Every week I get asked to write about different topics. Today’s post is no different. Well maybe a little. As I was getting my haircut, we (thanks S.Y.) were discussing the new movie that was coming out, New Moon. Much to everyone’s surprise I had NO idea what they were talking about! Quickly they asked me what I thought of the movie Twilight, and besides having a puzzled look on my face I had little to no response. I may have heard of that movie but I don’t remember and I know for a fact I never saw it.
When I don’t know something about a particular blog topic I will do some research. For this one I decided not to do that and have the readers inform me on what I am missing. I have NO idea who stars in the movie, what the movies are really about other than it involves vampires. I have no idea who the director or producer is–in fact I couldn’t even tell you the city in which the story takes place. I didn’t even know until they screamed at me, about the books that were written. Clearly I have been living under a rock and missed all the hoopla. I have noticed people wearing New Moon shirts but that was after getting laughed at while I was getting my haircut.
So please fill me in.
- What are the movies about?
- Have you read the book?
- Was the sequel any better than Twilight?
- Is there another movie planned?
- Were you one of the first to see the movie?
I look forward to your comments and seeing what I am missing.
Nancy Cearley says:
Hi Merrill,
Unless you’re a teenage girl, you aren’t really missing all that much. New Moon is the Harry Potter for teenage girls. There are currently 4 books published in the Twilight series and a 5th incomplete book in draft form on the author’s site (www.stepheniemeyer.com). I believe they already finished at least the third movie, pegged to come out this summer. The fourth movie is listed as “in development” on IMDB.
I’ve read all the books and found them to be quite entertaining. They’re basically a cute coming-of-age love story about a girl from a healthy, but broken family, living with her single dad in Washington State falling in love with a very cute vampire (played by Robert Pattinson in the films). There are ups and downs in each of the novels. The thing I really enjoyed about them was the fact that my teenage nieces could read them and learn a little about love and relationships. Not that I am the most conservative person on the planet, but I really liked the fact that rather the author has made popular the “saving yourself for marriage” concept. Kids today are having sex constantly tossed in front of them at every turn and these books show teenagers the anticipation and waiting can certainly be worth it.
As for whether the second was better than the first. I think the actors all did a much better job on the second, but the story is still unfolding. I can hardly wait for the final movie to come out.
And I wasn’t the first in line. My teenage nieces were. They talked their mom into taking them directly from school to the movies. And ever since, all I’ve heard is “Aunt Nancy, this movie changed my life!” So, I dunno, Merrill…maybe you should have a peek at the movies or give the books a read. You never know, it may change your life…
Michael Halberstam says:
For those of you who don’t know, Nancy, a fantastic linguist, can also speak teenager, Vampire and Werewolf. She is correct. This is a Harry Potter phenomenon. Merrill, you have NOT missed two of the great movies of all time. By avoiding them you’ve probably saved a few brain cells.
jennifer says:
I have read Twilight & New Moon, but have not seen the movies. Yes, they are very teenage girl, but I really enjoyed Twilight and thought it was a great book. I couldn’t put it down. New Moon was okay, but not as good as Twilight.
Sean J. Jordan says:
I think it’s unfair to call these books “vampire” books, because the characters aren’t really vampires. They don’t have fangs, they sparkle in the sunlight, and they pretty much just mope around and have a lot of angst.
The main character, Bella, behaves in such a bizarre fashion that many feminists have likened her to a battered woman.
Roger Ebert said that these books are really about abstinence — you have a vampire who is constantly telling the girl things like, “I want you, but I can’t have you,” and there’s a lot of teenage silly stuff between the characters without any physical consummation.
Given the number of girls who talked about the male characters having their shirts off in the New Moon film, I’m going to take it one step further and say that Summit Entertainment has found a way to sell sex without actually having to show sex. And teenage girls (and their mothers) are buying into it because they enjoy being titillated without the social stigma of watching something more adult in nature.
I find the trend troubling, myself. Especially since the next big thing is supposed to be stories like “Fallen,” which are literally about fallen angels falling in love with humans. I’m not religious, but since art reflects culture, I think it’s important to be critical about the stories we tell ourselves. And stories about making things that are supposed to be evil into sympathetic characters surely reveal something about us…
sarah younk says:
maybe i am into these movies because all my friends are young 20′s and i am 35… and yes i was at the 12:01 showing because every theater around was selling out so fast! i did feel a little old at the movie when i am thinking ‘shouldnt these kids be in bed? its a school nite!’ but i got over it cause i packed wine to the theater and probably the only one in there legal to buy alcohol in the entire theater!!!
and we are still laughing at you over here at the salon…but not for that.
Keri Walsh says:
Merrill…I have all 4 copies and the DVD if you would like to borrow : ) Finally a topic I can comment on! I see girls as young as 8 reading these books (which I don’t exactly see as appropriate). I know many adult women that are also huge fans of the series. It is a teenage based book but, like Harry Potter, attracts many adult readers too. Seriously I will just bring you the books and you can see what it’s all about!
Kelly Heatly says:
Team Jacob! (Merrill — don’t worry about what that means. The movies are very chick flick-ish.)
Lance Hoffman says:
I can’t believe Kelly said “Team Jacob!” (in this movie you have to decide if you side with the Vampires or the Werewolves). My wife got into these books, and of course had tentative arrangements to see the movie with my 14-year old niece, but got blown off for a movie-birthday party, where my niece saw it on opening day (“don’t worry – Aunt Janis – I’ll see it again with you). Merrill – imagine a really cheap Harlequin version of Harry Potter, targeted towards young girls, and playing off of the now-very-hot angle of vampires, and therein lies Twilight/New Moon and more.
Karen Bills says:
Hey Merrill,
I can’t believe you were in the dark on the Twilight saga for so long! Everywhere I go I see this stuff – everything from the books/movies themselves, to t-shirts, candy, and other random novelties. I’ve read all 4 books and seen both movies – and I am not one that is into vampire or other topics but so many of my friends raved about them I had to check them out and got sucked in. I definitely don’t think they are literary or cinematic masterpieces but they are entertaining, do hook you in, and clearly have some mass appeal to the young ladies.
The first movie was pretty poor quality but I don’t think they realized how popular this series was going to get when they were producing it. The 2nd movie was much better done but the dialogue is still very teen oriented.
Don’t know that you will become a fan but at least you know more about the Twilight craze now!
Merrill Dubrow says:
Karen,
Now that I am aware of it I do notice it more but actually don’t think I will go and see the movie. It sounds like many of the people who commented really love the movie and concept. Who knows maybe I will wait and see it on the movie channels.
Happy holiday’s.
Merrill