'Speed Racer' Comes with a Side Dish of 'Twilight'

If it's any indication of their appeal, neither one of these films is on my list, and I'll see damn near anything.

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I compare the readers of Twilight to the readers of Pride & Prejudice. Note, I'm not comparing the literary substance of the books but merely their ability to create downright fantaticism for the story and the main couple.

Woman and teenagers alike don't just read the books, they read then re-read, then re-read them again. The potential for this film stems from that. Those that have been waiting for the film adaptation will see it over and over again just like they've read certain passages from the book hundreds of times. I feel the movie will benefit from the Titanic effect in that girls and women alike won't blink at watching this film 5-6 times just to see Robert Pattinson brood for two hours.

I really truly believe Summit is going down the same path that another little studio New Line did with the tiny film called, Lord of the Rings. I'm not suggesting that Twilight will bring in those kinds of numbers. That's an impossibility, but it will bring in enough revenue for Hollywood to take notice. By the time New Moon (the second in the series comes out) everyone will be familiar with the story and Stephenie Meyer.

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The Hannah Montana Concert Tour grossed over $65 million in theaters on a limited run to a market of primarily pre-teen girls.

Twilight has a huge fan base (mostly women and girls, but that doesn't mean guys can't enjoy it -- my husband loves the books), but it's not age-specific. The age range of the fan base ranges from pre-teens to grandmas, and there is a very large fan base of women over 25, who you can bet your buttons will be dragging husbands and boyfriends to it.

I think this film is going to seriously surprise those who aren't in the "Twilight Loop."

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In my opinion, the Twilight "explosion" is because it is busting out of the "age and gender-specific appeal." It's not just for teenage girls anymore. They started it, and then got their friends reading, their brothers, their dads, their moms (I found this article through TwilightMoms!)... now guys are reading out of sheer curiousity (or like you, feel "duty bound to read" :D). Thanks for the article Eugene!

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How explosive can Twilight be given its age and gender-specific appeal?

That’s just it- it's not gender or age specific. I know males and females from 12-60 who are fascinated with this book series. The movie may appeal to teenage girls/boys who have not read the book for the "hotties" and action. But the majority of the people seeing this movie are fans of the book.
I KNOW the description of the movie/book sounds cheesy. But there is something about the way Stephenie has written this series that just draw you in, you can’t get enough. You NEED to know what happens next, its an addiction. Because of the addiction, the fans (addicts) are willing to do just about anything- which includes paying money to see a trailer.
Will it be Harry Potter? I don’t think so; Harry Potter is the highest grossing film series of all time. Could it come close to Harry Potter fame? Possibly. As a fan of the book, I am not expecting an award winning movie. I am just excited about seeing the book come to life. A lot of the reports are misleading about the fanbase- it has nothing to do with who is playing the characters and how HOT they are. Seeing Bella’s reaction to her “new” truck is just as important as their first chastised kiss or seeing Edwards reaction to the sun.

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Grrrr . . . I was holding out hope that the Half-Blood Prince teaser was going to be attached to Speed Racer. It seemed like the perfect fit and that teaser is well overdue; we got the OotP teaser about eight months before the movie came out and now we're down to less than seven months before the HBP release. I don't suppose there's much chance they'd have the initial showing of both the Twilight and Harry Potter trailers with the same movie.

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Vampires do have some sort of bizarre appeal, it seems. I can't imagine why; they give me the willies.

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Hi Eugene, thanks for posting this. Kim Voynar is right, this movie is going to be big. Not just b/c of teen girls tho', from the looks of what we have seen from the various media outlets, i.e. MTV, this movie will have lots of action that will attract the guys. Then there is the eternal love story that will attract the older demographic as well. Big...this movie will be big!

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I think the appeal of these books is so much more than just vampires and teen love. The love story is very intense, despite what people describe as "age specific". Just because the story doesn't have them jumping into bed with each other within the first 5 pages, doesn't mean it is without substance or appeal. The melding of Ms Meyers personal vision of the vampire world and a romance is absolutely engaging, but the story has in my opinion a deeper meaning. The struggle that Edward Cullen is dealing with, isn't just should or shouldn't he pursue this intriguing young girl that he initially wanted to kill. He is also struggling with what we all struggle with; God, morality, heaven, hell, accountability, forgiveness, and of course eternity. Living with Carlisle has definitely given him a taste of humanity. But can that change what he is? The fact that he reacts so contrary to that humanity when he catches Bella's scent, is testimony to the internal dilemma he battles, and, it is at least to me obviously a battle that he has been fighting, even before the apperance of Bella. Then there is the eternal struggle, good vs evil, even in the vampire world. The nomads, the Volturi, all elements of the "dark" side that the Cullens have forsaken. Then there is the werewolves! The classic Romeo & Juliet, Hatfield & McCoy's, Greaser's vs Soc's conflict. The lines of an uneasy truce between the Cullen's and werewolves becomes fuzzy when Bella is added to the mix.
So to make a long comment a little longer, this simple vampire to human love story, has many facets to it. I usually avoid these types of books, but after reading the first book, I promptly bought 2 & 3, and happily devoured them. I love all the aspects, and underlying dynamics of this story, and I think that those that glibly say it cannot compete with Harry Potter & Lord of the Rings, the latter of which I am a lifelong fan, may have a lot of crow to eat come December.
Thanks for your patience!

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