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.]

Twilight Movie

There's no getting around the fact that Twilight the movie opens this weekend in theaters. I enjoyed the book very much but still haven't decided if I want to see the movie. Any readers who do please leave a comment and let me know your thoughts.


Meanwhile I'm "reprinting" the review of Stephenie Meyer's book that I posted in April.

"I have heard so much about the vampire series Twilight by Stephanie Meyer, but like too many adults I turned my nose up at this because after all it is for the YA crowd and I'm far beyond this age group. But finally I caved and picked up book 1, also named Twilight (Little, Brown 2006), and was mesmerized from the first word.

"Bella recently moved to Fork, WA, a small town where her father Charlie is the local police chief. Her last residence was Phoenix AZ with her mother. Bella wants to allow her mom more time to spend with boyfriend Phil and so decides to live with her dad even though she hates the horrid, cold, sunless weather that is ever present in this area. She always considered herself an outsider in high school and assumes the situation will remain the same in Forks, but in fact she does make a few friends and even has a couple of boys who give her intense, unwanted attention.

"The first week she notices five students sitting together at the lunch table, sitting quietly, barely interacting, and each one of exquisite appearance. Those are the Cullens, she is told. They keep to themselves. Later in the day she is surprised to find herself sitting next to Edward Cullen in Biology class. He does not speak to her and seems actively hostile. Weeks later after several interactions, some traumatic, they have come to know each other well and feel a deep kinship. It is then that Edward confesses to her why he acted so strangely in the beginning. He and his family are vampires who live among humanity, and feed themselves on animal blood, but Edward found Bella so alluring that he feared he would let his desire overcome his actions. Bella accepts this calmly. She has fallen in love. Edward feels the same, and he learns to control his bloodlust while still keeping Bella close. Even most of Edward's family accept the human Bella in their midst, but having a human in the vampire world inevitably brings dangers. Twilight's mixture of romance, gripping suspense, and deftly plotted fantasy make compelling reading for all ages not only young adults."

Below are a few sites worth checking out:

Marta Acosta's Vampire Wire has listed several reviews of Twilight.

Twilight Lexicon

Twilight Study Guide

Twilight countdown: The critics weigh in

Twilight movie soundtrack includes Iron & Wine, more

Twilight on YouTube

Internet Sites of Paranormal Interest -Twilight edition

Breaking Dawn Quote of the Day:

Carlisle: "I've seen vampire venom work miracles, but there are conditions that even venom cannot overcome."

(from Stephenie Meyer.com )

Close to midnight on August 1, 2008 bookstores, libraries, even private homes will celebrate the August 2nd release of Breaking Dawn the fourth and final book in Stephenie Meyer's over-the-top popular Twilight series.

Here are the books in order of publication Twilight ; New Moon ; Eclipse ; Breaking Dawn
In order to best enjoy Meyer's story it is best to read the books as published.

If you are wondering what to serve at your own Breaking Dawn party consider making Vampire Cupcakes. They look absolutely delicious!





Stephenie Meyer: Inside the 'Twilight' Saga (EW.com)
Five years ago, she was a 29-year-old
 Mormon housewife. Now, she's about to publish
 the breathlessly awaited finale to her best-selling
 series. An intimate chat with the woman
 who just might be the next J.K. Rowling... Read more

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer - Book 1 of a Vampire Series

Read my review of Twilight posted April 26, 2008:
I have heard so much about the vampire series Twilight by Stephanie Meyer, but like too many adults I turned my nose up at this because after all it is for the YA crowd and I'm far beyond this age group. But finally I caved and picked up book 1, also named Twilight (Little, Brown 2006), and was mesmerized from the first word. Below is my review. Read more...

Touched by a vampire

Preteen girls -- and their grown-up moms -- are sinking their teeth into Stephenie Meyer's gothic "Twilight" books by the millions. Move over, J.K. Rowling.

By Laura Miller in Salon.com July 30, 2008

A minute past midnight on Aug. 2, bookstores across the country will for the first time repeat a ritual once reserved for a single author: J.K. Rowling. Read more...

Twilight Guy

My name is Kaleb Nation, and I am a 19 year old college student from the United States. I am a radio show host and author of a series of books for teens, my first due in bookstores late 2009. I am trying to find why nearly every girl in the world is obsessed with the Twilight books by Stephenie Meyer. This website documents my research.

On the set of Twilight the movie.

Dracula Remains Very Much Un-Dead

Dracula Remains Very Much UN-DEAD
From: Yahoo! Movies: Movie News -
Thursday May 17 12:58 PM ET

There have been countless spin-offs, take-offs and rip-offs of the original vampire character, but The Un-Dead has a pedigree.

By Dennis Michael, FilmStew.com

From Count Chocula to Grandpa Munster, thousands of characters owe their undead existence to the fact that Dracula is a public domain character, in the United States at least. But now a new chapter in the Dracula story has the proper, shall we say, bloodline. The Un-Dead, a novel by Bram Stoker's great grand-nephew Dacre Stoker, is on its way to the screen.

The Un-Dead will be made into a film, with a script by Stoker's co-writer Ian Holt. Ernest Dickerson is set to direct, and the entire project has the endorsement of the Stoker family. Shooting will begin late this year in Eastern Europe with some private financing shoring up production investment by AEI and Jan De Bont's shingle Blue Tulip Productions.

The storyline of The Un-Dead picks up 25 years after the end of the original Stoker book, and ties in Jack the Ripper and the notorious Madame Bathory in the plotline. Reportedly some details in The Un-Dead were originally in Bram Stoker's Dracula, but the book was reportedly heavily edited when it was first published. No casting has been announced as yet.