Now I'm not talking about the sparkly creations of 'She-Whom-Shall-Not-Be-Named'. I'm talking about the rip your face off, seduce you in your sleep, bleed you dry as soon as ask your name vampires that date all the way back to silent films and Bram Stoker's writing.
The quintessential vampire, the one that every other vampire book, movie or short-story is chasing after. How can you not love his portrayal of the original cinematic vampire lord? Just look at the guy! He's suave, he's wealthy, he's powerful... everything you might want, or want to be like. And, he gets Mina Harker.
Forget Tom Cruise. Forget Stuart Townsend. Go straight to Anne Rice's second novel, do not pass go and do not collect two-hundred dollars. The self-proclaimed 'brat prince' is the rebel without a care we all wish we could be. Ultimate freedom, and centuries to enjoy it. He's the perfect anti-hero for just about any personal fantasy. Whether you want to be him, have him, or just know him, there's a lot to admire about the 200+ year old Frenchman.
I don't know if it would be Jung of Freud who'd jump at this one first, but one of these old farts would probably point out (rightly so) that there's always an underlying note of sex and lust in just about every depiction of the vampire.
It may be the imagery associated with blood drinking, or simply the lust for power over other people, but the appeal here is entirely reptilian in nature. Our baser selves instinctively identify with the predatory nature of the vampire.
China to Rome, France to Egypt, Africa to Russia, The Americas to Eastern Europe, you'll be hard pressed to find a single culture on earth that doesn't have at least one vampire mythos tied to it, in one fashion or another. Some scholars have even gone so far as to pointing at the common links between different vampire lores as a grain of truth behind they myth.
Ever since we gathered around the first fire and told the first ghost story, human beings have thrilled at being frightened. It may be the adrenaline rush that fear produces, or just the forbidden nature of the subject being discussed, we all love a little scare now and then.
What better way to get that spooky feeling than reading a book or watching a movie about creatures that look just like anyone else, but who feed on blood and possess preternatural powers?
Whether you're a die hard purest, or just got 'sucked' in by the most recent crop of movies, one thing we can all agree on is that the vampire isn't going anywhere. They're loved, in a macabre sort of way, by not just the American public, but by the world.
select one here...