Bram Stoker
If Dracula wrote the book on the modern vampire fiction, Twilight creator Stephenie Meyer's four Twilight books (and their five film adaptations) have given it an enormously unfaithful, enormously successful rewrite. Even before the release of Breaking Dawn--Part 2, the Twilight franchise had earned $2.5 billion dollars at the worldwide box-office, and Breaking Dawn--Part 2 is on track to make hundreds of millions more.
Over the ages, certain artifacts have gained a reputation among popular cultures as ways to ward off, or even kill, vampires. This guide takes you through the historical meaning and reasoning behind the ways we've found to hunt the vampire. So grab your crucifix, and wade on in!
Coffins
NBC and Sky Living today announced the co-production of "Dracula," a provocative new drama series version of the classic Bram Stoker novel starring Golden Globe winner Jonathan Rhys Meyers ("The Tudors," "Elvis") in the title role. It was announced jointly today by Universal Television Executive Vice President Bela Bajaria, and Sky's Head of Drama, Anne Mensah.
Inspiration goes full circle this summer at Whitby Abbey as the ruin which inspired a Gothic masterpiece plays host to the famous story this summer, when Dracula comes to the historic site!
Vampires are definitely in vogue right now. Browse through any bookstore's racks and you'll find a score of novels with ‘vampire' in the title. This theme is especially notable in the young adult lit sections, where the reader will observe pieces such as the Twilight series, Vampire Diaries, Vampire Kisses, Vampire Academy and, my personal favorite, Vampire Beach.
Has anyone noticed a trend?
A statue of Dracula creator Bram Stoker may not be erected in time for his centenary next year. Dublin City Council has yet to find a suitable location for the statue -- despite being urged to by Dracula fans. Stoker historians and his descendants want to mark his death in 1912 by raising a permanent memorial, but they say the council cannot find room in the city.
Blood: Blood has been a symbol of life since very ancient times. The blood in our veins has always been iconic of our continuing life. To lose too much blood is to lose consciousness, breath, and eventually, our very lives. If a person or animal is already dead and is cut open, blood does not flow. Only the living have blood that flows. Blood has been used throughout the ages as a ceremonial sacrifice. In pagan times our forefathers worshipped their gods with blood sacrifice. And today, indeed, we are not so different.
Quite possibly the first review of Bram Stoker's Dracula, first published on June 15, 1897 in the Manchester Guardian:
