Pop Culture Reviews

A new day dawns and so the vampire creeps, creeps, creeps its way slowly back into the shadowy depths of mythology. Or does it? Has Hollywood had its fill of blood-letting and bloodlust? Do we finally bid farewell to Edward Cullen, Angel, Eli and Bill Compton? Or does the vampire continue to dig its nails into the everlasting flesh of Hollywood, holding it in its eternal embrace.

With Daybreakers just released in the US (doesn’t arrive on NZ shores until March this year), it’s possible we’re about to see a huge decline in vampire related movies/books/tv shows and the like. Obviously True Blood has found its niche and with current trends aside, will probably continue for a few seasons yet, given its popularity. Other than the continuance of the Twilight movies this year (Eclipse releases in New Zealand in July), it seems the vampire may have had its time in the limelight. Perhaps Hollywood really has had its fill of vampires. Let’s take a quick recap over the last few years and look at just how popular the vampire has been in the entertainment medium:

1. Twilight (books and movies) – based on the books by Stephanie Meyer. Made vampires look hip again and even trendy caus’ they mention google
2. Let the Right One In (movie based on the novel) – back to more traditional roots, you can’t deny the understated creepiness and allure of Eli, the 12 year old vampire that befriends a lonely boy on a swing. Just awesome.
3. True Blood – bringing the vampire wayyy down south made this TV show with its raunchy and sexy appeal something to really sink your teeth into. Also based on books and starring New Zealand starlet Anna Paquin in the lead role.
4. The Vampire Diaries – also based on books and started a little bit of controversy when it was revealed by the author’s legal representation that Stephanie Meyer allegedly plagiarised parts of the book to create her own. Wow, vampire politics even!
5. Daybreakers - features Ethan Hawke as a cool looking vampire dude who befriends a group of humans. Kinda weird when you think about a world populated by vampires where humans are the endangered species.
6. The Vampire’s Assistant – apparently we didn’t get enough of the teenage vampire running amok with Twilight. The Vampire’s Assistant does however feature some other freaky looking people like Salma Hayek with a beard!
7. The Underworld trilogy – started off so very well with Kate Beckinsale bringing sexy back to the vampire that fights werewolves. So much promise with this story but not too sure what happened along the way. Even the brilliant Michael Sheen couldn’t save this vampire story from the harsh critics of hollywood.

So if Vampires have had their day (or is that night?), what -  if anything, could replace them? We’ve got Wolfman with Benecio Del Toro and Emily Blunt clawing its way to theatres soon but I doubt that’s going to spawn a million and one stories/books/movies about werewolves. And without the vampire in hollywood, things just wouldn’t really be the same. Or would they? I guess only time will tell but one thing’s for sure, the vampire has had one hell of a ride over the last few years. Maybe it’s time the vampire got some of that eternal rest we keep reading about… you know, until hollywood needs to feel its cold, vice-like grip on its throat once again.