Why are Vampires so popular?
Posted by | Posted in Books, Movies, TV | Posted on 25-11-2008
I asked this question to a friend the other day, but it seems vampires are so much “the thing” in pop culture.
- Right now the #1 movie in the country is Twilight. It focuses on a girl who moves to Washington (state) and becomes entangled with a “family” of vampires.
- The #1, #2, #3, and #4 books on the USA Today Best Seller list are Twilight and it’s three sequels by Stephanie Meyer.
- HBO’s new series called True Blood has seen its ratings increase to now be its most popular series since the Sopranos and Sex In The City.
- I read that at least 18 vampire themed movies have been released this year with more on the way.
So why are vampires hot? What is making people eat up the books and movie tickets? I know it’s not because the books are outstanding literature. They’re not terrible, but not outstanding (I’ve read one and a half of the Twilight series). Is it the forbiddenness of relationships with them? Is it the fact they don’t die (a mortal death at least?) Dunno.
But at least in the way of the Twilight vampires, it seems Meyer is messing with the vampire legend some. Her vamps can come out in the day time, but their skin sparkles instead of smokes and withers away. And they can get nourishment by drinking blood from animals instead of needed it to be human blood. [The Japanese in True Blood have created a synthetic blood substitute for the vamps in that series, though they say it doesn't taste as good as the real thing.] And they can see themselves in a mirror. No mention of garlic or stakes through the heart or holy water (that I’ve read yet at least)
Do you think vampires are hot? Why or why not?
Popularity: 33% [?]
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I worked with a woman who thought vampires were “sexy” and who thought a lot of things I don’t think. She told me she was planning to have her teeth filed to points but, since she was pregnant, her dentist refused to do it. The same woman had also never heard of the word “fornication”. When I defined the word for her, she asked, “Where did you ever hear of that?!” I picked up the Bible on my desk and held it up. She said, “Oh, well I don’t read that.” I offered to give her a Bible if she’d read it, but got a “no thanks” in response.
To me, vampires are too otherworldly in a dark, negative way; so, no, I have nothing for vampires.
Blake, Blake, Blake. You so used me. It’s okay, though. The world should know.
Vampires are hot. At least until some other fictional character steals my heart.
Edward and Gilbert Blythe. That’s where it’s at. I’m just sayin’.
Emily´s last blog post..for these things, I give thanks
Personally, I love vampires to no end. Not too long ago I was wondering exactly what you were, so I went looking for valid veiw points on why the vampire mythology is s popular. I found this response and thought that it covered a great deal of why poeple coveted vampire lore.
~~ The fact that almost every culture has a version of the vampire myth suggests that the archetype addresses some deeply rooted fears and/or yearnings. There are many factors operating here: the attraction to the dark side of our natures; the fascination with what is forbidden; the desire for eternal youth and immortality; the centrality of blood in a religious sense. Add to these the sexual seductiveness and power that have come to be a part of the vampire image and you have a potent combination! I think this latter factor explains much of the popularity of the vampire today, as well as the desire of many young people in particular to live this alternative lifestyle. Being a “vampire” (or a Goth, for that matter) is for today’s youth what being a “hippie” was for the youth of the 60s. The vampire figure has survived in literature and popular culture for another reason. It is a versatile archetype, and can be shaped and re-shaped to fit any individual artist’s own vision. So while we still encounter fictional vampires who are spawns of Satan (as Stoker presented Dracula), we also have vampires who are more ambivalent or even basically good. Vampires have invaded every walk of life: they are detectives, policemen, doctors, professors, etc. If Bram Stoker could come back today, he would be absolutely amazed! ~~
-Elizabeth Miller
i'm so into vampires and all kinds of stories about them. vampires are awesome, there amazing and i really like them there my type and i don't care if there dead or living humans. i wish one day i could meet a vampire it'll be awesome. if i go in front of them they'll try to drink my blood, but i have my own ways of fighting them i incredibly fast and strong so i could bring them down i have a friend he always says that his a werewolf and i kind of believe him a little or 50% out of 100%. being someone else from other people in this world is really difficult i know vampires are dead…………….. and all of those stuff you heard in books and movies that might be a lie too. so don't fell for pretty movie actors and believe in the movie and in books. books could be fiction but they put it in non fiction to make it look real and the author just wrote it like that to make you believe in it or he was dreaming and watching the fake fictional movies about vampires. believe me i might be young but i have talent and brain i could become scientist but i'm working hard enough to reach the top, so like i'm telling you what ever you see in movies can not be real. you can ask old people to help you about the history when vampires were alive but they still exist. it might sound boring but you'll know something from them.
BUT I SAW A VAMPIRE 5 YEARS AGO!
he was cute! you might saw i like him! he never bite me because his my fiancée i don't mean he really is he will be.
SO BELIEVE IN REAL LIFE STORIES NOT IN FAIRY TALE!
WELL, BYE- BYE HAVE A GOOD NIGHT! LOVE YOU ALL
I love vampires and i have loved vampire since before it was cool to. I started showing an interest in them at a very young age watching movies like the littlest vampire with jonathan lipniki. And i do believe it is the romanticism and mysticism behind it all. I am no vampire but i have drunk blood before, you may find that disgusting but it was strangely euphoric. And i am not a goth or anything like that i was captain of my cheerleading squad in high school, the senior class vice president, and i was on the volleyball team. It's just the idea of vampires in general, being immortal. A love that literally lasts an eternity.
You're all freaks and completely dilusional. Vampires are not real and although the story and the idea may be fascinating, most of the legends come from ancient myths about icubi and succubi and guardians of the dead that required human sacrifice and glorified violence, brutality and the slaughter of innocents. There's nothing sexy or appealing about the undead or mortality. Why would I want to be trapped in a temporal, corrupted world when paradise is waiting for me one day?
That idea (your forever paradise) is more delusional than vampires!
The Idea of why you're still here on my planet is delusional, buttwipe.
[...] Blake Thompson pointed out on his blog that every culture has a vampire myth of some sort, and that it was probably the allure of the forbidden, the immortal and the bloodlust that drew people to this myth. That, and the sex and seduction. [...]
Vampires are a dark distortion and satanic mockery of gods promise of everlasting life. Satan uses the desire we all have to be powerful and eternal and gives us this fantasy that truly glorifies him . The true king of eternity is Almighty God and his right hand will certainly crush any device of the Devil.
You're an idiot.
[...] Blake Thompson pointed out on his blog that every culture has a vampire myth of some sort, and that it was probably the allure of the forbidden, the immortal and the bloodlust that drew people to this myth. That, and the sex and seduction. [...]