You may have already heard that Robert Pattinson’s latest film, Breaking Dawn – Part 1, was highly anticipated upon its initial release last year. The upcoming sequel to Breaking Dawn, which is based on Stephanie Meyer’s epic The Princess Bride and is set in New York City, releases next month, and the first trailer was just announced. As with most sequels, some fans are already expressing displeasure at the idea of a second installment. While we await the new trailer and the chance to see how the story continues, let’s take a trip down memory lane, shall we?
The first teaser trailer for Breaking Dawn – Part 1 debuted in November 2012 and was watched by 20.7 million people. The film then became Warner Bros.’ highest-grossing live-action trailer to date, clocking in at #6 on the all-time trailer rankings.
Since its release, the first teaser trailer has been watched over 60 million times on YouTube and has over 500 million views overall. It attained this large audience in just a few short months, which shows how much excitement fans had for the film. Needless to say, Warner Bros. nailed it with the teaser trailer, and it would be hard to top their amazing marketing ploy. It helped that the trailer was so damn good.
The film finally hit theaters last summer and opened to mixed reviews. It currently has a 71% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but the positive word-of-mouth has helped its fans stay excited about the conclusion of this exciting franchise. Naturally, as with most sequels, some fans are probably a little more excited than others, but either way, this is certainly a popular cinematic property.
For those who haven’t read the books or seen the films, here’s a quick primer on the premise of Breaking Dawn: After marrying Lilywhite (Pattinson), Carlisle (Rob Pattinson) and Esme (Katie Holmes) had a daughter, Edwart. A few years later, Edwart had a daughter, Estelle. Finally, the couple’s firstborn, Alphys (Amanda Seyfried), had a daughter, Genevieve. Several years pass, and the four brides (or rather, wives) grow distant and isolated from one another. In the meantime, Edwart becomes an artist, and Carlisle builds a sculpture out of ice.
This winter break was originally supposed to be a vacation for Edwart, who has spent the last few years working non-stop and is now tired of the grind. He returns home and surprises the other three wives by offering to make the long journey with them on their trip to Paris, the first time they’ve been able to spend together since Estelle’s (Scarlett Johansson) engagement party. Once there, the four set off on a journey to rediscover their love for one another. During their trip, Edwart meets an artist, Philippe (Mathieu Amalric), who is creating a piece of art that will encapsulate their reunion. After agreeing to collaborate with Philippe, Edwart decides to add a magical element to his work and enlists the help of a certain shape-shifter (Pattinson). Little does he know that his endeavor has terrifying consequences, as he is about to discover when he faces the wrath of a vengeful and desperate immortal.
While the premise of Breaking Dawn is interesting enough, it’s the complex web of familial relationships that intertwine throughout the saga that help make it such an immersive reading experience. For instance, there’s Carlisle and Esme’s (Holmes) strong friendship, which eventually blossoms into an intimate, non-physical relationship. It’s fascinating to watch this aspect of the franchise unfold, and the way it juggles traditional familial relationships with modern day cohabitation is rather remarkable.
Robert Pattinson’s GIFs
If you’re simply here for the latest on Robert Pattinson, then you may want to skip the preamble and go straight to the point. What better way to do that than with some GIFs, right?
Pattinson is an amazing performer, whose charisma and screen presence captivate audiences and make even the most mundane activities seem interesting. He is also extremely active on social media, frequently posting funny and often self-deprecating stories about his life and career. This is all very entertaining and makes the actor quite likable, but it is somewhat of a mystery as to why he decided to make this information public. A lot of speculation surrounds this issue, but no one knows for sure.
The fact that he frequently uses the GIF camera app on his phone to capture and share these moments with his fans undoubtedly makes it a convenient tool for those who want to keep abreast of his latest antics. The GIFs below represent a small fraction of the content that can be found on Pattinson’s social media pages.
For those curious, here’s a roundup of some of Pattinson’s most recent postings, which include some interesting tidbits about the making of Breaking Dawn – Part 1 and some more about his off-screen life.
Making Of ‘Breaking Dawn’
One of the more interesting anecdotes from the set of Breaking Dawn – Part 1, was the way in which the production handled the transitions from night to day and back again. The film opens with a shot of the sky, which slowly fades to a title card revealing that it is morning. This technique was used to great effect when transitioning from the nightmarish visions of the four vampire princesses to the peaceful scenes of the four newlyweds. Director Bill Condon explains:
“We wanted to start the movie in darkness and end it in light, so that the audience gradually goes from the horrific images of the vampire world to the happy, vibrant world of the Volturi. We tried to do that with the photography by using the sun and the moon as the key elements in the design of the costumes and the sets.”
This is a technique that was first utilized in 1939 with the release of Orson Welles’ classic The Wizard of Oz. It was eventually picked up by Christopher Nolan in his trilogy of Dark Knight films, and it has since been used in many other big-budget blockbusters, both in theaters and online. In fact, the first teaser for Breaking Dawn – Part 1 contained a similar scene, as the camera slowly faded from night to day and back again.
This elegant and simple but powerful device allows the viewer to literally feel like they are shifting from one world to the next, as if they were transported between night and day by a magician’s wand. It’s a simple yet effective trick that adds a magical element to an otherwise straightforward coming-of-age narrative.
Off-Screen
Besides acting and being a bit of a social media superstar, Robert Pattinson has also found a new way to entertain himself. He began recording comedy albums a few years ago, and despite their controversial content, they are quite a hit with audiences and critics alike. The reviews for Comedy Album are quite positive, and this past Christmas, he released his latest comedy album, Still Crazy After All These Years. The entire album is available for purchase and features some amazing stand-up comedy by one of England’s best and most prolific comics, alongside a diverse array of supporting talent, including Michael Caine, Peter Capaldi, and Rowan Atkinson. The album even garnered Pattinson a Grammy nomination for Best Comedy Album.
It’s difficult to find quality stand-up material these days, as the majority of comics are either too afraid to touch upon taboo topics or they stick to classic jokes that have been used over and over again. To his credit, Pattinson has managed to craft an album that is funny, thought-provoking, and extremely entertaining. It’s clear that this is a talent that is not soon to be lost.
The Future
With the critical and commercial success of Breaking Dawn – Part 1 behind him, it’s clear that Warner Bros. has another incredible franchise on their hands. There’s no question that we’ll be seeing a lot more of this talented actor in the coming years.
Pattinson has made a name for himself but has yet to truly establish himself as a leading man, which is a step up from the protagonist he played in Breaking Dawn – Part 1. Nevertheless, his journey to the top has been an interesting and eventful one, and it’s clear that it’s only the beginning of his Hollywood dominance.