Saturday, October 31, 2009

New Moon Trailer and Vampire Addiction

21 days! 21 days until New Moon of the Twilight series is released on the big screen.

Oh my.

What is it about these books? Damn you Stephanie Meyer for your inspiration and for creating these stories - originally meant for teenagers but so incredibly addictive I personally have read them all twice and STILL want more. At least I know I am not the only woman in my 30's who is twice the age of the intended audience yet obsessed to a point of absurdity. According to the woman at Barnes and Noble in Philadelphia who sold me New Moon last Christmas time after I DEVOURED Twilight on my flight from LAX (a birthday gift courtesy of another Twilight addict and friend) - about 75% of the people she had been selling the book to were in their late 20's through 40's.

Interesting.

It's not as if these are books full of steamy romance and sex - which would explain my age group hungrily devouring them. They are rather chaste, full more of suspense and mystery. So that can't be it.

Is it that it is about Vampires? I mean they are the sexiest and most seductive of the dark world mythical creatures for sure but in general society has the attention span of a toddler and fads come and go so quickly if they weren't posted on Facebook I would - and still do miss most of them. Still, America's recent obsession shows no sign of waning - in fact it appears to be growing stronger daily. The Twilight series, True Blood, The Vampire Diaries - vampires show no sign of losing their strength in popularity, - so again what IS it about Vampires?

Vampire lore, legend and various descriptions from different writers around the world is vast and contradictory. They sparkle like diamonds in the sun and don't need to sleep (my favorite - nice twist Ms. Meyer!) or they sleep in coffins and will burst into flames in the sun. One bite will either kill you or turn you, or vampires can feed off of their human companions with no inherent danger other then the bond between them growing with each feeding. They all descend from from the devil, are demons themselves or as in Bram Stokers Dracula - they are descendants of Vlad the Impaler - detailed even more in the Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. I could go on but there is only ONE theme that remains true - regardless of the storyteller.

They are immortal.

I think that is the key. It's the idea of immortality. Something not possible for sure but it IS an intoxicating and seductive fantasy. In today's day and age, we live longer, are stronger and with trainers, dietitians, cosmetic surgeons and botox - we can appear to be cheating the passage of time and trick ourselves into feeling as though we are even cheating death. Of course that is unrealistic - but I think it is the secret desire in so many to live longer, look younger, perhaps that could be what draws us to vampires. The idea, the fantasy that there is a way to live forever. Be strong, invincible - and in most cases preternaturally beautiful - and of course the sexy draw of immortality.

Maybe that's why we are addicted to Vampires these days.

I can't be sure of the reasons, but I know I sure am.

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