My introduction to vampires was as a child of around seven or eight years. Stephen King had penned a book, ‘Salem’s Lot’ that had been developed into a mini series staring David Soul who was, at the time, one of my favourite actors.
I have solid memories of sitting down on the sofa with my mother to watch the late night showing. She would frequently stuff a cushion in front of my face when there was any smell of blood or vampires. As a child though, I usually found a way to peek around the cushion. On one such occasion I remember seeing Danny Glick, a boy who had been turned into a vampire, float down in front of his brothers bedroom window to be let in.
I was scared. Their cadaverous faces devoid of life yet still seemingly alive and embellished with two bright shining eyes. I remember the scratching of the young boys’ finger nails on the glass window, I can even recall his voice, just above a whisper and almost a song...a deathly lullaby.
Vampires were scary.
I say that they were scary because, to be honest, I believe our perception of them has been altered. The dead are now, it seems, desired.
Bram Stoker’s original portrayal of Dracula towards the end of the 1800’s possibly set the standard for fear.
When did that change?
Anne Rice, a wonderfully talented individual, undoubtedly helped transform our view of vampires from blood thirsty, heartless beings into tortured souls to whom we found ourselves easily drawn.
The Vampire Chronicles which includes the widely recognised, ‘Interview with the Vampire,’ saw Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt take leading roles in the movie adaptation, arguably fueling the fire of change from fear to lust.
More recently Charlain Harris’ Sookie Stackhouse series and Stephenie Meyers’ offering of the Twilight Saga, are helping to perpetuate this new movement.
Have we already forgotten where all of this began? Vlad Tepes (The Impaler) and Prince of Romania was allegedly a member of the house of Drăculești. Born in the early 1400’s, his father was Vlad II, also known as Dracul. Vlad Tepes’ legacy was one of beheading his enemies and impaling their heads on spikes. He was also supposedly a fan of slow impalement causing his enemies unthinkable pain over many days. Now, I am not suggesting that Vlad Tepes was a vampire and perhaps that is a good thing because I cannot help but think that Vlad would be turning in his grave right now with how our perception of blood suckers has changed and been manipulated.
Now we seem to be enraptured with the idea that Vampires are not only tortured souls but that they are also capable of love.
No longer are they feared. Instead of running and hiding from these creatures of the night, we find ourselves transfixed by their blood lust and willingly hypnotised by their malady.
I watched a movie, Warm Bodies, which dealt with the suggestion that vampires could turn back into humans...interesting thought. I am not sure I want them to be able to revert back to human state.
I miss the good old days. I miss the fear and the absence of shadows.
I have solid memories of sitting down on the sofa with my mother to watch the late night showing. She would frequently stuff a cushion in front of my face when there was any smell of blood or vampires. As a child though, I usually found a way to peek around the cushion. On one such occasion I remember seeing Danny Glick, a boy who had been turned into a vampire, float down in front of his brothers bedroom window to be let in.
I was scared. Their cadaverous faces devoid of life yet still seemingly alive and embellished with two bright shining eyes. I remember the scratching of the young boys’ finger nails on the glass window, I can even recall his voice, just above a whisper and almost a song...a deathly lullaby.
Vampires were scary.
I say that they were scary because, to be honest, I believe our perception of them has been altered. The dead are now, it seems, desired.
Bram Stoker’s original portrayal of Dracula towards the end of the 1800’s possibly set the standard for fear.
When did that change?
Anne Rice, a wonderfully talented individual, undoubtedly helped transform our view of vampires from blood thirsty, heartless beings into tortured souls to whom we found ourselves easily drawn.
The Vampire Chronicles which includes the widely recognised, ‘Interview with the Vampire,’ saw Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt take leading roles in the movie adaptation, arguably fueling the fire of change from fear to lust.
More recently Charlain Harris’ Sookie Stackhouse series and Stephenie Meyers’ offering of the Twilight Saga, are helping to perpetuate this new movement.
Have we already forgotten where all of this began? Vlad Tepes (The Impaler) and Prince of Romania was allegedly a member of the house of Drăculești. Born in the early 1400’s, his father was Vlad II, also known as Dracul. Vlad Tepes’ legacy was one of beheading his enemies and impaling their heads on spikes. He was also supposedly a fan of slow impalement causing his enemies unthinkable pain over many days. Now, I am not suggesting that Vlad Tepes was a vampire and perhaps that is a good thing because I cannot help but think that Vlad would be turning in his grave right now with how our perception of blood suckers has changed and been manipulated.
Now we seem to be enraptured with the idea that Vampires are not only tortured souls but that they are also capable of love.
No longer are they feared. Instead of running and hiding from these creatures of the night, we find ourselves transfixed by their blood lust and willingly hypnotised by their malady.
I watched a movie, Warm Bodies, which dealt with the suggestion that vampires could turn back into humans...interesting thought. I am not sure I want them to be able to revert back to human state.
I miss the good old days. I miss the fear and the absence of shadows.