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Vampires in contemporary cinema


Contemporary cinema’s portrayal of the vampire figure could not be more different and diverse than it was a hundred years ago. It is true; a lot has changed since the hideous monster film Nosferatu in 1922 or the intimidating Dracula from 1931. Since the 1990s, vampires have slowly become beautiful and compelling characters that have earned sympathy from the audience (Brad Pitt in “Interview with the Vampire” or vampires in “Underworld”).

However, since the turn of the millennia, a new major change can be observed; girls and women all over the world don’t just feel sympathetic towards them. They fall in love. Vampires like Edward Cullen from the Twilight saga, or Klaus Mikaelson and Damon Salvatore from the series Vampire Diaries and Originals and even Vlad Dracula from Dracula Untold stopped being monsters from folklore and legends and became lovers and husbands that can even be compared to Romeo and other iconic literary lovers. But what triggered such major change and what is the cultural necessity behind it?

I believe that classical love stories in film (as a genre in which the relationship between characters is most important) are no longer popular. Typical romantic films end either with death (drama) or with marriage after melodramatic obstacles and comic difficulties (romantic comedy). Audiences however have become saturated and thus more demanding; a film merely about love with predictable plot and little imagination isn’t enough. As a result, modern film industry had to adapt, to create a hybrid genre that combines romance and fantasy to revive the popularity of love stories -with great success so far.

Vampires represent forbidden love. Drawing from knowledge of human psychology, it is safe to conclude that we are more attracted to what we cannot have. Edward is dangerous for Bella because he wants to drink her blood, but Bella falls in love with him, nonetheless, ignoring the risks. Around the vampire, there is always mystery, which makes them more appealing; they appear as complex characters, with hidden characteristics and secrets and it seems as if it is the female protagonist’s mission to unlock their past and bring the best out of them. This also plays with women’s desire to be able to change the other for the better. Damon changes because of Elena and becomes a completely different person. The same applies to Klaus because of Caroline. Additionally, vampires exhibit heroic characteristics; they are willing to die protecting their loved ones. In modern times, people have become more and more selfish instead of selfless, caring more about themselves than the other, which makes it easier for women to perceive vampires as perfect men.  

Secondly, vampires have become more attractive because of their undeniable charm, a charm that originates from the invaluable knowledge regarding the other sex gained from centuries of existence. Vampires know how to dazzle their lovers and pleasure them. At the same time, a relationship of any kind with a vampire entails an amount of pain. Sexual matters are no longer a taboo like they used to be, and the combination of pleasure and pain has become more widely acceptable, thus making the vampire figure all the more attractive. Moreover, Edward Cullen represents a fictional perfection, a first love that lasts forever, serving as soothing factor to the modern fear of falling out of love. Women fall in love with about Klaus, Damon, Edward and Vlad because their love is not only eternal but also given to only one woman.

So, yes, vampire representation has changed a lot to fulfil modern needs; vampires have become the kind of men women fantasize about because they are handsome, charming and mysterious. They reveal their inner world only to the woman they love, and this particular love is eternal and so powerful that manages to change them for the better. Lastly, they are selfless protectors, willing to fight for their lover and if need be, to even sacrifice themselves in an ultimate expression of selflessness and strong love.

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