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by Philipina A. Marcelo
I confess… I've been having fun - and I am not sorry! It's holidays for cryin' out loud! :)
Part 1: The Seduction
Edward Cullen may call Bella Swan his “personal brand of heroin” and Bella Swan may call her best friend Jacob Black her “personal sun” when the gloom of darkness sat in after Edward momentarily left… call me shallow if you want, but I'd call this phenomenal “The Twilight Saga” a devout bookworm sucker for romance’s pure ecstasy! Indeed, reading Stephenie Meyer's “The Twilight Saga” is exactly that… and more… even for a bookworm like myself whose sucker-for-teenage-romance circuitry has gone rusty after getting confined much too long in the ‘dark side’ – the ‘grown-up world’! =)
It really was my sister’s fault… she tuned in the TV to some movie channel when that
phenomenal vampire flick “Twilight”, which I initially condemned as just another cheesy romance made interesting by some broodingly handsome rebel-looking English guy with a white-as-a-chalk make-up and a dangerously gorgeous go-ahead-and-stare, uhm, stare, was playing… and then hid the remote control! The second installment to "The Twilight Saga" movie series, “New Moon”, was playing in the cinema that time. And so, I must admit it was a great advertisement ploy: saturate the viewers’ curiosity with the tsunami that devoured the cinemadom in 2008 to a point of surrender… and get them filling out seats in the New Moon–infested movie theaters! Slumped tired on the couch from some painfully boring “grown-up stuff” – a daily sentence in the 'dark side' – I resigned to stay motionless for the next two hours and be entertained by whatever was playing on TV. I let my mind go numb and sat very still and watched… which is the very essence of the “idiot box”, right?
Unfortunately, the movie was already almost halfway through… and so none of the things I was seeing was making much sense. I couldn’t make much sense out of two teenagers lying on a bed of grass and pretty spring flowers in a magical meadow, staring sullenly at each other like there was no tomorrow! A supposed ordinary-looking (but, actually lovely) girl with a pout and blank stare that made one wonder what she was thinking as she focused on the mesmerizingly beautiful creature beside her - yeah, that English guy with a dangerously melting stare - was all I saw. My mind struggled out from the self-imposed coma, which had me sighing deeply before saying disgustedly, “what lunatics! And I thought this was a vampire movie!”
And so, despite my planned surrender to boxed idiocy, I gave up. I summoned whatever strength I had and hauled my butt out of the couch and went surfing the internet instead! I opened my browser… and bam! “New Moon” this, “New Moon” that! I sighed, opened my inbox as fast as I can, and surrendered to the ‘dark side’ once again - work. I thought that was the end of it.
Sleep-deprived for the past five months from all the preparations for the 16th ASEAN Regional Symposium on Chemical Engineering (RSCE) – my Department’s biggest project as of yet – while teaching full-time and taking my Department’s driver’s seat, I came home dead tired once again. My sister was munching some chips in front of the TV with her hair down and her feet up… I was so jealous of her relaxed stance that I let myself collapse in a chair in front of the TV and reached for a bag of Cheetos myself. I was too tired to chew, and so I let the humungous cheese coated puffed dough pieces melt in my mouth and focused on the TV screen instead. Not even the extreme saltiness of the puffs could awaken my dead tired senses, and then.... oh, no… not those teenagers in the magical meadow again! But there they were… yeah, staring at each other like there was no tomorrow!
And then, the screen moved to another scene before I could summon the strength to get up… whoa, what was that?? The English guy smiled – beautiful, beautiful! I mean, to-die-for BEAUTIFUL! Hmmm… to-DIE-for… this must be a vampire movie afterall! Before realizing what I was doing, my feet were up on the table in front of me, munching Cheetos vigorously, more aware of the salt that assaulted my taste buds! =)Two more minutes, and I learned that Isabella Swan or Bella… was the name of the expressionless girl. Edward Cullen – that’s the name of
the excruciatingly beautiful creature, the one that smiled with an alluring mystery, and talked in a low drawl that left any feeling female tangled in a hormonal frenzy… age notwithstanding – trust me! ;) And, that's only because the creature was a he and he’s the vampire, too. Clink, ting, cling, pling… I can almost hear the rust falling off from my sucker-for-romance circuitry, as it swang to full gear! Two more minutes, and I was gasping, “wait… Edward is a vampire?? But I thought Bella is a normal mortal? Why is he with Bella then? I don’t get it….” All of a sudden, I was on a first name basis with the meadow kids! =)And then, my phone gave an attention-catching noise – text message. What now? The ‘dark side’ beckoned once again… work. I squirmed at the coercion… but gave in, dang! I stirred and disentangled myself from the trance that the Twilight meadow kids put me into, and went to try satiating the greedy mouth of the monster in the ‘dark side’.
A couple of days later, the 16th ASEAN RSCE finally came to a conclusion – a satisfying conclusion, I must say… there was a reason to celebrate! So, after recovering a little from lack of sleep, I came home one evening with an intention to finish a huge bag of chips… transfat or no transfat, in front of the TV. And I had just the best trance-heavy idea to celebrate! I switched the TV on and hurried to the movie channel using the remote control. There they were… the meadow kids… and the movie’s just
started, too. Lovely!The movie picked up somewhere in a High School building scene. Looking at the beautiful creature, who happened to be the vampire in the movie whose name I found out a couple of days back as Edward Cullen, sitting relaxed in a high school cafeteria with an enigmatic half-smile – vampirishly seductive! Right there and then, I had a sweet feeling that it was going to be a good night… I munched Cheetos puffs as vigorously as I’d never done before! And it’s just about right. Ping, cling, ting… mama mia, of course, I was hyperventilating! :)
Needless to say, I was taken by Robert Pattinson's portrayal of Edward Cullen. He looked painfully handsome enough to be a "seductive"
vampire… and his moves, stares, half-smiles and tone are appropriately brooding for a "broodingly handsome" vampire, too. As Stephenie Meyer herself said, "he looks beautiful and dangerous at the same time," or something along that line. I think he is credible for the mysterious Cullen… if not a little bit too camera-conscious in some scenes, and a bit clumsy when he jumped. :) Kristen Stewart, on the other hand, is just a little bit too tentative in her acting in some scenes, and too eager in others, to be entirely convincing. In my opinion, she lacked the appropriate expression for the supposed eternally pondering and serene Bella who usually loses grasp of her wits when subjected to Edward's mere presence. Stewart seemed to equate pouting/frowning to pondering, and blank expression to Bella's ability to keep her thoughts to herself. Her clumsiness, which was supposed to be endearing was distressing, simply because she looked quite athletic, agile and self-assured for a clumsy girl. :) It was hard to believe that Jessica could dare crossing swords with Stewart's Bella at all - she looked intimidating! And, I thought Bella's sarcasm was supposed to be hilarious… didn't come out that way with Stewart's Bella. Don't get me wrong... not saying Stewart wasn't a good actress, because she is... just that her portrayal of Bella didn't come out the way I expected it, based on raves I heard about the books. Her performance made Pattinson own the screen all throughout the film… which was not really a big problem to me, to be honest! :) Okay, to be fair to Stewart, maybe I wasn't paying enough attention - to her. Maybe, that's it, actually. :) Maybe, if I watched the movie again, and paid her enough attention, I'd be impressed by her, too. It's just that Robert Pattinson totally worked the camera... and the director seemed to have totally let him do it. Again, not a problem to me! =)While there is much to be desired in the direction, overall, the film was decent. There were well-shot scenes that seduced the viewer to go deeper and understand the build-up of emotional connection and mutual attraction between the melancholy mortal girl, Bella Swan, and the mind-reading posterboy of a vampire Edward Cullen. Edward’s interest in Bella started from a fascination for his inability to get to her brain and her blood’s overpowering scent that drew him to her at a level so unfathomably strong. The trust rather than fear that Bella started to feel towards Edward – the deeply mysterious, bordering supernatural for her own human wits to comprehend – and the pull of vampirish lust for blood that later replaced by a wanting so strong, it was almost an obsession by Edward for the self-proclaimed ordinary girl, Bella, were quite absorbing. How these intricate emotions later entwined and blossomed to a love so unique between
them, was quite beautifully captured in some scenes. How such unlikely romance unfolded to a deep connection that can only be true love was not self-explanatory to the audience at all… at least, not to me that time since I haven't read the novel then. And so, it lures one to swim in the mysterious waters that was the movie and try to decipher it… and ending up quite satisfied, too. All of a sudden, the magical meadow scene made sense to me! However, how Bella would not lighten up even under the spellbinding love she and Edward had was quite odd, and the film never offered an explanation either… and so, I made a mental note to read the book. Uhm, actually… the whole series - all four books, yes!
There were "extras", too. The scenes when Edward let down his vampirish guard – to the point of almost vulnerability – showing Bella his vampire
abilities and "vegetarian" way of life, not to mention, formally introducing her to his family (what vampire does that??), and Bella’s unwavering devotion to Edward despite the unsettling details of his dark secret were quite engaging… the shots could have been a little bit better though, I must admit… and if Stewart had the right expressions, it would've been perfect.
The baseball game played by the Cullens during a thunderstorm, where their adversaries appeared for the first time, was quite fascinating - one of the best parts of the movie, made even more engaging by Muse's music in the background… vampires having ‘clean fun’ – so extraordinary! Then again, the Cullens were "vegetarians"… if that wasn't extraordinary, to begin with, I don't know what else is. With all the endearing closeness of a family, not to mention, urbanity and sense of style, like Bella, you’d start feeling strongly for the Cullens as well… maybe, to the point of desiring to be one of them. For Bella though, becoming a Cullen is just a plus… the real gift is being with Edward. Can we blame her? Not really… no, not at all, if you ask me! :)
Towards the end of the film, overcoming their adversaries, and even their very nature that made them and their worlds so different from each other, tested Edward and Bella’s devotion to protect each other and stay with each other… forever.
Part 2: Bitten
After watching the “Twilight” movie in its entirety, quite naturally, my sister and I found ourselves in the cinema the next day watching “The Twilight Saga: New Moon”... and quite naturally, it was my treat! :) I was even prepared to pay her to come with me actually! Not that I might have needed to offer her either... she made me, turned me into an "overaged" fanatic - introduced me to the meadow kids, for cryin' out loud! =)
“New Moon” is a different story altogether… well, in terms of pace and absorbing mystery, or the lack of it, compared with “Twilight”. So what was it again… after Jasper's not being able to contain himself when Bella bled after sustaining a paper cut during her 18th birthday celebration at the Cullens', and attacked her in a moment of frenzy, Edward and his family left Forks to protect her? That in spite of their love for each other, they belong to two different worlds that wouldn't reconcile - at least, in Edward's immortal mind… and that nothing, not even their love for each other can make their lives come together? That his presence constantly put her in danger, and that he wanted nothing else but for her to be safe and happy? And that means him removing himself in her life? Hmmm… (yawn).
After Edward left, (the cinematic) Bella’s tendency to be melancholy was pushed to the limit… it was unbelievably, uhm… melancholy!! :) I guess anybody (or,
should I say, any female, or female at heart?) who had seen “Twilight”, whose biggest draw, let’s admit it, was Robert Pattinson's Edward Cullen, can empathize with Bella though… hell, I can! Edward was on screen for less than half of the movie’s length for crying out loud… it was almost distressing! I found myself, shifting uneasily in my seat, waiting for his return! I was almost pushing Bella to go for those “extreme adventures” that seemed to get Edward talking in her head just to see Edward’s face on screen… it was torture, I tell ya! It made me dread reading this book in the four-part Twilight Saga series! The Jacob-was-a-werewolf bit was, of course, interesting despite its seemingly abrupt unfolding… but for some odd reason, I was craving the urbane Cullen family on screen, especially their best looking posterboy. And, it was almost torture that with 2/3 of the film rolled, my craving was not being fed! Insanity! The Bella-Jacob romance angle seemed to go on and on and on for me, and wasn’t even taking a nice shape either! Although, of course, Jacob had a nice shape (woot-woot)! Obviously, Bella needed someone to lean on after Edward left. Still, it was hard to believe for me, even for friendship’s sake, that Bella could actually replace Edward with Jacob - the guys are (supernatural) worlds apart… unless, of course, she’s decided that the werewolf anomaly is more appealing than the mystery of the vampire world. Sure, sure… Either way… dang, what’s wrong with this supernatural-magnet of a chick? She loses a vampire boyfriend, and the next thing you know she's in the arms of the nearest werewolf??? Seriously! Anyway, I still thought it wasn’t fair to Jacob to be the spare tire or a brace to Bella's crippled heart… but then, wasn’t he asking for it though? Uh, ooo-kay, it’s either I have become a diehard… or maybe the film was effectively affective afterall! =)
Hmm… okay, I know that by being constantly on-the-look-out for Edward Cullen's every appearance on screen, I wasn't being fair to the people behind the film. Come to think of it, I really think that the direction and editing were quite good and that the werewolf/vampire effects were quite cool, especially the chase scenes between Victoria and Jacob's pack of wolves - a lot of nice shots and great color mix actually, and very good music, too. The post-production crew was obviously paying better attention to details, compared with that in "Twilight" as well. For instance, that part when Edward, Bella and Alice were being led by the Volturi guards to see Aro, Marcus and Caius - the royals of the vampire world - along a snaking hallway... whenever Edward steps into tiny little spaces where the ray of the sun peeped, his skin would glitter in split seconds. Although I'm pretty sure that not everyone would notice if it didn't, the post-production guys were obviously obsessing on tiny details. I like the lighting, too... it constantly emphasized the varying emotional textures in the film... and it brought and connected the characters together in the scenes that their cinematic interactions were very effective. Nice touch. But I think that the big problem was that the Director seemed to have concentrated more on making an obra maestra, forgetting about the "pop mob" that the Twilight series was supposed to satisfy. I, for one, didn't go to the cinema to see a Chariots of Fire-ish movie - there's another time for that... I was there to see some vampire cuteness and grin-inducing wolfy bravado for cryin' out loud! Of course, you can't go wrong with some great cinematography and editing, which "New Moon" thankfuly had. But discounting Edward altogether was not a good idea, I think. To be fair though, Kristen Stewart did a great job with her facial expressions in "New Moon" - she got most of it right, this time - absolutely impressive... even in her most melancholy state... or, maybe I paid her enough attention this time. But then did I have a choice though considering Edward Cullen was missing in action half of the time?! Taylor Lautner took himself too seriously though as Jacob... he wasn't as half funny as the supposed funny Jacob based on excerpts of the books that I managed to look at before going to the cinema! Okay, the abs con biceps situation was unbelievable... but, hey, so what?? He's too melodramatic for the supposed funny Jacob!
Speaking of melodrama... one thing led to another, and Edward was made to believe that Bella committed suicide. He himself didn't see much reason to go on and decided to end his existence. He set off to provoke the Volturi to destroy him.
I started paying full attention to the movie once again when Alice - Edward's endearing adoptive sister - and Bella took off for Italy to rescue Edward from the hands of the Volturi. And then, lo and behold… Edward Cullen was back on the screen with a vengeance – shirtless!!! =) Gasp… his royal hotness was back! All of a sudden, the cinema was on fire! Didn’t I say, affective?? I knew it… the Twilight Saga’s attraction is all about ‘EC the vampire’… embodied in that beautiful English thing called Robert Pattinson! But, dang, what was Chris Weitz doing, making the terrible Felix thrash Edward like a pillow??! Like Edward didn't have the littlest vampirish fight in him?? Obviously, Weitz had no love for Edward! Just look at how uhm… when the vampire, the werewolf and the distressing damsel were together on screen at the end of the film, the usually self-asssured Edward looking like a weepy wimp and oddly unattractively pale beside the hulking Jacob, even when Bella already shooed Jacob away by choosing him, Edward? Hmmm… seemed like the "New Moon" film people were desperately trying to keep the fandemonium away from a single character, and focus instead to the story and how the three main characters' lives will be entwined more beautifully in the next installments of the Saga…. It looked like they were trying to even out the playing field between the vampire and the werewolf, which was tilted deliciously in favor of the vampire in "Twilight"... to the point of making Edward appear like a wimp! It's almost obvious, Chris Weitz is with "Team Jacob"! =)And, naturally, this made me more curious about the books.And this, my friends, led to my strengthened resolve to read "The Twilight Saga" four-book series by Stephenie Meyer! And so, I did… averaging 32 hours per book during the holidays… and, yeah, I did eat, showered and slept like a normal human being, too, within those hours. In less than a week, I was done… bitten without a doubt!! I mean, incredibly, totally, happily bitten!
Let's get on to "Eclipse" now, shall we? I've got this feeling that it's going to be so much better than "New Moon".
Part 3: "Twilight": the euphoria of being a 'Newborn'
"Twilight" is a beautifully written romance novel, in spite of the tone of pop lit that rang all over it. Call me old fashioned, but I still think that beautiful romance novels should be written with the subtlety of the classics - passion on fire in the inside, subtle utterance outside - stirring all sorts of emotions in the reader. Anything less (or more?) than that is Mills & Boon to me. :)
Nope, it wasn't a chick lit, uh, in the traditional sense, not that I have anything against chick lit either… it wasn't just a teenage angst-filled all-cutesy story either. The charm of "Twilight" lies on the very personal tone that Stephenie Meyer used in her narration… a true classiclike tone without trying very hard. No excruciating overanalysis of conflicting emotions that spoonfeeds and numbs the mind of the reader either. It sounds rather spontaneous and sincere. As Robert Pattinson himself described it, "it was written in a very personal tone, it sounded almost like it wasn't meant for publication." Count on the English artist - that one who breathed life into Edward Cullen himself - to break it down for us so beautifully like that!
To be continued…
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