Modern Vampire Films - 30 Days of Night, Interview with the Vampire
Films and TV for Fans of Twilight
May 31, 2009
Vampire films have changed a lot over the years, from the classic takes on Bram Stoker’s novel to the films we see today. Like gothic literature, the attitudes conveyed, like the vampires themselves, has gone through a grand metamorphosis.
30 Days of Night
In modern vampire films, the vampire does not seem to be portrayed as the wholly vicious and evil monster that it used to be. Of course, there are a few exceptions such as David Slade’s film adaptation of the comic book series, 30 Days of Night, which stars Josh Hartnett. The film focuses on an Alaskan town, named Barrow that comes under attack by a marauding band of vampires, taking advantage of the month of darkness that falls over the town every year. Hartnett, who plays the town sheriff Eben Oleson, gathers survivors of the attack and leads them as they struggle to survive.
30 Days of Night is a strange format for a vampire film since it seems to follow more the classic formula for the zombie film. The bitten and infected seem to come to life, posing new threats to the ex-townsmen. Of course, they posses more of a consciousness than zombies, an ability to think and plan. However, the format is incredibly similar.
Interview with the Vampire
Like Twilight, the seminal vampire film of the 1990’s was an adaptation of a work of vampire fiction, the cult classic Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice. The film does not look at the vampire as the pure monster, but explores more human issues such as finding one’s purpose and the need for companionship in the struggle against loneliness. The film is a beautifully crafted piece, darkly striking in almost all of its shots. The performances also received a lot of praise from critics and fans, as well as from Rice. Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise and a young Kirsten Dunst all deliver, while Neil Jordan’s directing has been praised as quite stunning.
The Lost Boys
The Lost Boys, released in 1987, starring Kiefer Sutherland of 24 fame and directed Joel Schumacher is a comedy/horror that might be interesting to Twilight fans. It shares the exploration of youth that is dealt with in Meyer’s series, though it might be showing its age now. The film sees its central character, Michael, become associated with a gang of outcasts who turn out to be creatures of the night. When he drinks the blood of a vampire, he too becomes one and finds himself battling against his own darker nature, as well as that of the gang.
Let the Right One In
Let the Right One In is another adaptation of a book, written by Swedish writer John Ajvide Lindqvist. Again it has it centers on the issues of youth, looking at such things a bullying and the troubles of friendship at young ages. It is essentially a romantic vampire film, the romance building up between a young teenage boy and a 200 year old, adolescent looking female vampire. It is rather gorier than Twilight in parts, but it is a film that has gained a vast amount of praise since its UK release in 10th April 2009.
Being Human
The BBC 3 series, Being Human, follows the existence of not just a vampire, but of a werewolf (lycan) and a ghost as they try to live a ‘normal’ life in a house together in Bristol. The brainchild of Toby Whithouse, the series has gained a raucous cult following since airing at the beginning of 2009. The first series, comprising of six one hour episodes follows Mitchell, a vampire, George, a werewolf and Annie, a ghost as they try to survive in the modern world, looking at such issues with dealing with difference and one’s past. Like most good modern vampire productions, the monster is very much a metaphor for more human problems and this series captures it brilliantly. The series became the most watched program on BBC iPlayer and has been commissioned for a second series to start next year. The DVD of the first series was released in the UK in April of 2009.
This is just a short selection of films and TV programs that might appeal to the fans of Twilight. Vampires have come a long way since its Dracula days, and this can be clearly observed in these productions. From a parasitic monster to the mirror of parts that comprise our own human selves, the vampire metaphor is just as important now as it has ever been.
 |
