Twilight-the movie
Posted by amrapajalic77 on 18 December, 2008
I’ve been a fan of the series since the beginning. My friend Jodi is a secondary school teacher and was telling me that her students loved the book and carried them around like status symbols. Being a fan of vampire books and the young adult genre, it seemed right up my alley. And ever since I’ve been hooked.
On Tuesday I went to see the movie and it did not dissapoint. The makers kept the storyline very true to the book, but seeing the characters and story come to life was amazing. Forks, the place where the book was set, was exactly as I imagined. The movie really brought to life the romance between Bella and Edward and the seething sexual tension between them.
It also brought to life why the book had so much appeal to young girls. Most boys their age would be putting pressure and moves on them about sex, whereas Edward and Bella can’t explore their physical attraction because he always needs to hold himself in check. He can’t lose control or he could kill Bella.
The story is a fabulous gothic romance and the movie is amazing. I feel like watching it again and I might.
Judith said
Wow, I so did not expect this! I’d have thought you’d have hated the Twilight books! I gather you’ve read the feminist criticisms of the books: any thoughts on that?
Judith
amrapajalic77 said
Hi Judith
While on the one hand I understand the criticism of the book, I also have to defend it. The reason the books appeal to me is because they appeal to the juvenile within me who loves the sappy romance and the all-encompassing love. In real life I wouldn’t want to have that sort of obsessive love and I don’t, but it’s a fantasy. While we can argue that it is sending the wrong message to young people I also have to question why does the criteria that people judge romantic novels not apply to any other type of fiction.
While yes Bella could be stronger, she also represents a lot of girls at her age who are struggling with self-esteem. While the love depicted is obsessive and almost stalkerish-that’s the fact of initial love. When I first met my husband I nearly got into so many car accidents because I felt like I couldn’t breathe if I wasn’t with him. Thankfully this stage passed within six months and settled.
Some of the criticism I read also focussed on the latter part of the series when Bella chooses not to terminate her pregnancy and that bothers me a bit. I’m pro-choice and believe that abortion should be legal and accessible for women, but it is a choice and I don’t understand how this critique can be justified as feminism. As a young woman she was aware of the options available to her and she exercised her right to choose-isn’t this the whole point of feminism?
Also I don’t have a problem with marriage at a young age, but then again I’m biased because I married when I was 19 years old. I wasn’t your typical 19 year old and neither is Bella or the circumstances of her life. I think sometimes people get too caught up with critiquing books and thinking they have to defend young people that they don’t give young people enough credit to make judgement calls themselves.
As a teenager I was a prolific reader of romance novels. And when I say prolific I mean up to 10 books a week. By the patronising criteria that this criticism is applied I should have had expectations of a marriage to a chauvinist whose idea of love was dominance and possession. These books satisfied a need within me at the time-and my interpretation of romance novels is that they satisfy the need for maternal love because this is the type of love portrayed-that protective nurturing love that in a sense is displayed between Bella and Edward, yet when it came to choosing my mate I made the right choice. I met a lovely man who is not the least chauvinistic, who likes and respects women as people, whose idea of romance is doing the washing and dishes without being asked, who supports and nurtures me in everything I do and after nearly 12 years of marriage I’m still madly in love.
People think that young people can’t differentiate fantasy from reality, if this is true why don’t we ever argue about them reading crime novels that depict violence and crime and in some instances glamorise it and underplay the reality of death?
There was also one more piece of criticism I read that pissed me off and this was Meg Cabot stating she was a feminist because she chose not to change her name and that this is where the book falls down. Again, I’m biased because I chose to change my name-but I don’t see how this instantly identifies you as a subjugated woman. Again we’re supposed to have the choice so why are women judged so harshly for exercising this choice? Why is it that other women can use feminism as an excuse to justify attacking women in such a personal way? Where is the solidarity and sisterhood that feminism is supposed to be premised on?
I call myself a feminist too, but I don’t use this banner to force my opinion on others or to make snap judgements about their belief systems based on my own subjective point of view.
I’m so glad you asked this question because it really gave me a chance to think and use my brain-something pregnancy has sucked out of me.
I’d love to hear what you have to say about my defence.
Cheers
Amra
Josephine Damian said
I too read romance as a teenager but could not get past the first page of this book. But I do get the huge appeal it has that made this series is so successful.
Amra, I’m just glad you were able to sit through any movie and not barf.
It’s GOT to be any minute for you now….. any minute!
amrapajalic77 said
Josephine-Well she’s due in a week but I’m trying to do things to bring her on earlier. I just want to be not pregnant. So over it. It was nice to get out of the house and to the movies. These days I’m so tired and have very little energy so I’m enjoying the few outings I get.