Monday, April 15, 2013

M is for Monster Question

Monster or Love Interest?


I have noticed over the years some different uses of what once was considered "monster" characters. Vampires is an easy example. There are a number of them now that used creatures that have been in horror, sci-fi and fantasy stories, often as the villains, but they do something different. They give them a love story and make them the good guys that people root for them to get their happy ending. So, for today's post lets do a little thing I am calling: Monster or Love Interest?


Vampires:
Twilight is one of a few examples for this first one, and the most obvious. Sure in some of the older ones there was an association with the vampire character (like Dracula) with women, but it wasn't "Oh I hope they get together and can be happy forever" when reading the past approaches to the vampire. But now, the brooding, trying not to eat people, possible main character types are used with the hope of love as part of the plot (though no sparkles, yeah I still don't think that makes sense, lol). So, what do you think? Should vampires be monsters or do they make good love interest characters?

Werewolves:
Another Twilight reference here. Well, he was more the love triangle issue, but from what others I have (I haven't read or watched the movies) he didn't stand much of a chance. But there are others too. I actually liked Shiver, which has a different concept of werewolves and in that case I think it worked. Though I haven't read the rest of the series. It's not always Full Moon, howl and attack. Yet they work as pretty good monsters, as do their similar types "windigos" as one of the few horror movies I've liked, had those in it. Is the werewolf a better love character or monster?

Zombies:
Yep, zombies. Now these I have mostly seen just as monsters. There are many different kinds and stories that involve them. The more familiar ones are movies like Dawn of the Dead and such.  But it turns out there are also stories about zombies in love. Really. Brain eating and romantic walks on the beach. I haven't read any books or seen any movies with these as love interest characters or at least not ones that survive with a happy ending. So, I am not sure how I feel on this one. Are they monsters or good love story characters?


Any other monsters/lovers you have seen?
What do you think?

6 comments:

Susan Kane said...

It seems limiting to have only 3 monsters in the literature and movies.

Dawn Embers said...

Susan Kane - Well, I'm sure there are more monsters, I just didn't spend much time researching them for this post. Or do I know if they were also used as romance character. Though different genres have their own forms too.

Robin said...

Vampires work really well as love interests. Look at how well Joss Whedon used Buffy/Angel and then Buffy/Spike in Buffy The Vampire Slayer. It was always doomed, but it was glorious. It made for a tragic love story. You knew that a vampire and vampire slayer were never going to work out, but man it made for great story. Of course, Angel, even in his spinoff show, was a tragic character, because if he ever was Truly Happy, he lost his soul and became Evil. Ergo, he was the Embodiment of the Tragic Character. Excellent.

I did read the entire Shiver series. I liked the whole thing. It was very well done. It didn't work out well for all of the wolves, but some did get their Happy Ending, so it is possible. So, yes, I would say it is possible. And it did make Very Good Story.

Zombies. No hope there for Romance.

Dawn Embers said...

Robin - I will admit.. I never watched Buffy or Angel. Didn't interest me. I need to check out the rest of the series but I'm trying to read many different authors and series mess that up.

Unknown said...

The first creature that came to mind was Fallen Angels or Nephilim. The example is from the Hush Hush series by Becca Fitzpatrick. I like this type of character. I'm seeing it a bit more lately, and that's fine by me. Keep em coming.

Dawn Embers said...

Julia King - Ah yes, the fallen angel types. Forgot that one.