To tie in with its new bloodsucker series TRUE BLOOD (pictured; see review here), HBO will air two documentary specials about the history of vampires in popular culture beginning September 6. The shows, TRUE BLOODLINES: VAMPIRE LEGENDS and TRUE BLOODLINES: A NEW TYPE, will feature interviews with such genre folks as TRUE BLOOD creator/executive producer Alan (SIX FEET UNDER) Ball and Charlaine Harris, author of the Sookie Stackhouse novels upon which the series is based; directors Joel (THE LOST BOYS) Schumacher and Len (UNDERWORLD) Wiseman; BRAM STOKER?S DRACULA screenwriter James V. Hart; Bela Lugosi Jr. (son of you-know-who); L.A. Banks, author of the VAMPIRE HUNTRESS series; Michelle Belanger, author of PSYCHIC VAMPIRE CODEX; Paul Bibeau, author of SUNDAYS WITH VLAD; historian David J. Skal, writer of HOLLYWOOD GOTHIC; FANGORIA chief Tony Timpone; and several others.
?Of the two shows, VAMPIRE LEGENDS is more historical in scope?Vlad, Bram Stoker, 1931?s DRACULA, etc.?whereas A NEW TYPE picks up where the first show leaves off and deals mostly with certain movies, the vamp lifestyle and myths,? says Riccardo DiLoreto, who produced both documentaries with Brenda A. Elam and serves as a senior writer for HBO Creative Services. VAMPIRE LEGENDS, he notes, examines ?the real and mythical aspects of vampirism,? plus looks at the undead fiends from book to screen. ?This is the folklore that has evolved into the legend delving into the world of vampires in relation to religion and passion.? VAMPIRE LEGENDS also takes the viewer on a journey through the historical, literary and theatrical personae of the infamous Count Dracula and his illegitimate silent-film incarnation NOSFERATU.
Companion piece A NEW TYPE ?goes from myths to movies, a look at the modern-day vampire and its place in pop culture,? DiLoreto says. Films discussed include THE LOST BOYS, BRAM STOKER?S DRACULA and the popular UNDERWORLD films, plus many more. ?A NEW TYPE also offers a discussion of vampire culture, as well as a fun section about the myths/rules of the vampire,? the producer adds.
TRUE BLOODLINES: VAMPIRE LEGENDS and A NEW TYPE will premiere on Saturday, September 6 at 7 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., respectively. They will repeat on Sunday the 7th at 8 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., leading up to the premiere of TRUE BLOOD at 9 p.m. If you want to see TRUE BLOODLINES before then, both shows will debut at HBO On Demand September 1 and run through the end of the year. For more on TRUE BLOOD, see Fango #276 (on sale now) for a set visit feature and #277 (on sale next month) for an interview with star Anna Paquin. Watch this website for an article on the series next week as well.
http://www.fangoria.com/news_article.php?id=7213
