Possible reasons behind vampire popularity (and my thoughts)

Ceekur · Post by **Ceekur** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 5:12 pm

As opposed to werewolf popularity.

As far as I know, both vampires and werewolves started out on the same level in the horror movie genre. In the classic B&W movie I'm thinking of, both werewolf and vampire were in their stereotypical, classic roles, and about to fight each other. For reasons I don't know all of, vampires were the ones who continued to commonly star in modern media in many genres including drama, comedy, romance, action, with the strict horror ties, and usually the undead aspect, severed. Not only have vampires been used in serious movies, but video games as well.

As far as I can guess, vampires can be automatically considered charismatic and not seen as a monster even in their vampire form, with their elegant wardrobe and castles/mansions. Also, it's an obvious fact that, and I need to mention this, sex sells. Vampires are more or less physically similar to humans and so are a lot easier to include within the sexual aspect in either form with a female main character. The physical differences are minor enough to allow the audience to relate to as well as appreciate the beauty (to them in any case) that they see.

It's a lot harder to have people automatically attribute these same aspects or most of these same aspects to werewolves and consider the possibility of seeing them as elegant or at least good creatures. To many people, their wolf form is the perfect reason for them to be hulking monsters that look almost nothing like wolves.

I suppose it's just as well that the majority of people prefer the opposite, since I've never been too interested in most of the popular culture interests, but actually their "opposites" in most cases. When it comes to werewolves "losing" out in number by all the vampire fans, I don't really feel too bad since I feel that that allows those who are strongly tied emotionally (or spiritually or both) to make up most of the fans of that interest. It would allow someone to confidently say that most of the fans are those that really care.

I'm also not too bothered by their lack of roles in mainstream productions since, while a lot of them do feature vampires as the main stars, many of them also have vampires as the bad guys and you're one of the few good remaining vampires and must fight through them to thwart the main boss's evil plot (Blood Reign I think). While I would probably still pick up a game with a story just like that (but with werewolves), I wouldn't hold its story up in very high regard. If I have to wait through the lack of werewolf stars for a movie/game where they are depicted as the good guys and a serious and meaningful effort was put into the making, then I will happily wait.

outwarddoodles · Post by **outwarddoodles** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 7:25 pm

As far as I can guess, vampires can be automatically considered charismatic and not seen as a monster even in their vampire form, with their elegant wardrobe and castles/mansions. Also, it's an obvious fact that, and I need to mention this, sex sells.

I think you absolutely nailed it down.

I think the most likely reason for vampires being the more popular is definitely their sex appeal. They're sexy, elegant, and mysterious. And those in to vampires for the bad-a** appeal -- Vampires can kick a** and be classy at the same time.

Werewolves on the other hand -- are cursed beasts. I think more people who connect themselves with werewolves do so because of the "misunderstood beast" or "double life" aspect of the werewolf.

I find much more people seem to connect themselves with werewolves than choose them because they believe they have better attributes. Whereas people who relate themselves to vampires seem to do so with a certain social "image" in their mind.
(Of course, then again, werewolf fans will never cease to dream up the advantages to being a werewolf. And it always seems to me that those who like werewolves are much more obsessive about it than people who prefer vampires.

From what I know of, the idea of Vampires that we think of today didn't truly exist in the middle ages, not until the famous play Dracula was written in the late 19th century. (Vampires in the dark ages is kind of like an urban legend.) Which I believe shows that vampires were basically created to have their appeal -- likewise werewolves originated from past folk superstitions.

CimaKenzo · Post by **CimaKenzo** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 9:25 pm

The difference is just the way early movies evolved.
Werewolf makeup was harder to do than a vampire's, so they just made another vampire movie instead.
Then everyone's just making more and more, and the ratio gets outta control.
Now there's like 50 vampire movies out there for each werewolf movie.

Ceekur · Post by **Ceekur** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 10:17 pm

Ahh

I completely forgot to add that fact when I was writing the post. I thought to put that as one of the reasons but forgot before I had a chance to add it.

Yeah, vampires are much easier to create in a movie. Just give them a set of long fangs, make their skin pale (that's been more or less dropped too it seems), comb their hair in a certain way (usually evil lords), etc and there you go - you can say he/she's a vampire. Convincing werewolves are much harder to create in live-action and so it wouldn't surprise me if most creature designers just gave up half-way through and decided on using the half-done hairy monkey thing and calling it a werewolf was enough. They are usually not on-screen that much anyway.

I can definitely say that back then, and even right now, the task of creating a "good-looking" werewolf for a live-action movie was and is a major factor. To create an appropriate looking were, regardless if one uses traditional makeup, animatronics, or computer graphics, there will be a fair amount of work involved. Don't even get me started on the transformation scenes.

MoonKit · Post by **MoonKit** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 10:24 pm

Yeah, I defiantly agree that its just the attraction. Vampires are just generally sexy, super humans...nothing more. *sigh* Why doesnt anybody wanna turn into a wolf? (Well besides all of you.)

tyger · Post by **tyger** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 11:19 pm

heh Well turns out Bram Stoker was a very repressed Victorian. Vampirism was to get his desires out and on to paper.. but he couldn't have Dracula going about and Gettin' freaky with dem girls, so he resorted to having the antagonist drinking his victems' blood. and that can be a lot cleaner than turning into a wolf and going out and tearing his vitems into peices. but that also coincides with everyone's precpnception about werewolves being overgrown slavering savage creatures. that the cursed person gazes at the moon in fear says " oh no... " and grunts changing painfully

aaanywho.. that's my two cents.

wolf4life · Post by **wolf4life** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 11:29 pm

why does everyone else like vampires better? All my friends...well most...are like werewolves suck a** and vampires kick theirs and crud like that! WHY! WHY!

tyger · Post by **tyger** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 2:20 am

*shrugs* though I did read a few Anita blake vampire hunter novels ^-^

Aki · Post by **Aki** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 3:46 am

Why people like vampires:

- They're usually stronger/faster/more physically able than normal people
- Immortality, most people like the idea of living forever bar any "accidents"
- Charismatic/sexy/suave/etc. Sex appeal, basically
- Addition of various powers (levitate, turn into bat, etc.) in various sources
- Dark/mysterious
- And, most the most important draw for younger lovers of vampires - the angst factor. As a creature capable of only doing stuff at night (in most cases), feeds off people, and lives "forever" there's a lot of chances to throw in a lot of emo angsty s***.
- In terms of making them, they're alot easier than vampires. This goes for basically any form of media. Even in a book you have devote some space to transform times that vampires don't have or can *poof* through

From what I know of, the idea of Vampires that we think of today didn't truly exist in the middle ages, not until the famous play Dracula was written in the late 19th century. (Vampires in the dark ages is kind of like an urban legend.) Which I believe shows that vampires were basically created to have their appeal -- likewise werewolves originated from past folk superstitions.

Vampires used to be kinda like (modern) zombies. Undead corpses that returned to feast on the living. Only they're smart as want blood, not brains. They're also kinda where Werewolf legend ganked the whole "get bitten and you turn into one" idea.

JoshuaMadoc · Post by **JoshuaMadoc** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 6:05 am

Aki wrote:They're also kinda where Werewolf legend ganked the whole "get bitten and you turn into one" idea.

AKA the fan/s*** that hit the s***/fan. :S

cumulusprotagonist · Post by **cumulusprotagonist** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 12:15 pm

It has to do with how people percieve them.
It has to do with how you present them in fiction.
Werewolves could easily be made to look sexy and mysterious, it is all in how you "advertise" it.

MattSullivan · Post by **MattSullivan** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 4:28 pm

Yes, sex sells.

But if you show a couple werewolves gettin it on...whammo. BESTIALITY!

wolf4life · Post by **wolf4life** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 6:09 pm

yea but no one knows what a real werewolf or real vampire actually looks like....

THEY COULD BOTH BE THE MOST HIDEOUS THING IN THE WORLD! Or just one, or they could both look awesome! or one could only aswell....

cumulusprotagonist · Post by **cumulusprotagonist** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 6:45 pm

Or there could be more than one varation of werewolf or vampire. Oh and hideous and awesome are both in the eyes of the beholder.
Quite frankly it suprises me that I do not see the fact that more than one type of werewolf could exist that often.
It seems to be seldom mentioned.

wolf4life · Post by **wolf4life** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 6:46 pm

well if i saw a werewolf or vampire......I WOULD CRAP MY PANTS!!!!!!! but lol...anyway.... if i did....i would think they looked awesome no matter how ugly or hideous because i have always wanted to see one....and then try and get the werewolf to slightly bite to see if it would work

Ceekur · Post by **Ceekur** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 6:47 pm

MattSullivan wrote:Yes, sex sells.

But if you show a couple werewolves gettin it on...whammo. BESTIALITY!

Yeah. I can picture a potential ww movie with that in it, complete with that b-grade quality throughout the movie and infamous for "that scene" (or has that already been done and I don't know about it?

). I'm not one who finds it necessary for any sex in a movie, regardless of what's doing what. I don't mind wolf/werewolf cuteness though.

In any case, if any movie is going to include two werewolves in bed together, PLEASE just have some class, regardless of what form they're in.

wolf4life · Post by **wolf4life** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 6:49 pm

*tries to imagine....*

hmmm......would it be???

cumulusprotagonist · Post by **cumulusprotagonist** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 6:53 pm

Ok I feel I should make sure people know that looking "sexy" and having sex are not the same thing...

wolf4life · Post by **wolf4life** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 6:57 pm

yah but if you look ugly you aint getting sex and if you look sexy...well you know what comes next

(not to be funny....well ok a little)

Ceekur · Post by **Ceekur** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 7:56 pm

cumulusprotagonist wrote:Ok I feel I should make sure people know that looking "sexy" and having sex are not the same thing...

True, though I was leaning more toward the latter (but not outright love making) in the middle of the second paragraph in my first post. I was referring to the usual skimpy outfits found in vampire games and movies with female leads/vampires.

RedEye · Post by **RedEye** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 9:20 pm

MattSullivan wrote:Yes, sex sells.

But if you show a couple werewolves gettin it on...whammo. BESTIALITY!

Not really: they're both of the same species- Homo Sapiens Lupens.

Now a Werewolf and a Smoothskin... that'd be just plain kinky

Ceekur · Post by **Ceekur** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 10:36 pm

Yes, though I think the impression that scene would have on the audience would depend largely on which form they are in. If only one of them is a were, even in human form, I'm sure some people would still feel iffy about that.

RedEye wrote:Now a Werewolf and a Smoothskin... that'd be just plain kinky

More like that line is just plain funny

(assuming he/she is transformed)

CimaKenzo · Post by **CimaKenzo** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 11:14 pm

So people who like vampires are in it for the sex, and are religious.

Dreamer · Post by **Dreamer** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 11:15 pm

tyger wrote:heh Well turns out Bram Stoker was a very repressed Victorian. Vampirism was to get his desires out and on to paper.. but he couldn't have Dracula going about and Gettin' freaky with dem girls, so he resorted to having the antagonist drinking his victems' blood.

Wow, that's a creepy fetish. there must have been a lot of "Unexplained dissappearances" among his girlfrineds.

wolf4life · Post by **wolf4life** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 11:59 pm

yah...all his girlfriends dissapear and he plays the "im so sad" card about a million times.....are we reallly that stupid?