Access Atlanta > Movies > Blog > Archives > 2008 > November > 19 > Entry
We’ve seen “Twilight.” Here’s the scoop!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Stephenie Meyer’s swoony saga of vampires and young love — a Gothic romance for the age of Google — has grown from OMG word-of-mouth phenomenon among teen girls to mass popularity among teens, and increasingly their mothers and teachers.
The movie, which opens Friday, has been anticipated by fans — the so-called Twi-hards — who have been eager to see their beloved characters come to life, but fearful that Hollywood would somehow screw it up.
Tuesday night, at the only Atlanta screening before the opening, a packed house shrieked en masse and nearly levitated in unison when the movie began. As millions more pour into theaters this weekend, here’s what they will be talking about.
Edward Cullen. And his hair. Cullen is the beautiful, noble, darned-near-perfect vampire who falls hard for young Bella, a 17-year-old mortal. Heartthrob Robert Pattinson (Cedric Diggory in the Harry Potter movies) plays him as soft and afraid of his own urges at first, then increasingly stronger. His magnificently teased, poufed and highlighted hairstyle — James Dean taken to extremes — has so much talk already there’s even a Facebook group just for Pattinson’s hair.
Bella. Publicity shots of actress Kristen Stewart made her look too glam, and an earlier (discarded) script turned her into an action heroine. So fans were worried the movie might ruin Bella, whose awkwardness, introspection and sheer normalcy is a big factor in the story’s appeal. But the movie Bella is very close to the book Bella, even nibbling her nails in one scene. Pretty, but no supermodel.
Following the novel. The movie sticks pretty close to the book, both in letter and in spirit. Fan-fave dialogue like “You’re like my own personal brand of heroin” survives intact.
The atmosphere. Gloomy and gloomier — this is the Pacific Northwest. Is that a whiff of “Twin Peaks” blowing on the breeze? Still, it helps anchor “Twilight” in a reasonably believable locale.
A quick cameo. Blink and you’ll miss her, but in a scene with Bella and her dad in a diner a little over halfway through the movie, that’s author Meyer sitting at the counter, pulling a Hitchcock.
I’m not allowed to review the movie — the deal with getting to see the screening — but those are the highlights and you can read between the lines.
So who’s going to see “Twilight” this weekend? Are you concerned or just excited?
Comments
By twlightfan1
November 19, 2008 2:00 PM | Link to this
I have 4 more chapters in the last book to read. I read all books in in a week and 3 days! It is so good. I cant wait to see the movie. I am making my sister go buy the tickets while I am at work…I hope they arent sold out. I am so excited!
By Mazokunomiko
November 19, 2008 4:17 PM | Link to this
Robert Pattinson is a hottie!
By Laura
November 20, 2008 8:11 AM | Link to this
I have friends who have been able to see it this week and have given it very high marks and I am very glad to report that I am doing my part in securing a sequel by going three times this weekend to see it: once alone; once with my husband and once with a friend. I read all four books in a week and I dare anyone to pick up these books and not do the same.
This book, by the way, was not written for teens — it was written for the author and her (adult) sister with no plans for publication. It was marketed for teens but it is really a great read for adult women.
By Teri
November 20, 2008 9:35 AM | Link to this
Just bought my tickets for tomorrow. Can’t wait!!!!
By RUChinaDoll
November 20, 2008 11:10 AM | Link to this
I’m going at Midnight tonight! I can’t wait! FYI I’m 26 with a masters degree, but I feel like a giddy school girl. So I reread the books and have been listening to the soundtrack and I will barely be able to make it to tonight!
By FEEBNAP
November 20, 2008 3:25 PM | Link to this
At my school, the twilight series is celebrated…religiously. I had always said that I wouldn’t bother conforming to the hype, but I finally decided to try them out. I wound up reading all four books in less than six days. They were really impressive and highly addictive. I guess that I am now apart of the lame Twilight groupies because I’m going to see the movie at 12 AM on a school night.
By FEEBNAP
November 20, 2008 3:26 PM | Link to this
At my school, the twilight series is celebrated…religiously. I had always said that I wouldn’t bother conforming to the hype, but I finally decided to try them out. I wound up reading all four books in less than six days. They were really impressive and highly addictive. I guess that I am now apart of the lame Twilight groupies because I’m going to see the movie at 12 AM on a school night.
By TwilightMom
November 21, 2008 8:47 AM | Link to this
I knew I couldn’t keep my eyes open past midnight last night but at about 11:30 I had an urge to jump out of bed and go to the theatre. Now that I’ve gotten my sleep, I’m trying to figure out if I can skip work this afternoon to go to an early showing.
The books are fabulous; I have NEVER been so sucked into a series. I’m just happy that I wasn’t introduced to Twilight until after the 4th book had been published so I could read them all straight through. I was so sad when I finished the last book though that I have started rereading them. And this is the first time in my life I have ever read the same book twice.
The books are marketed to young adults but like Laura said, this wasn’t originally written for the young-adult audience so even if you aren’t a teenager, you should pick up the books- I promise you will not be disappointed.
By MD N8tv in GA
November 21, 2008 12:54 PM | Link to this
So excited…going tomorrow AM at 10:45..and I am having a Bloody Mary with breakfast!
By KJ
November 21, 2008 1:38 PM | Link to this
Taking both of my daughters to see it at the 12:30 showing tomorrow, bought our tickets 3 weeks ago, as soon as they became available.
I, too, didn’t get sucked into this series until a couple of months ago, so was able to read all 4 without the wait. It’s a fabulous series, and I’m 40! My girls are 17 and 12.
Off topic, another good series definitely geared towards adults (more explicit sexual overtones) is the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris. I ran through the first 6 books (there’s 8 total so far) in a week, it’s that addicting. Might have been an idea for Meyer’s books, as Harris’ book was first published in 2000. Main character is a 25 y/o cocktail waitress who (surprise) can read minds, then a vamopire shows up and she can’t read his (sound familiar?).
By TwlMom
November 21, 2008 2:36 PM | Link to this
My daughter got me hooked - and I am so glad she did. I also read all four books in a week and now cannot wait for the the movie, my daughter and I are seeing it tonight - all this is driving my husband crazy, he has had nothing but “twilight” and Robert Patinson for the last couple of months.
By JessK
November 21, 2008 2:41 PM | Link to this
I was not introduced to these books until two weeks ago, and once I was a quarter way into Twilight, I couldn’t stop! I read all four books in 7 days, and I was also so sad when I was done that I am rereading them. This is my first experience actually reading something more than once, or not as a school requirement. I read on the author’s website that she really wrote the book for herself, from a dream, at age 29 with no intention of publishing it. I too want a sequel of all 4!! So I am seeing it 3 times this week, too.