8th: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
This show is probably the first love of all vampire fans. The only people who dislike it are the ones who were decided on forming a quick decision against it without even giving it a chance.
The writer Josh Whedon has come up with one of the funniest TV show out there and its compelling story will keep you coming back for more. Buffy has it all – it`s a wonderful blend of humor, action, adventure, a pinch of science fiction and romance.
Breaking the convention
Josh Whedon has broken the convention in creating Buffy – the character. She`s not the annoying pretty victim that always has to be saved or somehow manages to survive by a stroke of luck.She doesn`t fall and twist her ankle when running from psychos and demons and then someone else has to jump in and save her, usually our favorite character that ends up dying for her sake.
We won`t have any reasons to get angry, as this Buffy is the exact opposite of the whole helpless damsel in distress concept. She also doesn`t play the magical powers card on us, so we won`t see her miraculously set vampires on fire when she`s driven to a corner and about to die. Her started pack includes only speed, dexterity and her ability to recognize vampires around her.
Story
For the first time we follow the characters or a longer time frame than we expect. We start with Buffy in high school. After burning down her old school`s gym (hope you weren`t expecting Buffy to be the shy nerd type), Buffy moves to Sunnydale where she hopes she can get a break from her Slayer duties.
You can imagine things don`t go her way and her new supervisor is only complicating her life, but the new friends she made won`t let her go through everything alone.
So with this foundation set in place, the emotional stakes will keep raising higher and higher so you`d better prepare yourself for it. Buffy’s story has a huge arch that many can relate to, she starts from scratch and achieve success in both her “career” and her personal life.
Cast
We`d think there was a real war going on between the people auditioning for this cast, but when you look into it more, you`ll notice it was either a strike of luck or just out-witting the competition. For example, there have been many actresses who fought over the role of Buffy Summers, including Julie Benz, Julia Lee, Elizabeth Anne Allen, but they were given other characters.
The big pot, however, is won over by Sarah Michelle Gellar, who ironically was auditioning for another role. But this change in plans worked like a charm for her and the TV show brought Gellar a much deserved pair of awards: 6 Teen Choise Awards, the Saturn Award and a Golden Globe Award.
The fight wasn`t tight just for the Buffy role, Nathan Fillion and David Boreanaz competed for the role of Angel, however Fillion was too late and he was cast in another part and even if Nicholas Brendon had little acting experience he still landed the role of Xander Harris, despite other competitors like Ryan Reynolds and Danny Strong. Alyson Hannigan stole the role of Willow Rosenberg right from under Riff Regan`s nose by coming up with an unique interpretation that switched the odds in her favor.
7th: From Dusk Till Dawn
Those who loved the movie will be absolutely thrilled to find out that there`s a new, expanded version of one of their favorite vampires story. Some fans might say that redoing the whole thing is a silly idea, but when you consider how much the movie industry evolved since 1996, who wouldn`t be curious to watch what they can do out of the movie now!
Robert Rodriguez’s re-imagined supernatural story seems to move oh, so slow compared to the movie, but that only gives us time to notice all the new features.
Movie vs Series
At first it seems that the series is having a hard time distinguishing itself from its original, but you will also notice that it offers more details and time for concepts to sink in. The remake sticks to the original story, the violent Gecko brothers encounter trouble at a gas station as they were running from the law.
Things become violent very quickly and you find yourself kept on your toes as the episode is seasoned with a couple of flashbacks that make you feel like you`ll never get to see the end of it.
They might have used the movie as a starting point, but the series are not the same thing. This spin on comes with a whole new set of twists of events and a background that is more sinister than you`d think.
The first season gets a bit rocky at some point, but old fans should enjoy the new additions. The show grows on you as the plot progresses and it makes you expect even greater things to come from the next set of episodes. Robert Rodriguez manages to stay true to his characters and even if you already are familiar with the story, he will find a way to surprise you.
Old vs New
There has been much debate on D. J. Cotrona taking over George Clooney`s role in this series. The young actor is considered to be living any Rodriguez`s fan dream. It might have been his long affinity for horror movies that landed him this role and helped him deliver it successfully.
However, Clooney`s shoes are quite big to fit into, as Cotrona confessed during an interview: ” If I thought about it too much it would be pretty daunting“, but he found a most remarkable source for his confidence boost (he said: “When Robert Rodriguez looks at you and says “You’re my guy,” you believe him.“)
When we get to the second Gecko brother, things become a bit easier. Zane Holtz might not be backed up by the same charm cult that Quentin Tarantino had, but you can easily see he`s the better actor for this role. When Holtz took over the role, his version of the character is given a more interesting twist than the simple creepy, perverted one that Tarantino had. Just what exactly haunts him, you will have to watch and find out.
There`s a tight battle over the provocative role of Santanico Pandemonium that launched both Eiza Gonzalez and Salma Hayek’s careers in the Hollywood world. Initially, this role is what helped Salma make a name for herself in the US, and apparently Gonzalez is also walking down that path, the director describing her performance as magnetic. Since they both were at their best in the role, the only thing left to decide is, of course, who is the sexiest Swomen?