True Blood, Twilight, and Underworld 3: Rise of the Lycans

The world is a vampire, sent to drain
Secret destroyers, hold you up to the flames
And what do I get, for my pain?
Betrayed desires, and a piece of the game

Smashing Pumpkins, "Bullet With Butterfly Wings"

From Braham Stoker to Anne Rice, to Joss Whedon and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Vampires are the stuff of legends that have been with our culture since time began. Does Laura K. Hamilton compare with Anne Rice? Can Anne Rice hold a candle to Brahm Stoker? Now, you can be assured that Joss Whedon blows them all out of the water, but that was a few years ago. How has the Vampire Myth and Mythos expanded since those movies and books of yore? We will look at HBO's True Blood Television Series, Laura K. Hamilton's Twilight Series (the books, not the movie), and Underworld 3: Rise of the Lycans.

True Blood

This Golden Globe winner shows Vampires drinking Gatorade instead of people, and a Psychic Waitress who falls in love with a Southern Vampire because she can't read his thoughts? Combine this with a werewolf bartender, True Blood is a series based on Charlaine Harris' novels, The Southern Vampire Mysteries.

The 1st Season begins with Sookie's brother killing some girls, or does he? Well, it turns out that there was a guy with a fake ID, and fake accent that was truly responsible. Well, if it is the people with bad Cajun accents who are the antagonists and the 'villans' of the series, then we are going to find a lot more bad guys in this show. Bill and Sookie have their own "Interview with a Vampire" and that ends the season with the 'cliffhanger' of a body found in Andy's car.

The Golden Globe was more for breasts than any real story the show may portray. It is an interesting concept, but hopefully the second season shows us more plot and story than cheap thrills.

The Twilight Saga by Laura K. Hamilton

"Young" love, (or old, depending on who's asking!) in these novels is the real story. Besides the fact that Edward has the "Skin of a killer" (Twinkle, twinkle), it is the story of love as old as any. Beauty and the Beast. You have a beauty who is estranged from most others, and the Beast. Though in Hamilton's story, the Beast only truly shows his 'true colors' when he is in the sun, the story still draws to a compelling and dangerous conclusion. I am glad this is a review of the book, and not the movie otherwise I would have a lot less favorable review. For a Teen Romance Novel with a bit of danger, and vampires playing ball, read Hamilton's Twilight series.

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans

The third movie in the Underworld Trilogy has redrawn the battle lines. I was intrigued with the fact that this was a prequel, but upset at the loss of Selene (Kate Beckinsale). The story was vaguely reminiscent of Braveheart. You have a group of outgunned and outnumbered Freedom Fighters, used to licking the boots of their masters who gather under a strong leader and rise to rebellion. And not Scottish and French, but Vampire and Lycan, is the forbidden love in this story. Watch the movie for the awesome fight scenes, and save the Braveheart schtick for Mel Gibson.