By Sam Lovett-Perkins
Staff Writers
For those who have lived under a rock for the past five years, vampires have become a huge trend in popular culture. Its spread has been caused TV sensations such a The CW’s Vampire Diaries and HBO’s True Blood, but the biggest contribution to this wildfire of bloodsucking is Stephanie Meyer’s Twlight series.
Most recently, the Twlight franchise has come out with their fourth movie in the series based off of of the book: Twilight: Breaking Dawn.
In this installment, Bella Swan is getting married to her vampire lover Edward Cullen. However, during the honeymoon, Bella becomes pregnant. The union of vampire and human angers a native Indian tribe, and so conflict stirs between the Indians and the Vampires.
Believability of the plot aside, there is a wide range of response from the Twilight teenage audience, going from enthusiastic die hard fans, or Twi-hards, to a negative reaction to those fans.
Freshman Betty Louis was nothing but thrilled about the latest film. “Ever since I read the book I have been very excited to see the movie, it was a great experience for me.”
Many students report having seen the movies multiple times, and sport Twilight t-shirts, buttons, and stickers in school.
Not all students are so excited, however. Senior Mike Dea had mixed feelings about the series. “I saw Breaking Dawn: Part 1, and had very low expectations, and it still could have done a lot better.”
However, he wasn’t completely negative. “It did have some redeeming traits, a fair amount of action…I guess it was a good laugh”.
As a teenage romance film it would make more sense that it would receive appraise from a female audience. While this might be obvious, there is actually a science behind the writing from the books that might make it that attractive.
English teacher Alexa Dunn, who has taught the first Twilight book in a senior english class, explained part of the appeal.
“We use Bella as the everyone girl, she’s made very general to make every teenager girl and Twi-hard mom to fit into Bella’s mind — so they too can live the fantasy.” After all, what is more enjoyable than being chased after by two attractive men?
While the movies might be geared towards girls, Stephanie Meyer and the filmmakers have stilled try to compensate for the other gender.
“ I think boys are drawn to it because of the werewolf and vampire thing,” Dunn said. “Those battles get more frequent as the series goes on. For the films there’s more CGI and each film has gotten better in its dramatic flair.”
With only one movie left to go, it is questioned is the next movie going to be similar to the Harry Potters finally or more of a Spy Kids?
Dea is doubtful that he will be going to the next film. “If I get shang-highed into it, but I wasn’t planning to.”
Ms. Dunn agrees. “ I’m not going to rush into the theater… this trend is starting to trend out.”
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