We’ve all seen it. On a late-night bus ride home from work or school, you’ll inevitably find yourself caught on film by the backlight of the sunset. The sun is setting, the air is getting cold as autumn turns into winter, and you’re wondering if you’ll make it home in one piece. You’ve also probably seen the movie before and know exactly what scene it is. Most of us have. It’s not a spoiler to tell you that it’s Robert Pattinson’s vampire fantasy, Only Lovers Left Alive, which he wrote and directed.
When it comes to vampires, there are so many different kinds of people who love them. Some like Benedict Cumberbatch are great at portraying them on-screen. Others prefer to stay far, far away from anything relating to the undead. For those of us in the middle, it can be hard to know where to draw the line. What if a vampire character is simply a part of the story, or does it become a problem if they appear in too many scenes? Is there such a thing as too much vampire-dom?
Most people who love vampires are happy that the genre is becoming more and more popular. The more films and books there are in the world of vampires, the more there will be for everyone to enjoy. However, there are also people who want to make sure that vampires only appear in nostalgic moments and never, ever come to life. Hopefully, this article will help you better understand why Robert Pattinson made his vampires and what it is that makes them so special.
Why Do Vampires Still Suck
The world of vampires has come a long way since 1931, when Bela Lugosi’s Dracula made his dramatic debut in a series of early talkie films. In more recent years, vampires have mostly stayed quiet and hidden in the shadows, rarely coming out into the sunlight during the day. Even when they have, it’s usually been for something special like a full moon or solar eclipse, or whenever they feel like being a nuisance.
Before the turn of the century, vampires had mostly remained trapped in their fictional world, unable to leave the screen and unable to interact with humans. That was, until the advent of the world wide web and social media. With a few notable exceptions, vampires have largely remained passive and dependent on others for their survival. Even when some have tried to go above and beyond the call of duty, it usually ended in tragedy (think Stoker’s Dracula).
These days, if you Google “vampires,” you’ll find a massive range of products to choose from. You’ll see everything from coffins (complete with animatronics) to wiccan hoodies and t-shirts. You’ll even find a “Vampire Pets” business that offers up puppies and kittens as companions for your feline brethren.
What Made Robert Pattinson’s Vampires Special
If you’re unfamiliar, Robert Pattinson is a handsome English actor who’s had a brilliant career so far. He’s graced the big and small screens with memorable appearances in films like Pale Moon and Never Let Me Go, as well as TV shows like Dracula and Game of Thrones. In 2012, he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in The Artist.
For those of you who know your vampires, you’ll know that apart from his acting career, Pattinson is also the author of several vampire-related books, including Goodbye Charlie and Twilight. He also had a cameo role in the 2014 film Vampire Weekend.
In 2015, Pattinson released his first novel, Twilight. It’s a continuation of his beloved vampire series and is set a few hundred years after the events of Twilight. Naturally, it was a smashing success, spawning two more books (including a prequel) and a short-lived TV show. There’s also talk of a Twilight sequel and even a Goblet of Life spin-off.
The Biggest Question: Is There Such A Thing As Too Much Vampire-dom?
If you’re an avid viewer of Game of Thrones, you’ll have seen that the world of Westeros is not averse to the odd bit of comic relief. There, we meet The Tickler. A wiggling, scampering little man with a massive penis, who enjoys causing pain to others to come. Eventually, he winds up getting his just desserts as he’s impaled on a dagger. However, that’s fiction, right?
Sadly, sometimes the truth is worse. At least in the fictional world of Westeros, we know that The Tickler is a secondary character. Nobody is suggesting that you should go out and impale people on giant dongs just because it’s funny. But sometimes the truth is worse. Sometimes it really is just to amuse oneself. So, sometimes, is there such a thing as too much vampire-dom?
There are certainly times when it’s best to keep your vampires on the page. If you’re writing a historical fiction novel, for example, you might want to keep your vampires as historical figures so that your readers can follow along and understand what’s going on. It’s always best to keep your vampires in their place and not to bludge the occasional flesh-eating joke. Sometimes, it can be tempting to give your vampires more screen time than you’d dare to give your humans. But, in the immortal words of Monty Wooley, “If you’ve got to have a dog, have a nice nice dog.”
Vampire Attire
You might be surprised at the variety of clothing associated with vampires. It seems that almost everyone has an opinion on what kind of clothing they should be wearing. Should they be classy and fashionable? Sexy and seductive? Or maybe just plain old comfortable? If you’re writing a historical fiction novel, you might want to keep yourself within certain eras and avoid anything too modern.
You might also want to give your vampires some period-appropriate accents and dialects. If you’re doing so in a comic way, you might want to avoid accents and stick with something more natural. After all, it’s not often that you’ll find a tribe of talking animals on the street. It will probably be best to keep your accent under control. Nobody wants to read a book and have the characters sound like Fozzie Bear or Sid from Fat Albert. Just keep it real. As for fashion, you can never go wrong with pretty pastel colors and lace. If you want your vampires to be classically beautiful, then pale colors and delicate designs will most definitely make them feel more elegant.
If it’s a sunny day and you’ve got your window open, it’s best to let your vampires be outside as much as possible. It might also be a good idea to make them visible. If you’ve got a full moon and you can get some shadows, your vampires might stand a chance of looking even more stunning. So, don’t be afraid of letting the daylight shine on them. Just make sure that your shadows are helping and not hindering the gorgeousness.
Last but not least, make sure to have some cool and scary music playing in the background while you’re writing. It can help set the mood for what you’re writing and make it much more exciting to read. If it’s a romance novel, you might want to try and find a classical piece that would fit the era in which your story is set. Otherwise, you could opt for something more modern and edgy. The choice is completely up to you.
As for myself, I’m a big fan of the British actor, Mark Gatiss. He’s done some amazing things for television, most notably with his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes in The Return of Sherlock Holmes. He also wrote and directed the excellent dark comedy series, Utopia, as well as the highly acclaimed film The League of Gentlemen. So, if I were writing a Sherlock Holmes story, I would have Gatiss in mind.