Vampire Wedding Journal

This week the Castalides Pictures production team are headed to Cannes for the film festival with Vampire Wedding.

Festival de Cannes is an annual film festival, which is held at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès in Cannes, France. It was created to ‘draw attention to and raise the profile of films with the aim of contributing towards the development of cinema.’

There are many different aspects of the festival. The main purpose is to show new films from all over the world and every genre. There are different sections for which juries are chosen to pick the top films. These include In Competition, where twenty films are chosen to compete for the Palme d’or (Golden Palm), Un Certain Regard, where twenty films are selected from different cultures, and Short Films, where the short films compete for The Short film Palme d’or.

Jurors are chosen from a vast array of international artists. Members of this year’s juries include Ewan McGregor (Feature Films), Jean-Paul Gaultier (Feature Films) and Tim Roth (President of the Un Certain Regard Jury).

Another large part of the festival is the Marche du Film. The busiest movie market in the world, it is hosted by 600 exhibitors, and with more than 100 countries involved it shows the diversity of the music industry.

Every year at the festival, famous people from the film industry are invited to give their own masterclasses. This year American director and screenwriter Philip Kaufman, French film composer Alexandre Desplat and veteran Norman Lloyd will be speaking about their work. The audience will have a chance to ask questions in the Q&A after.

Each year at the Festival de Cannes there are also exhibitions focused around one subject or artist. This year the subject is Glamour.

Now the most publicised festival in the world, this year the 65^th Festival de Cannes runs from the 16^th to the 27^th of May, with the awards being given out at the closing ceremony on the 27^th.  For more information go to www.festival-cannes.fr/en.html.

It looks like this year is going to be a good one for vampire movies. Not only will we see the final instalment of the Twilight Saga, but also we finally get to see Johnny Depp as a vampire in Tim Burton’s latest masterpiece. Here are some of the upcoming films of this year.

Dark Shadows

This week sees the release of the latest collaboration from Tim Burton and Johnny Depp. It is the story of a 200-year-old vampire who is accidentally released after a witch imprisoned him. Mixing cruelty with comedy, this is definitely one for the real vampire fans, and of course fans of the many manifestations of Johnny Depp.

Dark Shadows will be in UK cinemas on May 11^th.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

Another film involving Tim Burton, this time producing, it is the fictional tale of the 16^th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. His mission is to slay the creatures that killed his mother and foil their plot to take over the USA.

Based on a novel by Seth Grahame-Smith (who also wrote the screenplay), this film combines action, horror and one big axe.  Director Timur Bekmambetov is famous for the films Day Watch and Night Watch, so he knows his vampires. Benjamin Walker stars as Lincoln.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter will be in UK cinemas on August 3^rd.

Breaking Dawn: Part 2

The Twilight Saga is finally reaching the finale. Seen as one of the greatest vampire love stories, which has created a new breed of vampire super fans, is has caused conflict and disagreements in the vampire community. We’ve seen everything we thought we knew about vampires forgotten with these films.

There is still a while to wait as the film doesn’t come out until near the end of the year though. Let’s hope it doesn’t disappoint.

Breaking Dawn Part 2 will be in UK cinemas on November 16^th.

Vamps

This is the story of two female vampires in New York. They have to figure out their complicated lives when they fall in love whilst also being tracked by two vampire hunters.

Starring Krysten Ritter and Alicia Silverstone as the vamp girls Stacey and Goody, this comedy is set to be released this year. But there is no official release date yet.

Yet another extraordinary collaboration of Tim Burton and Johnny Depp, Dark Shadows is the latest vampire film to grace our cinemas.

Based on a gothic soap opera broadcast from 1966 to 1971, it is the story of Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp) who was turned into a vampire and imprisoned by a witch (played by Eva Green) after her broke her heart. 200 year old Barnabas is freed be accident two centuries later and finds himself in the ruin that was once his glorious mansion, which is now run by his dysfunctional descendants.

This fantasy comedy film has a star-studded cast, with Michelle Pfeiffer as head-of-house Elizabeth Collins Bouchard, Chloe Moretz (Kick Ass, Let Me In) as her rebellious teenage daughter and Alice Cooper as himself. Another familiar face from previous Tim Burton films is Helena Bonham Carter. She plays Elizabeth’s live-in psychiatrist Dr. Julia Hoffman.

Four of the actors, Jonathan Frid, Lara Parker, David Selby and Kathryn Leigh Scott, from the original Dark Shadows series make cameo appearances in the film. Jonathon Frid, who played the original Barnabas Collins, died on April 13^th 2012.

Depp said, “Jonathan Frid was the reason I used to run home from school to watch Dark Shadows. When I had the honor to finally meet him, as he so generously passed the torch of Barnabas to me, he was as elegant and magical as I had always imagined.”

It is a must-see film for all vampire lovers. Watch the trailer here!

Dark Shadows, a Warner Bros production, is the eighth collaboration between Johnny Depp and Tim Burton.

Just in time for the 100^th anniversary of the Titanic tragedy a new book has been published telling a rather different story of that night.

Written by Matt Forbeck, this is the story of the survivors who were rescued by the crew of the passenger steamship, Carpathia. But there is a cruel addition to this story. Vampires.

The actual sinking of the Titanic is not a main part of the story. It is over by the end of page one. Then it gets gruesome. Wired.com described it as, “Very dark. Seriously Twisted…. He took those poor souls that survived the Titanic’s sinking and decided to make their lives a little more terrifying. He mixed history with horror, and probably did it with a sly grin on his face as he typed up Carpathia.”

Not only do the vampires seem like they have just walked out of a Bram Stoker Novel, some of the characters in the book are also loosely based around characters from Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

But Forbeck didn’t totally change history in his book. Some of the talk between the Captain and crew of the Carpathia was taken from historical notes of the actual event.

This novel proves that vampires are still the horrific bloodthirsty creatures we remember them as. It is definitely a book for vampire fans, but not for the faint-hearted.

Dear Vampire Wedding fans!

thank you for  posting your amazing pictures and for making Vampire Wedding casting competition the biggest and the most talked about vampire competition out there!

Today, we have a great announcement  to make: since we want to make all of you part of the all project we have decided to give you all the opportunity
to showcase your vampire impression/video/short directly on the VAMPIRE WEDDING website regardless on whether you’ve recently posted your pictures or not.

So far we have used the Vampire Wedding Facebook page as a platform for you to showcase your vampire impression/video/short and to take part to the
Global Vampire Wedding Casting competition, now we would like to offer all of you direct exposure onto the Vampire Wedding website where you can join the competition or simply become a fan of Vampire Wedding by creating your account, logging in posting your pictures, comments and especially vote and get your friends and admirers  to vote for you


Being on the website means you ll gain immediate exposure  among press and industry people in addition to anyone who visit the website to find out more
about Vampire Wedding!

The voting system is very important and you should get as many friends as possible to support your entry!

We are also pleased to announce the new Vampire Wedding Face of the Week:

ALECAND LAUREN LYDIA

Lydia has posted some very impressive pictures! Congratulation Lydia!
Lydia’s Vampire Wedding face of the week banner is now on the website.

Check it out!

www.vampire-wedding.com

We look forward to seeing you on the VAMPIRE WEDDING website.

HUGS & BITES!
THE VAMPIRE WEDDING TEAM

Easter is a time when all the cute little chicks and lambs are born, when kids go on Easter egg hunts and the Easter Bunny visits. With the days getting longer and the evenings getting lighter, the vampires can’t be too happy.

Although they may like the hunting part, as it is unlikely that they eat chocolate, what would they exchange instead of eggs? What about a vampire Easter bunny?

At EggManLand you can buy your own custom made painted Easter eggs. How cute is this sleeping vampire egg?

There is also this evil egg box of angry little gothic eggs. Even with their little red eyes they are still quite cute.

If they aren’t cute enough for you, take a look at this adorable black and red stuffed toy Easter Bunny. It’s cute enough to give as an alternative Easter gift, with a bit of a bite!

Having an Easter party or planning your own Easter egg hunt? This pretty pink Vampire Bunny Printable Set contains name tags and things to decorate your eggs or anything else you want. It is perfect for any vampire kiddies wanting to celebrate Easter with their friends.

For the more traditional vampires jewellery might be a better gift for Easter. This gothic, Carved Bead Ring would flatter any dark vampire princess.

If you want to deliver your Easter eggs in style you need this beautiful Black Rose Basket. It comes with elegantly painted clay eggs, and would work as a decorative piece or to carry your own Easter eggs.

With this Vampire Bunny Hat, your vampire bunny outfit is complete and you are ready to deliver your eggs!

To mark the 100^th year Anniversary of Dracula creator Bram Stoker’s death, the Horror Writers Association in conjunction with the Stoker family estate created the one-off award, Vampire Novel of the Century.

It was I am Legend that bet the likes of Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot and Anne Rice’s Interview with a Vampire to the prize.

Unfortunately the author of the novel, 86 year old Richard Matheson, could not attend the Bram Stoker awards ceremony, in Salt Lake City, this weekend to receive his award as he was ill. But he did send a video message thanking his fellow horror writers for the honour.

Anne Rice, who also wrote Lestat, congratulated Richard Matheson on her Facebook page, and said that he had “been an inspiration to me and to so many. He is a legend himself.”

After planning her special day around the famous Cullen wedding, from Breaking Dawn Part 2, Abigail Kirk and her fiancé Andy Weeks decided to go one step further. She said, “I never liked Andy’s last name… and wasn’t excited about taking it on, but he felt strongly that we share the same last name.”

It was Andy (who by the way has never even read the Twilight books) who suggested they change their names to Cullen. But he wasn’t so quick to tell his parents. Abigail, who told her parents weeks ago, had to make him call his parents to inform them of his name change.

The actual wedding featured songs from the Breaking Dawn soundtrack, bouquets designed as similar to Bella’s as possible and vampire coven table names. The head table of course was the Cullen’s.

The one thing she didn’t think she could get was the dress. Alfred Angelo’s replica of Bella’s gown wasn’t available until after the wedding. But luckily for her, a store near her home in Dorset was willing to sell her a sample, which was not yet available to the public. As she already had her own wedding dress, she wore the ‘Bella Dress’ to the reception.

She said that although the movie was used as inspiration, their wedding was still personal to them.

For the full story and more photos click here.

Finally the warm weather is here. It’s time for us to dig out the shorts and sandals, and for our vampire friends to hide away. But they won’t have to spend the whole summer in their coffins if they read these 10 ways to stay alive in the sun.

1.      Umbrella

Although humans use these to keep dry in the rain, they can also be used to keep the sun away. Having a giant umbrella ensures that you have shade wherever you go. ‘To promote the American hit series ‘True Blood’ these custom umbrellas were designed to protect vampires from the light of day.’

2.      Sun Screen

Even if they don’t burst into flames in the sunlight, vampires’ pale skin will be very sensitive to UV rays. Garnier Ambre Solairehas a sun cream with SPF 50+. That should be enough to block out the sun.

3.      Sunglasses and Cap

Not only will you look cool in the sun, sunglasses protect your eyes from UV rays. As vampires’ eyes are more used to the darkness, big dark glasses are the key to survival in the sun. The Vampire Wedding cap worn backwards would keep the sun off the back of their necks. This is an important place to keep in the shade to cool down the body.

4.      Cover Up

The vampire cape will come in handy in the sun because it is better to be covered up. Not only will it protect their skin, they will also be cooler. That’s why people in hot countries tend to cover up.

5.      Wear Light Colours

Vampires may want to think about changing the colour of their capes. Light colours like white and pastel colours reflect the sun, whereas darker colours absorb the sunlight.

6.      Stay Inside and Close the Curtains.

Keeping the curtains closed keeps the room cooler as no sunlight can get in. It will be just like being in a cool crypt at night.

7.      Water Spray

As long as it isn’t holy water, a nice mist of water every so often will keep a vampire cool, and stop them overheating.

8.      Drink a Lot

Body temperature blood may be too warm in this weather. Vampires should think of keeping a stash in the fridge. Or frozen blood could make a nice slushy.

9.      Go to the Cinema

Have you noticed that it is always cooler in the cinema? Plus it’s dark too. Although there aren’t any vampire movies in the cinema at the moment, The Devil Inside would be a good horror film to watch.

10.  Remember Hot Air Rises

Maybe it would be best to for vampires to stay in their coffins after all. Or if they have a basement that would be cool enough to hide out for a while. Also, they would be cooler lying down than standing up as hot air rises.

Ten Second Teaser of the New Breaking Dawn (Pt. 2) Movie.

Twihards gather round for a first look at Breaking Dawn - Part 2!

Although it is only a ten second clip of the last film in the Twilight Saga, it is the first chance you get to see a glimpse Bella (Kristen Stewart) as a vampire tearing through the trees. We also get to see the gorgeous Jacob (Taylor Lautner) and Edward’s (Robert Pattinson) reactions to her. Click here to see it.

It does not reveal very much for those who haven’t read the Twilight books. But this Monday, the 26^rd March, at 10am GMT the full trailer will be released online.

Sadly we still have a while to wait to see the actual film.

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 will be in cinemas on the 16^th November 2012.

With just under a month to go until Valentine’s Day there is the dilemma of what to get for your loved one. Flowers, chocolates and teddies are so cliché. So here are some amazing vampire-themed gifts to give to your undead lover.

Give your partner the key to your soul with one of these. Blood Vial Gift Sets. They can be a great gift to link you and your partner together forever. You get the choice of test tube, fang or tear-drop shaped vials.

Or maybe you want a romantic candlelit meal on Valentine’s night. If so you should splash out on some Vampire Wine for the occasion. Choose between the Immortal Zinfandels and the Dracula Pinot Noir. Or you could curl up with a glass of Chateau du Vampire, Truffle Popcorn and scary movie. The popcorn is made with Black Périgord Truffles, the most expensive French Truffle.

Want to show your love for your vampire with a vampire T-shirt? You could buy this one for yourself. Or are you a vampire who wants to keep tabs on your human. It would make a good gift for them. “Once you go vampire, you never go back!”

If you want to buy your vampire mistress a nice piece of jewellery try After Dark Jewelry. With handcrafted necklaces, earrings, bracelets, rings, so many pretty vampire things, there is a lot to choose from. This blood-red Burning Embers Pendant is perfect for any vampire lover.

If you want a more modest necklace you could try our own Vampire Wedding store. The heart-shaped Vampire Wedding necklace has the simple VW design and is modest enough to wear with anything.

Or if you are feeling a bit cheekier, you could buy these Vampire Wedding panties for your vampire lady. The white thong with the Vampire Wedding logo could spice up your night in.

As Twilight has become one of the best vampire love stories, no wonder they also provide Valentine’s treats. If you do want to buy chocolates for Valentine’s Day try the New Moon Chocolate Sky Bar Gift Box. Maybe you don’t have your very own Edward Cullen but these Twilight Sweethearts Candy Conversation Hearts “Edward” box are an adorable addition to any Valentine’s Day. They have little messages like ‘I love EC,” “Dazzle” and “Bite Me.” So for a Vampire Valentine’s Day think late-night, dark, candlelit meals, deep red roses and maybe pop on a Dracula movie.

May all the vampires have a Bloody Merry Christmas

Angelyne Argyle, the vampire queen starring in Vampire Wedding as Sophia’s main antagonist, is plotting to take over the world, but there is some other vampire who has already succeeded to take over United Kingdom: the Royal Family.

Prince Charles said to be related to Vlad the Impaler, the Romanian prince who lived in 15^th Century and is well known to have inspired the story of the most famous vampire ever, thanks to his nickname Dracul.

This statement was released by the heir to the British throne during a world tour promoting various eco-friendly causes, including preserving the forests of Romania’s Transylvania region.

Some historians in fact believe Vlad the Impaler was a relative of Queen Mary, consort of George V.

As a further proof they also point out that porphyria has run in the Royal Family. Porphyria is a disease related to iron deficiency, thought to lie behind the vampire myth.