Today is the premiere of Eclipse, the third film in The Twilight Saga, a cinematic adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's series of romantic vampire novels. The movies have been lambasted by many men and fantasy enthusiasts for defanging vampires and for wooden acting, and today's release will likely send such critics scurrying before stampedes of fanatic women and "Twilight moms".
Breaking that stereotype, I find myself eager for this latest release. Sparkly vampires aside, these movies have incredible potential that few filmgoers recognize. Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner have not created an epic romantic tale that casts them as romantic role models for teenagers everywhere. No — what they've done is play the straight man to enterprising comedians. Thank goodness for RiffTrax, the satirical commentary provided by the geniuses behind MST3K, for completing this partnership.
Although the riffers' access to Eclipse will likely be delayed until the home video release sometime in November or December, the first two films in the franchise have already provided the team with comedic fodder. It's the only way I've allowed myself to be exposed to the films, and everyone in the audience, including fans of the books, found it to be a roaringly good time. So while you're waiting to bring Eclipse home, don't be shy about being seen with Twilight:
or New Moon — currently available with the previous riff for $2 off!
Although the Twilight series has recently popularized vampires, these demonic creatures have long been enjoying a slow but steady resurgence, as evidenced by pre-Twilight television shows such as True Blood. Their current form — less depraved murderers and more hot, cursed dudes — can perhaps be traced back to the Sarah Michelle Gellar vehicle Buffy the Vampire Slayer, albeit with a much stronger female protagonist than Bella. What if that heroine and Twilight's hero were paired? Likely Ms. Meyer's franchise would meet an abrupt end:
Similar to the upcoming Harry Potter finale, the fourth and final Twilight book will be split into two films, meaning we can expect two more years of hilarious spoofs. May the sun never set on such ripe opportunities!