Friday, July 31, 2009

Entertainment Weekly: Vampire Edition Available Today

entertainment weekly vampire edition

This week’s Entertainment Weekly is all about vampires.

The Vampire issue of EW is on newsstands as of today, July 31st.

This week’s Entertainment Weekly delivers the ultimate guide to vampires. You’ll find interviews with the authors behind Twilight and True Blood, our list of the 20 greatest bloodsuckers ever, and Anne Rice’s pick for the best new vampire — as well as a talk with her about how she revolutionized the vampire legend decades ago with Interview with a Vampire.

With Twilight a phenomenon, True Blood attracting converts by the millions, and hordes of new vampire projects looming in the shadows, bloodsuckers are haunting every corner of our lives: bookstores, television, movies, and more. Why has pop culture thrown open its door and invited them in? “The traditional vampire story, with monsters and victims, chases and chills, is more plain fun,” says True Blood’s executive producer Alan Ball. “But they can often reveal the general state of the cultural psyche.”

Vampires are such versatile symbols now that they can express both conservative and liberal views. Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight novels are steeped in her Mormon values. But True Blood speaks in part for gays and, as Ball puts it, “eight years of institutionalized demonization of pretty much any group that wasn’t on the bus with Mr. Bush.”

It may come as a surprise to learn that Meyer – reigning queen of pop culture’s vampire coven – has an uneasy relationship with them. Back in 2003, when she was writing the first draft of Twilight, she refused to show it to her husband. “I was embarrassed,” she said. “It was about vampires.” In fact, last year, she told EW that her great wish was to reclaim some time to write something new. “Look, I’m not just a vampire girl,” she said emphatically. “I can do other worlds.”

4 comments:

Mathilda said...

Everytime someone puts Twilight and True Blood in the sama sentence a little baby dies. Saddening...

Ali said...

It is even more saddening when the fourth greatest vampire is Edward who beat Bill and Eric who were GROUPED at #5. Although Eric did beat Edward for hottest new vampire.

mydoglikesbeer said...

And where in the blue blazes of Hell is Spike??

KateBee said...

I wish that articles that compare Twilight to True Blood would mention that the The Sookie Stackhouse Series was published first!