Forums

Posted: 09-03-2002 04:25 Post subject: Vampires

I'm a bit confused on the subject of vampires. I mean, I've read some things and half of them say that (1) vampires are not affected by crosses and holy water (2) if they go into the sun they wont start to really burn as in on fire burn for about three hours in the sun (3) that they have assistants that are half vampires (4) they do have reflections but you cant get a good photo (5) they can be killed other than stakes throught the heart, like bullets and (6) they aren't immortal, but full vampires age a 1/10 the human rate and their assistants age at 1/5 the human rate. The other half says the normal vampire stuff, stakes, sunlight, crosses and holy water, knots and grain, that sorta thing. And also what about the face issue? I mean I believe they probly could exist because I believe that all things are possible.

Posted: 09-03-2002 16:25 Post subject:

I think the simple answer is that vampires are so widely and variously used by so many different traditional worldwide, that there's no one thing than can be said to be true of vampires the world over.
Our western idea of vampires is mostly influenced by Bram Stoker's Dracula: From him sprang Anne Rice novels and Buffy and all our modern images of vampires. And of course, vampires are widely used in fiction, and writers of fiction happily twist folklore to suit their plotlines.
Most of the things you listed are probably thought true in one culture, but not in another.

I'm sure there's some very good books about global vampire beliefs, and someone else can recommend one, because it's not my particular area of expertise Smile

Posted: 09-03-2002 22:37 Post subject:

Actually ,that makes a lot of sense. thanks

Posted: 10-03-2002 23:25 Post subject:

Psychic vampires are the only life suckers out there! Whilst the romanticism of the Hammer-type vampires is atmospheric, I think more time should be spent studying astral forms which are able to draw energy. Some have connected such spectres to the 'old hag' syndrome although science will have us believe that mere sleep paralysis is the explanation, although many people have been 'drawn' whilst awake!
As always, it comes down to the cultures, who depict these forms in their own monstrous ways. It is a bit daft to believe in the undead rising from tombs, but for me psychic forms will exist as wisps of energy which is why many vampire films show the blood-suckers as swirling mists able to creep under doors etc. And I think we all like to think we can repell these 'demons' whether by way of crucifix, prayer, holy water, silver bullet etc.
Read Kostantinoc VAMPIRES:OCCULT TRUTH for true astral horror!

Posted: 30-03-2002 02:16 Post subject:

When I'm depressed I become quite a bit of a vampire myself.

Posted: 30-03-2002 11:00 Post subject:

Yeah, what we know of vampires from Hollywood is just mixing and matching different beleifs. I beleive the whole killing them with silver was a Latvian belief and some other culture must of had a killing them by shooting them through the heart and somewhere along the line it got changed into killing them with a silver bullet through the heart.

Posted: 30-03-2002 16:13 Post subject: Vampire clinic is open

Posted: 30-03-2002 18:41 Post subject:

I like Buffy cus I find it a laugh. The Anne Rice books, well, I tried to read them, but I found them dull, boring, maudlin, and just plain bad. Each to their own. I watched a Biography Channel programme about her last night, which just confirmed my opinion, although she has had some terrible misfortune. It did lead me to wonder whether vampires, like faeries, are pretty much a 'personal' thing these days, hence why some saddos think they all look like the ones in Buffy, and some think it's all Louis and Lestat. Personally, I'm a little old fashioned in my views of vampires.

Anyway, traditionally, IIRC, vampires can't cross running water; don't cast a shadow; are rather boring demonic entities, pretty much like Hollywood zombies; all the 'cross hating, see sunlight and burn' stuff; far more like Nosferatu than Christopher Lee; are hypnotic; only come in when invited - you know, all the usual stuff. Which leads you to wonder what's so interesting about them at all when there's so much they can't do.

Which leads me to another, patently obvious, question - if vampires are repelled by crosses and consecrated stuff, why do they rise from graves? I mean, surely the crosses, holy water sprinkling, hallowed ground stuff would be enough to keep the buggers down:(

Mind you, that would make for the world's shortest horror film. Vamp rises from grave - vamp sees cross above own grave - vamp mutters 'bugger' between pointy teeth - vamp crawls back beneath soil and promptly starves to undeath. The End.

Posted: 30-03-2002 19:47 Post subject:

Chrestomanci, you,ve been reading those Darren Shan books havent you. My nephew read out those passages from his copy so don't claim the credit for coming up with that.

Posted: 30-03-2002 19:47 Post subject: vampires

my take on vampires is that they are etheric beings, not physical ones like buffy. they attack people at night, and look like dark shadows, but they are very strong and have red eyes. they cant cross running water as that is an etheric eraser as well as sunlight. i suppose that is what i believe in. i think this is what most occultists believe vampires to really be, but im unsure.

xander

Posted: 30-03-2002 20:16 Post subject:

The Thing, I'm not "claiming the credit" for that I said I had read some things I just wondered what other people thought on the subject of vampires

Posted: 31-03-2002 04:14 Post subject:

i was always under the impression that traditional vampires where more like zombies that drunk human blood more so than that of a charming man from romania that seduces girls and shags them then kills them.
Perhaps theree is a link between zombies and vampires. Has anyone ever seen the picture of that guy from jamaca or some place that was suppost to be a zombie? if he wasnt he sure was messed up, perhaps a medical condition could explain him also. I have heard cases of dead people moving around and even sitting up after they have passed on.

Posted: 31-03-2002 07:13 Post subject:

I think there's a big difference between the walking dead and the walking catatonic:

http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a990521.html

Posted: 31-03-2002 13:21 Post subject:

Slight tangent here, but has anyone seen Blade II yet? I loved the original Blade, so I'm looking forward to seeing this.

Back on track for a sec, yep, traditionally vamps were mindless undead in search of blood. Nothing remotely pleasant about it at all.

Don't forget Samuel Taylor Coleridge Christabel. Isn't that about a vampire?

Posted: 31-03-2002 18:23 Post subject:

Christabel is a teasing fragment and the lady of that name is certainly
a Gothic type, though I don't think she literally sucks anyone's neck.

If she did, it would be a female one, for she is usually regarded
as a touch Sapphic in her preferences! Surprised