So I finally got around to watching Twilight and then went to see New Moon. Talk about teen angst overload. I liked the story, or the idea behind the story. It was a great kinda vampire idea that sat behind it. Although it was a little bit Twin Peaks with a Buffy overtone. It all seemed a little too serious for an teenage film. A girl falling head over heels in love with a hundred year old vampire who doesn’t look a day over 21 (pft 17 my arse).
The films were filled chockablock full of bad acting. It was like an ITV period drama, lots of (really bad) music over tones with wafting scenes that didn’t have any good dialogue in them. It all seems a little preposterous. It’s a shame really but these things happen I guess. Not much that can be done to argue with the situation.
I’m currently watching The Golden Compass. Another film that you really hope will be so much more than it actually delivers. Absolutely amazing cinematography and the Steam Punk overtones are truly brilliant. The thing that lets it down is the sodding main lead… Dakota Blue Richards cannot act for toffee and is probably the reason why we won’t get to see the Amber Spy Glass or the Subtle knife on the big screen. It’s utterly saddening because all the adult actors and actresses play the parts superbly. Nicole Kidman is very good as the evil Mrs Coulter.
I guess it ties in quite nicely, as the three films were directed by the same person. There’s a huge difference between the films, one very polished and as pained as I am to admit it, well written, the other, nice scenery and a lot of teen angst. I can see the difference in the writing styles of the authors as well. Neil Pullman is a literary genius with a completely gifted writing style. When I’m a successful author (yeah I know, but positive mental attitude and all that), I would love to be as good as Neil Pullman. Stephanie Meyer on the other hand, is not the queen of dialogue and really could learn a thing or to from her English counterparts (read J K Rowling and Neil Pullman), both of them had more than enough original content to sustain them over seven and three books respectively. I think I can summarise the New Moon Saga quite easily… girl falls in love with a vampire, she can’t be with him ’cause she’s not one, there’s also a pack of Werewolves, one of which is in love with her, never the twain shall meet… and then you swing between the two sides.
