conclusion

Conclusion

The idea of a vampire has been modified many times since the original film in 1922, everything from weapons to hybrid vampires. This does explain why they have added weapons and developed hybrids it makes them stronger when fighting an enemy. This also explains why they have become very masculine creatures, it is a defense mechanism if they weren’t strong they couldn’t defend themselves. The idea of vampires and bats has pretty much been eliminated if anything they turn into demonic looking creatures with huge wings with talons on the ends. Vampires have evolved in many ways since the first movie was released, they are always hunting someone or being hunted. That fact alone can explain many of the modern adaptations of vampires.

Reflection

While the modern vampire is different in some ways there are many that are still similar. Vampires have their own society or culture, I feel like modern vampire movies show this side of vampires very well, in the early movies they are trying to blend in with society. During the more modern they almost always have internal power struggles resulting in the wars between each other, which leads to their weaponry and more masculine physiques.

Overall

The research that I have done on the evolution of vampires could continue to grow or be added onto as future vampire films or books come out, but the original started with Bram Stokers gothic novel. This makes vampires a great part of the gothic, they are always changing and adapting, staying dark and mysterious. Who really knows where vampires will be in another 50 years, but they will most likely continue to evolve into the complex creatures that society has made them out to be.

The Evolution

Vampire 1. Dracula 1922

This is the movie cover from the 1922 Dracula movie, it does a great job of showing the aspects of Dracula as listed in the gothic novel. He has the tall slender, dark clothing and very pale skin which does give the gothic appearance of a traditional vampire. The moon and his castle being in the distance behind him also gives this picture more of the gothic element.

"Nosferatu." IMDb. IMDb.com, 1 Jan. 1922. Web. 1 May 2014.< http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0013442/>.

Vampire 2. Underworld Viktor(2003)

This is a more modern style of vampire, but it does keep the elements of darkness and the same general appearance as described in Bram Stokers novel. It also gives a brief image of what their castle looks like behind him with the style of architecture on his throne.

"wallpapers." Underworld Bill Nighy 1280x800 Wallpapers, 1280x800 Wallpapers & Pictures Free Download. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May 2014.< http://wallpapers.brothersoft.com/underworld-bill-nighy-116105-1280x800.html>.

Vampire 3. Blade (1998)

While vampires are becoming more involved with weapons and masculine with superhuman strength, vampire hybrids are being seen more and more as vampires have evolved. Does this make vampires a thing of the past, and do the hybrids even count as vampires? Once again this picture while it may be a hybrid has the characteristics of a vampire everything around is dark, even he is dressed in the iron clad black.

"RETROSPECTIVE REVIEW(S): THE BLADE FRANCHISE (Reviewed in 2 Parts)." RETROSPECTIVE REVIEW(S): THE BLADE FRANCHISE (Reviewed in 2 Parts). N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May 2014.< http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/Shadowgeek10/news/?a=24377>.

Vampire 4. Underworld weapons (2003)

While this is not directly a vampire it does show that they have become modernized with their defense mechanisms, guns with ultraviolet bullets. This does add more of a sci-fi aspect to the vampires as well; they can defend themselves from pretty much anything including other vampires.

"Reviews - Underworld (Film)." Reviews - Underworld (Film). N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May 2014.< http://www.darksideofthesoul.us/reviews/film/underworld.htm>.

Vampire 5. Underworld (2003)

The image above does show that vampires have evolved into something much bigger than just a bat. They look almost demonic with wings, which is very far from where the original started. Those are more than just wings; notice there are talons on the ends making them weapons.

"No Bad Movies: September 2010." No Bad Movies: September 2010. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May 2014.< http://www.nobadmovie.net/2010_09_01_archive.html>.

Vampire 6. Vampire Diaries

This is another modern example of where Dracula and vampires have gone to, there is still the fallen woman along with other characters similar to the original. In this series they are challenged by the past. Besides the dark clothing it does have a gothic image about the show, there is the architecture in the background, and it is dark.

"Top 10 Best Vampire TV Series Ever." Swide Magazine The Dolce Gabbana Luxury Magazine Online Top 10 Best Vampire TV Series Ever Comments. N.p., 1 Jan. 2013. Web. 1 May 2014.< http://www.swide.com/art-culture/tv-series/best-vampire-tv-series-ever-list/2013/10/02>.

Vampire 7. Van helsing

This picture of Van Helsing brings up an earlier point that vampires have more enemies than society, there are people like Van helsing who are trying to hunt vampires. Even though this picture does focus on Van Helsing, it does show what the modern vampire has turned into and the people trying to hunt them.

"." . N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May 2014.< https://s-media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/8e/e1/e3/8ee1e3f06b3f70fb97c9a963f97b4b6a.jpg>.

introduction

What is the Gothic?

The gothic has changed with each decade making it harder and harder to define. The gothic is like a new song the lyrics may mean something different to each person, so if everyone has a different interpretation of even things like that it can only be more difficult to define something as complex as the gothic. So the gothic can range from anything such as a supernatural being to the characters and how the gothic changes with each societies different fears, while the gothic can have a certain monster each monster could be something more such as a damsel, or villain.

Each author can put his or her own twist on the gothic as well, making it much more than a dark and gloomy setting. It can range from anything including science experiments (Frankenstein), to the settings (tombs, castles, cities), as well as ghosts or the darkness. The science fiction elements make the science believable as well as very complex and detailed descriptions of what is happening making it almost realistic.

The main focus of this research project is the evolution of the vampire, from where it started with Dracula to where it is now in the 21^st century. Each vampire has evolved a little bit differently in the way that Dracula started out as a tall thin mysterious man, to now in the movies vampires can be very masculine and not as secretive in what they are doing. Once again todays vampire has evolved into a very different monster than where Dracula started.

The original vampire

“Within, stood a tall old man, clean shaven save for a long white moustache, and clad in black from head to foot, without a single speck of colour about him anywhere.” Stoker, Bram, and Leslie S. Klinger. "chapter 2."

This passage is from Jonathon Harker’s journal, which is the scene where he arrives at the castle. His description of Dracula consists of him being an old man, which yes vampires are immortal so him being described as old is understandable. The fact that he is in black from head to toe with no colors does bring about the gothic aspect of the dark and mysterious. There are still some aspects of the original vampire in today’s interpretations of vampires they are still mysterious and have darkness about them.

Today’s vampire

Today’s vampire always seems to be at war with someone whether it is another group of vampires (blade), Lycans (underworld), or society due to the unacceptable nature of vampires. While vampires have evolved into very strong, masculine creatures that now have weapons ranging from swords to guns with special bullets depending on the type of villain they are trying to protect themselves from or take down. Basically vampires are still the monster they once were but are now armed with weapons to defend themselves. The appearance of today’s vampire also allows them to blend in with society to an extent, when compared to the original people could tell there was something off about that character.

Works Cited

Stoker, Bram, and Leslie S. Klinger. "chapter 2." The new annotated Dracula. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 2008. . Print.