Life has been comparable to a giant, careening rollercoaster this last week.
Is that strange? No, not for me. *lol*
But, I know I am in a good place when I can still, after everything, be grateful and feel peace. The main reason being that I am surrounded by tons of love and support but, also, faith.
In my book, there are 2 things one needs to be a great film vampire.
Having seen pretty much EVERY vampire movie EVER made, I feel I am allowed to express these opinions. Well, really I’d express them anyways because I don’t care if people listen to me or not.
And, if there is one thing I truly know? It’s my vampires.
So, the two things one needs to be the best of the best? Believability and….sex appeal. They have to have one or the other.
Hot vampires seem to be all the rage in the last 20 years. I am not the only one who believes in the sex appeal factor…obviously.
5. Kiefer Sutherland – The Lost Boys
I saw “The Lost Boys” when I was about 8. The only reason I saw it was because it was a “Corey x 2 flick”, you know, Corey Feldman, Corey Haim. There, my secret is out – I was crushing on Corey Feldman at one time (shudder). But something happened – I fell in LOVE with vampires. I was totally riveted. These disgusting, bloody animals that were ripping people apart were well, kinda appealing. Why?! I didn’t know but I couldn’t pull my attention away. That’s where it started.
Kiefer was a different kind of vampire, not Old Hollywood, not suave and mysterious but the BEST kind: the bad boy.
(Can’t forget to mention this is also the first time I laid eyes on Billy Wirth. If you haven’t seen him yet, do yourself a favor… ) 😉
4. Antonio Banderas – Interview with the Vampire
Obviously when anyone mentions “Interview with the Vampire” there are two other vampires people think of – Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt.
Are they worthy of mentioning? Of course. They were superb. Are they my favorite? No.
Once I got a glimpse of Antonio as “Armand” I was done. The main rule of being a good vampire is the element of mystery, the dark, sinister appearance and attitude. Antonio had it. And he also had an incredible steaminess I haven’t ever seen in any other vampire. Basically, I wanted to jump through the screen and offer my naked body to him. But then again, we are talking about Antonio Banderas here.
3. Colin Farrell – Fright Night 2010
Ok, so Colin probably shouldn’t be on this list. I put him here strictly as eye candy.
He played a vampire in the remake of a classic 80s horror flick and he really, truly was NOT scary. But god damn, if he isn’t the sexiest and best looking vampire I’ve ever seen! He has a very cool, very calculated thing about him and the fact that he doesn’t come off as a creepy vampire makes him all the more appealing. He reminds me of a snake, very hypnotic and very deadly.
Uh, I’d take a next door neighbor like him anyday, even if he were trying to kill me.
2. Bela Lugosi – Dracula (1931)
Bela ought to be #1. But, there is a reason he isn’t – which I’ll go into in a minute. No one is more the embodiment of the true “Hollywood” vampire other than Bela. Dracula is the grand-daddy of all vampires and no one played him better than Lugosi.
The original vampire tales were of decaying, disgusting, smelly dead things that crawled into people’s home at night and ate them. Obviously, this is not the image Hollywood wanted to perpetuate. So, they came up with Bela.
Aristocratic, quiet, sinister, charming. These are the basic fundamentals of the Dracula myth. And – believe me – it is a myth. The original Dracula (Vlad Dracul) had people decapitated and their heads mounted on spikes.
The first time I saw this “Dracula” I was terrified. He truly had a power – you could not take your eyes off of him. And Bela was a legend, both off and on screen. Hell, one of the greatest songs of all time (“Bela Lugosi’s Dead by Bauhaus) was about his death. No one else can touch him.
1. Gary Oldman – Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
Gary is the best vampire of all time. Period. This has a lot to do with the fact that he is my favorite actor ever.
I saw Bram Stoker’s Dracula when I was around 12. The movie is hands down one of the best pieces of cinema out there. Francis Ford Coppola directed it, it starred Gary, Winona Ryder, Keanu Reeves, Anthony Hopkins and several other notibles. Apart from the cinematography, the costumes, the soundtrack and the storyline, Gary made the movie.
Never has someone (especially such a diverse actor like Oldman) been able to hit the nail on the head with not one but 3 different versions of Dracula in one film. Gary starts out as the young, handsome prince (pictured below) but then, goes…
to this…
to this…
Seriously amazing. This film is my biggest guilty pleasure and does a lot to reflect true vampire lore and the actual history it was originally based on.
So, there are my five. But there are several worth mentioning – they are gorgeous, they are wonderful actors and they do the title of “vampire” justice.
See below.
Brad Pitt
Stuart Townsend
David Boreanaz (Angel)
Notice a certain sparkling vampire missing? Yeah, that’s on purpose. He’s sure pretty but he’s not one of the greats.
A few months ago, one of my previous co-workers asked me how my daughter got her name.
For those who don’t know, her name is Berlyn. Like, the town in Germany. The Berlin Wall. And….the 80’s new wave group, Berlin.
Most people don’t realize I actually DID chose her name because of the 80’s new wave group, Berlin.
Music has been my entire life.
(And, another fun fact – my daughter’s middle name is Elise – which I in fact got from a song by my favorite band of all-time, The Cure; “A Letter to Elise”.)
So, once it was revealed that her name was from said band, my co-worker said “What do they sing again?”
I reminded her of the theme to Top Gun, “Take my Breath Away.”
“OH! Yes, great song!! But, uh, was she actually…uh, conceived during it?”
L.O.L.
I just about fell over.
Some people and their dirty minds, haha.
An even more ironic piece of trivia?
Both myself and Berlyn’s dad have musical names as well.
Berlyn’s dad is named Ian and was actually named after Ian Hunter from Jethro Tull.
And me?
My parents were 8 months pregnant with me, had no idea my sex but were big Fleetwood Mac fans. The song “Sara” was released and after I was born, and I was a girl, they named me Sarah.
When I was 9 years old, I remember driving in my mom’s car and the song came on the radio – this is when my mom told me the background story.
I listened to the song for a good 2 or 3 minutes (it’s 4 1/2 minutes long) and I said “I don’t like this song. It’s boring.”
Ahahaha.
Now, of course, it is one of my most favorite songs ever.
I am glad I could carry the tradition on with my daughter. I love that music plays such a huge part in my life and hers too. Besides, having musicians on both sides of the family has done wonders for her.
She might just be the Katy Perry of her day! 😉
Lately a question has been running through my brain.
“What happened to me?”
It sort of throws me at first but, it also seems crystal clear – I don’t know myself anymore.
It’s more than just “what happened” – it’s, “where did my old luster for life, my spirit, my sparkle go?” I know that hindesight is always 20/20 and we remember the past in different ways, but I can’t help but feel sometimes that after awhile, people just….give up. And I think I did.
We go about our daily lives, doing what we need to do and somewhere along the way, we realize we don’t recognize ourselves anymore.
That, my friends, is my quandry.
Maybe I’m having an identity crisis? A mid-life crisis (haha)? Or, maybe, I’m just tired and need some new motivation in my life.
Soo, let’s make this my “resolution” for 2012.
Find ME again. Or, just make “me” better than ever before.
♥
These are a few of my most favorite images.
This morning, think about what’s within you and what you can bring to the greater good. Namaste!
Hi Everyone – this is my first post for 2012! I can’t tell you how happy I am to be starting a new year.
2011 was honestly a GREAT year. Better than most in recent history.
We (Berlyn and I) had many accomplishments and milestones. New home, new job, new adventures! Here are a collection of some of the important and fun moments from this past year, enjoy!
The year began with me taking on a grueling full semester of school AND a new job (which I left in September…) I soon learned – once again – that trying to work 40 hours a week, take on 13 credits and be a mom were just, well, impossible.
Next, we high-tailed it over to a new home – vintage, I might add. It began as an adventure and very exciting but the tarnish wore off as we realized this house was NOT our dream home. Eh, you live and learn.
We had an amazing summer. Lots of friends, fun and outings. Among them were plays at Boise Little Theatre, Hyde Park Street Fair, Art in the Park, Caldwell Night Rodeo, GoddessFest and The NAMI Walk.
Fourth of July
(Rodeo!)
(NAMI Walk)
I bought a lot of books this year.
Berlyn enjoyed reading as well.
I found out that taking my child through the car wash more or less traumatized her…
Berlyn did some fun things.
Berlyn got a hair cut!
I ate some delicious food.
We got a new kitten.
And then one day, I landed an amazing job.
Our holiday season was the best we’ve had in a long time too.
At the end of the year, I vowed to marry Colin Farrell. I know, it’s a tough job but, I am volunteering myself.
journal of ardency 