are Vampires the "Next Big Thing" for '08? Twilight, Tru Calling...

[Greg Cox]

Re: are Vampires the "Next Big Thing" for '08? Twilight, Tru Calling.

True story: a few years ago I was informed by Tor's publicity department that one of our books had been nominated for "Best Werewolf Romance of the Year" by ROMANTIC TIMES. My first response was "There's an actually an award for that?"

Then I went and browsed the Romance section at Borders:

Ohmigod, there were dozens of them!

 

[Greg Cox]

Re: are Vampires the "Next Big Thing" for '08? Twilight, Tru Calling.

The pre-teen fangirl-legion aimed "Twilight" DOMINATED Comic-Con this year, and now we hear that Harry Potter 6 has been pushed back to next summer, so the "Twilight" film pushed up its release date 3 weeks to now come out the weekend HP 6 *would* have come out, Thanksgiving weekend. So for this christmas season, going into fall/winter, the big movie experience will be the vampire-themed Twilight.

I predict that this movie will flop big time.


I wouldn't be so sure. I haven't read the books yet, but, for the last several weeks, all four novels have been the bestselling books in the USA by a considerable margin. We're talking crazy-big numbers.

That's not a fan base, that's a phenomenon.

 

[ancient]

Re: are Vampires the "Next Big Thing" for '08? Twilight, Tru Calling.

There is something undeniably sexy about a mangy man-dog that kills people and eats them.

 

[ancient]

Re: are Vampires the "Next Big Thing" for '08? Twilight, Tru Calling.

I wouldn't be so sure. I haven't read the books yet, but, for the last several weeks, all four novels have been the bestselling books in the USA by a considerable margin.

That's quite a fan base!

So does Eragon, but I guess seeing crap is worse than reading about it. Look how that turned out.

As I said, a large portion of the fanbase has been pissed off of late. Also, the preview in EW got universally poor reviews from both fans and critics, from what I hear.

I guess it's hard to make a movie out of a book where none of the characters have motivation or personality.

 

[Greg Cox]

Re: are Vampires the "Next Big Thing" for '08? Twilight, Tru Calling.

I don't know. Like I said, I haven't read the books, but they've clearly hit some sort of nerve.

And never underestimate the potential power of teenage girls. Anybody remember a little movie named TITANIC?

 

[Broccoli]

Re: are Vampires the "Next Big Thing" for '08? Twilight, Tru Calling.

And never underestimate the potential power of teenage girls. Anybody remember a little movie named TITANIC?

Never heard of it. Anyone known in it?

 

[Trippy]

Re: are Vampires the "Next Big Thing" for '08? Twilight, Tru Calling.

Not only teenage girls liked Twilight...I enjoyed the series as well...and the very basic plot of 'girl loves teenage vampire' is augmented by other good characters too (Jacob the teenage werewolf, the Carlisle family, the Italian vampires, etc)

I've always liked Vampire stories, I like Anne Rice's books, and Salem's Lot, Lost Boys, etc. It's always appealed to me and I look forward to the new HBO series!

(and I liked Moonlight too )

 

[DigificWriter]

Re: are Vampires the "Next Big Thing" for '08? Twilight, Tru Calling.

I'm a 27-year old guy, and I read Twilight - along with my sisters and mother - and absolutely enjoyed it. Although the novels are aimed at teen girls, they also appeal to a broader range of readers. Of course, just like almost anything else, they're not going to appeal to everyone. Regarding the movie and its chances of success, I actually haven't personally heard of any overwhelmingly negative reactions to the film thus far; most of what I've heard has been positive, especially since the filmmakers have gone on record as wanting to strive to be as close to the novel as possible.

As to whether or not vampires have become the 'next big thing' in pop culture, vampires have always occupied a niche in pop culture, but the overall popularity of vampire-related material seems to fluctuate in cycles.

 

[Bad Bishop]

Re: are Vampires the "Next Big Thing" for '08? Twilight, Tru Calling.

Chicks only love vampires when the bloodsuckers look like they jumped out of a Prada or Giorgio Armani ad. How many girls would swoon at the sight of an ugly vampire like Nosferatu?

That being said, I hope vampires are not the next big thing. There have been too many of them on network TV for the last few years.

 

[clint g]

Re: are Vampires the "Next Big Thing" for '08? Twilight, Tru Calling.

Because I for one, literally more than I could care for a human baby, want to see a live-action "Hellsing" TV series based on the manga/anime/OVA series (though I'd call it just "Alucard", Hellsing is kind of a generic name)

who's bloody with me?!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZKXcub629s&feature=PlayList&p=FB13B5454AB558DD&index=2

As completely awesome as that would be, knowing the creator it would take a bout a year before each episode comes out. The guy does awesome work but hes slow as hell

 

[Greg Cox]

Re: are Vampires the "Next Big Thing" for '08? Twilight, Tru Calling.

Chicks only love vampires when the bloodsuckers look like they jumped out of a Prada or Giorgio Armani ad. How many girls would swoon at the sight of an ugly vampire like Nosferatu?
quote]


Perhaps, but Nosferatu is the exception. Literary vampires have been portrayed as suave Byronic seducers and femme fatales since at least 1817 . . . .

 

[ialfan]

Re: are Vampires the "Next Big Thing" for '08? Twilight, Tru Calling.

I'm a 27-year old guy, and I read Twilight - along with my sisters and mother - and absolutely enjoyed it. Although the novels are aimed at teen girls, they also appeal to a broader range of readers. Of course, just like almost anything else, they're not going to appeal to everyone. Regarding the movie and its chances of success, I actually haven't personally heard of any overwhelmingly negative reactions to the film thus far; most of what I've heard has been positive, especially since the filmmakers have gone on record as wanting to strive to be as close to the novel as possible.

As to whether or not vampires have become the 'next big thing' in pop culture, vampires have always occupied a niche in pop culture, but the overall popularity of vampire-related material seems to fluctuate in cycles.

Indeed as an 18-year old guy I'm not exactly in Twilight's target audiance but I loved all four books in the series (the first one especially). The original novel asn't written to a teen girl audiance but that's who mostly flocked to it.

As for the movie I am cautiously looking forward to it. I really didn't picture Edward or Bella as lookng or sounding anything like the actors who are playing them do. Honestly I think Twilight is one of those things that would be best left to the books since a lot of the wonder (impossibly beautiful people with perfect voices) is hard to portray. I definately will see it though and probably in theaters.

 

[Bad Bishop]

Re: are Vampires the "Next Big Thing" for '08? Twilight, Tru Calling.

Chicks only love vampires when the bloodsuckers look like they jumped out of a Prada or Giorgio Armani ad. How many girls would swoon at the sight of an ugly vampire like Nosferatu?

Perhaps, but Nosferatu is the exception. Literary vampires have been portrayed as suave Byronic seducers since at least 1817 . . . .

I had no idea that the romantic vampire archetype was so powerful today. Then I attended Comic-Con's Twilight panel, where an audience full of teenage and twentysomething girls could not stop screaming. I managed to escape from Hall H before I went mad from the noise.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Re: are Vampires the "Next Big Thing" for '08? Twilight, Tru Calling.

For Next Big Thing, I nominate Earth based/modern day sci fi. There are a lot more of them on the horizon:

Fringe
Life on Mars
Kings
Eleventh Hour
Dollhouse
Warehouse 13

and a few marginal calls...
Caprica (it's Earth in all but name)
My Own Worst Enemy (if split personality spyjinks count)
Harper's Island (supernatural? horror)

But if someone wants to make a vampire show that will at long last appeal to me (none have since Dark Shadows! ), I'lll check it out.

Chicks only love vampires when the bloodsuckers look like they jumped out of a Prada or Giorgio Armani ad. How many girls would swoon at the sight of an ugly vampire like Nosferatu?

Good looking people are attractive and ugly people are not. What's so surprising about that?

 

[Greg Cox]

Re: are Vampires the "Next Big Thing" for '08? Twilight, Tru Calling.

But if someone wants to make a vampire show that will at long last appeal to me (none have since Dark Shadows! ), I'lll check it out.
quote]


Which they're talking about remaking . . . again!

 

[Starbreaker]

Re: are Vampires the "Next Big Thing" for '08? Twilight, Tru Calling.

I am so sick of hearing about Twilight and Edward Cullen... I will probably check out True Blood though.

 

[Greg Cox]

Re: are Vampires the "Next Big Thing" for '08? Twilight, Tru Calling.

I had no idea that the romantic vampire archetype was so powerful today. Then I attended Comic-Con's Twilight panel, where an audience full of teenage and twentysomething girls could not stop screaming. I managed to escape from Hall H before I went mad from the noise.

Exactly. I don't think vampires are the next big thing. I think they've just been steadily growing in popularity for almost two hundred years.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Re: are Vampires the "Next Big Thing" for '08? Twilight, Tru Calling.

But if someone wants to make a vampire show that will at long last appeal to me (none have since Dark Shadows! ), I'lll check it out.
quote]


Which they're talking about remaking . . . again!

Yeah, I'm gonna wait and see on that one.

 

[melancholymecha]

Re: are Vampires the "Next Big Thing" for '08? Twilight, Tru Calling.

If vampires are the next "big thing", they should have kept Moonlight on the air. That show was actually good.

I liked that show too... actually kinda wish there *is* a vampire craze just so CBS could kick itself in the nuts for canceling it.

As for the other upcoming vamp related stuff, Twilight looks meh but True Blood might be interesting. Too bad I dont get HBO...

Frankly, none of the descriptions I hear make sense. Essentially, she loves this total dick of a vampire, and clings to him throughout the series even though he never actually does anything nice to her. Pay attention girls, this is what a relationship should be!

Yeah, according to EW's review (they gave it a d, or an f, can't recall now) she gets pregnant with the vamp guy's baby & refuses to abort it even though its practically killing her (she's puking blood & it kicks so strong it breaks her ribs). He begs her to abort it but she refuses b/c she loves him so much & all. And teen girls are eating this up. Lovely.

 

[Trippy]

Re: are Vampires the "Next Big Thing" for '08? Twilight, Tru Calling.

^I took her wanting the child as her only chance to have a child, as she was becoming a vampire after the wedding. She wanted to remain a teenager forever because Edward was 17 when he was turned.