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Have your own news story? Post it here: True Blood News - Fan Input Have your own commentary? Post it here: True Blood News - Issue #5 |
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07/25/2009 ~ | |||||||||
07/25/2009 | |||||||||
| Excuse me?!? This vamp needs to work on his femoral artery sucking techniques! From LATimes.com: Park Chan-wook's 'Thirst' is a vampire film sans cliches The director offers an Eastern take on a largely Western genre.  When Park Chan-wook set out to make his vampire movie "Thirst," he wanted to leave out the garlic cloves, opera capes, wooden stakes and other moldy genre stereotypes. Neither did he intend to add to the current glut of angsty-teen, blood-sucking fables with gorgeously buff heroes and heroines, such as "Twilight" and "True Blood.""In the West, there has been this great accumulation of cliches in vampire movies," the South Korean writer-director said by phone, speaking through an interpreter. "So just by taking these cliches out, I thought I could come up with something unique." If for no other reason, "Thirst" should be remembered as apparently the first vampire flick in which the protagonist is an Asian Roman Catholic priest who actually feels guilty for his plasma-slurping ways. Played by leading Korean actor Song Kang-ho, this modest man of the cloth accidentally becomes a sensualistic nocturnal predator when he nobly volunteers for a vaccine experiment that's intended to curb a deadly virus. //'); document.write(''); if (google_info.feedback_url) { document.write(''); } document.write('Ads by Google'); if (google_info.feedback_url) { document.write(''); } document.write(""); // For text ads, display each ad in turn. // In this example, each ad goes in a new row in the table. if (google_ads[0].type == 'text') { for(i = 0; i '); document.write('' + google_ads[i].line1 + ''); document.write(''); document.write(google_ads[i].line2); if (google_ads[i].line3 != null && google_ads[i].line3 != '') { document.write(' '); document.write(google_ads[i].line3); } document.write(''); document.write('' + google_ads[i].visible_url + ''); document.write(''); } } // Finish up anything that needs finishing up document.write(" "); } // Google Adsense Configurations google_ad_client = 'ca-tribune_news3_html'; google_ad_output = 'js'; google_max_num_ads = '3'; google_ad_channel = 'latimes_articles_inline'; google_ad_type = 'text'; google_kw_type = 'broad'; google_color_line = 'ff0000'; google_safe = 'high'; google_feedback = 'on'; google_page_url = 'http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-ca-thirst26-2009jul26,0,3685150.story'; // google_skip='3'; // google_last_modified_time = Date.parse(parent.document.lastModified) / 1000; // google_referrer_url = document.referrer; //]]> [Continue reading...] 07/24/2009 ~ http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-ca-thirst26-2009jul26,0,3685150.story | |||||||||
| From the UK's Independent: On my mind: Rhiannon Harries sinks her teeth into the disturbing sexuality of the modern vampire Sunday, 26 July 2009  Trust vampires to whip up a bit of mass hysteria. They were at it in the 1700s, sending Europe into a frenzy of alleged sightings and grizzly exhumations. This time around, the sightings – on TV, in films, on the cover of a 3-for-2 paperback – are real enough, but we know vampires are not. Yet somehow the craze has taken on global proportions and been heralded with glee by the media.Viewing figures for steamy US TV series True Blood (pictured) and reams of internet silliness eulogising Robert Patterson – aka Ed Cullen, brooding hero of tweenage saga Twilight – confirm we are hooked. And, predictably, women are worst afflicted. The best anecdotal evidence comes via an acquaintance, who recounted the tale of a friend who left her husband to look for someone "more like Ed Cullen". (How many guys with an eternity of sexual experience in a teen's body are there on Match.com?) Extreme though it may be, this example illustrates the overwhelming seductiveness we are told distinguishes modern vampires from old-school portrayals of gothic spookiness or camp silliness. "Bela Lugosi they aren't," winked the New York Times recently – and it's right: this lot are much more disturbing. The idea of the vampire traditionally attracted and repelled in equal measure, embodying an unsettling relationship between sex and violence. What is troubling now is the nonchalance with which themes of domination and submission have been assimilated into mainstream light entertainment for both kids and adults. Attempts to explain our new proclivity are predictable – "in times of conflict or recession, we need escapism" etc. But neatly cordoning off fantasy from reality is a cop-out – what we watch or read says something about what is already on our minds (and if not, soon will be). "In difficult periods, a little subversion is necessary," venture others. Fine, but what's subversive about virginal girls wanting to be ravished by tall, dark, handsome bad boys? You can give them fangs, set it in post-9/11 America and make smart points about persecuted minorities, but the narratives still turn on a fulcrum of good old-fashioned gender stereotypes. The creator of True Blood, Alan Ball, unwittingly put his finger on the potential for serious misunderstandings in his crude analysis of the show's popularity: "Women love the romance and the love story, and men love the sex and violence." We're all watching the same thing, but we're taking away dangerously different ideas. Sex is a complicated domain at the best of times; all this vampire nonsense just adds to the confusion. 07/25/2009 ~ http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/on-my-mind-rhiannon-harries-sinks-her-teeth-into-the-disturbing-sexuality-of-the-modern-vampire-1757297.html | |||||||||
| From ComicCon: Alexander Skarsgard & Deborah Ann Woll 07/25/2009 ~ | |||||||||
| Because only one person read True Blood News this week and only that one person will realize that I'm throwing in this piece of non-True Blood News ... Cheers! 07/25/2009 ~ http://www.wired.com/video/alt-text | |||||||||
| From BloodCopy: HATE CRIMES ON RISE IN THE SOUTH  It’s difficult not to start pointing fingers. I have my own suspicions of who could be involved, but it would be rash and frankly, unfair, to start listing them here without further evidence. I still believe that the majority of breathers in this area, and others, are good people who wish no harm on vampires. And one small group of hateful, misguided individuals won’t change that opinion. I hope others keep this in mind as well and exercise restraint. I’ve heard rumors of vampires in Texas and their willingness to take extreme measures when threatened in the past. But in this case retaliation may only fan the flames; better to let law enforcement handle it. Those responsible will get what’s coming to them soon enough. 07/25/2009 ~ http://bloodcopy.com/?p=1017 | |||||||||
| Comic Con Videos: Anna Paquin & Stephen Moyer 07/25/2009 | |||||||||
| From BloodCopy: FOTS: DON’T BE A DOPE  Sarah Newlin recently presented her latest “Reflections of Light” video on the FOTS website. Being a vampire, you might assume I’d automatically despise anything she says out of principle. But in this instance, she actually makes one valid point, specifically her objection to vampirism as a “hip trend.” Here, I couldn’t agree more. Vampire have existed for centuries, and though humanity at large has only recently been made aware of us, the notion of people flocking to join our ranks or emulate us simply because it’s new and exciting is both dangerous and imprudent. Living as a vampire is a permanent and serious choice, and not one to be taken lightly.Of course, the rest of the video is pure schlock. For those of you who don’t want to waste a few minutes of your life listening to bigotry, here’s the crib notes version: Hi I’m Sarah Newlin look at me I’m pretty and have blonde hair and perfect teeth just like all those girls you wished you took to prom. My husband uses more hairspray than I do but that’s okay because we are righteous and good and have lots of friends unlike those evil, mean nasty vampires who want to eat your babies. And as I finish we’ll fade to white as a metaphor for goodness and light just in case you didn’t get the message because why be holy when you can be holier than thou? Nicely done, Sarah. Nicely done. 07/24/2009 ~ http://bloodcopy.com/?p=1010 | |||||||||
Shot in Texas Friday, July 24, 2009 | By JOE O'CONNELL The Internet is now a proving ground for filmmakers. [Entire article...] 'Blood' in Dallas Text is hidden - highlight after this point---> HBO's red-hot vampire series True Blood shot a scene recently atop the Adolphus. "A character was on the roof and had to burst into flames when the sun came up," said Janis Burklund of the Dallas Film Commission. The scene is for the ninth episode of the second season of the show, which is set in Louisiana. Dallas, however, has been a side trip for some of the show's characters lately. Burklund added there's a strong possibility that the show will return for additional North Texas shoots. 07/24/2009 ~ http://truebloodwiki.hbo.com/page/True+Blood+News+-+Issue+%235 | |||||||||
| Gorgeous pictures and lengthy article about Evan Rachel Wood from BlackBookMag.com: Hell’s Angel: Devilish Sweetheart Evan Rachel Wood
[Continue reading...] 07/23/2009 ~ http://www.blackbookmag.com/article/hells-angel-devilish-sweetheart-evan-rachel-wood/9382 | |||||||||
Full Nelsan: Breakout star of HBO’s ‘True Blood’ bares all By Amy Amatangelo | Thursday, July 23, 2009  Now that the second season of HBO’s “True Blood” is under way, Nelsan Ellis finally can talk.Since the first-season finale last November, he had been dodging questions about his character’s fate. The Illinois native plays fan-favorite Lafayette Reynolds on the series, whose ratings have skyrocketed this season. In the books the series is based on, Lafayette was killed early on and many feared the same fate would befall Ellis’ character. “My father would call me four or five times a week and say, ‘Your Aunt Esther, she wants to know if you’re dying. She just wants to know.’ Or, ‘My friends from work want to know if you’re dying.’ ” But soon after everyone learned Lafayette lived, a new question arose. Now everyone wants to know if Lafayette, who survived being kidnapped by vampire Eric (Alexander Skarsgard), will be turned into a vampire. “I personally don’t want to be a vampire,” he said. “I would say Lafayette should be a vampire in the very last season, but up until that point, I don’t think he should be a vampire.” Ellis will only say that for the duration of this season Lafayette works for Eric. “He’s sort of beholden to Eric, how deeply, that I can’t say. And he goes through post-traumatic stress disorder. It’s not the Lafayette that we know. That was hard. These new circumstances that he’s in calls for a completely different mind-set and attitude and behavior, and I kept going, ‘I want to have some fun.’ But you can’t really when you’re going through post-traumatic stress disorder. He’s not the tough Lafayette. He’s not the sharp-tongued Lafayette. He’s another Lafayette entirely.” [Continue reading...] 07/23/2009 ~ http://www.bostonherald.com/entertainment/television/general/view/20090723full_nelsan_breakout_star_of_hbos_true_blood_bares_all/srvc=home | |||||||||
| From Examiner.com: Sadler introduces "Vampire LSA" airplane  True Blood fans are certainly familiar with the Anubis Airlines from Club Dead which offers ultra secure transportation for its more light-sensitive passengers. However, it would seem that the Sadler Aircraft Company has seen the marketing potential behind the current vampire craze and is planning on announcing its next-generation Vampire LSA at EAA Airventure 2009. Yes, this is an actual company and the Vampire LSA will be a real, functioning aircraft, though its passengers will no doubt be mortal. In fact, from the looks of it, there would barely be room for two human passangers, let alone a coffin. "We're really excited to go from R&D to delivering airplanes," said company VP David Littlejohn in an interview with the Aircraft Maintence Technology online magazine. "This has been a long road, especially in a challenging economy. I think light sport aircraft are going to emerge as true value leaders in the aviation community though, and the Vampire should really deliver on that front...We took a lot of our cues from the automotive industry when it came to designing the interior of the Vampire. So wherever we could add creature comforts we tried to do that. We wanted the interior to attract both pilots and potential pilots. And we also wanted to keep it on the lower end of the LSA price spectrum."  The Vampire LSA is constructed from aircraft-grade aluminum, chrome-molly steel, stainless steel and space-aged composites on a air-to-ground fighter plane airframe. Its sleek design allows for the maximum comfort for the passangers and is designed for everything from a cross-country journey to a simple afternoon joyride. While the fully equipped plane will cost around 6 figures, other models will be available for just under $100,000. It appears quite a bit of thought has gone into the marketing of this new twin-passenger aircraft down to a well-designed website and the ultra sleek logo design, which would be perfect for a line of merchandise. Now, if only Sadler would take this concept to the next level and develop a commercial airline called Vampire, I would sign up as a customer for life!For more information on how you can get your hands on this fabulous luxury plane visit vampirelsa.com. 07/22/2009 ~ http://www.examiner.com/x-16974-True-Blood-Examiner~y2009m7d22-Sadler-introduces-Vampire-LSA-airplane | |||||||||
| It's all for us ... Vampire Porn: Southern Vampire Mysteries and True Blood From Richmond.com: Obsession with the Vampire  This was last fall, I believe, when "Twilight" mania was in full swing, with the impending release of the movie and the end-of-summer publication of the last novel in the series. The stupidest thing I ever saw a television channel do was about four months before that, when CBS announced that it would be canceling "Moonlight," its vampire / romance / drama that had tepid ratings but a cult-like following. Something happened in that window. Actually, something’s been happening all over this country in the last year or so. We’ve become all-out obsessed with vampires. To be sure, there was interest in vampires before last year. Just ask any teen or tween girl in the county. But consider this. This time last year – the week before "Breaking Dawn," Stephanie Meyer's final book in the Twilight series, came out – the books had sold 8 million copies worldwide. Less than a year later, that number is 53 million copies worldwide – and counting. That’s a heck of a jump – and I have a theory on why. It’s been widely reported that teen girls have been passing the books around for years and even sharing them with their mothers. But the last people to jump on the "Twilight" bandwagon were 20-and-30-something women. I’m talking about those of us who had no excuse to be picking up Young Adult fiction. We don’t have double-digit-aged kids, we don’t normally browse the YA section at the bookstore, and we certainly don’t need to be spending the best years of our life fantasizing about a romance with the undead. Or so we thought. In my opinion Twilight Mania turned into a nationwide Vampire Obsession when we Gen-X and Gen-Y women wrenched the books out of our younger sisters’ hands, devoured the teen drama, and then went searching for more. At least that’s how it happened for me. I blew through the "Twilight" books over the course of a long weekend, periodically surfacing for air when my boyfriend asked me some inane question like; do you want something to eat? Or are you ever going to get some sleep? Then I went through what I like to call the Twilight Hangover. That’s those first days or weeks, after you finish all of the books, when you sort of walk dreamlike through your life, wondering why you have to do ridiculous things like report to work and shop for groceries. The Twilight Hangover is really a withdrawal of sorts. The books become an addiction and the best way to treat it, in my opinion, is to find another fix. And that’s when I found something better than "Twilight." That’s right, I said better. I’m talking about Sookie Stackhouse. The Sookie Stackhouse books, also called "The Southern Vampire Series," by Charlaine Harris are exactly like "Twilight" in the sense that they’re about vampire romance, but better because no mother in her right mind would let her tween daughter pick up a copy. The Sookie books are for us, they’re for Gen-X and Gen-Y women. They’re what I like to call, Vampire Porn. And, best of all, they’re still in production. The 10th book will come out in May 2010. And then there’s "True Blood," which I count as separate from the Sookie books because Alan Ball has made the show his own. That counts as double points for those of us with a Vampire Obsession. HBO’s "True Blood" is a delicious hybrid of the books, general vampire fantasies and great drama. In fact, I’m beginning to think it’s even better than the books. But here’s my question. Where do we go next? What’s a Gen-X girl with a full-blown Vampire Obsession to do once she’s checked "Twilight," Sookie and "True Blood" off her list? I find myself in an uncomfortable position. I’m not ready to give up my Vampire Obsession and I can’t wait till spring for the next Sookie book. So what do I read in the interim? [Continue reading...] 07/22/2009 ~ http://www2.richmond.com/content/2009/jul/22/obsession-vampire/ | |||||||||
| From Examiner.com: The henley shirt: an essential July 22, 5:38 PM  The past few years, henley shirts have been all over the place. Open a magazine, turn on the TV, someone’s wearing a henley. On HBO’s True Blood, the vampire Bill (played by Stephen Moyer) frequently sports henley shirts. On the short lived CBS vampire crime-noir Moonlight, Alex O’Loughlin’s Mick St. John character also wears the trendy henley. And on Sowtime’s series Dexter, starring Michael C. Hall, the title character has been known to wear henleys.So why are henleys so popular? It’s obvious, really. The henley is a very comfortable, versatile garment. They are lightweight, making them okay to wear all year. They can be snug or loose-fitting, with long sleeves or short sleeves. They come in almost any color. You can wear a henley casually with jeans or shorts, or dress up a henley shirt with a pair of khakis or dress pants and a blazer. Overall, the henley shirt seems like an essential piece of a wardrobe. Henleys are sold in just about every store, so they are not hard to find. JC Penney’s and American Apparel have some nice henleys for good prices. If you do not own one, you should really purchase a henley. 07/22/2009 ~ http://www.examiner.com/x-15238-NY-Mens-Style-Examiner~y2009m7d22-The-henley-shirt-an-essential | |||||||||
| From BloodCopy: LOCAL ART ON DISPLAY  Bon Temps seems to have a thriving artist community. Here is a collection of art featuring a number of local townspeople in Bon Temps and parts thereabout. I’m not certain why these specific individuals were selected as the subjects of so many different pieces, but there is some excellent work, a strong counterargument for those who believe the only worthwhile art scenes are in big city galleries. 07/22/2009 ~ http://bloodcopy.com/?p=1004 | |||||||||
Anna Paquin on Live With Regis and Kelly~7/22/2009 07/22/2009 | |||||||||
| Music from Kelly Pardekooper: HBO - True Blood - Episode 2.05 "Never Let Me Go"  Just got word from my music publisher that HBO used a couple of my songs in their True Blood vampire television series. “Wild Love” from Haymaker Heart album and “Fly on the Wall” from Johnson County Snow. On iTunes, “Wild Love” immediately spiked in popularity and I have gotten tons of emails out of the blue the past few days.  Man…teenagers really drive the economic engine it seems. I don’t normally get a heads-up, but I believe the new episodes air Sunday nights, 9pm EST and mine is call “Never Let Me Go”. Apparently they spin these shows into DVD’s at the end of the season, which is a good thing for obscure songwriters like me. Yeah vampires… [Continue reading...] 07/22/2009 ~ http://kellyp.net/journal/archives/cmt-country-music-television/ | |||||||||
| From SpoilerTV: True Blood - EW Scans Posted by DarkUFO at Wednesday, July 22, 2009
07/22/2009 ~ http://spoilertv.blogspot.com/2009/07/true-blood-ew-scans.html | |||||||||
| From People.com: POLL: Which Hottie with Fangs Do You Favor? 09:21 AM EDT 07/22/2009Kellan Lutz Credit: Kharen Hill/The CW; Everett Collection; HBO
TV News POLL: Which Hottie with Fangs Do You Favor? Sure, the mere sound of Robert Pattinson's name can send Twilighters into attack mode, while recessionistas are paying HBO subscription fees to hear True Blood's Stephen Moyer whisper Sookie's name in his classical Southern drawl. But it's time to call attention to a fresh crop of forbidden baddies getting viewers' blood pumping: Ian Somerhalder as Damon The 30-year-old star, best known for his role as Boone on ABC's Lost, brings some bloodsucking action to network TV on the CW's new series, The Vampire Diaries – out this fall. As smug vampire Damon, Somerhalder gets in between his younger vampire brother Stefan and his mortal teen crush Elena. Kellan Lutz as Emmett Playing ripped big brother Emmett to Pattinson's Edward Cullen can't be the easiest job, but Lutz – who also stars on 90210 – has his own set of "Twilighters" screaming. The 24-year-old hunk, who landed on PEOPLE's "Hottest Bachelors" list, has girls (and their moms!) ogling over his steamy shirtless shots. Alexander Skarsgard as Eric As Eric Northman, the brooding vampire "sheriff" presiding over Bill Compton's Louisiana area, Skarsgard, 32, brings a commanding presence to HBO's cult hit True Blood. The blond Swede's character also owns hotspot Fangtasia. So which vampire hottie do you want to be bitten by? [Continue reading...] 07/22/2009 ~ http://www.people.com/people/news/category/0,,personsTax:KellanLutz,00.html | |||||||||
| From True Blood Examiner: Vampire-Con sinks its fangs into L.A.  This coming August 14-16 Vampire-Con, the world’s first convention devoted to Vam-Pop culture swoops into Hollywood, CA for a weekend-long event, will invade the New Beverly Cinema and the Music Box Theatre in Los Angeles! In association with Harris Comics, Vampire-Con will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the sexy comic-book icon Vampirella®. • On the evenings of August 14th & 15th at the New Beverly Cinema, screenings of “Count Yourga, Vampire” (1970), “The Lost Boys” (1987), a sneak peek of “Midnight Son” (2009), “The Hunger” (1983), and a yet to be name 70s lesbian vampire flick. • From 10:30am t0 5:00pm, August 14th & 15th, within the darkened confines of the Music Box Theatre, panel discussions on: comic book legend Vampirella; the history of the undead (moderated by Hollywood Gothtique’s Steve Biodrowski with author David J. Skal); and on vampires and sexuality. • And on the evening of August 16th, again at the Music Box, Vampirella’s Ball will commence. This is an 18 and over event which carries an unusual restriction: “Any person under the age of 21 will not be admitted if wearing / carrying masks or any clothing / costume that covers the wrists.” From True Blood to Twilight, vampire enthusiasts will find something to sate their unquenchable thirst for the genre during this fabulous weekend! Tickets are $15 for the Sunday day-walkers and $30 for Vampirella’s® Ball. Film festival admission is $7 per night. For more information visit www.vampire-con.com. 07/22/2009 ~ http://www.examiner.com/x-16974-True-Blood-Examiner~y2009m7d21-VampireCon-sinks-its-fangs-into-LA | |||||||||
From HBO: True Blood In Production This video has been out for several months; but now that we've seen 5 episodes, many of the highlights are now more insightful and intriguing... Boadicea 07/22/2009 | |||||||||
| From YourTango.com: True Blood Is Anti-Gay?  Are you familiar with the show True Blood? It's part of the vampire invasion of aught eight. The program features few of the cuddly and cute bloodsuckers from the Twilight series (though BillCompton does have a lot in common with handsome Edward Cullen). These undead sons (and daughters) of the night are dark, dangerous and debauched. They care about two things: feeding and fornicating (not necessarily in that order).Thanks to a synthetic blood developed by Japanese scientists, the vampires in the world of True Blood have come "out of the coffin" and into mainstream life. The series (based on books by Charlaine Harris) features other creatures that go bump in the night and their effect on human foibles, fears and prejudices. But does True Blood have an anti-gay agenda? Michelle Goldberg writing for The Daily Beast ("release the beast!") thinks it is. Though well written, the sum of her analysis is a bit Film 101 and seems to miss the gist (and is possibly a little too eager to bust ghosts). The series is largely a satire (not a Satyr) using mythology to highlight various social issues. Yes, the vampires are generally attractive, svelte and stylish (if sometimes kitschy) night owls. Plus a sign at the top of the show does state, "God hates fangs." (I suppose we're supposed to put our mental thumbs over the "n" as that flashes by us in the opening credit.) And, finally, the show's most compelling character, Lafayette, is a drug-dealing gay hustler (he trades the drugs for the sexy and the sexy for the drugs). [Continue reading...] 07/21/2009 ~ http://www.yourtango.com/200929025/true-blood-anti-gay | |||||||||
| From Examiner.com: Could being tan lose its glow?  After returning from a cruise back in 1923, Coco Chanel arrived in Paris golden, glowing, and on the edge of a new trend: tanning. Since then, women have aspired to a sun-kissed look by laying out, applying bronzing powders, and going for spray tans. Everyone from celebrities to farm girls inIdaho seems to be chasing after that perfect caramel shade. But evenwith thislong history, could the days of oil and sunless tanning be numbered? Cosmetically,womenare seeing the results oftheir mothers and grandmothers who started sunbathingalong with Coco those many years ago. But instead oflookinglikeMme. Chanel, they look more like her handbags. Sun damage to the skinis notpretty, and neither is the dangerous possibility of skin cancer.Now even although those issues aregreatly worth considering, particularly the latter, they are also nothing new.For years now, mother's have been preaching to their daughters about the risks of sunbathing. Sowhat, if anything,couldstart the retreat of this long-weathered trend? Enter: Hollywoood. Along with the recent "fan-scination"of blood-sucking, comes a new trend amongbeauty that we are seeing in books, television, and the big screen: being pale. When describing thevampires of the Twilight book series, the main character, Bella, mentions their stunning beauty time and time again. Along with that she also mentions that they are white andpale as the moon,making beauty andbeing pale seem interchangeable.Also in the Twilight movie, Bella appears to be quite pale as well and, shock of all, every charater looksverybeautiful. Recently, two television shows are also getting in on the vampire action. True Blood and The Vampire Diaries also feature very attactive, interesting, and pale characters. It seems that the Baywatch days of TV are far behind us. But vampires are not the only cult icons that seem to be in from the sun. Check out the cast of Harry Potter. Looks like wizards don't have much time for sunbathing either. But yet, all of them are attractive with mass appeal. So if mothers can'tconvince their daughters to stayin the shade,maybe Bella or Hermione will have a shot. Yes, Paris Hilton will always be sporting her oh-so fake tan, along with many other party girls who are into the whole "Barbie-doll" look. However,thecultural trends do appear to be shifting, and probably for the best. Plus, just because we all want to own a Chanel bag, does not mean we want to look like one. 07/21/2009 ~ http://www.examiner.com/x-11859-NY-Womens-Fashion-Examiner~y2009m7d21-Could-being-tan-lose-its-glow | |||||||||
| From CampBlood.org: Blood Work! "True Blood" video blog 2.5: Tubthumping! Tuesday, July 21, 2009  That's right, ladies and germs: We're back with the latest installment of Blood Work Too!, our very own True Blood recap vlog. This week we discuss bathtub handjobs, hotel porn, the voluptuous horror of Ed Quinn, and whether or not Bill has to "warm it up" before he and Sookie play hide-the-stake. So basically it's like your typical episode of The View, only in our case the undead isn't limited to Barbara Walters. Zing! Enjoy it all below! 07/21/2009 ~ http://campblood.org/2009/07/blood-work-true-blood-video-blog-25.html | |||||||||
Valerie Cruz on Her "True Blood" Character: "I Modeled Her Accent After Penélope Cruz" by Lee Hernandez | 07.21.2009  I promised myself I wouldn't watch Alan Ball's acclaimed HBO drama True Blood until they came to their senses and hired a Latina to appear on the show. The show (finally) came through for me on Sunday night, and I happily tuned into True Blood as it welcomed its first Latina (and first Latin vampire), Cuban beauty Valerie Cruz (Nip/Tuck, Dexter) to the show in the recurring role of Isabella Beaumont, an elegant, 600-year-old Spanish vampire-with-a-soul (think Rob Pattinson in Twilight) who rolls with the super-scary Dallas coven of vamps! I called Ms. Cruz to get all the deets on her biting new role, and the gracious (and super-intelligent) actress, who is perhaps best known for her role as Silvia Prado (Jimmy Smits's wife on Dexter),gave me the 411 on all things True Blood, including why the evil Dallas vamps are not to be messed with, why her character may be on Bill and Sookie's side after all and why a certain Oscar-winning Spanish actress may have served as the inspiration for her character's Spanish accent. Your character Isabel isn't your typical vamp, is she? As far as vampires go, no. She has a penchant for humans and a vulnerability. She wants to try to find a way to coexist with them. So in a crowd of evil vamps, Isabel is like the Edward Cullen of True Blood—a vampire with a soul? Yes, definitely! That is actually a very accurate description. Except thatshe lived during the Spanish Inquisition and she's 600 years old! Does she feel old? I think she does in the sense that she's become a little world-weary. How did you come up with Isabel's Spanish accent? I've been doing accents for a long time. The people I modeled it after would have to be Penélope Cruz or Antonio Banderas, or somebody from Spain. That was very important for me [to get the accent just right], because when you have a character on a show that has a big cast, every bit of that character matters—from her hairstyle and accent to the way she dresses. Speaking of Isabel's wardrobe, thatwhite dressshe had on Sunday night was really elegant! Would you ever wear something like that in real life? No! Probably not. It takes a lot of confidence to wear that thing. I'd be too self-conscious. Unless I'm feeling especially saucy that day. And that outfit is pretty tight! But the wardrobe designers and the hair and makeup people on the show are amazing. I told them my ideas and they ran with all of them. I wanted to really define where she came from—what region. I had read stuff on the Spanish Inquisition, and jotted stuff down. There's a sophistication in Old Spain and that was an element we brought in—that Isabel never lost that heritage. You will see a Spanish element to Isabel throughout. Sunday night's episode made it abundantlyclear that the Dallas Vamps—most of whom we haven't met yet—are not to be messed with! Seriously,they sound like they're nuts. How crazy and dangerous are they? They're big city vampires. They are crazy. Stan is crazy. They are looking for domination, and there are vamps in their nest that have no qualms about taking human life. They definitely feel like they're the superior race, so to speak—if you can call vampires a race. There are definitely some crazies in there too. That's why Isabel is so intense with Stan, because she's outnumbered in regard to her feelings of starting a war—she doesn't want to start a war. Sunday night, Isabel and Stan were acting like they were a couple, fighting as they were during the entire episode. Are they romantic? No, they are definitely not. You'd think so, because they're kind of these sexual beings, vampires. It's like when Bill and Eric fight—there is a sexuality there, a tension that's always there between, even the male to male vampire relationships. These are two people who can bite each other in the jugular, so there's a basic carnal sensuality to those kind of people even when they argue. [Continue reading...] 07/21/2009 ~ http://www.latina.com/blogs/vivo-por-tivo/valerie-cruz-her-true-blood-character-i-modeled-her-accent-after-penelope-cruz | |||||||||
| From Yahoo.com: Sookie and Bill take on the heat of Louisiana By STACEY PLAISANCE, Associated Press Writer  BATON ROUGE, La. – Sookie Stackhouse and her brother Jason are returning from Dallas to the tiny Louisiana town of Bon Temps. But something is wrong: Newspapers drift in the steamy air; fruit stands and flower stalls are overturned; graffiti assaults signs and a courthouse statue; and trash and clothes litter streets and lawns.A force of nature? Or something brewed by Maryann, the dark, mysterious newcomer in HBO's hit vampire drama, "True Blood"? Cast and crew of the show, based on Charlaine Harris' best-selling Sookie Stackhouse stories, were in Louisiana to soak up the antebellum atmosphere of Clinton, a community of 2,000 people, 30 miles north of Baton Rouge. Main Street and the town's courthouse, surrounded by sprawling, moss-covered oak trees, were perfect as backdrops for the tale of vampires living among humans, thanks to the invention of mass-produced synthetic blood. The sticky heat, mossy greenery, white columned houses and slow-moving lifestyle also added to the allure, and gave a dimension and authenticity to the series that can only be captured here. "The moment you step off the plane, you feel you're in the world of the show," said "True Blood" writer Alexander Woo. "You don't have to imagine you're there." [Continue reading...]  07/21/2009 ~ http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090721/ap_en_tv/us_tv_true_blood | |||||||||
| New True Blood products to be available from HBO From EarthTimes.org: Delivery Agent and HBO(R) Partner in the Relaunch of the HBO Shop(R) at www.hbo.com Best-of-Breed Consumer Experience, Broad Product Assortment and New Marketing Plan Kick Off Relaunch of Shop SAN FRANCISCO, July 21 SAN FRANCISCO, July 21 /PRNewswire/ -- HBO, known for award-winning programming from The Sopranos(R) to True Blood(R), and Delivery Agent, Inc., the leader in shopping-enabled entertainment, today announced the relaunch of the HBO Shop at www. hbo.com. HBO enlisted Delivery Agent to provide scalable interactive commerce solutions that allow for growth in the business and improve the overall consumer experience. "Delivery Agent has helped the entertainment industry monetize show content in new and refreshing ways that increase consumer visits, interaction and purchase," said James Costos, vice president, Licensing & Retail at HBO. "We are excited to leverage their expertise for the relaunch and ongoing operation of the HBO Shop." "We are huge fans of HBO shows and appreciate their dedication to detail which they've demonstrated through their programming and retail outreach efforts," said Mike Fitzsimmons, Delivery Agent CEO. "We are thrilled to be chosen by HBO to deliver a world-class interactive commerce experience." The new HBO Shop provides a seamless experience bridging consumers from content to shopping, yielding a wider product assortment and a broader array of product categories. Consumers can expect to find products tied to HBO classics like Sex and the City(R) as well as new series such as Hung(SM). For HBO's most recent hit True Blood, the HBO Shop will feature a new product - either seen on or inspired by the show - on a weekly basis throughout its second season run this summer. To promote the new HBO Shop, Delivery Agent will take on marketing responsibilities that include audience segmentation, email marketing, SEM, SEO, and viral marketing. [Continue reading...] 07/21/2009 ~ http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/delivery-agent-and-hbor-partner,899167.shtml | |||||||||
| Amusing review from io9.com: True Blood Gives Furries A Whole New Meaning By Meredith Woerner, 5:55 PM on Mon Jul 20 2009 This week, everybody's getting some — even the animals. Plus, Sookie continues her life-long pursuit to ruin the lives of everyone she meets, and there's a Viking flashback. This week's episode treats us to another big fat reveal in the first few seconds, just like old times. Sadly the rest of this week's episode is mainly set up and closure (both good and bad). Good, because... well, Sarah and Jason finally touched each other's holy places (more her to him, but you know what I mean) and bad, because we met all these fancy big city vampires and there just wasn't enough time to get to know them and their fancy rich cowboy clothes. Oh, and Godric? I approve. But let's get on with it, because there are some things we have to discuss, True Blood — like never, ever making a "balls" pun ever again. The Pros And Cons Of Last Night's True Blood Pro: I like the idea that Daphne drunk means she'll just spew out anything in her mind... ZOMG, deer people. Aw, I like her so much better as a deer. Also how cute is it when Sam was all "Hi there!" to the deer. He really does have a puppy persona. But seriously if they have deer-on-dog-on-deer sex, I'm not going to watch that. Pro: Arlene and Terry together are cute and they seem good to one another. Good: Terry needs some attention. Pro: Listening in on a glamour was interesting. I hope that if it ever happens to me, it's not that music, though. Pro: Sookie getting "This is Dallas, baby"-ied. Wake up, lady — you can't just run around screaming "Mind reader!" Pro: Jessica and the eating-disorder dig. I never thought of that, maybe she could? Pro: Bill trying to get Sookie to understand anything. Hasn't she proved to you, time and again, that she is an idiot who will pretty much do the opposite of what you tell her? It's upsetting to watch him explain right and wrong to her. She's not listening — sigh — oh, and now they are going to have sex again. Ugh. I'm tired of these two and their frolicking. I need new True Blood sex, please. And no — Tara and Eggs do not count.  Pro: Hoyt and Jessica's phone conversation. Sigh, I miss those days "really, really." This is super cute. Darn the whole star-crossed lovers nonsense, I'm rooting for these two. They are the most realistic thing on this show.Con: Training begins for Jason, so of course it's time to bring out the tired old drill sergeant cliche who calls people "fangbangers" instead of "fags". So far, I'm not sold on it. Con: Tara and Eggs pillow talk. I don't know what's worse: the soft guitar background music, or these two together. They even spooned out towards the camera with big "we're happy because we had sex" grins. Every time these two finish a scene, I half expect them to take a bow after wards and yell out "Acting!"  Con: Ah, Sookie has never heard of a Continental breakfast —really? But never mind with that — there are lives to ruin. So the scared boy tells you "please don't tell people I'm a telepath, because I'm afraid they will kill me?" Let's go downstairs and spout off around his secret all over his place of employment. Nothing bad will come of this.Con: Sookie, if you want to be called a woman, you need to start acting like an adult. Pro: I really hope Lafayette isn't all messed up in the head, because I really miss him, and the show isn't the same without him, but then again, who wouldn't be? Feel better, L — we're rooting for you and your sassy return, whenever you feel it's right. Pro: Oh, I like this Maryann twist, her moving in. Ok, okay, color me interested. And of course Tara will let them move in because she's terrible, and Eggs is terrible and they can all be terrible together. Pro: Nathan Stark is a vampire. It's so hot, I don't even know what to do with myself. Plus who doesn't love how lame Sookie and Bill are in front of them. "Respect her!" Also, I like Sookie's "big-city make-up look. She's so country, and not in a good way. Pro: Ah, the first little crack in the Newlin relationship. Sarah is unhappy, and Steve doesn't care, it's like a real marriage! Also there was some unnecessary shoulder touching going on — what is this all about? Steve, are you using your religion as a beard?  Pro: Jason and Sarah. it's. about. damn. time. Did anyone else have a hard time watching this with friends around? I found myself saying, "Whew, yeah...so.... that was....huh....yeah..." You have to love how Sarah almost attempts to justify her actions as rewarding Jason. Jesus. I'm proud of Jason for saying no the first time, he's come so far guys.Also, thank you, True Blood, for giving us sexy time other than Sookie and Bill.  Pro: Eric the viking: surprisingly masculine. They are really setting him up to just steamroll over boring Bill, aren't they?  Pro: Godric is pretty fantastic. This would be the first True Blood flashback that didn't make me want to claw my eyes out — the first being the Civil War slut scene between Bill and his maker. I would like to meet more of these ancient vampires, and I'm pretty sure we will this season.  Pro: Rich country vampires! First of all Ed Quinn as a vampire...there aren't even words. Even in the silly cowboy get-up with the so-so accent and jerky attitude, it was...well thanks everyone. Hand-shakes around the room for everyone who worked on casting this, because it made my night. But there was hardly enough. I want more awkward "we're not used to dealing with humans" banter, and silly Texas outfits. The more vampires we start meeting (that aren't from the sassy punk nest during the first season), the more vampires I want to see. Pro: Sookie's big-city make up. Con: Oh god my ears. Just after that lovely flashback scene, you give me the balls and rack pool pun. You are better than this, Alan Ball. You can even see the disdain in the actors eyes while delivering it. It's like their skin is peeling. Just awful. See look I've already totally forgotten the things Daphne was saying about other shapeshifters and werewolves — just undoing the work you do beforehand, really. Con: Hey the bell hop "quit" or did you get him killed, Sookie? Did that even cross your mind? Pro: Maryann dressed up as the grandma, ah ha ha ha ha. This really made me laugh in a creepy, "Ok sure why not" kind of way. Tara is stupid not to see through this ridiculous act. If I came home and the weird rich 40-something woman who always dressed up in beautiful dresses and jewelry was in a drab grandma dress, I would kick her the hell out immediately.  Pro: So this is Bill's ex-girlfriend, right? Okay, just checking. Not sure what else to think of her, besides that. We'll have to wait until next week, I guess. Not really the awesome cliffhanger we're used to.Con: Has anyone been keeping tabs on Jessica this whole time? And for all of you who made it to the end of this little crazy rant/review/procon hootinanny here's a treat: Ed Quinn in a cowboy hat: 07/20/2009 ~ http://io9.com/5319015/true-blood-gives-furries-a-whole-new-meaning | |||||||||
From Vampire-Con:  Find Your Inner Vampire | "Rare Vintage" [Continue reading...] 07/20/2009 ~ http://www.vampire-con.com/brood/?q=home | |||||||||
| From ComicBookBin.com: Entertainment Weekly Publishes Second Comic-Con Issue By The Editor Jul 20, 2009 ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY’S 2ND ANNUAL COMIC-CON PREVIEW ISSUE FEATURING THE CAST OF IRON MAN 2 ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY GOES INSIDE THE MAKING OF IRON MAN 2 AND HAS EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOKS AT MORE THAN A DOZEN OTHER HOT PROJECTS HITTING COMIC-CON THIS MONTH Entertainment Weekly’s second annual Comic-Con preview package features Iron Man 2 on the cover, and inside it’s jam-packed with exclusive first looks at highly anticipated TV shows and movies. After Iron Man blasted Robert Downey Jr. back to stardom, the superhero returns to the big screen to battle new villain Mickey Rourke, size up Scarlett Johansson, and prove the first time wasn’t a fluke. The success of Iron Man (which opened at $99 million and went on to take in $318 million) caught many people by surprise, and now four months later, Downey is no longer the underdog. “There are a lot more invisible eyes on us now,” he says. [Entire article] WHY TRUE BLOOD IS HBO’S MOST TALKED-ABOUT HIT IN YEARS With sex, violence, and some very hot vampires – it is no wonder True Blood is HBO’s most talked-about hit in years. Sunday’s airings averaged 3.7 million viewers (up 85 percent from last season), and the audience rises to 5.2 million when you factor in the 11 p.m. repeat, which is impressive for a show that looked undead on arrival. The show’s lead vampire, sensitive soul Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer) is trying to keep his human spitfire of a girlfriend, Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin), from getting slaughtered. But just when it seems like the battle is about to rage, it’s time for the set to go on lunch break. At midnight. “I work at night,” says Moyer. “Our vampires are not like the Twilight vampires, those p-----s who can go around during the day.” First met by critical pans, the over-the-top, supernatural True Blood was a jarring surprise for fans of Alan Ball’s earthbound American Beauty and Emmy-winning Six Feet Under. Not that Ball cared. “I don’t read anything that’s written about my work. It just seems incredibly narcissistic,” he insists. Ball says True Blood is “more of a watercooler show than Six Feet Under ever was.” It is also less of a downer. “After American Beauty and Six Feet Under, I’d done a lot of contemplating mortality and the beauty of existence and blah, blah, blah,” he says. “And I didn’t really want to do something like that again.” But if the 52-year-old writer was just trying to lighten up, why go back to the cemetery? “When I was 13 years old I was in a car accident with my sister who was driving the car. It was her 22nd birthday and she died,” he explains. “She died in front of me. She died all over me. [Death] stuck its big old ugly face in my face, and life changed….That’s why death seems to be a theme that appears in all my stuff.” Another similarity between the two shows is sex. “Vampires are sex,” says Ball, whose actors spend a stunning amount of time in the buff. “I wouldn’t have signed up for it if I wasn’t game,” says Paquin. “I just never really grew up in a culture or household where [nudity] was a big deal.” Besides, she adds, “on the show, even when I’m dressed I’m not really wearing that much.” And if Sookie and Bill’s sex scenes seem enthusiastic, it’s because Moyer and Paquin have been an offscreen couple since they finished the pilot. All the better for the show, says Moyer: “HBO is getting more bang for their buck, if you like.” The kinkiest character, though, is fan favorite Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis), a gay drug dealer and born hustler. “I didn’t think I was going to get [the part], really, because I was just doing such wild stuff,” Ellis recalls of his audition. “I cracked open my legs and threw my crotch in Alan’s face.” And Ball has even bigger shocks planned for season 3 – but before he can get into next season’s bloodbath, he has to finish cleaning up after this one. “I don’t think it’s quite as big a body count as last season,” he muses. “I can think of seven right off the bat. No, eight. Yeah, Bon Temps is a tough place to survive.” (Feature, Page 36) 07/20/2009 ~ http://www.comicbookbin.com/ewnews003.html | |||||||||
| Thanks to Dallas for the info!: 07/20/2009 ~ http://www.lovingtruebloodindallas.com/2009/07/crazy-dallas-vampires-stephen-moyer.html | |||||||||
| From BloodCopy: MAKER MAY I? It’s a natural part of life. Or death, depending on your point of view. At some point in their existence, a vampire may end up turning another. The reasons are varied, but one thing remains constant. A newly turned vampire will leave their old life behind, meaning by and large their maker is their only true family. It falls on the maker to be a role model, a teacher and companion, at least for a time. Ultimately, the maker and progeny often part ways, but the bond remains. Years, decades, even centuries can pass, and if the maker calls, the vampire must answer it. The relationship is complex and goes beyond the human concept of family bonds, but inevitably there is a parental component to it. And just as humans reach a point where they begin to declare their independence, become their own selves, vampires also come to create their own existence beyond their maker’s teaching. Which brings me to this past weekend. After calling me back to Bon Temps, my maker returned overseas. Friday evening she made a surprise visit, nominally to settle affairs. I owe my maker my very existence and there is nothing I would not do for her. Sharing my humble nest, arranging for human day laborers to dry clean her clothes, chauffeuring her around on any number of errands- it gave me pleasure to serve her. However, she also took the opportunity to offer constructive criticism on how I’m living my afterlife, ranging from how I’ve decorated my nest to my choice of friends to my “taste in that obscene music” (her term for anything written after 1890). She certainly meant well. It’s simply her opinion on how her progeny should exist. But, like countless breathers in their teenage years, I had to assert my independence. Remind her that I am not her. I am my own vampire, and have the right to make my own choices. While her reaction was less than ideal, I think we made serious progress. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to finish raking the yard. Again. 7/20/2009 ~ http://bloodcopy.com/?p=999 | |||||||||
| From MonsterAndCritics.com: HBO's True Blood, episode five, some thoughts Smallscreen News By April MacIntyre Jul 20, 2009, 16:31 GMT  Full disclosure: I did not care for "True Blood" when it debuted last year. It wasn't until the last three episodes of the southern gothic Alan Ball/Charlaine Harris gumbo of oversexed humans and vamps that made me see the darkness. Now I can't shut up about how much I love HBO's hemophagic soap. An interesting thing has occurred since the first season.In last night's episode five, which saw Jason (Ryan Kwanten) get a Holy hand job in the bathtub from the resident "Eve" of Jesus Camp, the preacher's blonde wife, Sarah Newlin, the focus of this series has shifted for me. This sudsy sex scene wasan eye-opener for sure,but not as intriguing as what is organically happening regarding whom, exactly, are the lead actors of this series. Excellent actors Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer are the anointed leads as Sookie and Bill, the human-vampire lovers who center the languid horror of Bon Temps. At the risk of angering die-hard fans, I would argue they are no longer the focal point, nor relevant as a story engine that makes me want to tune in. That honor has drifted by natural selection (and very good writers) to feral, majestic Eric (Alexander Skarsgård) and to Sookie's childhood friend Tara (Rutina Wesley), both characters steeped in mystery and prescient intrigue for what is to come. The smart, seductive character of Maryann (Michelle Forbes) was a brilliant move on Ball's part, to introduce more supernatural mayhem into an already eventful chain of events. Also of note in this episode was the introduction of vampires Isabel and Stan, who meet with Eric and Bill. Eric is hell bent on finding Godric, introduced to us in an ancient Nordic flashback where it is revealed that Godric (is he an ancient Mayan?) was dying Viking warrior Eric's maker. [Continue reading...] 07/20/2009 ~ http://www.monstersandcritics.com/smallscreen/news/article_1490839.php/HBOs_True_Blood_episode_five_some_thoughts | |||||||||
| From Film.com: Ranking The Sexiest Women Of Cable These ladies aren't prudes like their counterparts on regular network programming. Maisy Fernandez, Jul 20, 2009 You don't need a summer fling to get your groove back; passion prevails on premium cable. Not only do HBO and Showtime offer some of the most compelling characters on TV, they've also got some of the sexiest women around. These ladies aren't held to the same prudish standards as the femmes of regular network programming -- which means they're free to be themselves. And viewers are invited to watch, even when the consequences aren't always pretty. Here, we size up several scorching characters based on their sexcapades.  8. TARA GREGSONOn United States of Tara, the majority of Tara's (Toni Collette) sex drive is seen through her horny, teenage alter ego, T. No matter how gorgeous her (female) multiple personalities are, it's kind of creepy to see T hit on men that are mentally twice her age. And it was excruciating to watch T seduce Tara's gay son's teen, bisexual love interest in the back shed -- and then get caught red-handed.  7. NURSE JACKIEWe love the clever personality of Nurse Jackie's title character (Edie Falco), although she's not exactly made out to be a sex symbol. However, she does get her fair share of dicey, extra-marital action. She hides the fact that she's married in order to have daily relations with a co-worker who feeds her prescription drug addiction. And of course, they do it in a room full of drugs. Tawdry.  6. DEBRA MORGANA tomboy with an extremely profane mouth, Debra Morgan(Jennifer Carpenter) of Dexter has great instincts in her policing job, but when it comes to men, her taste could use some refinement. She dated, and was briefly engaged to a serial killer, leading her to have hot rebound sex with a guy she met at the gym. After a semi-icky relationship with a decades-older superior, she's most recently been having a steamy affair with a sexy, pot-smoking Miami musician. It's forbidden because of his involvement with an ongoing investigation, but it's fun to see Debra take a risk for a guy with whom she really seems to click.  5. SOOKIE STACKHOUSECute and feisty, it's nice to see the True Blood character's softer side when she's with vampire Bill. Sookie (Anna Paquin) is also a brave lover. During their first sex encounter, she wanted Bill to bite her. But it wasn't until the hot, dirty sex scene during which Bill crawled naked out of the ground in a graveyard and mounted Sookie, that she evolved from starry-eyed young woman to sexpert.  4. MARGENE HEFFMANMargene (Ginnifer Goodwin) wasn't raised Mormon, and before marrying into the polygamous Henrickson family on Big Love, had multiple sexual partners. So it's no surprise she's the most experimental of the three wives. She wears racy lingerie and offers Bill more than standard, missionary position sex. In fact, when she and Bill were seen engaging in oral sex, the other wives got angry because it was too kinky. Jealous much, ladies?  3. NANCY BOTWINNancy (Mary-Louise Parker) began her time on Weeds as a pretty standard suburban mom, but over the seasons has demonstrated her penchant for both adventurous lovemaking and culturally diverse partners. She's done it in offices with Sullivan Groff (Matthew Modine) and Esteban Reyes (Demian Bichir); on the hood of a car in an alley with Guillermo (Guillermo Diaz) and in the middle of a marijuana grow operation with Conrad Shepard (Romany Malco).  2. BELLE/HANNAH BAXTEROn Secret Diary of a Call Girl, Hannah (Billie Piper) admits she's a high-class escort because she enjoys sex and because the job is easy. Hannah/Belle is gorgeous, has an endless supply of provocative lingerie and makes sex with even the weirdest and perverse guys seem like it's the best time she's ever had. Her personal relationships with regular men do suffer, but for now, she seems to be living the life she wants. Happily.  1. SAMANTHA JONESEven though Sex and the City is in syndication, you can't even have a discussion about sexy ladies of cable without addressing Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall). Samantha claimed she was trisexual, meaning, she'd "try anything once." And during her six seasons on SATC, we're pretty sure she did. With innumerable affairs, stories and relationships with men and women under her belt (literally), Samantha was confident in herself and made no apologies for her sexploits. Not even when she decided to go the monogomous route at the end of the series. 07/20/2009 ~ http://www.film.com/tv/true-blood/story/ranking-sexiest-women-of-cable/29010693 | |||||||||
| From Newsmax.com: Actions in D.C. Mirror Vampire Craze Monday, July 20, 2009 1:44 PM By:James Hirsen  If you’ve been able to take a few minutes break from the 12 jobs you now have to work in order to pay your tax increases, you may have noticed that our culture has become obsessed with vampires.HBO’s “True Blood” is dominating the cable ratings. It’s a phenom that’s reaching ratings levels that “The Sopronos” did in its early seasons. The movie “Twilight” recently did so spectacularly at the box office it’s now in franchise overdrive. The CW’s fall television adaptation of “The Vampire Diaries” is the talk of Tinseltown. And pretty much all of the actors in the films and shows are headed for superstardom. Focus Features is promoting its new vampire movie, “Thirst,” which incidentally opens later this month, by sending the entertainment press a red soft drink concoction that looks like a hospital blood bag. For convenience, the promo folks have included a straw. The movie is about a priest who turns into a vampire, courtesy of a blood transfusion gone wrong. [Continue reading...] 07/20/2009 ~ http://www.newsmax.com/hirsen/vampires_Thirsty_Twilight/2009/07/20/237746.html | |||||||||
| From NYPost.com: INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE STEPHEN MOYER IS FEASTING ON 'TRUE' FAME By LORIEN HAYNESLast updated: 2:49 pm July 20, 2009  You expect Bill Compton (sorry Stephen Moyer) to speak in a soft 19th century Southern drawl. To be slightly stiff, pale, preoccupied. Instead, on meeting him, you find yourself in the presence of an East End Essex boy.English in the Guy Ritchie sense of the word. With freckles and flirty chatter about his spaniel collie cross Splash and kids (from two different mothers) Billy, 9, and Lilac, 7. He's so at ease, it's hard to believe he and co-star Anna Paquin, are the hottest television couple on TV. It's not just the 200-ft. "True Blood" billboards on Sunset Boulevard, but the fact that the season two opener trumped all HBO's ratings, bar the finale of "The Sopranos." This is not only due to a strong marketing push, but down to the sexual chemistry between Compton and Sookie Stackhouse (Paquin). Their chemistry has traveled off-screen, with Moyer, 39, and Paquin, 27, an item for the past two years and this month denying rumors of an engagement. Truth be told, they are very much together, living in Venice, Los Angeles, committed to a mutual relationship with Stephen's children and a future that's filled with Season 3 and potential offspring of their own. For Moyer, this success is a far cry from being a working British actor with relative renown in the America ("Quills," "The Starter Wife," "88 Minutes"). "True Blood" has shot him into popular consciousness, where many have compared him to his younger competitor, Robert Pattinson from "Twilight," who Moyer has called "the Slim-Fast, Diet Coke" version of his Compton self. Sitting down over coffee (he says a good brew is "a work of art"), we bled him dry for a few more juicy morsels. NYP: Female audiences and readers have embraced stories about vampires with a rabid passion. Are women mobbing you on the streets the way they are Robert Pattinson from "Twilight"? SM: The interesting thing about "True Blood" is that it's appeal is not contained to teenage girls. I get stopped in the street and questioned by 70-year-old men whose wives and daughters are making Bloody Marys and throwing "True Blood" parties. Yes, I have teenage fans but nowhere near Pattinson's standards. I have no idea how I'd handle that. He was hit by a cab the other week in New York, trying to avoid a mob. NYP: What is it about the sexual energy of Bill that women respond to most? SM: I think it's the fact that he is obviously dark, but that he's also always trying to be a good man, so the tussle of decency is what appeals. Second, I think that women in the modern world are attracted to the courtly manners of the 19th century, a time where men from the upper classes charmed women, but at the same time, men had to be men. This combination of being treated with respect by the man who can overpower you physically, that's very sexy. NYP: How do you prepare for the graphic love scenes on "True Blood"? SM: I do some stretches (like a boxer coming into the ring) then I take off my clothes and put on my flesh coloured sock (which actors wear for sex scenes). What's great about the sex on the show is that it's real. We don't shy away. We show you what's not been seen before. You know, after sex, it's usually hot and the covers are off but never on TV. We've tried to do away with that. [Continue reading...] 07/20/2009 ~ http://www.nypost.com/seven/07192009/tv/interview_with_a_vampire_180390.htm?page=0 | |||||||||
| From MTV.com: 'Harry Potter' Wizard, 'True Blood' Fang-Banger And Disney's Favorite Genie In Birthday Bash Posted 3 minutes ago by Josh Wigler in Birthday Bash Just as everyone has an opinion, a favorite meal and a nose — albeit a fake one at times — so too does everyone have a birthday. Even celebrities. Here at Birthday Bash, it’s my mission to salute the fine actors, filmmakers and other Hollywood heroes that are celebrating their special day this week. After all, it’s cheaper than mailing a cake. This week, Birthday Bashers will catch the train leaving Platform 9 3/4 heading for the Cave of Wonders, battling blood-sucking vampires along the way. Or maybe we're just celebrating some actors who've done that dirty work for us. Either way, let's get to the party! [Entire article...]  Anna Paquin (July 24): Believe it or not, Anna Paquin's starring role as Sookie Stackhouse on "True Blood" isn't the only reason that the young actress is a popular culture fixture. Paquin played the power-stealing Rogue in the first three installments of the "X-Men" movie franchise, showcasing a romance with fellow mutant Bobby "Ice-Man" Drake that prepared both the actress and audiences for further geeky love-fests on the HBO vampire drama. Her talents date even further back to 1993's "The Piano," a role that earned the 11-year-old Paquin an Oscar nomination.07/20/2009 ~ http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2009/07/20/harry-potter-wizard-true-blood-fang-banger-and-disneys-favorite-genie-in-birthday-bash/ | |||||||||
| From AfterElton.com: IMHO "True Blood" (2.5): Never Let Me Go  After four stellar episodes, the fifth show of the second season of HBO's True Blood isn't quite at the same level, but there's still plenty to recommend it, including a look at when Eric was turned (here's a hint: he was a Viking, and not one from Minnesota), and Jason getting a helping hand while bathing. Look below for the top ten reasons why this week's episode earns an up arrow. 10. - Hoyt and Jessica continue their sweet Pleasantville-esque courting. We learned a couple of things about Hoyt in this episode including the fact he moves his lips when he reads, and he wears pajamas (I'm not sure, but they may be Garanimals). 9. - I feel bad for Jason. The poor guy wants to do what's right, and he has a good heart, but his innate stupidity and hot body always betray him. He helps out arch-enemy Luke, which only seals the deal with the predatory Sarah.  8. - I have to give the actors props for getting through that bathtub scene with a straight face. When a trembling Sarah sat down next to Jason's bathtub, grabbed a loofah, and said "Mary Magdalene washed the feet of Jesus, and dried him with her hair ... isn't that lovely?", I literally choked on my laugh. 7. - "Let me reward you, Jason. Let me help you find your way back to joy." 6. - I'm so glad that Lafayette is healthy again, but he's obviously not the same guy he was before he was chained up in that dungeon. I hope he gets his spark back soon. 5. - In what comes as not much of a surprise, we finally find out Daphne's secret is that she's a shapeshifter just like Sam. We know because she transforms into a doe (a deer, a female deer), which shocks the hell out of Sam. So what about the scratches on her back? Is she being controlled by Maryann? Hmm ... 4. - Speaking of Maryann, she continues to manipulate Tara. She invites herself to move in to Sookie's house (because the mansion wasn't really hers, it belonged to a "client"), and when Tara tells her to get lost, she shows up at Merlotte's that night and uses her Maenad power to force everyone to dump verbal abuse on Tara. So not only can Maryann get the party started, she's also that one girl who gets drunk too soon and pukes in the punchbowl thereby ruining the party for everyone. 3. - When Tara comes home, exhausted and weak from all the crap flung at her, Maryann is at the kitchen table, dressed like Gran (the whole thing was very Big Bad Wolf), and comforts her til Tara breaks down and tells her she can stay.  2. - Back in Dallas, Sookie is by turns horny, defiant, and annoying, as she tries to reach out to fellow telepath Barry. He's scared to death of the Dallas vampires finding out his secret and when later she asks about his whereabouts, we learn that he up and quit. We also meet Dallas vampires Isabel and Stan, and Sookie (whose outfits are just getting more hilarious each week) offers to infiltrate the Fellowship of the Sun to find out what their plan is. 1. - By far the best scene in this week's show was Eric's flashback to when he was turned. We knew Eric was old, but it turns out he was a Viking (I wonder if he enjoyed some Sverhoeven Krispies with his cocoa after a night of raping and pillaging. My undying love to whomever gets that reference). We learn that his maker is the much-discussed, missing-in-action Godrick, who looks like civilization's first emo kid. That's why Eric is so adamant about rescuing him. Speaking of makers, Bill is about to be re-introduced to his, as the final scene in the episode shows the Civil War-era vampire who turned him, now modern and out for his blood. This was definitely a good episode as it answered some important questions, but somehow it just didn't flow as well as the previous outings. What did you think? Are Godrick and Eric more than just maker and ... mak-ee (or is that just wishful thinking)? Is Lafayette going to be in more trouble when Pam shows up at Merlotte's next week? Will Jason "find his joy"? 07/20/2009 ~ http://www.afterelton.com/blog/snicks/imho-true-blood-%282.4%29-Never-let-Me-go | |||||||||
| Turned By a Twink: The Eric Northman Story From HuffingtonPost.com: True Blood Sucker Punch: Episode 5 Mark Blankenship Pop Culture Critic  Welcome to Sucker Punch, the only blog post that ranks the gaudiest moments on this week's episode of True Blood.So ... Are you guys excited for Turned By a Twink: The Eric Northman Story? Because after watching last night's installment, "Never Let Me Go," I'm positive that's gonna be the name of Eric's memoir. Set in some ancient Viking forest, Eric's transformation at the hands of Godric, a ripped and barely-legal teenager with no shirt and a torso full of runic tattoos, is a homoerotic fever dream. It's also a compelling new vision of how vampires are made. We've seen Lorena turn Bill with deceitful selfishness, and we've seen Bill turn Jessica with a tidal wave of guilt. When Godric makes Eric, however, he does it with admiration. He's so impressed by Eric's warrior soul that he decides he can be a "companion of death". He bestows vampirism like a gift on a great man who is about to die. Since Lorena rolls up in the final scene, baring her fangs when she hears Bill and Sookie hooking up in a Dallas hotel room, this episode consciously contrasts the different roads to vampirism. I don't know how that's going to play out, but for now, it's interesting to see that while some vampires are made through violence, others are made through a weird kind of love. For some people, becoming a vampire isn't a curse, but a salvation. Because of that resonance -- and Godric's man-boy sexiness -- Eric's transformation is our Sucker Punch runner up. Really, it's one of only two moments that even merits consideration. Despite some interesting bits and pieces, "Never Let Me Go" spends more time setting up future action than depicting action itself. We see two sets of "power twins" just getting to know each other, for instance: telepaths Barry and Sookie and shapeshifters Sam and Daphne. The former are a prickly match and the latter are instant bed buddies, but right now, that doesn't mean much of anything. (Well, it means that Sam and Daphne make the world's lamest jokes about having sex on a pool table, but let's ignore that.) Meanwhile, Maryann and Tara's arc takes a baby step forward as Maryann moves her creepy posse into Sookie's house (!) and starts dressing like Sookie's gran (!!) in order to convince Tara that she's an honest-to-goddess mother figure. That's cool, but like many of you, I'm impatient for Maryann to stop moving the pieces into place and start playing the game already. Part of my impatience comes from watching so many disconnected storylines. I hope that True Blood learned from Heroes and Lost that if you keep your main characters separated for too long, your master arc loses focus. These tiny dramas need to feed something larger, or they feel inconsequential. Granted, Sookie's decision to infiltrate the Fellowship of the Sun could bring her and Jason crashing back together, since Jason is traveling further into the Fellowship's inner circle. He's getting praised during training sessions for the Light of Day Insititute (LODI), he's learning about secret stashes of high-tech weapons, and he's even catching wind of Steve and Sarah's marital problems. (Sidebar: thanks to the readers who noted last week that "Lodi" is also one of California's most conservative cities.) And oh yeah ... Jason's also getting sexual favors from Sarah Newlin. Snap! What a perversely over-the-top way to address the mounting sexual tension! As Jason sits in a bathtub, Sarah sneaks in, locks the door, and gives Jason a sponge bath while comparing herself to Mary Magdalene washing the feet of Jesus. Then, claiming she can bring Jason "back to joy," she gives him a happy ending. Obviously, this is our Sucker Punch of the week. Any scene whose combination of religion and sexuality could spark a protest from Fred Phelps deserves the title. 07/20/2009 ~ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-blankenship/itrue-bloodi-sucker-punch_b_240991.html | |||||||||
| From TVGuideMagazine.com: Please Don't Leave Me Again, True Blood By Damian Holbrook July 20, 2009 08:37 AM EST  OK, we know this show is usually a fangsta’s paradise, so it pains for me to say this week bored the bite out of me. I swear, it was like 15 minutes in, Sookie and Bill are in their vamp hotel-room bed being all couply, Jason’s going through Light of Day boot camp, and I’m all zzzzzzz. It’s like the writers only had half a show’s worth of story, so they saved it for the second 30 minutes.And even then, it wasn’t so much “whoo hoo!” as it was “oh…huh.” Since we already suspected Daphne of being a shapeshifter, of course she and Sam were gonna end up getting it on. Ditto Jason and preachy Sarah (although who knew “God’s reward” included a tug job in the bathtub?!) And anyone who didn’t see Maryann getting all sorts of insane on Tara for shooting down her plan to bunk at Casa Stackhouse should hang their head in shame…as should Tara for backing down and letting Madame Crazy and her crew move in. Apparently Eggs scrambled her brains during their little tryst last week. At least things started to get interesting after Bill, Eric and Sookie met with Dallas’ sheriff and his nasty femme fatale sidekick. Turns out Godric made Eric—which explains why he’s so hot to find the missing King—and Sookie fancies herself some sort of big-haired Sydney Bristow. Offering to infiltrate the Fellowship of the Sun? Wow, our little cocktail waitress really has come a long way in a season-and-a-half, huh? Whether or not she can pull it off, we’ll see next week. Until then, I’m gonna try to glamour myself into forgetting how Blood-less this hour felt. What about ya’ll? Were ya hoping for more, too? Or was this a True gem for you? 07/20/2009 ~ http://www.tvguidemagazine.com/true-blood/please-dont-leave-me-again-true-blood-1761.html | |||||||||
Preview of 'True Blood' 2.06: Hard-Hearted Hannah Sookie embarks on a dangerous mission to locate Godric, while Bill is surprised by the resurfacing of a vampire from his distant, more violent past in Dallas.  Text is hidden - highlight after this point--->"True Blood" will be back next Sunday, July 26, with the sixth episode of season 2 entitled "Hard-Hearted Hannah". In a sneak peek to the new episode, Sookie embarks on a dangerous mission to locate missing vampire sheriff Godric accompanied by Isabel's human boyfriend Hugo. Bill, in the meantime, is shocked when a vampire from his distant, more violent past resurfaces in Dallas. In Bon Temps, Daphne presses Sam to get comfortable in his own skin. Meanwhile, Hoyt continues his unlikely courtship of Jessica, and Jason faces difficult emotional and physical choices at the Light of Day camp. The episode directed by Michael Lehmann will also see Tara and Eggs taking a detour while on a road trip and Andy interrogating Lafayette about his disappearance. [Continue reading...] 07/20/2009 ~ http://www.aceshowbiz.com/news/view/00025800.html | |||||||||
| From BuddyTV.com: 'True Blood' Recap: A Viking, a Fawn and a Loofah  This week's episode of True Blood is all about finding your other half. Sam meets another shifter, Sookie continues to bother another telepath, Jason finally gets some loving this season, and there are plenty of new vampires around, including Eric's maker.This last one is the best, because it gives us a chance to see Eric the Viking. And oh yeah, Tara and the residents of Bon Temps do some stuff, but right now, the romantic pairings at Merlotte's are of very little value to the show. Sookie tracks down Barry, but here telepath buddy is not eager to have his secret revealed. He's quite scared of what would happen if the violent vamps of Dallas found him, so despite Sookie's best efforts, he stays away. The same can not be said for Hoyt and Jessica, who talk on the phone as he reads his comic book to her. When did True Blood decide that Hoyt is a horny teenage boy? Eric takes Bill and Sookie to see the vampires of Dallas, Isabel and Stan. She's an uptight socialite and he's a cowboy. Stan wants to start a war with the church, but Sookie has a better plan: she'll infiltrate the Fellowship of the Sun and read their minds to find Godric. Gee, I wonder if the fact that her brother is there will cause any complications. Bill is curious why Eric is so interested in Godric, which provides an awesome flashback to Viking times where Eric is a warrior. If you thought metrosexual bleach-blonde Eric was hot, check out bad-ass Viking Eric. He gets wounded in battle and, at night, a cute little tattooed boy kills all his men. The young man says he's Death and offers Eric Life. Godric is Eric's maker and, despite being the oldest known vampire around, Godric is just a little emo kid. [Continue reading...] 07/20/2009 ~ http://www.buddytv.com/articles/true-blood/true-blood-recap-a-viking-a-fa-30111.aspx | |||||||||
| From Thus Spake Drake: True Blood "Let Me Go": All in the Family Didn't get a screener this week, so we're going to be a bit more raw and loose with the analysis of "Let Me Go." The theme this week is about family, and because this is True Blood we're talking about, it's certainly non-traditional -- and mostly dysfunctional. Some are just discovering family (shapeshifters Sam & Daphne; telepathes Sookie & Barry the bellboy; even sheltered geek loves Jessica & Hoyt), while others have been around for centuries (vampires and their makers). MaryAnn has her own family of sorts, and more than anyone, recognizes its importance. That's why she stirs the pot in the Merlotte's Roadhouse family, and then dresses up as Gran to pull Tara back into her circle. Of note was the dark twist on the Gran's theme music they played during the MaryAnn as Gran scene, which was nicely set up with an earlier reprise of the theme played while Tara was looking at the photo. Meanwhile, MaryAnn also must have something to do with Daphne and her convenient appearance in Bon Temps to ensnare Sam. We'd already seen how Bill was brought into the vampire family last season -- turned by a bored evil vamp mostly interested in toying with a soldier -- so it was nice to see how Eric was turned nearly 1000 years prior. Most vampires are like family, born into a situation they did not have a choice in, but Eric got to choose, with Godrick seeking him out after seeing his action on the battlefield. Fitting then, in the midst of a search for Eric's maker, Bill's maker should show up at the end of the episode, seemingly part of the web to do with Eric's designs on Sookie. [Continue reading...] 07/20/2009 ~ http://drakelelane.blogspot.com/2009/07/true-blood-let-me-go-all-in-family.html | |||||||||
| From Zap2it: 'True Blood': Sex on fire  "True Blood" has always made no apologies for playing up the more seductive side of vampirism, but this week almost the entire cast gets into the game, leaving us with one sexy hour of human, vampire, shapeshifter and even fundamentalist fun.Once again the show picks up right where we left off last week, with Sam playing dumb with Daphne re: his shapeshifter status. Lucky for him, she turns out to be a shapeshifter too! Ah, supernatural love. They proceed to spend the rest of the episode alternately getting it on and swapping shapeshifter secrets. When will Sam notice the claw marks on her back? Considering how much time they spend in the buff, I'm thinking quite soon. In Dallas, Sookie chases Barry the telepathic bellboy down but he refuses to talk to her about their mutual gift for fear of what could happen if the ruthless Dallas vamps found out. Sookie offers to teach him how to control his telepathy, but he ends up quitting this job and disappearing to escape her scrutiny. Sookie, Bill and Eric meet with the local vampires to discuss the Fellowship of the Sun their potential ties to Godric's abduction. The Dallas vamps want to raze the entire operation, but Eric and Bill disagree. Sookie offers to infiltrate the Fellowship of the Sun in order to find out who abducted Godric. Eric demands it to happen despite Bill's protests, and we learn via flashback that the reason Eric is so determined to find Godric because Godric was his maker. While Bill and Sookie are saying their horizontal goodbyes back at the hotel, a mysterious female vampire roams the hallway outside their room, obviously looking for them. Is this mysterious vamp Bill's maker? I can't tell (she looks different, but that is probably because of dress/makeup) but if it is her that will definitely cause some trouble! Jason begins God boot camp and shows leadership potential, which the Reverend picks up on. Sarah starts to resent her husband cutting her out of the decision making process with the Fellowship and decides starting an affair with Jason is the best way to get back at him. Jason tries to do the right think and resist her advances but in the end does what we all expect him to and gives in. You know what they say about leopards and spots... Tara wakes up from her night of debauchery with Eggs and finds Maryann in Sookie's kitchen making breakfast. Maryann says she and Carl need to stay at Sookie's now because the house she was living in before wasn't hers and the owner is back. Tara tells her she can't move in, and finally starts asking questions about what the history is between Maryann, Carl and Eggs. Unfortunately she doesn't get any satisfactory answers. Maryann decides to use her powers for definite evil in retaliation, sitting outside Merlotte's and causing absolute chaos for the workers and patrons inside the bar, and then being a calm support to Tara when she gets home. Tara has a change of heart and says she will ask Sookie if they all can live in the house together. I'm sure this will turn out well! Also, Gran is rolling in her grave right now, I am sure. Lafayette finally comes back to Merlotte's and stoically asks for his job back. Sam reads him the riot act fo disappearing, and Lafayette doesn't put up a fight or talk back but simply sits there quietly until Sam lets him return to work. I'm as worried as Sam is about this new, subdued, polite Lafayette. Random thoughts:
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07/20/2009 ~ http://blog.zap2it.com/ithappenedlastnight/2009/07/tr.html | |||||||||
| From Examiner.com: True Blood happy hours at Comic-Con  For those of you lucky souls attending this year's Comic-Con convention in San Diego, California you'll be pleased to hear that HBO and True Blood will be hosting several happy hours after hours during over the course of the weekend! • On Thursday (7/23) there will be two happy hour events, both from 7-9PM. One will be at Rock Bottom and the other will be at Prohibition and you’re welcome to come to both. They’re open to the general public and complimentary food and beverages will be served. We’ll also be giving away limited edition True Blood memorabilia including pint glasses, T-shirts and posters. • On Friday (7/24 there will also be two happy hours - one at Rock Bottom and one at Prohibition. • On Saturday (7/25) the happy hour will be at Bondi Bar from 7-10PM and include complimentary food and beverages and a special “reveal.” You definitely don’t want to miss it. The cast of True Blood will also be in attendance for a mass autograph session that Saturday from 2:30pm-3:30pm at WB Booth 4329. The confirmed actors and creators include Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Rutina Wesley, Michelle Forbes, Alexander Skarsgard, Nelsan Ellis, Sam Trammell, Deborah Ann Woll, Charlaine Harris and Alan Ball. If you're a fan of True Blood this is definitely one event you will not want to miss at Comic-Con! More information about Comic-Con can be found by visiting comic-con.org. The next episode of True Blood premieres tonight on HBO (9pm/CST). 07/19/2009 ~ http://www.examiner.com/x-16974-True-Blood-Examiner~y2009m7d19-True-Blood-happy-hours-at-ComicCon | |||||||||
| Very cool True Blood cast: Vampires From True Blood Hang At The Arclight 07/19/2009 | |||||||||
Anna Paquin on Jimmy Fallon Show 07/19/2009 | |||||||||
| From NewsOk.com: Actor lays down the law in HBO series ‘True Blood’ By Kate O' Hare Published: July 19, 2009 William Sanderson is working on his second critically acclaimed HBO series in a row, having gone from "Deadwood” to "True Blood” — but the veteran performer hasn’t let that go to his head.  For three seasons on "Deadwood,” set in a late 19th-century mining town in South Dakota, the Tennessee native played the scheming hotel owner E.B. Farnum. In "True Blood,” airing its second season Sundays on HBO, set in the fictional modern-day town of Bon Temps, La., Sanderson plays Sheriff Bud Dearborne. Unlike Farnum, Dearborne has a more presentable appearance. "I get to shave,” Sanderson says. "And he’s a normal person so far.” Dearborne may be normal, but along with the usual civic disturbances of a small town, he must also cope with the complication of vampires who have recently come out of the coffin after Japanese synthetic blood freed them from having to kill (mostly, anyway). Based on author Charlaine Harris’ "The Southern Vampire Mysteries” novels, "True Blood” also stars Anna Paquin as telepathic waitress Sookie Stackhouse, who is in love with vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer) but has also attracted the attention of vampire Eric Northman (Alexander Skarsgard). "They all have tremendous energy,” Sanderson says, "and I’m a graybeard trying to survive, keep up with them. How do I keep up with them? Rabbits’ feet, four-leaf clovers, horseshoes, prayer? I pray a lot, asking God to help me.” 07/19/2009 ~ http://www.newsok.com/actor-lays-down-the-law-in-hbo-series-true-blood/article/3385172?custom_click=headlines_widget | |||||||||
| From The Wichita Eagle: Some vampire fans think modern versions anemic By Kyra Kyles Chicago Tribune That tousled, yet touchable hair. Those dreamy, fathomless eyes. That bad-boy brooding. And oh yes, the ability to live forever in the same sexy mortal coil in which they were turned. It's no surprise women and men alike swoon over fictional vampires, from "Twilight's" tween dream, Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), to the decidedly more mature Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer) of HBO's "True Blood." "Twilight," which proved a blockbuster when it came out last year, has spawned a highly anticipated sequel, "New Moon," set for a November release. Also this fall, The CW is serving up "The Vampire Diaries," a teen drama about the romance between a popular girl and a boyishly handsome but centuries-old bloodsucker named Stefan Salvatore. "Diaries," which debuts Sept. 10, is based on a successful book series of the same name. The academic community is taking heed of fang fascination as well. Aurora University assistant professor Donovan Gwinner recently offered a short course covering material from Bram Stoker's "Dracula" to Anne Rice's comprehensive series of books, "The Vampire Chronicles." When he offered the course in May, "Got Blood? Vampires in Literature, Film and Popular Culture" attracted intrigue, according to Gwinner, an assistant professor of English at the school. "It was received pretty enthusiastically," said Gwinner, adding intense interest in "Twilight" inspired him to dream up the offering. But the popularity of their favorite mysterious monsters comes with drawbacks, some vamp fans said, including a growing disgust with what some described as the dumbing down of vampire lore. Self-described purists and fans of more vicious vamps are cringing over the increased focus on vampire-human love stories and the bending of traditional vampire rules. "'Twilight' is killing the genre," Dan Coglianese said. The 30-year-old horror fan vowed never to watch the films after hearing them described by friends and determining the movies "take away all that a vampire is." He took particular umbrage with the "Twilight" vamps' ability to survive sunlight. He isn't excited about "Vampire Diaries," either. [Continue reading...] 07/19/2009 ~ http://www.kansas.com/entertainment/movies/story/896742.html | |||||||||
| From 2TheAdvocate.com: Welcome to BON TEMPS  Clinton becomes fictional town for HBO series
 CLINTON — They trashed downtown. Newspaper and other assorted garbage littered the streets. Clothes were strewn across the courthouse lawn. Graffiti defaced the statue of a Confederate soldier.This wasn’t Clinton at all, but Bon Temps, the fictional Louisiana town in which the sophomore HBO vampire series “True Blood” is set. Cast and crew descended upon the East Feliciana Parish town this month, turning the courthouse square and surrounding area into the backdrop for its blood-sucking tale of vampires and humans living side by side in the not-so-distant future. And the aforementioned havoc in the streets. Blame that on Bon Temps’ Maryann Forrester, a mysterious woman with an unfolding agenda for no good.To lend authenticity to the series, based on Charlaine Harris’ Sookie Stackhouse novels, “True Blood” shot scenes in Shreveport last season, and this season has spent time in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and now Clinton. “We’ve kind of taken over the whole town,” executive producer Gregg Fienberg said, talking to media as crew prepared for a scene involving stars Anna Paquin, who plays Sookie, and Ryan Kwanten, who portrays her brother, Jason. Fienberg said that in Louisiana, the actors can get a better sense of the characters themselves, and just hearing the voices, the accents of the locals, is valuable. “We want this to be Bon Temps for a very long time,” Fienberg said, anticipating more seasons for the network’s third-most-popular draw behind “The Sopranos” and “Sex and the City.” The crew returned to L.A. last week, where it will finish shooting for the season in the studio. Bon Temps is a backwoods town with a quirky, twisted mix of breathers (non-vampires) and non-breathers (vampires). Mass-produced synthetic blood means that the vampires no longer need humans for their nutrition, but there’s still plenty of blood-sucking going on. Romance, suspense, mystery and humor simmer and sometimes boil over in the gumbo that is “True Blood,” the creation of Alan Ball. Ball also brought viewers the Emmy-winning HBO series “Six Feet Under,” centered around a funeral home owned and operated by the highly dysfunctional Fisher family. Among the richly layered characters of Bon Temps is Lafayette Reynolds, played by Alabama native Nelsan Ellis. Standing under the courthouse’s large oaks, Ellis, who had finished shooting for the day, still donned a typical Lafayette ensemble: black bandana tied on his head, denim vest, T-shirt, long shorts and boots. Although the temperature hovered in the 90s, Ellis said that the Louisiana heat hasn’t affected the filming schedule. “It adds to it,” Ellis said grinning, his eyeliner still in place despite the humidity. As for his inspiration for the flamboyant, gay Lafayette, a grill cook at the local watering hole, Merlotte’s, Ellis pointed to family. “I draw on my mom and my sister. A lot of the swagger comes from the women in my life,” he said. [Continue reading...] 07/19/2009 ~ http://www.2theadvocate.com/features/51051647.html | |||||||||
| From Boudist by Sydney photographer Daniel Boud: True Blood’s Ryan Kwanten  True Blood is one of those cult HBO TV series that i’ve yet to sink my teeth into. I’ve seen all the others (Mad Men, Curb your Enthusiasm, 6 Feet Under, The Wire, Entourage, etc..) but still haven’t dedicated the time to True Blood.  [Continue reading...] 07/19/2009 ~ http://www.boudist.com/archive/2009/07/16/true-blood-ryan-kwanten.php | |||||||||
| From Fangoria: SDCC '09: SATURDAY HORROR  The 2009 Edition of Comic-Con gets underway this week at the San Diego Convention Center, promising the biggest pop-culture event of the year. FANGORIA will be there reporting on the action live from the show floor, with constant updates on all the genre panels, announcements, and more - bringing all the latest SDCC '09 Horror News direct to you right here on FANGORIA.com For those of you planning to attend the 100% SOLD-OUT show, here's a look at what to expect for genre programming on Saturday, July 25th, 2009. [Entire article...] 5:15-6:15 True Blood Panel and Q&A session— Just as it seemed things were settling down in the backwoods Louisiana town of Bon Temps, deadly new twists and evil forces have begun to threaten Sookie Stackhouse and everyone around her. Mixing romance, suspense, mystery, and humor, True Blood kicked off its 12-episode second season on June 14 on HBO. The series, which earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Television Series—Drama for its debut season, follows the romance between waitress Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin, the X-Men films; Golden Globe-winner for True Blood season one; Oscar-winner for The Piano), who can hear people's thoughts, and her soul mate, 173-year-old vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer, The Starter Wife). Alan Ball (creator of the Emmy-winning HBO series Six Feet Under) created and serves as executive producer of the series, which is based on the best-selling Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris. The series also features Nelsan Ellis (The Soloist) as Lafayette Reynolds, Rutina Wesley (How She Move) as Tara Thornton; Sam Trammell (Medium, Law & Order: Criminal Intent) as Sam Merlotte; Michelle Forbes (In Treatment, Battlestar Galactica) as Maryann Forrester; Alexander Skarsgård (Generation Kill) as Eric Northman and Deborah Ann Woll (The Mentalist) as Jessica Hamby. Moderated by Kate Hahn of TV Guide. Ballroom20 07/19/2009 ~ http://www.fangoria.com/home/news/112-sdcc/3270-sdcc-09-saturday-horror.html | |||||||||
| From Alternet.Org: Rough Sex With Vampires: What Does "True Blood" Tell Us About Women and Sexuality? By James Brady Ryan, Nerve.com. To talk about True Blood is to talk about sex: barely a scene goes by without something between innuendo and a full-on orgy. This isn’t new to vampire fiction, as Latoya Peterson pointed out in a piece for Double X. That the sexuality of the female leads is under heavy scrutiny is no surprise, given how much horror fiction has centered on feminine helplessness. To Peterson, the current crop of pointy-toothed dramas continues the genre’s fascination with sexual violence and the idealization of the chaste woman. I can’t fault her for taking issue with eroticized depictions of abuse, often against women. But she’s wrong to equate the sexual politics of True Blood with those of the abstinent, repressed Twilight. These two are not the same animal. Twilight’s Bella Swan is a virgin until marriage, and the influence of author Stephanie Meyer’s Mormon ideals is well-covered territory. The entire series is heavy with the sex the characters can’t have; it gets its charge from the tantalizing and unattainable. Sookie Stackhouse, the female lead of True Blood, may have started as a virgin, but soon she, like almost every other character on the show, is getting down, having grimy, (sometimes wildly unhygienic sex) with her vampire boyfriend Bill. But despite her “transgression,” Sookie remains the heroine of the series. Of course, last season featured the problematic subplot of women, or “fangbangers,” being murdered for sleeping with vampires. Even though the killer was set up as the season’s ultimate villain, showing these women getting punished for their sexual activity ran the risk of keeping the old, unfortunate trope alive. But, unlike in traditional horror films where virginity equals salvation for the scantily clad heroine, Sookie not only lost her virginity and lived -- she killed the bad guy. And Season 2 has found Sookie getting more and more in touch with her inner wildcat, going after what she wants sexually and in her relationship. [Continue reading...] 07/19/2009 ~ http://www.alternet.org/sex/141317/rough_sex_with_vampires:_what_does_%22true_blood%22_tell_us_about_women_and_sexuality/ | |||||||||
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