[TheDarkGift] A Blood Moon Arisen (Dedicated to My "Right Fang Gal")

[AVamp2]

HOW THEY CAME TO BE Since their debut in moving pictures, in 1919, the male Vampires come in all shapes and sizes. Their female counterparts did the same. The first, Lilith, was as much as a ghost as a bloodsucking fiend, but she came directly from mythology, and not from a novel as many of Dracula's brides, daughters, nieces and all their kin. Vampires from countries who had little influence from the Stoker's book are mostly inspired from mythology and lore. Those vampires have their own background of traditions, which might seem a little strange for Stoker's fans. Oriental vampires are much closer to revenants than to corpses, they can change form (cats rather than bats for Japanese ones, for example) and they're not exterminated the same way as European vampires... if they can be killed. The Vij, Russia, 1967 THE TALKING ONES From the thirties to the mid-sixties, the European and American female vampires seen on the screen have no background story of their own, and no character depth. At most, we learn that they were snatched from a nearby village, former preys turned by the head vampire of the region. It could be either a Count, a Countess or another member of the nobility, rich enough to have his or her own castle and decades if not centuries of control over the region, by superstitious means or simple dictatorship. Those unfortunate women are, for the story, servants or 'watchdogs' to guard the head vampire against any vampire killer. For the movie-goers, they are simply a show of heaving breasts and lustful bodies, as much as the censorship would allow for that decade. They are always dressed in almost transparent gowns, even if they're supposed to be dead for many centuries. Historically speaking, this is stupid. No woman was dressed that way five hundred years ago, not even to go to bed. And when you're dressed for your coffin, you're in your best attire, not in a flimsy shift which hides next to nothing. But who wants to pay for a movie where all women are dressed up with high collars and stiff gowns? Plastic fangs and history books don't mix well. Of course, those ladies of the night are allowed to bite once, rarely twice before being killed by a stake through the heart, for it gives a very good view of their best assets. The less predatory ones from that era rank from the bride-to-be apparition with a dazed look to the hissing female with a low-cut dress. Compared to their male counterparts, they seem rather inoffensive if not downright laughable, and greet their final demise... almost with relief. These vampires are seen mainly in early black and white movies, and they are more victim than predator, because they are women, and action movies are for men.        Count Yorga, USA, 1971 Very few of these Female Vampires are killed in a most imaginative manner, for it takes time out of the main story. It involves mostly young and brave men who survive, and shady, unworthy, victimised ones who don't. Many of those undead females have no name, not even in the credits. They are referred to as 'Female Vampire number one', 'number two', and so on. Some lucky ones have a line or two to say, which is sometimes difficult, especially in Mexican films, where fangs could easily be mistaken for can openers. 'FLOWER POWER' BLOOD LUST In the sixties and seventies comes from Europe a new female, the star of her own film, and one who is bound to stay alive almost until the credits roll. She is either : a naive and sweet victim of a family curse, a dark heroine of a tragic past, or a former witch turned vampire by black magic. CARMILLA The novel 'Carmilla' by Sheridan LeFanu, spawned a lot of movies with a female vampire aas the center of the story. This character is -- and has been -- adapted to all genres of the vampire cinematographic industry. The tamer one features a story with sensual overtones, a little like the book,. Racier ones have less subtle interaction between the two women, predator and prey, and even if there's no blood shed in some scripts, the vampirism is mostly done by the absorbsion of energy. What gives more energy than a sexually aroused body? The slip into very graphic scenes of more unconventional films was bound to happen, and it did as soon as censorship lost its grip.        Les deux orphelines vampires, France, 1965 Many movies from that era were done in different versions, from a very strict 'general admission' perspective, for theatrical release, to a more explicit story line for the adult theater. Some movies were actually made in more than a dozen versions, from the one seen on television in the sixties, to soft porn, to hard core. And since these movies were exported en masse to all countries in Europe, North and South America, there are also the translated versions to take into account. BATHORY Erszebet Bathory is another cherish female vampire for the silver screen. She's not the 'nice type' as Carmilla and this character is mostly adapted for a more adult audience. Since the real Bathory was really a serial killer who tortured and killed for half of her live, her role as a vampire wasn't that farfetched. There's is no direct proof of her likeness, and all of the paintings attributed to the Blood Countess were done many centuries after her death. Most European countries have their own actresses paying that part, and there are a lot of American actresses or wanna-bes who have portrayed the Countess, from sexually suggestive movies, like the French 'Les Contes immoraux', to hard core porn. Most Bathory movies are drenched in blood, whether there is nudity or not. THE VAMPIRESS - THE NEW GENERATION As in the forties, the eighties and nineties have seen very few vampires, either male of female. After the last spoofs of the craze, the crave for blood dies down a little, then, in the nineties, it came back in full force. But now, even the vampiresses have benefited from feminism. They aren't bound to old novels and they can get their own individual story as the writer invents more twists and plots for each of them. Some are still from books. Carmilla and Bathory won't die so easily. But they're not alone anymore. Some vampires come from disfunctional families, something in which the viewer can relate to. Many work, the night shift of course, and there are those who cn survive amongts humans, as if their lives hadn't changed at all, until they get crossed (no pun intended) and the fangs come out. Modern vampiresses are harder to kill. They can sway a gun at you or take a cab, no need for bat-changing abilities. They leave that to their male counterparts. They are young and beautiful, and do care about fashion. They are independant and won't serve as lures to get to a male vampire. And they are sexy, immorally so, for the pleasure of the viewer.        Razor Blade Smile, UK, 1998 The most recent ones are lesbians or bisexual, that will sell more videos, many are kinky for a particular clientele, but all of them (except a few in porn country) are intelligent and witty, especially when their life is at stake (I couln't resist that one, sorry). Hold on to your crucifix and holy water, some of the latest vampiresses are atheists or wiccans. WHAT'S NEXT? The trend has gone dry, once again. We're in the middle between two crazes, which came about every twenty years or so (1930-1950-1970-1990). The adult industry has pursued on, not caring about that cycle, since their own viewers prefer skin, adding fangs to it is only an icing on the cake. Serious horror movies should get to the silver screen in about ten years or so, and since vampire have eternity on their side, they'll be back in full force when the time comes for a bite. Carmilla and Bathory will rise again, so will their blood sisters of all shapes and sizes: the vengeful hag, the cute senseless killer, the innocent victim of the family curse, and the tempting seductress will come for your blood.