In this corner of cyberspace, I feel pretty safe in saying that Star Wars is Star Wars for girls. (Well, sometimes.) But the New York Post does have some points – granted, a bit inflated points, but still, points. (Harry Potter fans must be so relieved that the buck has finally passed.) And it’s hard to deny at this point that Twilight isn’t a game-changer, and if Fandango and Nikki Finke are onto something, we might be seeing the requisite record-breaking ticket sales, too. In any case, it’s too soon to say – ruling a box office is one thing, but still being relevant thirty years on? That takes some doing, particularly when your audience is full of fickle teenagers.
Still, for those of us who find the appeal of Twilight puzzling, it’s nice to know that there are some parents out there at least a little wary of letting their daughters see a movie where a girl throws herself over a cliff over some guy with glitter issues.
UPDATE: Finke is now saying that New Moon did Dark Knight numbers for the midnight release. This will certainly be interesting…
I find Twilight puzzling and don’t like the message it sends to young girls. But I get its appeal.
Still. I think it has a shelf life of maybe five years after the fourth movie (if that doesn’t squick people altogether).
Yeah, let’s see how big Twilight is 30 years from now.
I read a review today that said the movie is good basically because Stephanie Meyer didn’t write it. Now THAT I don’t find puzzling. ;)
I agree with Paula. Twilight is a confusing and unsettling mark upon the landscape of popular culture right now, but as material it has no staying power. Unless Meyer comes out with more books to cash in, I’m giving it five years before most of the fans look back on the property and feel a little ashamed.
It’s very telling that they’re rushing the films so quickly…
But what’s going to be really interesting is how/if Hollywood reacts. Titanic is certainly a better analogy than Star Wars, and did we really see a rash of big-budget ‘girlie’ movies after that? Not so much. But with genre YA being so hot, maybe Twilight could lead to something better getting the green light? (It would be tough for them to get worse… Right?)
This whole line of thought makes me want to watch Underworld, which is kind of a sick and sad statement in and of itself.
I’ve got to agree with Paula, Austin, and Doyle. Twilight is one of those crazes that is going to be severely embarrassing to its former fan base in a few years’ time. Probably, once they’ve grown up enough to have boyfriends that act like Edward and they figure out it isn’t as romantic as the books and movies make it out to be.
Who has been in a real relationship and actually wants a guy (who’s been DEAD for 80 years, by the way) sneaking into your bedroom every night for two months and watching you sleep?
How about dating a guy who not only can, but would very much like, to drain your blood in about 2.5 seconds and leave you dead? Normally, that sort of confession leads to a restraining order, not a dating situation.
Now, fighting to unseat an unjust, tyrannical government and bring peace and balance to the universe again, that’s just not going to get old anytime soon. And Star Wars won’t end if two teenagers breakup, whereas Twilight wouldn’t exist without Bella and Edward’s ridiculous puppy love.
I guess we’re just going to have to rely on the personal experiences of these very young girls in the real dating world to remove the blemish that is Twilight from the face of our pop culture.