Before we begin, my definition of a vampire is someone who is undead, has fangs, must feed on blood to survive, and they burn/ combust in the sun. That in my opinion is a vampire in its simplest form; a natural born killer.
**Now, I will only be giving my assessment based on things from my own generation's entertainment pool that I felt really jumped out at me. **
Let’s go back to a simpler time, a pre Twilight period, where vampires were to be feared and not chased after. I remember in 1994 there was Interview with a Vampire, and at the time it seemed pretty legit. I of course didn’t watch it in '94 because I would have only been 3, and I would have had to have terrible parents to let me watch that at 3. I did end up seeing it later on in my life and it seemed pretty up to par on the history of vampires.
Then in 1998 there was Blade, which focuses on a half vampire hunting vampires, seems legit. Blade had all the elements that I consider to be a classic vampire. Then of course there was Buffy the Vampire Slayer, this was by far my favorite rendition of the vampire culture. In my opinion everything on that show was true to my definition of a vampire. The Vampires killed and fed on human blood, and they combusted in the sun.
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| Photo By: Fiona Ho |
Today's vampires are mainly just hot brooding men who are deep, dark and twisted... but they just need a girl to save them! That is pretty much how I feel about the history of the vampire phenomenon. It went from being small but great and awesome to being mainstream and altered to fit today’s popular trends.
"and they burn/ combust in the sun" you forgot "sparkle" in the sunlight… there’s nothing more intimidating than a sparkling vampire…
ReplyDeleteI laugh at my teenage-self for ever enjoying the Twilight series. But your post helped me recall some of the more awesome vampire shows and movies, you know back when vampries were still "scary". Buffy was my all-time fave show (back in the day), and Interview with a Vampire is a classic!
LOL yea but I was referring to the COOL vampires, none of that twilight nonsense... But like legit... I'd hide under my covers at a sparkling vampire... But only to laugh. =] Omg I wanted to die from laughter when I saw Edward sparkle in the movies.
ReplyDeleteI know... I do own the books, not very proudly anymore. At the time it seemed like a good idea. Oh, I have the box set for Buffy, still watch it on occasions haha.
I grew up watching the Buffy series and that is how I always saw Vampires. I read the first Twilight book and I hated it. Sorry if I offend anyone but I just could not get over how the author portrayed Vampires and how it was written.
ReplyDeleteI do see how teenagers love the books though and it is a good series for the younger generation. I am also quite a bit older so maybe that has a lot to do with the fact the new Vampire phenomenon annoys me greatly. I will always view the Vampires in Buffy as my definition of a Vampire.
Agreed. I do feel that the biggest reason why a lot of people enjoyed Twilight was either because of temporary insanity, or because it was due to all the hype that surrounded the book/ movies.
ReplyDeleteI was a sucker for that. I mean... Sadly, I read all 4 books. Though when I went back to re-read them... I couldn't even get through the first book.