Vampire Chronicles author Anne Rice has started another catfight, well…a vampfight…a batfight…whatever, you get the idea, with Twilight author Stephenie Meyer. Interesting timing considering Twilight: Breaking Dawn is about to make another bajillion dollars at the box office.
Rice took to her Facebook page to call out the author, though not specifically by name. “Lestat and Louie feel sorry for vampires that sparkle in the sun,” said Rice, referring to her vampire characters. “They would never hurt immortals who choose to spend eternity going to high school over and over again in a small town — anymore than they would hurt the physically disabled or the mentally challenged. My vampires possess gravitas. They can afford to be merciful.”
Hot dang! Those are some fighting words!
The Hollywood Reporter recalls that this isn’t the first time Rice has had something to say about Meyer’s top-selling series. “In 2009 she said the series was ‘made for 12 year olds’ and ‘does not entirely make sense.'” In Meyer’s defense, the Twilight series are young adult books, they just happened to have had huge crossover success.
Thousands of comments followed Rice’s Facebook comments with users falling on both sides of the fence. Some agreed with the quality of Meyer’s work while others felt Rice shouldn’t talk on the subject which may be a little too close to home for her. “Ms Rice really shouldn’t throw stones, after she allowed her masterpiece novels to be turned into the most God awful vampire movies in history,” wrote Scott Astley. “It must be hard to see someone else excelling in an area where your popularity is beginning to fade,” wrote Rachel Dehlinger.
Is that what this is? Is Rice experiencing some sour grapes over Meyer’s success? Rice hit it big when her Interview with the Vampire book was adapted into the 1994 film starring Tom Cruise and Bratt Pitt but hasn’t had another film since she was criticized after Queen of the Damned was made into a less than stellar adaptation starring Stuart Townsend and singer Aaliyah.
After the flutter she caused, Rice decided to return and make an ammendment to her previous statements. “There’s plenty of room for a little humour in talking about the various interpretations,” she wrote. I don’t know about you, but her initial statement seemed pretty serious to me.
(via The Hollywood Reporter)
Published: Nov 2, 2011 11:01 am