there's just something about twilight (2008)

There's no denying that the whole twilight saga was revolutionary in a way. But am I the only one who feels like the other four movies in the franchise just don't hit the same as the original twilight?

From the color palette and direction to the pacing and cinematography, there's something about the first movie that feels entirely different from the rest. And of course I can't forget the amazing soundtrack, which only adds to its indie perfection.

The first twilight movie got the audience hooked on vampires and left them desperately wanting more. But despite the franchise's massive success, I don't think any of the sequels ever managed to recreate the very specific atmosphere of the original.

In this blog post, I want to delve a little deeper into the history of Twilight (2008), its production, and the creative decisions that gave the movie its entirely unique vibes

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The original sceenplay for twilight was written by a man named Mark V. Lord. Reading it made me so very grateful for the twilight movie we got because ... the first draft was rough. The script included Bella using bear traps and shotguns to kill the vampires, going full on blade mode and exploding gas tanks with flares, both Charlie and her mom ending up dead and Bella ultimately also ending up being a vampire and getting chased by the FBI. 

bella, wearing her night vission goggles, using a flare to make a fireball explosion to kill laurent

Thankfully, Paramount Pictures' rights to twilight eventually expired before this absolute fever dream of a script could be brought to life. The rights were subsequently acquired by Summit Entertainment, which hired Melissa Rosenberg to write a new screenplay.

Rosenberg later revealed that she drew inspiration from Romeo and Juliet, as well as the 2005 film Brokeback Mountain. Both stories explore the idea of forbidden love, which obviously plays a huge role in Bella and Edward's relationship.

But personally, I think the biggest reason why the first twilight movie has such unique vibes is its direction.

The director, Catherine Hardwicke, was largely responsible for giving twilight its iconic indie feel. Interestingly, she first became curious about twilight after coming across an early version of the screenplay. She then read Stephenie Meyer's novel and became interested in bringing the actual story to life. And you can feel it in the movie, that this was some sort of a passion project for her.

In an interview with GQ magazine, Hardwicke revealed that she intentionally incorporated some "beautiful little nods" to the original book.  As an example she talks about recreating the iconic cover of the original novel, with the two hands cupping an apple or having Stephanie Mayer do a  cameo.

You might also know Hardwicke from her earlier work, particularly her directorial debut Thirteen (2003), which she co-wrote with then 14 years old Nikki Reed (who would later go on to play Rosalie in the twilight saga).

I think knowing a little about Hardwicke's earlier work makes it easier to understand why twilight feels so different from the movies that followed.

Hardwicke's artistic direction, in my opinion, captures the atmosphere of the novels better than any of the sequels. When you actually pay attention and look past the occasional campiness, you'll notice that the movie is just objectively beautifully shot.

Hardwicke's attention to detail makes twilight feel authentic. Every shot feels intentional and carefully thought out, and she managed to turn Forks into the iconic place we all associate with the franchise today. The scenic shots of the gorgeous PNW landscapes only add to the movie's already enchanting atmosphere.

It's pretty insane how Hardwicke managed to create something so visually memorable and iconic on such a limited budget.

One of my favorite things about the movie is, obviously, its soundtrack. The song choices were largely influenced by Stephenie Meyer's own musical taste. While writing the novels, she listened to bands like Linkin Park, Muse and My Chemical Romance.

Muse is also the band behind Supermassive Black Hole, the song that plays during the infamous baseball scene. 

Btw, you can still listen to Stephenie Meyer's original twilight playlist on spotify! You can find it here click

And of course, the movie's original score deserves some recognition too. I think bella's lullaby is absolutely beautifully composed.

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I think what makes twilight so special is that it doesn't feel like your typical hollywood blockbuster. It's campy, sometimes really awkward and silly (hold on tight spider monkey) but ultimately charming entry to the franchise.

And while I do really like the rest of the saga, I just can't help but feel like something was lost along the way. The franchise grew bigger, Hardwicke declined to direct the rest of the movies and in turn they became more polished, losing some of that indie charm that made the original so memorable.

Catherine Hardwicke deserves so much more credit for what she created. She turned the original novels into something with such a distinct visual identity and now almost two decades later, twilight is still trending, the blue tint, the wardrobe, the soundtrack - so many people are still so obsessed with it (obv. me included)

Anyway, this was my little love letter to the original twilight movie. I'd love to know whether you agree with me or if you actually prefer one of the sequels!

Sincerely,

Teresa