I’m especially thinking of some bizzare foreign horror movies that didn’t make sense to me and I figure there’s gotta be some from my own (US) culture that just make 0 sense outside of the context of having been raised in this culture.
I’m especially thinking of some bizzare foreign horror movies that didn’t make sense to me and I figure there’s gotta be some from my own (US) culture that just make 0 sense outside of the context of having been raised in this culture.
Anything to do with vampires. So much of the lore is implied and you are expected to have some previous knowledge of the concept of a vampire.
Although this might have spread enough that pretty much the entire world has some context. I’m not really sure.
Anyone not from Europe or North America, did you understand vampires the first time you saw a film or series involving them?
It’s well known that RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missiles are a good defense against vampires, but I’ve never seen it in a movie
Given the amount of Castlevania games, I think it’s fair to say vampires are understood in Japan at least.
Can’t come in unless invited, don’t have a reflection, sensitive (or deathly allergic) to light, garlic, and holy water, these things are rarely explained.
and then other IP have thier own lore as to why vampires are that way. Oh most of it doesnt work on DRACULA, the ubervampire, which he can control victims telepathically. apparently it also works demons too to an extent(holy water).
or many series, dhampires are immune to the vulnerabilities that affect full vampires, making them stronger than them. Also some genre have them overcoming the sunlight weakness through various means; Magic or drugs.
at least in castlevania, vampires also posesses numerous other abilities, like turning into mist or bats to evade attack, or USE MAGIC themselves.
Even if you’re raised in a culture that has vampires, sometimes you still get caught out. I remember watching some vampire series pre-Buffy and the whole poppy seed thing left me totally flummoxed.
Poppy seed?
Not sure if this is what they’re talking about, but vampires are frequently depicted as having to stop and count large numbers of small things. So if you’re being chased by one you can throw out salt or grains of rice or seeds or whatever and they will have to stop and count it before they continue pursuing you. Or you can attack while they’re preoccupied too I guess. That’s where you get the count from Sesame Street.
Whoa, no way. THAT’S why he’s the Count? I thought it was a royalty/ bloodline thing.
In general, vampires existed to me as a commentary on colonialism, class, and the advantages to longevity. Vampires as “blood suckers of the poor”, to quote Popa Wu, who was quoting Louis Farrakhan.
I didn’t know the ‘stop and count objects’ element.
Question, though, as I think this through: would that not extend as an antisemitic trope?
(A half hour of reading later.)
TIL there is an antisemitic history to vampires.
[1] Bloodsuckers: Vampires, Antisemitism And Nosferatu At 100
[2] The Antisemitic History of Vampires
[3] How Vampires Became Jewish
[4] Blood Libel: The Anti-Semitic Roots of Vampirism
I’ve never heared of that before. Thanks!
Yeah Dracula was scary even when he was just standing around talking with his mouth almost closed.