Vampire films were hardly a rarity in Hollywood, but turning them into a franchise with the kind of money-making potential seen today was sothing else entirely—a prospect so lucrative it was almost criminal.
And so, under Matthew’s investnt strategy,
"Twilight" was born.
The novel series, penned by an ordinary Arican housewife in her spare ti, wasn't wildly popular because its vampires were exceptionally well-crafted. On the contrary, it was a veritable collection of every trope and cliché associated with the genre.
This fit perfectly with Matthew’s formulaic approach to business.
If he played his cards right, he could turn "Twilight" into the romantic equivalent of
"The Lord of the Rings" for the vampire genre.
A film series that would generate maximum profit.
To maximize profits, the film had to be utterly formulaic... no, romanticized to the absolute extre.
Even the smallest lines of dialogue had to be enough to make young girls swoon.
"There are three things I was absolutely sure of. First, Edward is a vampire. Second, there is a part of him—a hidden, unknowable part. And third, I am unconditionally and hopelessly in love with him."
These were the lines Stephenie yer had crafted specifically for Isabella.
TI magazine once described Stephenie yer and her "Twilight" series this way: "Full of a tense love-hate dynamic, yet as refined as Jane Austen, she achieves a new peak in romantic fiction."
In the PG-13 film, the male and female leads of
"Twilight" are so elegant and restrained that the most intense physical contact they share is a simple kiss.
Of course, the film's shortcomings were just as obvious.
With its clichéd plot, slow and placid pacing, and lack of humor, the film failed to build a rich, detailed world with complex character dynamics on par with "Harry Potter" or
"The Lord of the Rings." It remained firmly in the young adult genre, unable to ascend to the level of a true comrcial blockbuster.
Given its budget, the absence of sophisticated special effects could also be counted as a weakness.
Furthermore, Sofia Coppola struggled with the action sequences, which were a significant drawback for the film. When Edward leaped from tree to tree, showcasing his superhuman speed and power, or when Bella clung to his back for a swift journey through the forest, the scenes felt weightless and lacked any semblance of realism.
But none of that was a problem.
The won in the audience at the premiere scread in delight.
The poignant love story between a vampire and a human would undoubtedly draw countless female viewers to the theaters. Young won who treated the "Twilight" novels with the reverence of scripture would empty their wallets for tickets and rchandise.
Matthew was certain they would beco the rabid fangirls of "Twilight"—buying every book, seeing the movie multiple tis, applauding, cheering, and becoming utterly srized.
Most young girls went through a phase where their idea of love was filled with relatively pure fantasies.
Twilight, from novel to film, was essentially a product of that fantasy, and now it served to amplify it.
Essentially, nothing happens in the entire film, and Sofia Coppola's achievent was simply making a story where nothing happens feel incredibly romantic.
After watching the film, Matthew was left with the distinct impression that the plot consisted of male and female models simply walking around the protagonist.
There were also plenty of close-ups, and since the cast was so attractive, the more close-ups, the better.
Even the villains were stunningly beautiful, appearing only for a mont like brilliant flashes of lightning.
The vampires lived in a magnificent house nestled in the mountains and sparkled like diamonds whenever the sun touched their skin.
Sofia Coppola had truly embraced an extre level of romantic wish-fulfillnt to cater to her female audience.
She had once said during post-production that she knew what young fangirls wanted to see because she had gone through that phase herself.
In that regard, female directors had a natural advantage.
It was thanks to such adoration from female fans that the vampire, in literary and cinematic history, had evolved from a primitive monster into the handso figure he was today.
It was hard to pinpoint who first began transforming vampires into a genre defined by male sex appeal. Early cinematic vampires were little more than thinking zombies—conventional villains with grim faces, pitted against righteous heroes.
Since then, as vampires transitioned into protagonists, their aesthetic has gradually improved, adding more than a few touches of villainous chic.
Physiologically, their chronic lack of blood results in a perpetual, grotesque pallor that aligns perfectly with today’s prevailing gothic aesthetic. Genetically, most vampires boast noble origins and superior genes, which, combined with centuries or even millennia of refinent, naturally results in an abundance of beautiful n and won.
Drawing on these traditional requirents, Stephenie yer created the perfect template in the vampire Edward: pale and handso, thoughtful and of noble birth. Like most vampires, he had endured a world of pain for hundreds of years. The key difference was that he was eternally seventeen—an object of universal envy. That single detail was enough to establish a major selling point for
"Twilight."
"Twilight" was a juvenile film—even Matthew couldn't deny it—but many such films often turned into enormous comrcial successes.
Fantasy epics like "Harry Potter" required a certain level of intellectual engagent to be fully appreciated. "Twilight," on the other hand, was a story ant to be experienced purely through the eyes. Engaging your brain would only have the opposite effect, leading you down a path of utter confusion.
***
After the premiere, Matthew faced the public and the dia radiating confidence in
"Twilight." This certainty wasn't based solely on the film itself, but on a clear analysis of market trends.
Since late last year, the Hollywood landscape, long dominated by male-centric films, had undergone a significant shift. Movies targeting a female audience, such as "Enchanted" and "Juno," had achieved solid box office results and made a splash at the Academy Awards. This year, "27 Dresses,"
"Mamma Mia!," and "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" had beco box office sensations, drawing massive crowds. And one couldn't forget May's release of
"Sex and the City," which set a record for a romantic cody debut, earning $57 million almost entirely from female moviegoers!
Hollywood producers were stunned by the success of these so-called "chick flicks"—a derogatory term often used by n to dismiss films made for won. They were discovering that the female audience had long since grown into a market force far exceeding their expectations.
This imnse potential was causing a clear shift in Hollywood's production strategy. At the sa ti, it was the inevitable result of the feminist movent and the rising social status of won.
Therefore, the arrival of "Twilight" was perfectly tid to the current social climate.
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