NEW MOON (THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON)
US, 2009, 130 minutes, Colour.
Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Billy Burke, Michael Sheen.
Directed by Chris Weitz.
What follows is probably a superfluous review – insofar as New Moon is already being hailed as the fastest and vastest pre-booking movie event of all time. Since the four novels by Stephanie Meyer have sold gazillions of copies, the market of teenage girls (and, so we are informed, of 40-something mothers) is at the ready. The first film Twilight was such a success that it was an instant cult movie. A year later, New Moon. And only a wait of seven months before the next sequel arrives, June 2010, Eclipse (and for the astronomically minded, the fourth novel is called Breaking Dawn).
Both screenplays so far have been written by Melissa Rosenberg. She has a great talent for capturing the moods of teenage romance, the language of teens and Chris Weitz (The Golden Compass – as well as American Pie!) has the skills to pace the action and dialogue to the timing and pace for the niche audience. (Which means that many adults are going to find it slow going at first as Bella (Kristen Stewart) lives out the title, mooning intensely for benign vampire Edward Cullen (pallid and passive Robert Pattinson whose heartthrob status will increase exponentially, as they say, with the release of New Moon) who has decided to leave her and the town of Forks in the US northwest. Bella relies on her father (Billy Burke) relies on her best friend, Jacob (an athletic Taylor Lautner) who loves Bella but has personal werewolf problems of his own.
When the huge wolves do appear, the film perks up considerably with some unexpected action and some good special effects.
There is also an excursion to Italy to meet the Volterans, the ancient upper class leaders of the vampire clan, led by Michael Sheen taking time out from being Tony Blair or David Frost (and speaking his lines clearly which can't be said for the leads).
Kristen Stewart is a strong presence as Bella, even if she has to do a whole lot of mournful mooning. Robert Pattinson disappears for a lot of the film except for some brief ethereal apparitions but earns his billing in the final half hour. Taylor Lautner provides a good contrast with the vampire. And the film ends with a finely dramatic question...
So, it looks as though New Moon does exactly what it set out to do, please the huge number of readers, provide a female teenage audience with a film that is theirs, and make a case that, despite the Dracula history, there can be some nice and honourable vampires.
1.The popularity of the novels? The film, Twilight? The adaptation of the novels? The niche female audience?
2.The screenplay designed for readers of the novels, their knowledge of the characters and situations, familiarity, fantasy, romance?
3.The locations in the American northwest, the towns, the forests, the weather? The people? The contrast with Italy, Monte Pulciano for Volterra? The town, bright sunshine, the countryside? The musical score?
4.The focus of the film on Bella, in herself, her age, at school, no mother, her father? Living in Forks? At school, her school friends? The background of her love for Edward, her knowledge of the vampires? With Jacob? The friendship with Alice, the hostility of Victoria and her pursuit? Drawing on her father and his strength?
5.The opening, Bella and her dream, Volterra, the crowds, the people dressed in red, the ceremony? Edward and the danger? Her waking? The later fulfilment of the dream, her flying to Volterra, going through the crowds, the life and death situation, with Alice, the confrontation with Jane and the other vampires? The festival, going into the court, the Volterrans? The president, his response to her, sparing Edward’s life?
6.Bella and her father, at home, his work in the forest, with the Indian friend? The search for the bear? Bella at school, her friends, the camera gift from her mother, the album, photo for the year book? Love for Edward, with him at school? Jacob, his gift, the chain for warding off bad dreams? Her seeing Sam and the other young men? Alice as part of her family, the birthday gifts?
7.Edward and his leaving, the reasons given? The treaty with the werewolves? His wanting to protect Bella? Leaving forever? Appearing to Bella at various times, saving her from the water? Edward as a vampire, his family, Victoria and her jealousy, the pursuit? The confrontation between wolves and vampires?
8.Bella without Edward, her friendship with Jacob, fixing the bike, riding, the crash? Sam and the others and their taunts? Their diving into the water? Her friends, going to the movie, the friend being sick? Jacob and his being transformed into the werewolf? His absence? Bella and her phone calls, finally seeing him, his transformation?
9.The visual of the wolves, the chasing of the vampire, the confrontation with Victoria? The werewolf mythology, the Indian lore? Sam, the other boys, transformations? The girlfriend and the accident to disfigure her face? Jacob and his defending Bella?
10.Bella, driving, her desire for Edward, the decision to dive into the water, the overwhelming wave, her floating, being saved, revived?
11.Alice and the rest of the vampire family, the Cullens, the patriarch? Helping Bella? The vision about Victoria?
12.The decision to go to Italy, the Volterrans, the scenes of their holding court, the power of enabling a vampire to die? The execution? Aro, Edward, Edward’s death wish? Alice’s visions about the future, the love for Bella, Edward living?
13.Bella at the end, her wishing to become a vampire to be with Edward? Edward asking her to wait for three years? The emotion? The final question – “Marry me?” And the audience being left in the air ready for the sequel?
14.The criticisms by religious and social commentators, the alleged moral vacuum, the issue of values, the exploration of this kind of mythologies? Yet the treatment of the relationship as chaste, and idealised for the young audience?
