Fans of the film are the Harry Potter kids (for the most part; I know a few adults who are into it) now hitting puberty. It’s part of the natural progression of pop culture tastes. When the Hanna Montana fangirls hit that age, it will be something else. Remember boy bands, anyone?

I wonder whether the more vehement detractors saw — and liked — Transformers 2. If so, then I certainly take their criticisms with a grain of salt.

I’m a know-nothing with regards to Bella, Edward, and their ilk. The films won’t be taking any slots on my Netflix anytime soon. But good on the filmmakers for making a bucket of cash. My only regret is that we’re due for a spate of Twilight clones for the next few years.

http://www.themillions.com/2009/11/fair-hypocrites-twilight-by-way-of-pamela.html/comment-page-1#comment-5262

I think a movie can be good and smart and sexy and wish fulfillment and all those things and not drag down the dignity of all involved.

But I could be wrong. I could be $80 million wrong.

I think this story is a lust story, not a love story. Maybe it appeals to girls who are really hormonally charged (vs. romance-driven) but aren’t quite ready for sex, since that’s delayed through several books, right? Girls get more messages about sex from the world around them today than we did in the 80s. Maybe she tapped into that confusion of knowing you’re sexy (because the media tells you so) but still feeling like a kid inside.

I guess to figure out exactly why it resonates, you’d need to survey a sampling of teenagers and ask why they identify with Bella and what they see in the two guys.

I definitely agree with you – it’s worth figuring out, if you’re at all interested in writing for teenagers.

As I said, I don’t like it either. I read the book and yes, I think sparkly vampires is kinda lame. BUT, there’s obviously something about this story that is speaking to girls and some older women, and I think we, as writers need to try to figure out what it is. Kristen, I think you make some good points — Bella isn’t the protag either of us wants and we are both in the sweet spot for the demo who should have some affection for this type of story. Maybe there’s a generational thing, or a culture thing or maybe even an awareness thing…I don’t think these fans are actively choosing to like Bella over other heroines of genre, I think they just see something of themselves in her, and like the fantasy of these intense guys both in love with this clumsy awkward girl. Who doesn’t want that fantasy, at least a little bit? Okay, the fact that it’s a vampire and a werewolf doing the fighting just adds the element of danger and over the top fantasy to the mix.

And don’t get me wrong – I don’t have a problem with hating Twilight for what it is/isn’t. That’s not the problem. The problem is when we go beyond the criticisms of the story itself to denigrate those who do like it. That’s just mean.

Thanks for the blog feedback, as always!

I’ve read the first book. I was once a 13 year old girl who read Sweet Valley High books concurrent with Stephen King novels. I was pretty much the EXACT demographic for this franchise: girly and also into horror. I assume that girl is still somewhere inside me and has childish themes/concepts/characters that still appeal to her.

That being said, I thought the Twilight book was lame and the movie was unwatchable, and I agree with Dave: vampires that sparkle are stupid.

I don’t get what it is that girls and grown women are finding so hot about this franchise, but my speculation is that they’re attracted to fake danger. Edward isn’t really dangerous. He’s annoying. I suppose he’s ardent, but in what I consider to be a highly unromantic and unbelievably immature way for a guy who’s like 120 years old. He stalks and he eavesdrops and he taunts, and his demonstrated intelligence is blunt at best. He’s quite a bit like the guy I was crazy about in high school.

I think that girls and women are liking the idea of an unattainably sexy guy being drawn irresistably to a plain Jane, clumsy dork. Maybe they also see “the guy I like(d) in high school” in Edward and are superimposing their favorite supercilious ass onto the body of a supermodel, and that’s enough for them.

I guess what alienates me about this series is that I don’t think being treated like a vampire’s personal pet is romantic, and I don’t think having sweet blood and hidden thoughts is a compelling enough reason to make an unattainable hunk attainable.

If he’s drawn to her because she’s brave, clever, kind, and loyal to her mother and friends (read: Buffy), I buy that. If he’s drawn to her because has blood that tastes like pinot noir and he doesn’t want anyone else tapping that vintage, I cry foul. I just don’t get why everyone else isn’t crying foul along with me. I think maybe it has to do with the fact that most teenage girls really don’t think there’s anything special about themselves, ergo they identify with Bella, who is totally unspecial. That just makes me sad! At least Eliza Bennett had her brains and wit and outdoorsiness and loyalty to her family.

Not jealous. Don’t wish I thought of this idea. Because this really isn’t about the idea or the story. It’s about sparkly brooding underwear models and SharkBoy’s chest. No one reads Playboy for the articles and no one watches Twilight movies for the story. So I don’t see any reason to be excited unless I can get SharkBoy to be in my next movie and then to take off his shirt.

I don’t like that NM outdid Dark Knight, not because I’m snobby about movies, but because I want studios to be excited about making GOOD movies. I want to hear “We want the quality of writing that was Dark Knight” not “Can you write in a role for Shark Boy and can we get a good butt shot?”