Vampyre - A Historic Reference

The term 'vampire' was not popularised until the early 18th century after an influx of speculation in western Europe. The vampire modern culture is used to seeing wasn't born until 1819 with John Polidori's publication 'The Vampyre' the work was arguably the most influential vampire work of the early 19th century. Although the most famous vampire book to change the face of modern horror fiction was Bram Stokers novel 'Dracula' it is this novel that has made vampires name in horror history.
The word 'Vampire' first arrived in the English dictionary in 1734 after being used in a travelogue titled 'Travels of Three English Gentlemen' published in 1745, now a lost manuscript. The English term vampire is believed to have arrived for the french 'vampyre' or the German 'vampir' in the early 18th century from Serbain. Theory has said the term was borrowed from Turkic term 'tatar' meaning 'witch'.
The first form of old Russian term 'Upir'. Manuscript 'Book of Psalms' written by a priest who transcribed the book, the priest sign the book with his name 'Upir' Likhyi' meaning translates into 'Wicked Vampire' or 'Foul Vampire' this has been cited as an apparent nickname.

Common descriptions of a 'vampire'

• bloated
• dark in colour, usually a ruddy purplish colour - usually put down to the diet of blood
• blood seeping from the nose of mouth when 'sleeping' in their shroud of coffin
• also 'sleeping' usually with the left eye open
• it is said they would be dressed in the shroud they were buried in
• finally the teeth, nails and hair may have grown, although in general fangs where not a feature.

These simple descriptions come from most European legends of the vampires.

Vampires in Popular Culture

The world is crazy for vampires at the moment! they're everywhere... and the cause of this pandemic is none other than a series of 'tween' books written my an American housewife come superstar over night! Que Stephanie Meyers now cult tween series 'The Twilight Saga'

The series follows the dramatic twists and turns of a young girl falling in love with a vampire then being left by the vampire and then falling in love with a werewolf only for the vampire come back again and snatch her away in a whirlwind of white lace and ornate flower arrangements that concludes in their wedding of all things!

It's every girls dream at the minute to fall for a beautiful young man who turns out to be a blood thirsty vampire.

But vampires haven't always been popular, look back to 1922 when Nosferatu made his first feature length appearance, now he was no looker, girls where screaming to get away from him not closer! another devilishly decrepit looking vamp... Count Dracula, now this young/old/never ageing man has had films made about him for years, and not once has he looked as good as a vampire now. Although Gary Oldman in 'Bram Stokers Dracula' doesn't look too bad, just not as good as Cullen up top!

Vampire films have been around since the good ol'days of the silent film, adapting each time to fit the era. The most popular literature adaptation (apart from 'Twilight'!) is Bram Stokers 'Dracula' with over 170 versions to date (including TV film) by 2005 'Dracula has been the subject in more fictional films than any other character.

Making my mind up

out of a page of notes i've made, here is the few ideas i'm going to consider and refine before making my final choice of which way to take this production:

Films/Literature

• Salvador Dali, 'Un Chien Andalou'
• Dean Koontz, 'Frankenstein' (a new twist on Mary Shelleys classic)
• Nosferatu, the original vampire
• Bram Stoker, 'Dracula'

I want to my production to fit in with modern pop culture i.e 'vampires' ( Stephanie Meyers 'Twilight') and 'Werewolves' ( Stephanie Meyers 'New Moon') but i also want my production to take influences from classic versions of these, hense the Noseratu and Frankenstein.