommend the reboot as reboots usually suck (Total Recall for example), but I highly recommend both movies (the original does have subtitles) as I feel they have a very realistic flavor to them.
The other vampireish movie that I got to like and appreciate is Byzantium, was filmed entirely in the U.K. Not only does this one have a realistic flavor to it, it shows both the compassion and the ruthlessness of the mother and daughter. Even the flashbacks are masterfully woven in.
So there you have it, three movies about vampires (along with one book) that I admit to joyfully watching. I'm still not a horror aficionado (wife, mother and 13 year old daughter are) by any stretch of the imagination, but there are times where I do enjoy watching/reading the genre.
(c) 2014 by G.B. Miller. All Rights Reserved.
I haven't read too many stories, but I have seen a lot of the movies. (Television shows, no.)
ReplyDeleteOne of the best is a flick directed by Kathryn Bigelow. Not once is the word vampire even mentioned in Near Dark.
Alex: I'll have to check that one out. I'm not a horror buff, nor do I appreciate over-the-top violence, but I do appreciate when it's proper calculated/mixed in.
ReplyDeleteCome to think of it, Showtime just debuted a new series that has that kind of supernatural elements in it called "Penny Dreadful".
The only vampire stories that I'm familiar with are from the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I'm not a fan of horror in general, and I get faint when blood or bleeding is involved, so vampires are not my favourite at all.
ReplyDeleteI like that Oasis song, too. Actually I had quite a vampire fixation in high school, right around when the Gary Oldman Dracula movie came out. I thought that one was pretty well done.
ReplyDeleteI always watch that show The Vampire Diaries on CW since it's filmed in Atlanta, but it's getting so complicated. I just watch and don't really understand what is going on.
ReplyDeleteS.R.: I actually cringe when I see massive quantities of blood in movies, which is one of the many reasons why I don't watch horror.
ReplyDeleteI think I tried watching "Buffy" and its spin-off "Angel" once, but really couldn't get into them.
M: I don't think I've heard of the Gary Oldman one, but I can't picture him as a vampire.
Lynn: That's one of the reasons why I gave up on True Blood so soon. Too many plot lines to follow and often it really didn't make any sense.
If any story has a vampire that's more sexy than they are threatening, I have no interest in it. Vampires are supposed to be monsters, not pale immortal sex gods that sometimes drink blood (maybe kinda).
ReplyDeleteABFtS: I've never though of vampires as being sexy. Ever. The characters I writer are hybrids, half human/half animal and thus capable of being sexy.
ReplyDeleteI can only hope that your title "Vampires are so yesterday" is coming true. I am a horror fan but never for vampires. They do not scare me or stimulate my imagination at all and I have never liked them. This is one fad I am hoping will end soon.
ReplyDeleteG.A.: It may end for the movies and television, but I don't think it will end soon for the written word. But, one can never tell.
ReplyDelete