Irresistible Immortals

I was so excited to finally be able to watch True Blood season 3 via the little red envelope. I know, I know- I’m just a little behind. Unfortunately, HBO is not included in my current austerity program. Anyhow, as I was watching the trials and tribulations of Ms. Sookie Stackhouse, I began to wonder what it is about vampire movies and shows that appeals to such a large audience. Well, my restless brain began to process this question and here is what I concluded:

Shall we begin with the obvious? In many modern movies and television shows, vampires are beautiful! I mean, if I was Sookie Stackhouse, I would have a difficult time choosing between Bill and Eric. And who could forget Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, and Antonio Banderas in “Interview With A Vampire”? But it isn’t just the males that are drop dead gorgeous (pun intended). Think about Kate Beckinsale rocking the tight leather in “Underworld”. How about the scene in Dracula when Keanu Reeves’ character was fed on by Dracula’s very sexy vampire brides? Don’t forget Salma Hayek’s tantalizing dance in “From Dusk Till Dawn”.  I could go on but you get it.

Beyond the physical attraction, many of the vampire characters are charming and intellectual. Of course, they’re trying to charm you and outwit you in order to drink your blood, but nonetheless, it’s a welcome change from the usual. Generally, the vampires are centuries old and come from a time when chivalry and the poetic use of language were still very much alive. Their impossible age also makes them “mature”, having already experienced and learned more than any mortal could imagine. Charming, intelligent, deep, no desire to play all the silly games humans play. Sounds like a fantasy, doesn’t it?!?

Now, I can sense some guys are rolling their eyes. But hold on just a second there gentlemen. You like sexy, smart, charming women, don’t you? And these female vampires are usually strong, independent, and not prone to the emotional up and downs that human women are subject to, and on top of that, they are sexual in nature. Wow! And for the women in the audience, think about how the male vampires (the good ones anyway) are strong but sensitive, handsome but not self absorbed, sexual but romantic. They are dark, brooding, and conflicted like some of the rock stars women swoon over. Minus the drug and alcohol problems. It’s the bad boy we all want but the bad boy who loves like an epic poem, and who isn’t afraid of forever. Plus, they don’t go around burping or farting or ogling other women-unless of course, they’re hungry. In short, the vampires are often portrayed as the ideal lover.

Last but not least, vampires are immortal. They don’t age and they don’t die-not easily anyway. As humans, we are on a never-ending quest for immortality. We don’t want to grow old and fall apart. I don’t know about you, but I can’t stand the thought of having to wear diapers again. And death, well, who really wants to die? We fear the unknown and what really happens after death is unknown to us. But a vampire, they can be young forever. Not only can they be young forever, they can be young and invincible forever. They have superhuman strength and speed. They can fly. They can smell your blood from a mile away. They can sometimes read your thoughts, or hypnotize you. They don’t have to deal with acne, heartburn, arthritis, or any mortal diseases. And they can offer us the same if we so desire.

Now, there are hundreds of vampire films-I haven’t seen them all-and the characters in these films don’t always fit these descriptions. Some vampires onscreen are downright hideous and some are so evil, they give the devil a run for his money. Not all vampires can be Edward Cullen or Stefan Salvatore or Selene. But you catch my drift.

Maybe you rent a couple of vampire flicks and tell me what you think. Here are a few of my faves, in no particular order:

1. Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Don’t mind Keanu   Reeves' less than stellar performance.
2. Lost Boys. The 80’s looked good on vampires!
3. Interview With A Vampire. I read the whole series by Anne Rice, it's excellent!
4. Underworld. Kate Beckinsale is hot! 
5. True Blood. (I know, TV show but I’m addicted and you might be too!)
6. Let The Right One In. Ok, no eye candy but certainly creepy and a great vampire film.

Music, 'The Middle', Myself

So, I think I’ve dropped enough hints, but in case you hadn’t noticed, I’m BIG INTO MUSIC! (But I thought you were big into movies?) Yah, I pretty much enjoy all creative endeavors. Perhaps it is because I’m what some people would call the ‘imaginative, artistic type’, or because I’m a very sensitive, highly emotional person or because I’m a dreamer. Whatever it is, I actually feel music. It’s as though the notes are hands that reach out and touch me. Sometimes it’s a gentle caress, sometimes it’s a violent shake. And it isn’t just the music that gets me; it’s the lyrics, too. I am big on lyrics, and sometimes I hear a song that I swear was written for me and my heart flutters and I get chills up and down my spine. There are so many songs that I connect with and could write about that I have blog material for a lifetime. But there is one song I’ve had in my head lately. That song is “The Middle” by Jimmy Eat World.

Let me start by giving you the first part of the song:

Hey, don’t write yourself off yet

It’s only in your head you feel left out or looked down on

Just try your best, try everything you can

And don’t you worry what they tell themselves when you’re away

Yes, at one point I was ready to write myself off because I felt left out and looked down on and worried about what people said when I left the room. See, I grew up in a small town where everybody knows everybody and gossiping is the number one hobby. Unfortunately, I obtained an unflattering reputation at an early age. It seems a pretty common thing for girls to get branded for no good reason, especially if they develop early and prefer hanging out with boys. There comes a point when people stop seeing you as tomboy and start seeing you as a flirt. Anyway, for that and for a myriad of other reasons, I always kind of felt like I didn’t belong, like I was an outsider. All I wanted to do was get away, but I didn’t have a choice as to my city of residence. So, I decided to give the town the middle finger by acting like I didn’t care what anyone thought and doing crazy things. Problem was, I did care, and I wanted to be accepted for who I was, and acting like I didn’t care only made me more of an outsider.

It just takes some time

Little girl you’re in the middle of the ride

Everything, everything will be just fine

Everything, everything will be alright, alright

I was a little girl, confused and misguided, in the middle of the crazy ride that is life. But everything did turn out just fine. Fortunately, I did have some friends who loved me for me, even if they didn’t always understand or approve of all the crazy, stupid things I did. The thing was, they didn’t judge me, I didn’t judge them and that is what love and friendship are all about.

When I was old enough, I moved away from that small town and those disapproving looks and salacious rumors.  I’m not saying that all small towns are full of small minds. No, I understand now that gossiping and judgment are just a part of human nature.  When you think about it, the folklore and legends of past civilizations are essentially gossip. And we have to make judgments all the time in order to survive. I also understand that when we are teenagers, we are in the middle of a very scary ride, trying to hold one. We are discovering who we are, who we want to be. We are all confused and searching for acceptance and we don’t always say or do the right things and we often hurt other people in the process. I now see that self-righteous indignation is no better than hypocritical judgment.

Hey, you know they’re all the same

You know you’re doing better on your own, so don’t buy in

Live right now, yeah, just be yourself

It doesn’t matter if it’s good enough for someone else.

Be yourself, live for yourself, love yourself. Don’t get caught up in what other people think or say or do. Words we should all live by.