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Vampire Weekend – Part 3

I’m concluding my top ten favourite vampire films, with a countdown of 3 through to 1. Enjoy!

 

Number 3

Underworld 

Selene (played by Kate Beckinsale) is a vampire determined to destroy the lycans who allegedly killed her family. When she discovers they’re pursuing a human – Michael – she sets out to capture him herself. There were four films in total, but the first is definitely the strongest. Great vampire and werewolf mythology, a superb gothic backdrop, terrific action scenes and with a strong British female lead playing the heroine, this film is sheer entertainment.

 

Number 2

Daybreakers 

I adore this film. The premise is simple: a plague has transformed humans into vampires so that less than 5% of the human population exists. Of course, vampires needs human blood to survive. More so, vampires deprived for too lengthy a time degenerate into psychotic, blood-hungry creatures that will attack anything. A vampire corporation is working to capture and farm all remaining humans whilst a synthetic blood substitute is found – and quickly. In the meantime, a good-guy vampire haematologist who works for them gets word of a cure (and it’s inspired!). Credit where credit is due, this film really offered something different.

 

Number 1

The Lost Boys

Okay, so I’m predictable. But will anything ever top this? Scary, funny, action-packed, edge-of-your seat stuff, this film will forever be number 1 on my list. Michael and Sam move to the beach community of Santa Carla only to discover it’s the murder capital of the world – oh, and home to a gang of urban, bad-boy vampires. Wanting to fit in, Michael falls prey to becoming one of them, but he’s yet to make a human kill and turn. The race his on for his younger brother to kill the head vampire before Michael takes a bite out of one of the locals. Inspired by Peter Pan (yes, really) and with two of the lead characters named after Edgar Allan Poe, you get a sense of the balance between light and dark in this film. It has to have one of the best closing lines/scenes to a vampire film ever, and by a character (the grandfather) who wasn’t even written into the original script! Vampire film bliss, and here’s the original trailer embeded direct from You Tube… 🙂

Thanks for joining me in my countdown!

xxx

 

Vampire Weekend – Part 2

Yesterday, I gave a run down from 10 through to 7 of my favourite vampire films. Next up, 6 through to 4…

 

Number 6

Interview With The Vampire 

I think this film most definitely earns a rightful place in my favourite vampire films of all time. A stunning adaptation of the novel which, unlike my latter choice, actually did do the masterpiece justice. Apparently Anne Rice wasn’t happy with Tom Cruise being cast as Lestat, but changed her mind after seeing him in action. I too, despite not being a huge Cruise fan, thought he played the role to perfection. I remember one scene in particular causing quite a bit of controversy when the film was released. So, yes, of all the clips I could have chosen, I had to pick that one…

 

Number 5

Bram Stoker’s Dracula 

Another triumphant book to film adaptation – moving, disturbing and downright unnerving at times, this film beautifully captured the essence of the book by skilfully portraying the horror and romance with equal balance. With over 170 versions of the classic, reviews dictate that this was the best of the rest and I haven’t yet come across one better. I thought I’d pick a short clip (I know you don’t have all day), so here’s Harker’s arrival at Dracula’s home. I’d still go there for a visit. I’d just maybe get a nice firm bolt on the door. Oh, and on the window too.

 

Number 4

Blade

Based on the Marvel Comics character, Blade’s a vampire super-hero (played by Wesley Snipes) who protects humans. Born a vampire-human hybrid after his mother was bitten while she was pregnant, Blade has all the strengths of vampires but none of their weaknesses. Needless to say this equips him well in his mission to protect humans from vampire nasties. It’s not long before he comes up against Deacon Frost (played by Stephen Dorff) who wants to rule the human race rather than co-exist peacefully with them. There were three films in the series, but the first still wins out. Action packed, relentless, great special effects and some laugh-out-loud moments, I remain loyal to Stephen Dorff as one of the best vampire portrayals ever.

My final three are up tomorrow!

Vampire Weekend – Part 1

I’m letting the side down here having not talked vampires for a while. So after a fun-filled but busy week of interviews and reviews, I thought it time I indulge in my favourite topic again. Over the next three days, I’ll do a run-down of my top 10 vampire films. The heart-wrenching, the blood-thirsty, the terrifying or the just simply original, there’s quite a range coming up. Let’s kick off with the first four and why they made it…

 

Number 10

Queen Of The Damned

Ill probably be met with a few groans for choosing this one. Okay, so there were plenty of cringe moments and yes, I rushed to the cinema to see it only to be bitterly disappointed, but then I should have known better than to expect anything of the calibre of Interview With A Vampire. This film version of the Anne Rice classic did no justice to the book at all – in fact, if you hadn’t read the book, the ending would leave you totally confused. But for all it’s cheesy moments, it’s rushed and sometimes paper-thin storyline, it does have Stuart Townsand in it (and darn does it wear those leathers well) and a stunning portrayal of Akasha by Aaliyah. As well as some stunning gothic scenery, it’s basically a watchable film if you’re happy to keep it tongue-in-cheek. I was lucky to stumble on this YouTube trailer which manages to pick out some of the better moments of the film.

 

Number 9

30 Days Of Night

It’s graphic, it’s dark, its disturbingly gory and I spent plenty of moments hiding behind my hands, but it’s still an utterly brilliant film with a superb concept. Based on the comic book miniseries, if you want vampires the way they used to be then this film will remind you just how terrifying the original legends were. Oh, and it has Josh Hartnett in it. 🙂

 

Number 8

Let The Right One In (2007)

This Swedish romantic horror is based on the 2004 novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist. I haven’t seen the remake, only the original 2008 film (subtitled). I wasn’t sure what to expect when I first settled down to watch this film, but I found it one of the most poignant and moving vampire films I’ve ever seen. The storyline was superb. the acting immense and its dark innocence was something to be beheld. I was really moved by the developing relationship between the two main characters – a bullied 12 year old boy called Oskar who develops a relationship with a vampire girl called Eli – and an ending that I thought was just perfect.

 

Number 7

Fright Night (1985)

Don’t get me started on the remake – nothing beats the original when it comes to Fright Night. Yes, it’s dated and the special effects (rubber fanged bat, anyone?) might make you purse your lips to stop you smirking, but I still love it. It has a gripping storyline, you can’t help but root for the fumbling Brewster and Jerry (the vampire) is just enough of a mixture of dark and light to have you part smiling and part palpitating. It’s a classic vampire film and a prized possession in my collection.

I’ll do my next three in the countdown tomorrow. Anyone brave enough to hazard a guess at what might appear?

Kane and Caitlin Interviewed!

With Blood Shadows now having been out almost a month, the interview invites are coming in. I’ve discovered two things about myself through the interview questions I’ve received so far – anything deep or probing and I can give you an answer more or less straight away, but ask me about my favourite book or what song I listen to most and you’ll have me floundering for hours.

I’ve had three interviews so far with another three coming this week and another two booked for after Christmas. I’ve also got a blog tour around the US starting on the 28th December courtesy of Bewitching Book Tours. I always hope, as I open the questions, that there will be something a bit different asked. Something I’ve not been asked before. I’ve been very lucky with all three this week, especially as they’re so close together, that each interviewer has offered a unique set of questions and a very different style. It kept me on my toes and that hopefully means it’ll be more interesting for you if you read them.

We’re kicking off the week with Aimee Duffy. When she approached me and said she didn’t only want to interview me, but also Kane (brave girl!) and Caitlin ‘Jeremy Kyle’ style, I thought it was inspired. When I threw in an added curveball to the questions she had sent me and asked her, instead of asking about me, why she didn’t focus on my perceptions of my characters (no one had done that yet), she was onto it within minutes.

I’ve never answered questions so quickly or easily.

If you’d like to see what I and Kane and Caitlin had to say for ourselves, you can find the full interview (and a flatteringly gushing review of Blood Shadows) here.

Thanks for the interview fun, Aimee! And the terrific review. 🙂

xxx

 

Signing Blood Shadows

A night with friends turned out to be a night with a difference when I signed my very first collection of books at one of their houses last night.

My lovely friend Kelly not only bought Blood Shadows for herself, but enjoyed it enough to buy it as a Christmas present for friends and family. Aw thanks, Kelly! (She’s potentially single-handedly responsible for those Amazon ratings, you know 😉 )  Hence my very first Blackthorn book signing session!

As it was another special moment for me (notice I’m milking these ‘special’ moments for all they’re worth), I thought I’d post a couple of pics to share with you…

 

 

 

Complicated stuff this book signing, especially when

you can’t even work out which page to write on…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Right, down to business. Musn’t make a spelling

mistake… mustn’t blot my pen…. concentrate….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

     Achieved! I could get into this… 🙂

 

 

 

And thank you, Kelly’s cat, for not jumping on me half way through.

xxx

 

 

 

Lost For Words

It’s not very often I’m lost for words. Anyone who knows me by now can vouch for that, especially my publisher who (I hope) is now acclimatising to me chuntering down the phone or via email. Then today, there’s a knock on my door and these turn up…

My first thought – they’re for someone else. My second thought – I’d better at least check the card. They were addressed to me, so that was my first theory out the window. My mind worked overtime as I ripped the card out of the envelope. I didn’t recognise the writing, so that ruled out hubbie. ‘Enjoyed it from beginning to end,’ the card read. It’s about my book, I realise. I’m already overwhelmed. And then I see the name – Nit. It’s the nickname of a friend, a very special friend. If you’ve got a copy of Blood Shadows, she’s mentioned in the acknowledgements as Anita.

I ‘met’ Anita through New Voices. We struck up a friendship via twitter and shortly after started emailing each other – regularly. Nit lives all away across the water in Idaho. That’s why I think I read the card about four times. I couldn’t quite believe she had gone to all that effort just for me.

I’ve had a week like that, and receiving these flowers today just summed this week up.

It was a week ago today that Blackthorn, via Blood Shadows, was officially launched. Since then I’ve been stunned by the generosity of people’s time and effort in sharing their thoughts and, in turn, helping get my book out there. I’ve even put a new tab on my blog to showcase all the reviews, I’m so proud. Each has been carefully thought about, straight from the heart, and that’s what means so much to me. It accumulated in me receiving a stunning email today that knocked me sideways when I was thanked for giving readers the Blackthorn books.

I’m still getting my head around actually being published, then getting reviews and emails like these, such thoughtful gestures like Nit’s, often makes me wonder what I’ve done to deserve it. So this is one more shout-out to my readers, Team Blackthorn, my new-found friends, let alone my awesome publisher – what would I do without you?

xxx