This Friday marks the release of what is sure to be one of the most popular movies of the year: the fourth installment in the Twilight Saga, Breaking Dawn: Part 1. Taking a cue from the blockbuster Harry Potter series, the final novel in the Twilight series has been broken into two feature-length films, with Part 2 due out next year.
A young adult series that's become popular with readers of all ages, most know that the Twilight series tells the story of an ordinary high school girl who falls in love with a not-so-ordinary classmate -- a classmate who just so happens to be a vampire. There's also a pack of local werewolves, a band of evil vampires out for revenge, and even a scene or two of vampire baseball (see the first installment for more about that). But while Meyer's vampiric series is renowned in its own right for its devoted fanbase, it's also ushered in a fresh wave of vampire fiction, on the printed page as well as the screen. From Sookie Stackhouse's Bill and Eric (in the decidedly for-adults HBO series True Blood) to Mitchell, the vampire hero of the British television program Being Human, vampires are all the rage.
Edward Cullen -- the dark, handsome, and brooding vampiric hero of Meyer's Twilight series -- is on his way to becoming one of the iconic vampire characters of fiction. It makes him the latest in a long line of iconic vampire (or vampire-hunting) characters who have made their own (bite)marks on the genre of paranormal fantasy fiction for several centuries.
But before you buy your tickets for Friday's premiere, let's take a look at some of the characters Edward shares the spotlight with:
Buffy Summers: The character was the star of a somewhat ill-conceived movie before returning in proper form (and with a new actress) in her own television series (and, now, a comic book). Subverting the trope of the helpless high school cheerleader who gets eaten by the monster before the first commercial, Buffy is the Slayer -- the Chosen One of her generation whose destiny it is to stop vampires (and all other manner of supernatural creatures) throughout her seven onscreen seasons. Aided by her friends and her Watcher (the latter being one of the coolest librarians in fiction), Buffy kicks vampire butt to keep her new hometown of Sunnydale safe.
Lestat de Lioncourt: The vampiric main character of Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles, Lestat first appears in the novel Interview With the Vampire (he'd later be portrayed by Tom Cruise in the film version). Born in the eighteenth century, known for his charism and defiance, Lestat is the quintessential vampire anti-hero -- making him popular with readers and movie-goers the world over.
Barnabas Collins: The late-60s gothic soap opera Dark Shadows did not start off as a supernatural show; ghosts and other paranormal elements were not introduced until the series had already been running for six months. The character of Barnabas Collins was brought in by producers as a last-ditch attempt to save the show from flagging ratings, and he proved to be the breakout character the series needed to stay alive. Posing as a long-lost relative from England, the 200-year-old vampire moves into the Collinwood estate -- though he slowly transforms from a threat to the Collins family into their protector. (Look for the Tim Burton/Johnny Depp Dark Shadows film coming out next year.
Dave of The Lost Boys: With a title referencing the "lost children" of J.M. Barrie's stories of Neverland, The Lost Boys features a teenage vampire gang, led by Kiefer Sutherland's character Dave. Intended to be a vampire version of The Goonies, the film was credited for its successful blend of horror and comedy ... with classic results.
Dracula: Arguably the character that started the modern vampire craze, Bram Stoker's title character first appeared in a 1897 novel. Partially inspired by Vlad the Impaler, Dracula has not only become a staple of popular culture (appearing in books, films, TV shows, stage, comics, and countless other incarnations), but has defined our standard idea of a vampire -- with bats, wooden stakes, garlic, and sunlight all a part of his vampiric mythology. Although he's been portrayed by more actors than any other character in the history of horror fiction, Bela Lugosi's version of the character from the 1931 film remains a recognized classic.
-- Post by Ms. B
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