Vampires are always trendy: A look through the years

By Mike KernelsThe Virginian-Pilot© November 23, 2009
Not all vampires are created equal.
They don't all turn into bats. Or sleep in coffins. Or call themselves Count.
Garlic. Silver. Crosses. Check your vampires at the door - that is, if you don't plan to invite them in - before trying any of these.

In honor of the recently released "The Twilight Saga: New Moon," starring Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, here's something else to chew on - some highlights, and lowlights, about the ways vampires have been portrayed in pop culture over the years.

The beginnings and beyond
With Bela Lugosi in the starring role of "Dracula" in 1931, Hollywood created a blueprint for how to sell vampires for decades to come.

The 1954 Richard Matheson novel "I Am Legend" brought us a world overrun with flesh-eating creatures and would change the portrayal of vampires forever.
The cheese factor

"Billy the Kid vs. Dracula," a 1966 movie, begins what you might call The Dark Prince's Blue Period, when he's featured in a variety of bizarro scenarios, one cheesier than the next. Consider:

"Vampirella" (1996), For once, a female was the hunter, not the hunted, in this cult comic about an alien vampire whose mission was to protect mankind while exposing herself as much as possible.

Count Chocula (1971), A vampire as a goofy, bug-eyed cereal pitchman. Dark times for The Dark Prince.

"Blacula" (1972), Dracula gets a soul brother in this blaxploitation film.

The Count (1972), The debut of this "Sesame Street" character was the final nail in the coffin: Vampires were no longer scary.

Two takes
"Interview with the Vampire" in 1976 brought us vampires with a heart. Who knew? This Anne Rice novel showed how being one of the undead can take a toll on the soul.
"Salem's Lot" in 1979 countered with vampires with no heart: This frightening miniseries, based on the Stephen King book of the same name, was must-flee TV when it aired on CBS.
A joke, but who's laughing?

"Dracula's Dog" turned man's best friend into his worst enemy in this 1978 cult D-movie.
"Love at First Bite" in 1979, By now, The Dark Prince was reduced to nothing more than a punch line, thanks to this romantic comedy starring The Other Dark Prince, George Hamilton.
Lost and saved

"The Lost Boys" (1987), Think "Twilight" but with a hair band. In this flick, starring an almost legal Kiefer Sutherland, eternally young vampires party all night and sleep it off at sunrise.
"Angel" (1999), In this WB TV series, we get to see that rare vampire who saves the day - at night, of course.

The ladies' man
"True Blood" brought vampires out of the coffin in this sexually charged HBO series that debuted in 2008. But don't worry. A synthetic drink on the market called True Blood keeps them from having to drain us humans. Problem is, not every vampire has consumer confidence in the product.
"The Twilight Saga: New Moon," in theaters now, goes out to all the ladies - especially those whose idea of the perfect man is a pale, emo, undead teen. In this sequel to "Twilight," Bella finds herself in a love triangle with vampire Edward and Jacob, who is a werewolf. One question: Are all the normal guys in this town taken?


http://hamptonroads.com/2009/11/vampires-are-always-trendy-look-through-years

It was only a matter of time if you ask me

http://community.livejournal.com/vampirecafe/416172.html

Dark Shadow coming to a screen new you?

Johnny Depp Washington, August 17 (ANI): Johnny Depp is bidding to take vampire thriller ‘Dark Shadows’ to the big screen.The Hollywood star’s interest in the project reflects in the fact that the 1960s series used to be his favourite childhood TV show.The show was about a man struck down with a vampire curse.Hoping to turn it into a movie franchise, Depp has collaborated with director Tim Burton.“I was obsessed with (lead character) Barnabas Collins. I have photographs of me holding Barnabas Collins’ posters when I was five or six,” Contactmusic quoted the actor as saying.Burton has already worked with Depp on movies Edward Scissorhands, Sleepy Hollow and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.He admits that work on their new project is underway.The director reveals: “That’s the plan. There was something very weird about (Dark Shadows), it had the weirdest vibe to it. I’m sort of intrigued about that vibe. It’s early days on it, but I’m excited about it.”

source http://community.livejournal.com/vampirecafe/369396.html

New Dracula Novel on the way

Vampire-Con the world's first convention devoted to everything vampire has officially teamed up with Dracula author Bram Stoker's Family. Dracula is arguably one of the most popular characters in fiction, the first vampire horror novel and the inspiration for the current pop-culture phenomenon. For the first time since the film adaptation starring Bela Lugosi in 1931, the Stoker family has officially sanctioned a soon-to-be-released sequel to the epic novel: Dracula The Un-dead (draculatheundead.com) written by Bram's great grand-nephew Dacre Stoker and Dracula historian/screenwriter Ian Holt. Both authors will be joining the "Why We Love Vampires: A Brief History of the Undead" panel discussion, scheduled for 11:00 AM on Sunday, August 16th at The Music Box Theatre @ Fonda, Hollywood, CA. (vampirecon.com)The book has spawned a major merchandising and licensing program represented by LicenseBox, A MODA Entertainment Company. Richard Zampella, CEO of Moda Entertainment states that "We see no limit to the opportunities available for Dracula The un-Dead merchandising and licensing program. We are very excited to represent the exclusive worldwide right for this exciting franchise."Dracula The Un-Dead is the bone-chilling sequel based on Bram Stoker's own handwritten notes for characters and plot threads excised from the original edition. The story begins in 1912, twenty-five years after Dracula "crumbled into dust." Van Helsing's protege, Dr. Jack Seward, is now a disgraced morphine addict obsessed with stamping out evil across Europe. Meanwhile, an unknowing Quincey Harker, the grown son of Jonathan and Mina, leaves law school for the London stage, only to stumble upon the troubled production of "Dracula," directed and produced by Bram Stoker himself. Dracula The Un-Dead is deeply researched by historical researcher, Alexander Galant, rich in character, thrills and scares, and lovingly crafted as both an extension and celebration of one of the most classic popular novels in literature. The novel will be released on October 13, 2009 by Dutton.About MODA Entertainment, Inc.MODA Entertainment (modaentertainment.com), headquartered in New York City, is a multi-media entertainment company. MODA Entertainment has a particularly strong presence in the Classic Hollywood and Golden Age of Hollywood sectors of the entertainment market. Key clients in this category include Abbott & Costello, Eartha Kitt, Duke Ellington, Marlene Dietrich, William Holden, Ida Lupino, George Raft, Loretta Young, amongst others. MODA's fully owned subsidiaries include MODA Productions, MODA Publishing, LICENSEBOX, PUBLICITYBOX and ICONS.

Source http://community.livejournal.com/vampirecafe/372183.html.

Anne Rice's 'Vampire Chronicles' Returns, Who is Lestat?!

Well this is interesting news for Ann Rice fans.

http://community.livejournal.com/vampirecafe/362703.html


ROBERT DOWNEY JR. is in close talks to play the vampire Lestat in Universal Pictures' The Vampire Chronicles, a newly rebooted franchise based on Anne Rice's popular novels.

For full report follow the link