Vampire aesthetics

[goldenboy]

Just noticed that the whedonesque site has a link to a preview of the new Angel comic that's coming out. Reminded me, I really liked the way the vamps looked in "Fray". Essentially, just humans with fangs, yellow eyes and purplish gray skin.

I never really cared for the look of vamps in the Buffyverse. Basically, human with normal skin tone and a scrunched up face. Sort of like a cat or something. I prefer the classic Lugosi and Hammer film look. Just a very pale human with fangs, still creepy, but more attractive.

Very early on, they'd apply makeup and Angel would look very pasty, like a classic vamp. I wish they'd have gone with the "Fray aesthetic" for the buffyverse TV vamps. Very pale or purplish, no scrunch.

My earliest memory of the scrunched face look is probably from the movie "Fright Night". Remember that one? Also, "The Lost Boys". Seems like it began as an 80's phenomenon. Maybe it goes back further though.

"Nosferatu" wasn't exactly "attractive" was he.

 

[nerd4hire]

With Fray vamps I got that kind of futuristic, after the apocalypse, mutant feel.

The first time I was surfing through the channels and saw a Buffy vamp my immediate reaction was, "that's a little cheesy, and Yuch".

I imagine there were budget and time constraints. Joss obviously wanted to draw an obvious line between the demon and human side of his vamps though, so I think I see where he was going.

That IDW, Angel comic art preview is worth a link:

http://newsarama.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=29345

 

[goldenboy]

Another thing. I think the prosthetic was intended to project "evil". The "evil", animalistic nature of the demon inside. An effort to amp up menace through a permanent scary expression. Ironically, this can backfire I think.

The vamps in vamp mode seem fake, artificial. In effect, expressionless. If the vamps in vamp mode could relax as well as furrow their brows like humans, they'd seem more "real". More threatening, seems to me.

Just think they'd be even freakier and more menacing without all the molded gunk on the face. A moot point, I know.

It would have been neat if their skin color changed and eyes turned yellow and that was it.

Hmm. I'll check out that link...

Do you remember the X-files vampire episode with one of the Wilson brothers? Owen, Luke, not sure. He's the sheriff. Turns out it's a town of vamps. They just had these freaky glowing eyes, that was it. Good vampire look I think.

 

[nerd4hire]

Was that the one where the pizza guy got rumbly in the tumbly, and he started to eat people. Didn't he try to chow down on Scully?

Don't remember the eyes though.

I don't think I've seen the perfect vamp look yet. It would be interesting to see what Whedon could do with a movie budget.

Edit:

Oh hey, what about the Ubey vamps?

 

[goldenboy]

X-files: yup, the nerd pizza guy was a vamp. The vamps had green glowing eyes. Owen/Luke Wilson had these stupid prosthetic buck teeth too, to make him seem like more of a hick I guess. Scully had a crush on him and Mulder was a bit jealous I think.

The uber vamps were kinda like nosferatu, weren't they. Kinda like The Master. I also thought the uber vamps seemed like a rip off of LOTR (the orcs vs the Uruk-hai). Wasn't their technical name even similar to Uruk-hai?

Or I guess it's maybe homage, OK....

Would love to see Whedon vamps with a budget.

 

[nerd4hire]

I found the Camden Toy characterization of the original Ubey kind of interesting. I was seeing bits and pieces of Lon Chaney there - he moved a bit like the "Hunchback of Notre Dame", and there was to me, a bit of a "Phantom of the Opera" look to him in the skin colouring and the darkness around the eyes.

But actually yeah, "Nosferatu", and the general look of the Hellmouth was very LOTR.

 

[goldenboy]

Have you ever seen "The Lair of the White Worm"? With Amanda Donahoe. Ken Russell directed I think. Great movie. Based on a story by Bram Stoker. Amanda's a very scary looking snake demon thing. Blue skin. Yellow eyes and fangs. No prosthetics on the face. Very, very freaky looking and cool. That's what I want in the Whedonverse.