With the highly anticipated release of the second instalment in The Twilight Saga; New Moon hitting cinemas on Friday 20th November, LocateTV have taken a look at what has made the story of Edward and Bella so popular.
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If the latest TV shows True Blood and The Vampire Diaries are anything to go by, the undead creatures are most definitely back with a bite! Steph took a look at the vampire genre as a whole back in September, and noted that the first cinematic instalment of Stephenie Meyer’s hugely successful novels grossed over $300 million across the world. Now, with New Moon having already sold out in a reported 2,150 screens in the US alone, that $300 million is sure to increase the second time round!
So what is it about this unconventional love story that has had people aged anywhere from 10 to 60 captivated so intensely? Well as a fan of the books myself, I can definitely indentify with the need for more of our heroes. Coming to the series late, just a few months ago in fact, I have quickly been caught up in all the hype surrounding New Moon. Set to explore the dangers that 17 year old human Bella (Kristen Stewart) faces by being in a relationship with 109 year old vampire Edward (Robert Pattinson), we are also introduced to more of the residents of La Push, the home of the Quileute Native American tribe, where Bella’s childhood friend Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner) lives with his father.
The love that is so plainly evident between Bella and Edward appeals to the readers of the books, as well as the viewers of the films because it is so consuming. How love should be, right? Add to it the fact that Bella is awkward and unsure about her appeals to the opposite sex, then along comes this impossibly beautiful boy who wants her just as she is. Perfect!
Bella is someone that younger girls can identify with, as Stewart has noted in a recent BBC interview: “When you read the book, as a girl you are Bella…As distinctly as her character is written, so many girls feel like they are Bella. She is innately what most girls want to be”. So is that why teen girls are mesmerised by the love story? Because they believe they could be Bella, and find true love in their very own Edward? Or is it the appeal of Robert Pattinson? A relative unknown (apart from his role as Cedric Diggory in two of the Harry Potter films), Pattinson has been catapulted to heart throb status by the women lusting after him. I think for teenagers, it’s a combination of the both. Having been voted as one of the ‘Sexiest Men Alive’ in 2008’s People magazine, he certainly seems to live up to the perfect character created in Meyer’s books.
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For me, it was the escapism that the fantasy novels provided. Knowing that the majority of vampires we’re introduced to here are not the traditional blood-suckers we’ve seen in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Blade and Interview with the Vampire, I was comforted by these creatures in a way that doesn’t make you want to run for your life!
Without a doubt, the vamp genre is here to stay. The next instalment of the Saga, ‘Eclipse’, has already wrapped, and is set for release in July 2010. Although there has been no official word on the fourth book ‘Breaking Dawn’, being translated to film, fans are hopeful that they will get to see the last chapter of Bella’s life on screen.
I’m off to see it in cinemas tomorrow, but remember to check back to LocateTV next week (when you’ll have had time to see the movie!) when we’ll have an exclusive quiz based on the latest offering!
Emily
