8.05.2009

"Twilight" is upon us...

I didn't think it was possible. Not that I think I'm above being sucked into cultural phenomenon - after all, I even ended up watching "High School Musical" with my 9 year old niece, and liking it. But I've managed to resist so many of these recent trends. I've never read a Harry Potter book, never seen a Harry Potter movie, didn't stand in line at midnight to see the Lord of the Rings movies. You get the point.

The problem? Not that I think I'm all high and mighty and too good for these things. The problem is that I know I have an addictive personality. Once I get sucked in, all hope it lost. I'm in for the long haul. I do this with even non-culturally phenomenon-y things, too. Once I read "Running with Scissors," I had to read every Augusten Burroughs book ever written. Even the self-indulgent, self-serving ones. And you what? I liked all of them. Even as I was stuck with Burroughs in that whiny, alcohol fueled 1980s ad agency.

And now, I've finally given in. I bought the iPhone (yet another cultural bandwagon that I've finally jumped on - but that's another story), downloaded the Kindle application, and downloaded "Twilight." And now I'm stuck with Edward and Bella, and I think I'm going to be stuck with them for the whole saga. How many are there? 44? 4? All the same to me. Now that I've fallen in love with E&B and their twisted school-girl romance laced with dangerous vampirical undertones, I'll be with them until the end. Damn you Stephenie Meyer!!

Actually, damn you DirectTV pay-per-view. I was flipping through the channels one night and stumbled upon this bluish-looking movie with very attractive people and one of those teen-angst soundtracks that we secretly love. The movie was dark and eerie and seductive and lovely for the 14-year old girl still trapped somewhere inside me. Think Degrassi Junior High meets 21 Grams, that dark, disturbing, trippy Sean Penn movie. That little teenager inside me couldn't resist. So I watched the whole thing.

Then I started hearing about Stephenie Meyer. I'm a sucker for the backstory on authors' lives. So I got sucked into reading about her life, the internet-contrived plagiarism controversy, etc. And now here I find myself in this modern-day Victorian-esque world of the Cullens and the Swans.

I have to admit, I looked at that apple on the cover graphic as I hit download from Amazon. I actually knew that at that moment, I was taking a bite of that forbidden fruit and there was no going back.

1 comment:

Susan W said...

How fun Sara! I have not delved into Twilight, however my sister did and enjoyed it. I cannot believe you haven't read Harry Potter though! You must, once you've recovered from this current obsession. Harry is wonderfully written and the movies are so enjoyable. Something Alex might really love in another five years or so!