Get out the glitter and baseball bats because we’re diving into the complex world of Twilight. From fandom to first love to coming of age and problematic depictions, we’re going deep with this one. Hold on tight, spider monkey!
REQUIRED READING
Twilight. Dir. Catherine Hardwicke, 2008.
EXTRA CREDIT
How Twilight Changed Fan Culture Forever. A look at Twilight‘s intersection of fandom and the rise of social media.
Mormon Vampires in the Garden of Eden. How Stephanie Meyer’s Mormonism presents in her text.
The Twilight Saga’s Issue with Indigenous Culture. A breakdown of how the Twilight Saga‘s representation of Indigeneity is problematic.
Catherine Hardwicke Broke Records With ‘Twilight.’ Then Hollywood Labeled Her ‘Difficult.’ Hardwicke’s 2018 interview that details her struggles with getting the film made and her fight for a more diverse cast.
Twilight’s Heteronormative Reversal of the Monstrous: Utopia and the Gothic Design. Is Twilight an inversion of the Gothic?
Teams, Tears, and Testimonials. A cultural analysis of the fan-populated Twilight Time Capsule.
Twilight: the franchise that ate feminism. An overview of the popular criticisms leveled at the series.
Twilight reviewed by Mark Kermode. The veteran film critic goes to bat for Twilight.
LISTEN
Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
So as a queer person, I totally loved these films. Not sure the two things are related but a lot of “cis” men I am friends with mocked me mercilessly (they were kidding but did not share my enthusiasm). I love how you both allow that these films cross genres. Would I rate this with “BLADE” as a great vampire film? No. But as a fantasy/romance/horror-adjacent blend I enjoyed them all. The books not so much however.
And, of course, Robert Pattinson!!
I did the same thing as Alex when this came out (maybe to a lesser extent) with mocking people who liked Twilight. I instead prefer to have a conversation on why it’s potentially harmful now, and you’ve added to my ability to do so, thanks!