Twilight...
Twilight is a 2008 American romantic vampire film based on Stephenie Meyer's popular novel of the same name. Directed by Catherine Hardwicke, the film starsKristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson. It is the first film in The Twilight Saga film series. This film focuses on the development of the relationship between Bella Swan (a teenage girl) and Edward Cullen (a vampire), and the subsequent efforts of Cullen and his family to keep Swan safe from a coven of evil vampires.
The project was in development for approximately three years at Paramount Pictures, during which time a screen adaptation that differed significantly from the novel was written. Summit Entertainment acquired the rights to the novel after three years of the project's stagnant development. Melissa Rosenberg wrote a new adaptation of the novel shortly before the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike and sought to be faithful to the novel's storyline. Principal photography took 44 days,[4] and completed on May 2, 2008;[5] the film was primarily shot in Oregon.[6]
Twilight was theatrically released on November 21, 2008, grossing over US$392 million worldwide.[3] It was released on DVD March 21, 2009, and became the most purchased DVD of the year.[7] The soundtrack was released on November 4, 2008.[8] Following the film's success, New Moon and Eclipse, the next two novels in the series, were produced as films the following year.
Twilight is a young-adult vampire-romance novel[3][4] by author Stephenie Meyer. Twilight was initially rejected by 14 agents,[5] but became an instant bestseller when published originally in hardback in 2005, debuting at #5 on the New York Times Best Seller list within a month of its release[6] and later peaking at #1.[7] That same year, Twilight was named one of Publishers Weekly's Best Children's Books of 2005.[8] The novel was also the biggest selling book of 2008[9] and, to date, has sold 17 million copies worldwide, spent over 91 weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list,[10] and been translated into 37 different languages.[11]
It is the first book of the Twilight series, and introduces seventeen-year-old Isabella "Bella" Swan, who moves from Phoenix, Arizona to Forks, Washington and finds her life in danger when she falls in love with a vampire, Edward Cullen. The novel is followed by New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn. A film adaptation of Twilightwas released in 2008. It was a commercial success, grossing more than $392 million worldwide[12] and an additional $157 million from North American DVD sales, as of July 2009.[13]
The project was in development for approximately three years at Paramount Pictures, during which time a screen adaptation that differed significantly from the novel was written. Summit Entertainment acquired the rights to the novel after three years of the project's stagnant development. Melissa Rosenberg wrote a new adaptation of the novel shortly before the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike and sought to be faithful to the novel's storyline. Principal photography took 44 days,[4] and completed on May 2, 2008;[5] the film was primarily shot in Oregon.[6]
Twilight was theatrically released on November 21, 2008, grossing over US$392 million worldwide.[3] It was released on DVD March 21, 2009, and became the most purchased DVD of the year.[7] The soundtrack was released on November 4, 2008.[8] Following the film's success, New Moon and Eclipse, the next two novels in the series, were produced as films the following year.
Twilight is a young-adult vampire-romance novel[3][4] by author Stephenie Meyer. Twilight was initially rejected by 14 agents,[5] but became an instant bestseller when published originally in hardback in 2005, debuting at #5 on the New York Times Best Seller list within a month of its release[6] and later peaking at #1.[7] That same year, Twilight was named one of Publishers Weekly's Best Children's Books of 2005.[8] The novel was also the biggest selling book of 2008[9] and, to date, has sold 17 million copies worldwide, spent over 91 weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list,[10] and been translated into 37 different languages.[11]
It is the first book of the Twilight series, and introduces seventeen-year-old Isabella "Bella" Swan, who moves from Phoenix, Arizona to Forks, Washington and finds her life in danger when she falls in love with a vampire, Edward Cullen. The novel is followed by New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn. A film adaptation of Twilightwas released in 2008. It was a commercial success, grossing more than $392 million worldwide[12] and an additional $157 million from North American DVD sales, as of July 2009.[13]
Twilight
Twilight (novel)Bella Swan moves from Phoenix, Arizona to live with her father in Forks, Washington to allow her mother to travel with her new husband, a minor league baseball player. After moving to Forks, Bella finds herself involuntarily drawn to a mysterious, handsome boy, Edward Cullen. She eventually learns that he is a member of a vampire family who drinks animal blood rather than human. Edward and Bella fall in love, but James, a sadistic vampire from another vampire coven, is drawn to hunt down Bella. Edward and the other Cullens defend Bella. She escapes to Phoenix, Arizona, where she is tricked into confronting James, who tries to kill her. She is seriously wounded, but Edward rescues her and they return to Forks, having killed James.
New Moon
New Moon (novel)Edward and his family leave Forks because he believes he is endangering Bella's life. Bella falls into a deep depression, until she develops a strong friendship with Jacob Black, who she discovers can shape-shift into a wolf. Jacob and the other wolves in his tribe must protect her from Victoria, a vampire seeking to avenge the death of her mate James, by killing Bella. A misunderstanding occurs, and Edward believes Bella is dead. Edward decides to commit suicide in Volterra, Italy, but he is stopped by Bella, who is accompanied by Edward's sister, Alice. They meet with the Volturi, a powerful vampire coven, and are released only on the condition that Bella be turned into a vampire in the near future. Bella and Edward are reunited, and she and the Cullens return to Forks.
Eclipse
Eclipse (novel)The vampire Victoria (James' mate from Twilight) has created an army of "newborn" vampires to battle the Cullen family and murder Bella for revenge. Meanwhile, Bella is compelled to choose between her relationship with Edward and her friendship with Jacob. Edward's vampire family and Jacob's werewolf pack join forces to successfully destroy Victoria and her vampire army. In the end, Bella chooses Edward's love over Jacob's and agrees to marry him.
Breaking Dawn
Breaking DawnBella and Edward are married, but their honeymoon is cut short when Bella discovers that she is pregnant. Her pregnancy progresses rapidly, severely weakening her. She nearly dies giving birth to her and Edward's half-vampire-half-human daughter, Renesmee, but Edward injects Bella with his venom to save her life and turns her into a vampire. A vampire from another coven sees Renesmee and mistakes her for an "immortal child". She informs the Volturi, as the existence of such beings violates vampire law. The Cullens gather vampire witnesses who can verify that Renesmee is not an immortal child. After an intense confrontation, the Cullens and their witnesses convince the Volturi that the child poses no danger to vampires or their secret, and they are left in peace by the Volturi.
Isabella "Bella" Swan
– The protagonist of the series, teenager Bella is a perpetually clumsy "danger magnet" with dark brown hair and brown eyes. She is often portrayed as having low self-esteem and unable to comprehend Edward's love for her. She has an immunity to supernatural abilities involving the mind, such as Edward's mind-reading ability. After her transformation into a vampire in the saga's fourth installment, Bella acquires the ability to shield both herself and others from "mental harm" from other vampires.
Edward Cullen
– Edward is a vampire who lives with a coven of like-minded vampires known as the Cullen family, who feed on animals rather than humans. Over the course of the Twilight series, Edward falls in love with, marries, and then has a child with Bella. At first, Edward feels a mutual hatred toward Jacob Black because of his love for Bella, but in Breaking Dawn, he comes to see Jacob as a brother and friend. Like some vampires, Edward has a supernatural ability: mind reading. It allows him to read anyone's thoughts within a few miles radius. Bella is immune to his power as a human, but learns how to lower this "shield" after her transformation to a vampire.
Jacob Black
– A minor character in the first novel, Jacob is introduced as a member of the Quileute tribe. He resurfaces in New Moon with a much larger role as Bella's best friend as she struggles through her depression over losing Edward. Although he is in love with Bella, she initially sees him as just her best friend. He and other tribe members can shape shift into wolves. In Eclipse Bella realizes that she loves Jacob, though her feelings for him are overpowered by her love for Edward Cullen. In Breaking Dawn, Jacob finds a soulmate in Bella and Edward's baby daughter, Renesmee, ridding him of his heartache for Bella.
THE CULLEN FAMILY
Carlisle is the head and “father figure” of the family. He is about 350 years old, and originally from London. He is respected amongst the vampire world.
Back story: He is the son of a pastor, who was trained by his father to hunt supernatural creatures including vampires. One night he was bitten and left to die. Ashamed, he transformed secretly so that his father would not have to know. From the moment he turned he vowed that he would not succumb to the killing of humans. He’s only bitten his family member while they were humans to save their lives.
Esme is the matriarch of the family. She is married to Carlisle. She is passionate and loving.
Back story: After a failed suicide following the death of her child Carlisle found Esme and could not resist saving her. Once he turned her they fell in love and got married.
Special ability: Has an enormous passion for love.
Edward appears to be 17, but he’s really 108 years old.
Back story: He lost his family during the Influenza epidemic in 1918, but was saved by Carlisle after his mother brought him to the hospital. He becomes incredibly attracted to Bella Swan because her mind is the only one he cannot read. He also finds her blood so tempting it becomes impossible to resist.
Special ability: He can read minds, which is a great power when fighting adversaries.
Rosalie is one of the most beautiful vampires. She is married to Emmett and is the only Cullen who dislikes Bella. She envies Bella for being human. Although she is fierce and protective of the Cullen coven, she would rather be human.
Back story: Rosalie was born into a wealthy family. She was engaged to a wealthy young man whom she thought loved her. One night when she was walking home her rich fiancé and his friends raped her and left her for dead. Carlisle found her on the road and turned her into a vampire. She never chose to become a vampire, and has an undead chip on her shoulder as a result. Three days after her transformation, she hunted down her rapists and killed them all, not even to drink their blood, the only humans she’s killed since.
Emmett is the biggest of the bunch, and the most intimidating. He is married to Rosalie.
Back story: Emmett was hunting in the woods of Tennessee in 1935 when he was badly mauled by a bear. While hunting animals for food, Rosalie found Emmett carried him over 100 miles to Carlisle so that he could transform Emmett. Because Emmett is the newest vamp of the group, he has considerable difficulty controlling his temptations for human blood.
Alice is the most petite of the family. She is playful and caring, loves to shop and throw parties much to Bella’s dismay. Aside from Edward, Alice has the closest relationship to Bella. Alice uses her ability to see the future and help Bella when she is in danger. The two soon come to love each other like sisters.
Back story: Alice vaguely remembers being human. Her earliest memory is waking up as a vampire. Alice later finds out she was born around 1901 in Biloxi, Mississippi and was committed into an asylum because she had premonitions. Alice was changed by a vampire who worked at the asylum in order to protect her from James, a tracker vampire who was hunting her.
Special ability: Alice can see the future, an enhanced version of her ability to have premonitions as a human. She is only able to see the outcome of a decision once it is made. Due to this, decisions made in the spur of the moment cannot be foreseen.
Jasper is older than most of the Cullen members having fought in the US Civil War at the age of 16. He is Alice’s partner and has great fighting skills and strength.
Back story: He was recruited by a vampire called Maria in 1863 to help her train young vampires into a private army to gain territory. As a result of his past and constant fighting, he finds it hard to resist the urge for human blood. Alice met Jasper in a diner in Philadelphia and together they sought out the Cullen family.
Special ability: As a human, he was extremely charismatic and this later enhanced his ability to control the emotions of those around him when he became a vampire.
Back story: He is the son of a pastor, who was trained by his father to hunt supernatural creatures including vampires. One night he was bitten and left to die. Ashamed, he transformed secretly so that his father would not have to know. From the moment he turned he vowed that he would not succumb to the killing of humans. He’s only bitten his family member while they were humans to save their lives.
Esme is the matriarch of the family. She is married to Carlisle. She is passionate and loving.
Back story: After a failed suicide following the death of her child Carlisle found Esme and could not resist saving her. Once he turned her they fell in love and got married.
Special ability: Has an enormous passion for love.
Edward appears to be 17, but he’s really 108 years old.
Back story: He lost his family during the Influenza epidemic in 1918, but was saved by Carlisle after his mother brought him to the hospital. He becomes incredibly attracted to Bella Swan because her mind is the only one he cannot read. He also finds her blood so tempting it becomes impossible to resist.
Special ability: He can read minds, which is a great power when fighting adversaries.
Rosalie is one of the most beautiful vampires. She is married to Emmett and is the only Cullen who dislikes Bella. She envies Bella for being human. Although she is fierce and protective of the Cullen coven, she would rather be human.
Back story: Rosalie was born into a wealthy family. She was engaged to a wealthy young man whom she thought loved her. One night when she was walking home her rich fiancé and his friends raped her and left her for dead. Carlisle found her on the road and turned her into a vampire. She never chose to become a vampire, and has an undead chip on her shoulder as a result. Three days after her transformation, she hunted down her rapists and killed them all, not even to drink their blood, the only humans she’s killed since.
Emmett is the biggest of the bunch, and the most intimidating. He is married to Rosalie.
Back story: Emmett was hunting in the woods of Tennessee in 1935 when he was badly mauled by a bear. While hunting animals for food, Rosalie found Emmett carried him over 100 miles to Carlisle so that he could transform Emmett. Because Emmett is the newest vamp of the group, he has considerable difficulty controlling his temptations for human blood.
Alice is the most petite of the family. She is playful and caring, loves to shop and throw parties much to Bella’s dismay. Aside from Edward, Alice has the closest relationship to Bella. Alice uses her ability to see the future and help Bella when she is in danger. The two soon come to love each other like sisters.
Back story: Alice vaguely remembers being human. Her earliest memory is waking up as a vampire. Alice later finds out she was born around 1901 in Biloxi, Mississippi and was committed into an asylum because she had premonitions. Alice was changed by a vampire who worked at the asylum in order to protect her from James, a tracker vampire who was hunting her.
Special ability: Alice can see the future, an enhanced version of her ability to have premonitions as a human. She is only able to see the outcome of a decision once it is made. Due to this, decisions made in the spur of the moment cannot be foreseen.
Jasper is older than most of the Cullen members having fought in the US Civil War at the age of 16. He is Alice’s partner and has great fighting skills and strength.
Back story: He was recruited by a vampire called Maria in 1863 to help her train young vampires into a private army to gain territory. As a result of his past and constant fighting, he finds it hard to resist the urge for human blood. Alice met Jasper in a diner in Philadelphia and together they sought out the Cullen family.
Special ability: As a human, he was extremely charismatic and this later enhanced his ability to control the emotions of those around him when he became a vampire.
The Cullen Family Crest...
Priscillaxcullen has done some digging around and located the jewelry designers who created the Cullen family crests for the film. These crests are not for sale to the general public yet. (We will be sure to let you knew when/if they become available for purchase.) In the mean time stroll on over to the Artisan’s Designs webpage and see up close detailed images of the crests used in the up coming Twilight film. The are truly spectacular.
Pictured on the website are Esme’s ring, Rosalie’s pendant, Alice’s choker, and the Cullen boy’s wrist band.
For those of you asking, Robyn has put together the historic definitions of the symbols contained in the crest.
Lion - Dauntless courage
Hand - Pledge of faith, sincerity, and justice
Shamrock - Perpetuity
Chevron – Protection; Builders or others who have accomplished some work of faithful service
Pictured on the website are Esme’s ring, Rosalie’s pendant, Alice’s choker, and the Cullen boy’s wrist band.
For those of you asking, Robyn has put together the historic definitions of the symbols contained in the crest.
Lion - Dauntless courage
Hand - Pledge of faith, sincerity, and justice
Shamrock - Perpetuity
Chevron – Protection; Builders or others who have accomplished some work of faithful service
