Vampire Hunter — Origins of a “Legend”

Here  (excerpt below the image) is a little bit about the origins of Seth Grahame-Smith’s (pictured above)”Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”

 

“It was the bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln’s birthday,” he said, “so every bookstore in the entire country had two displays. You’d see the Lincoln biography display and then you would have a ‘Twilight’ display. I looked at that and said somewhat cynically, ‘OK, if you could combine those two things you’d really be onto something.’ “

Grahame-Smith immersed himself in Lincoln biographies and became convinced that the seemingly absurd concept could be pegged to solid historical detail. “The more I read, the more I realized that Lincoln’s real life story is a superhero origins story, and that’s what got me excited,” Grahame-Smith said. “He had to overcome all this darkness, like the death of his mother, yet he pulled himself up by the bootstraps to save the country.”

Yet another piece of information that makes me feel slightly better about this whole ordeal. Bicentennial fever was pretty epic back then and the fact that he purports to have actually done some research gives it some legitimate historical ties makes me feel a little better too. We’ll see though – I’m going to begin reading it this weekend.

Anti-Lincoln Super PAC

Just caught wind of this incredibly hilarious anti-Lincoln campaign out of the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania.

It’s part of a really excellent project known as flackcheck.org highlighting the impact of deceptive political advertising and divisive media reporting.

I love the parallels they are drawing and I think the McClellan/Lincoln and whomever-the-republican-candidate-ends-up-being/Obama metaphor is decently appropriate (albeit, clearly inaccurate and anachronistic). I highly recommend checking out the additional videos on their site.

President By Day. Hunter By Night.

Hadn’t seen this poster yet, but it made me admit something to myself. My ambivalence is turning. My interest is piqued. I am kind of legitimately excited to see it now.

So what changed? Caleb Deschanel. Father of Emily and Zooey. Director of Photography on The Right Stuff, The Natural, The Patriot and the Passion of the Christ. Director of three damn fine episodes of Twin Peaks… and now cinematographer for Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. I guess I figured, if this man is involved — it has to be at least somewhat decent? Right? Maybe?

Well in any event — I’m going to try and give this film a fair shake.. and in my quest to do so I will also brush up on my Timur Bekmambetov (director) films and may actually read the book.

Alright — really I’m just going to consider this a dry run for the treatment I intend to give Spielberg’s Lincoln. (I know… that doesn’t justify it.. does it?)

Poor Taste.

This seems like a good idea…

Bobblehead dolls that depict the man who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln are no longer for sale in Gettysburg National Military Park’s visitors’ center.

 

Honestly, I might not find this so offensive if the bobblehead weren’t sporting a single-shot derringer.

Read the full story here :http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2012/03/gettysburg_park_pulls_gun-toti.html

 

Obama on Lincoln

Here is a piece that got forwarded to me written by President Obama:

Three years before he entered Gardner’s studio, Lincoln termed the United States, in one of his early messages to Congress, “the last best hope of earth.” Considering that our fragile Union was not 100 years old and stood a good chance of dissolving, it was an improbable thing to say. But Lincoln saw beyond the bloodshed and division. He saw us not only as we were, but as we might be. And he calls on us through the ages to commit ourselves to the unfinished work he so nobly advanced—the work of perfecting our Union.

For more: http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1969/12/perfecting-our-union/8832/