Frightening, but stylish.

[viktor_haag]

According to SciFi Wire, Melissa George says that the vampires in 30 Days of Night are "frightening, but also stylish". I'm getting so very, very tired of vampires that are stylish. Or sexy. Or gorgeous. I understand that repressed eroticism is an underlying theme of the vampire mythos, but I hereby propose that this mine has been tapped out. It's time to move on, people. We are not Victorian England. Our society is permissive (and post-modern) enough, surely, to begin to examine the vampire figure in another light. Aren't we? Please, say yes.

Comments

[alasdair1076.livejournal.com]

If it makes you feel any better, the vampires in the original graphic novel are anything but stylish. They're savage, brutal, bestial creatures who it's made very clear are animals wearing a human body and unpleasant animals at that. Early reports, despite what Melissa George says, suggest that it's a very, very faithful adaptation. If that's the case, this may yet be a pleasant surprise.

[viktor-haag.livejournal.com]

I flipped through the comic book, but haven't looked at it in detail. I'm heartened by your comments enough to think that this may be different. However, it may also be completely conceivable that studio weeners would have pushed the film makers to portray the vamp characters as more handsome, hip, trench-coaty, sexy, etc... I guess we'll know soon enough.

[waiwode.livejournal.com]

Stylish in this case seems to means: half-zombie-looking, brutal, inhuman monsters. More Nosferatu stylish than Gary "Count Dracula" Oldman stylish. Judging from the previews, trailers, etc.

Doug.

[viktor-haag.livejournal.com]

I've seen only one trailer, and the editing was fast enough and the images dark enough, it wasn't really clear what the vamps looked like (with the exception of "I'm so sorry you're about to die" vamp). As remarked above, one can only hope that you're right.

[maliszew.livejournal.com]

I am intrigued by your ideas and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

I'm totally with you on this.

[jkahane.livejournal.com]

As far as I'm concerned, vampyres are overdone in both fiction and the visual media. It's time to find some new gothic horror beastie to focus on.

[sixteenbynine.livejournal.com]

Yeah, when do we get some of those freaky Filipino monsters that consists of a severed head flying around with its host body's internal organs all in a big clump below it?

[viktor-haag.livejournal.com]

Penangalian (sp?) I think? There's a great appearance of one of these babies in the latest Hellboy trade paperback collection!

[sixteenbynine.livejournal.com]

I LOVE YOU FOREVER.

[viktor-haag.livejournal.com]

Hey, all Hellboy trades should be on your pull list, anyway, you know... 8)

[madmanofprague.livejournal.com]

Except they're defeated by having barbed wire on the outside of your windowsill, so...

[jkahane.livejournal.com]

I know the creature you're talking about, from the latest Hellboy tpb comic, right? Don't remember the name, though... :)

What you say above makes sense; it's time for Hollywood and some writers in the genre to start using atypical versions of the vampyre, or perhaps give them some really weird twists. *sigh*

[gobi.livejournal.com]

In a couple of the Blade movies and definitely in the Buffyverse, the vampires are treated as little more than cannonfodder zombie hordes. Still, the "named" vampires are of the "stylish" variety.

[viktor-haag.livejournal.com]

Actually, I think this was a notable extension of the Vampire mythos, and dealt with the practical necessity of "vampire mooks" (because having only human servitors would have problematized the role of the "slayer" too much, I guess).

[madmanofprague.livejournal.com]

"Stylish" in this sense may mean "possesses a distinct and consistant style," rather than "as seen in Vogue."

[viktor-haag.livejournal.com]

I believe that, if you follow the link, you will find that no, you are precisely incorrect.

[viktor-haag.livejournal.com]

This is the new style of actor:

"I want to get a mohawk and get paid for it. Really, I've always wanted to do, like, a great mohawk, but I want to get paid to do that haircut."

Gah.

[briandorion.livejournal.com]

Don't worry Viktor, these things are not in anyway sexy or stylish. Not too smart either.