Twilight

[stacey bo bacey]

Mm. I'm distrustful of this notion of "true love." My husband and I have been together since the 10th grade. We love each other very much, but there's nothing "crazy" about it. It's just a relationship that works.

And that's cool. But that is just your personal point of view of love. Some people are more dramatic and intense about it than others, though, tehe. You see it as a "relationship that works" but maybe they see it is something more ....enchanting?

 

[Nanda]

And that's cool. But that is just your personal point of view of love. Some people are more dramatic and intense about it than others, though, tehe. You see it as a "relationship that works" but maybe they see it is something more ....enchanting?

Everything I've said is my own personal point of view, and I don't claim to be the authority on anything. But from what I've seen, those dramatic relationships tend to end just as dramatically. Romantic love doesn't tend to sustain itself, because it requires separations, angst, pining, doubt - all things that healthy, long-lasting relationships don't tend to have.

 

[Troublemane]

I agree RP, there is a decidedly christian undertone to the vampire legend....

1)the vampire dies and is risen from the grave (just like jesus)
2)the vampire asks his chosen to drink his blood (just like jesus)
3)the vampire offers eternal life (just like jesus)
4)after death, the vampire must go about during the day in a cloak to keep the sun off (jesus wore a disguise)
5)the vampire can transform into a wolf or a bat (jesus can turn into a dove apparently...)

...yep, they're the same!

 

[Azakel]

I agree RP, there is a decidedly christian undertone to the vampire legend....

1)the vampire dies and is risen from the grave (just like jesus)
2)the vampire asks his chosen to drink his blood (just like jesus)
3)the vampire offers eternal life (just like jesus)
4)after death, the vampire must go about during the day in a cloak to keep the sun off (jesus wore a disguise)
5)the vampire can transform into a wolf or a bat (jesus can turn into a dove apparently...)

...yep, they're the same!

Though Vampire Legends Pre-Date Christianity by a LONG time. Come on, you know that.

 

[Green Gaia]

I read all four books, and while I found them to be somewhat entertaining, they definately left a bad taste in my mouth. What disturbs me the most about Twilight is how the main character, Bella, is in all these abusive relationships with the men in her life, and yet somehow these books are considered by many to represent a "wholesome" relationship model for teen girls because they abstain from sex. (FWIW, If you've only seen the movie, this might not be immediately apparent.)

I read 2 1/2 of the books, (didn't quite make it through the 3rd), and I didn't see this at all when I read them. But now that you pointed it out, I can see your pov. I was VERY annoyed at times with the "I can't live without him" nonsense, I even wanted to slap her a couple times. Overall, they were entertaining and I probably wouldn't have read them were I not travelling this past summer and needed some mindless distraction.

 

[Nanda]

I read 2 1/2 of the books, (didn't quite make it through the 3rd), and I didn't see this at all when I read them. But now that you pointed it out, I can see your pov. I was VERY annoyed at times with the "I can't live without him" nonsense, I even wanted to slap her a couple times. Overall, they were entertaining and I probably wouldn't have read them were I not travelling this past summer and needed some mindless distraction.

It's really apparent in the 3rd book.

 

[stacey bo bacey]

I agree RP, there is a decidedly christian undertone to the vampire legend....

1)the vampire dies and is risen from the grave (just like jesus)
2)the vampire asks his chosen to drink his blood (just like jesus)
3)the vampire offers eternal life (just like jesus)
4)after death, the vampire must go about during the day in a cloak to keep the sun off (jesus wore a disguise)
5)the vampire can transform into a wolf or a bat (jesus can turn into a dove apparently...)

...yep, they're the same!

The author is Mormon and has said that has a big impact on her world view. So that's probs the reason for all that.

 

[stacey bo bacey]

Everything I've said is my own personal point of view, and I don't claim to be the authority on anything. But from what I've seen, those dramatic relationships tend to end just as dramatically. Romantic love doesn't tend to sustain itself, because it requires separations, angst, pining, doubt - all things that healthy, long-lasting relationships don't tend to have.

I don't claim to know anything, either. I definitely haven't had enough experience to shed any light on anything.

 

[Renji]

I went to see the new flick, Twilight this evening- didn't read the books.

I remember the Ann Rice books, I saw the TV programs Buffy and Angel when they were running.

What do you think the deal is with all the vampire stuff? Do you think it is a substitute for the miracle sort of beliefs that religion supplies to those who haven't faith in religion anymore? Is it some sort of substitute, for those who wish there was something more, but aren't so sure? We know the vampire stuff isn't real, but we really want to feel the wonder again?

I don't really know why they facinate me.

Nothing to do with religion ,I think. But it is a good one

 

[rojse]

I have had the displeasure of reading Stephanie Meyer's "The Host", (Stephanie Meyer is the author of Twilight, too) and thought it was the worst book I have read so far this year.

Here is my review which I posted on LibraryThing (a site where people discuss books), reproduced in order to save anyone thinking of reading this several hours of their life:

The Host - Stephanie Meyer - this book should have been good - alien invaders taking over people's bodies. I have seen this done extremely well before - there should have been a tremendous clash of wills between the invader and the mind that existed previously. There should have been extended debates about morality and ethics. Different opinions about the alien invaders. Stuff like that to give you something to think about.

Instead, what I get is a love quadrangle with three bodies - the original human likes this person, but the host likes another person, but this is complicated by the fact that her body won't react the same way to the first person.

The love plot that nearly made me put the book down three times (I did not expect so much time and effort dedicated to this when the surrounding premise seemed so good), but there are many other complaints I have with the book. The life of the humans not hosted by an alien is barely sketched, which is a travesty. The differences between the host and the body are pretty much resolved in fifty pages, although this will occasionally crop up in order to advance the story of the love quadrangle. The few moral debates don't even last a quarter of a page, and are extremely biased towards non-controlled humans. There is no effort to extrapolate the near-future, either - apart from the existence of the aliens, the only difference is the new medicines which they bring. And the stupidity and one-dimensional rendering of just about all of the invaders really annoyed me.

Rubbish - 1/5.

 

[whereismynotecard]

YouTube - The Platters - Twilight Time

 

[stacey bo bacey]

YouTube - The Platters - Twilight Time

Oooh I like that!!

 

[Future]

Back to the novels, for those that have read them, are you (as many fan-sites proclaim) "Team Edward" or "Team Jacob", and why?

Do you think that Stephanie Meyers did an agreeable job at constructing a new interpretation of vampires, or will this be a trend-of-a-book that will be forgotten in ten years?

Has anyone seen the movie, and if so, did you read the books before-hand and what did you think of it? If you did not read the books before-hand and have seen the movie, what did you think?

 

[stacey bo bacey]

Back to the novels, for those that have read them, are you (as many fan-sites proclaim) "Team Edward" or "Team Jacob", and why?

Do you think that Stephanie Meyers did an agreeable job at constructing a new interpretation of vampires, or will this be a trend-of-a-book that will be forgotten in ten years?

Has anyone seen the movie, and if so, did you read the books before-hand and what did you think of it? If you did not read the books before-hand and have seen the movie, what did you think?

Team Edward.

I like her version of the vampire but I don't think it will stick in the long term.

I read all the books before seeing the movie. I very much liked the movie because it stayed really close to the book, the ambiance of the book was definitely there and I love to watch good acting.

 

[dawny0826]

I really recommend reading the book(s). I devoured all 4 in 3 weeks and I don't read. Lurrrved em. And the movie does an incredible job at sticking with the book. Inevitably some things were left out and underdeveloped but of course that will happen.

Reading the book will give you a WAY better idea about what their relationship means and how it is so euphoric and excruciating at the same time. Stephenie Meyer did an excellent job with the writing.

I'm with you. I thoroughly enjoyed the books and felt the movie, was a beautiful interpretation of Twilight, the book.

 

[Functionless]

I think the appeal of vampires is a combination of immortality and s/m.

 

[rojse]

I think the appeal of vampires is a combination of immortality and s/m.

I would think the sexuality component would be far more important for many stories (obviously not the more violent stories).

 

[Functionless]

I would think the sexuality component would be far more important for many stories (obviously not the more violent stories).

Yes,that was the original point of vampires. They would seduce you and then eat you.