19 October 2008

Manic Monday - Running Neck and Neck



I have a confession to make. It's about my neck. For some women it is the wrist, elbow, back of leg, ears or a long lingering kiss. Well I've been known to swoon with just the stroke of a finger across the back of my neck. We are talking about legs buckling, stomach tightening, and much, much faster breathing.

Needless to say the sudden popularity of vampires has found an ardent fan. The vampires have come out of the coffin and they are sexier than ever.... normal men burn with jealousy as women breath a little faster over the undead and definitely cool, overheated guys with the long teeth, and there has been quite an improvement in their looks.

Nosferatu first appeared in the silent movies in 1922. Based on the novel Dracula, changes were made in the looks and story to avoid copyright problems. Here the horror of the vampire had full rein.

In the late 20s on stage and then in the 30s on film, Bela Lugosi captured the physical attraction on the vampire along with the mystery, fear and danger.

In 1979 George Hamilton brought a vampire to the screen that made you die laughing with Love At First Bite.

For a while there was a lull in the popularity of vampires, then you got the teenage versions with Lost Boys in 1987. Set on the boardwalk of Santa Cruz, CA, this cult classic has now had a sequel just this year.
It was a long dry spell of great vampires for those of us with sensitive necks, but when Mick St John hit the TV screen, the temperature broke the top of the thermometer. Moonlight follows Alex O'Laughlin as Mick St. John, an immortal vampire and private investigator and his struggle to exist after he was bitten 60 years ago by his vampire bride, Coraline, on their wedding night. It also follows his internal torment as he falls in love with one he should not, a mortal named Beth, a news reporter, as well as his dealings with the woman who made him a vampire. Unfortunately you can only catch Mick and Beth steaming up the screen in reruns somewhere due to really poor judgement on the part of CBS. The hiatus caused by the writers' strike just as an audience was developing, did in the show and the idiots at CBS replaced it with a now failing piece of trash. So go looking for Mick. He is worth the effort.

Now we have two more ways to enjoy the simmering and sultry dangerous to know when you don't have a stake in your hand as they both court and kill.

Can Stephanie Meyer's vampire novels do for moviegoers 
what they've done for readers? The first book in the series comes to 
theaters in December. Not since Harry Potter has a book-to-film journey inspired so much enthusiasm — or so much anxiety. The movie will follow the novel closely: Pretty but awkward 17-year-old Bella (Kristen Stewart) moves to a small town in the Pacific Northwest and falls in love with Edward (Robert Pattinson), a heartbreaking beautiful vampire. Edward also falls for Bella, but his desire for her barely controls his instinct to devour her. It's this combination of passion and danger, of course, that surrounds this teen romance with a halo of epic, doomed love.

Stephen Moyer as Bill Compton in HBO's very very sexy new drama based on the books of Charlaine Harris. Vampires are integrating into society and the sparks are flying, and both love and hate clash in the mystery of the characters of Bon Temps, Louisiana. Hard R rated for the squeamish adults and children so fair warning. (Note to HBO, trim a few scenes so there is a version teenagers can watch for a good story and mystery).

Bill and Sookie (Anna Paquin) are as hot a team as has ever been imagined and they are surrounded by unusual and fascinating characters brought to life by a great author and now translated to the screen.

The theme song for True Blood is "I Want To Do Bad Things With You" and they most certainly do. All I have to say about that is, "Honey do I have a neck for you".



17 comments:

maryt/theteach said...

Oh Jamie, yes, yes, YES! I did vampires too! LOL!

anthonynorth said...

There is something truly immortal about vampire mythology, with modern media images just the latest, going right back to Revenants, and beyond.
I suspect it's something about the inner monster in us all.
I enjoyed this look at their modern image.

Anonymous said...

Oh, I so loved The Lost Boys!

You're right about Moonlight. It was an awesome show. I loved it.

Nice MM post. Here's my bite.

Travis Cody said...

Vampire mythology is fascinating. It's equally fascinating to see the various re-inventions of they mythology.

I'm not sure I like all of it. An argument can be made that the current trend toward urban fantasy is taking the "bite" out of scary vampires.

I wonder if you are familiar with PN Elrod's Jack Fleming series? It's quite enjoyable.

Janna said...

Don't forget about Grandpa Munster.
I liked him. :)

And although I'm not usually a Tom Cruise fan, I liked him and Brad Pitt in Interview With The Vampire.

Linda said...

I guess we brilliant minds sort of think alike as I went in the vampire direction a little bit myself.

I need to watch "True Blood", I've heard it's quite good.

Here's to a nice neck nibblin'!

Polly said...

Moonlight...Loved it. I was so sad to see it go. Maybe it's just undergoing a small transformation in its coffin and they'll revive it?

Twilight...I don't know if the movie can possible do the same thing as the book did. We shall see.

True Blood...Unfortunately, I don't do the HBO thing, but I was tempted for this show ONLY! Haha. I guess I'll wait for DVD.

earthlingorgeous said...

Me three! I did vampires too! I love movies with vampires! And some of those actors portraying vampire movies are someone I would offer my neck to bite on to! Hahahaha!

Unknown said...

Happy MM! I did enjoy The Lost Boys when it came out. I understand a sequel is in the works...

I invite your blog readers to see my tribute to the Black Vampires!

peace, Villager

Anonymous said...

Not a big vampire fan, but I liked the song...

Mimi Lenox said...

Yikes! That's spooky!!!

This week we are memeing the movement. You've been tagged by the Queen of Memes!
The Peace Meme

Barb said...

Everybody is doing vampires! Creepy!

I do love me some neck nuzzle, but not that kind!

p.s. My MM post is up now - so sorry - apparently, I don't know how to read a calendar when scheduling posts...

Durward Discussion said...

If you haven't seen "True Blood" do not, repeat do not (!) watch with children. It is a great show and I'm no prude, but it is very, very graphic in the sex scenes. Darn little is left to the imagination ... one more inch on some of the shots and they would go from R to X.

The story line is wonderful, the mystery is truly puzzling, the atmosphere is spooky, and the acting and script very well done. Just be prepared for what you are about to see.

Anonymous said...

My husband and I used to love to watch Moonlight. We are big vamp fans are were crushed when it was yanked off the air.

You have really good taste in vampire TV!

Anonymous said...

I have loved vampires since Barnabas Collins and Dark Shadows!

Gayle said...

Wow! That's a lot of vampire knowledge! The Lost Boys is the only one I've seen. Not big into scary. My husband had me watch the Eye last night, and I screamed. I'm a boob!
The White House

Ivanhoe said...

Oh look at your confession :o)
I must say I'm staying away from vampires. Never really got into it. But who knows, maybe it's time to check out the Twillight book :o)