The Vampire Film: From Nosferatu to Twilight - Review

The Vampire Film: From Nosferatu to Twilight
by Alain Silver and James Ursini
4th edition
Limelight, 2010

This is the 4th edition [updated and expanded] of the popular tome by Alain Silver and James Ursini. The subtitle From Nosferatu to Twilight shows the coverage continues through the popular series which made the successful transition from print to the silver screen. Television is not neglected. Linda Brookover contributes an article about HBO's True Blood and vampire politics. "True Blood is a parody of antebellum intolerance, where the vampire is just the latest entity to be vilified for wanting equality, unusual but not unknown to the horror genre." p314. [True Blood is loosely based on The Southern Vampire Mysteries by Charlaine Harris.]

Vampire films contains the  potent combination of sex and bloody violence some more savage than others, but the fusion of two powerful symbols continue to mesmerize viewers. There is of course room for beauty and The Vampire Film  offers plenty of feast for the eyes.

Every page has beautiful full color (and some black and white) stills and posters from films and television.  Chapter three The Female Vampire begins with a full page photo of late actress Ingrid Pitt in her role as the notorious Elizabeth Bathory in the movie Countess Dracula (1971), and Christopher Lee in his first appearance as Dracula opens Chapter one Sources of Vampire Lore in Film.

I admit to a weakness for vampires and photographs. This book can keep me occupied for hours simply paging through, admiring the stunning pictures, and reading  passionate passages about the subject matter. You don't need to be a film buff to enjoy this gorgeous volume, but if you are it will only add to your enjoyment. Besides the well written text there is  an extensive filmography (including foreign language)  guaranteed to keep your Netflix queu  filled for months.

This terrific book belongs on the shelf of any vampire or horror aficionado..

[I received a copy of this book from the publisher and one from my husband for Christmas. I am twice blessed.]

Internet Sites of Paranormal Interest

Knitters and lovers of magic be sure to read the review of Barbara Bretton's Casting Spells on SciFiGuy's blog site. I've been crocheting for many years and have just recently gotten the knitting bug. I will definitely have to read this book.

From the cover: "Sugar Maple looks like any bucolic Vermont town, but when the tourists go home, it's a different story—inhabited as it is with warlocks, sprites, vampires, witches, and an ancient secret. And I know all about secrets. I'm Chloe Hobbs, owner of Sticks & Strings, a popular knitting shop where your yarn never tangles, you always get gauge... and the knitter sitting next to you comes out only after dark." Go here for the review.

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A contest to test your creative juices: Says contest sponsor Linda Hilburn, "Here's the cover for the The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance, which contains my story, "Blood Song." It will be released April, 2009 here in the USA (Feb., 09 in the UK). Just for fangs and giggles, I'm going to hold a contest until the Winter Solstice (my second favorite holiday after Halloween/Samhain!). Okay, here's the deal: Leave a comment, telling me what the fellow on the cover is thinking. Be creative (but remember that kids read this blog, too!) I'll pick a winner on the evening of Dec. 21 (the longest night -- what a delicious metaphor) and the winner will receive -- drum roll -- a $25 gift certificate from Borders or Barnes & Noble (your choice)."



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Vote for the best TV vampire show of all time at Suburban Vampire

Candidates include: Dark Shadows; Forever Knight; Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Ultraviolet: Angel; Blood Ties (based on Tanya Huff's Vicki Nelson books); Moonlight; and True Blood (based on Southern Vampire Mysteries of Charlaine Harris.

For me it's hard to pick just one.

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Watch the The Bride of Casa Dracula (Casa Dracula, Book 3) trailer. This hilarious book is number 3 in Marta Acosta's Casa Dracula series. Read a review.

Internet Sites of Paranormal Interest - October 8, 2008

Most Haunted on Discovery

Watch as the "Most Haunted" team investigates Gettysburg. Catch all the action live with

webcams, text messaging, psychic art and more. The seven-hour, live event starts at 8 p.m. ET on Friday, Oct. 10.

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Ever have the urge to travel somewhere off the beaten track. This may be your chance. Visit The Bates Motel and Haunted Hayride; Forks, Washington (for the teen in your life); or the Amityville Horror House Here's your chance.

"Welcome to Dark Destinations - our online travel guide to all the mysterious and macabre locations around the world. If you plan to travel to a destination, take a look here to discover what strange and creepy side-trips await you on your vacation...."


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Eight Reasons You Should be Downloading the First Season of “The Middleman”
by Genevieve Valentine

"1. The Middleman. The milk-swilling superman (whose real name is as yet unknown) is a hero from another era – an era when “What the monkey?” counted as profanity. In between teaching protégé Wendy Watson the finer points of world-saving, he dispenses homespun advice like, “The next time we trap a rampaging pig-insect hybrid from another galaxy that accidentally gets loose in custody, you should shoot after it gets out of the car.” (Helpful advice, by the way.)...

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Read an excerpt of A Dangerous Climate by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro: A Novel of Count Saint-Germ ain. Tor, 2008.

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Vampire TV Show Rundown!

The Video Review Podcast turns its eyes on television Vampire programs.
"I did something similar to this about 5 or 6 months ago, but I thought I'd update it to accommodate the newest addition to the Vamp TV family. They go in chronological order, according to when they aired. So here goes my brief rundown for each show. I've also added a "Girl Power Rating" because I think it's interesting

Included:
"1. Forever Knight
When it was on: 3 seasons, from 1992-1996
What it is: Forever Knight follows an 800-year-old vampire nam

2. Buffy the Vampire Slayer

3. Angel

4. Blood Ties

5. Moonlight

6. True Blood

Go here for complete information.


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Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Undead

Vampire TV series Moonlight Is Canceled

On October 30, 2007 I wrote an unflattering opinion of Moonlight; however, as a die-hard vampire/romance fan I kept watching and hoping it would get better. My main problem with the show was the character of Beth - too much damsel in distress. I have to admit; however, that recently I started to actually like her and the show in general. Now I am feeling a bit guilty for being so negative about a series that has been canceled. My hope is that CBS will give some thought to their decision (but probably not). A groundswell of fans have inundated the network with their opinions.

Barbara Vey, in her online column for Publishers Weekly, posted the article Total Eclipse for Moonlight. She wonders why CBS didn't give the program more time to build an audience. Go here to read the full story.

Moonlight on CBS

I wrote the following after watching the first episode of the new vampire series, Moonlight, on CBS. I have watched other episodes but, alas, my opinion hasn't changed much. I must say, however, that there are things I like about it, and I still have hope that it will get better.

First episode was (9/28). In my opinion the jury is still out. I like the vampire hero. He's masculine without seeming over the top with testosterone. He is believable as a character and as a vampire. The episode, No Such Thing as Vampires was a good introduction to the hero Mick St. John. We meet his vampire boss Joseph, played by Jason Dohring, a likable anti-hero who's fast talking patter about Mick's liking for mortals, and his weakness for them, brings more than a few chuckles. In this story a woman is found dead with 2 puncture wounds in her neck. An "intrepid reporter", comes to the scene and take clandestine photos with her cell phone. Then Mick suddenly appears feeling very concerned about her. He looks familiar to her although he denies they have ever met before.

I find reporter Beth Turner to be more than a little annoying. Her face is so smooth she look to be as vacuous as a Barbie doll. She has bsolutely no depth in appearance or voice. Is it the character or the actress that is so distracting? Perhaps a mixture of the two. Of course it is the script that makes her walk stupidly into an extremely dangerous situation where she must be rescued by a hero who, naturally, turns out to be our vampire Mick.

Since the debut episode I have watched one or two others and have continued to be annoyed by the vapid reporter. I've also looked at some blogs that follow ratings, and those have not posted anything very positive. Of course my unscientific poll proves nothing. Maybe Moonlight will continue to be shown. I just wish someone would do major surgery on the Beth Turner character.