Silver and (not) Gold, Silver and (not) Gold

[Patti Feinberg]

Watching '12 DS....Barn mentions the Family silver replaced.

We (probably) all watched a great deal of vampire movies growing up.

C. Lee/P. Cushing, Bela Lugosi, and A L O T more.

(Well, I just accidentally deleted half my post..)........

In OS, Barn's cane head was made of silver, so he wasn't repelled by silver; I do believe he 'frightened' Chris Jennings away with the silver cane.

Can anyone give more than 2 examples of vampires being repelled by silver?

Angel isn't (I don't think), I've never seen any of the 'Twilight' movies.

Regarding werewolves being afraid of silver, does anyone know why they would be?

Thanks!

Patti

[Midnite]

Watching '12 DS....Barn mentions the Family silver replaced.

The 2012 Barnabas couldn't come in contact with silver without bursting into flames.  The handle of his cane was ivory and he was able to touch the family's set of utensils because it was a knockoff.

(Well, I just accidentally deleted half my post..)........

I hate when that happens.

Can anyone give more than 2 examples of vampires being repelled by silver?

The mythology of pure silver being toxic to vampires is old (it burns, injures, paralyzes, or slows them down; but silver piercing their heart is another matter), yet I can only think of newer examples:

the Blade movies
Dracula 2000 (wasn't he imprisoned in a silver coffin?)
Dracula Untold
the Moonlight TV series

Angel isn't (I don't think),

I don't think it ever came up in Angel.  And I managed to avoid the Twilight movies too, Patti.

[Gerard]

It's an old story that silver repulses vampires (and will kill them if it pierces their heart) because of its "purity" (that's why it also kills werewolves).  DS-OS made mention of this, from what I recall, of a silver bullet piercing a vampire's heart, but didn't go as far as it harming a vampire by simple touch (thus, Barnabas' silver-headed walking stick).  As has been pointed out, in DS-12, all silver is toxic to a vampire and thus the head of the walking stick was ivory.  I guess stories pick-and-choose what they want and need.

Gerard

[Patti Feinberg]

'Purifing silver is no small affair.....it would be costly also, because to 'purify', it needs to go into fire; then the 'dross' is dripped down.

From what the two of you say, I'm not nuts, the silver (not just the heart) is a relatively newish thing....

Patti

[Gerard]

I'm not sure if it's a new thing, Patti, I think that the issue of silver and vampires is one of those age-old mythology things about vampires.  There is not set "canon."  Some say that sunlight kills vampires (and can severely injure them if exposed for a certain period of time).  In Bram Stoker's Dracula, Dracula was able to withstand certain periods of sunlight and was able to walk about in daylight with some sun-protection, but only for so long.  Coppola's cinematic version of the story showed that, with the anti-hero wearing a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses; so did Burton's cinematic version of DS with Barnabas.  In the latter, he even used an umbrella to shield himself during the day.  In all the Hammer/Lee versions of the Transylvanian nemesis, any sunlight would cause mortal trouble.  From what I recall from a few episodes of DS-OS, mention had been made that shooting a vampire directly in the heart would send it to the great beyond, unless I'm suffering from DSFMS (DS-False-Memory-Syndrome).  Also, in Stoker's novel, even though wooden stakes were used to dispatch vampiric victims of the Count, he, himself, was sent to that final vault not by a wooden stake, but by a metal knife plunged into his heart and then his head decapitated.  I guess there's no final word on how to off one as well as what capabilities they have.  To me, the best way to rid ourselves of one is to have them call microsoft "support" and be told:  "Your call...will be answered in...90 minutes" followed by endless renditions of The Girl from Ipanema. 

Gerard

[Midnite]

Patti, assuming you meant "relatively newish" in movies, I came up with examples from Hammer in the 60s and 70s... in The Brides of Dracula, the Baroness held her son captive by having his leg placed in silver chains.  Of course all he had to do was convince a pretty girl to unlock them.  And in The Satanic Rites of Dracula, Van Helsing made a silver bullet to use on Dracula.

True Blood also used silver chains to confine vampires.

[Patti Feinberg]

Wow! I didn't realize this many silver mentions!

I always thought the 'sun'light was a direct slight for 'SON'light (son of God)....the cross would repel vampires.

I'm going to list the ways I've heard at least 5-6 times in various versions, which you can 'kill' a vamp:

• Direct sunlight (I forget which C. Lee movie, I can see him 'melting'
• Wooden stake through heart
• Decapitation
• Fire...but I don't recall Barn being to scared of fire; he, I believe would 'threaten' Angelique w/fire
• I don't know about killing vamps, but there's always 'Holy Water' (exception is 'Lost Boys', where Corey H fills bathtub with Holy Water AND lots of garlic; vamp melts alot finally dies)

The sunlight....a great example is "Interview With the Vampire" with Kirsten Dunst....every time I see that, I am completely blown away by her youthful portrayal. We've all seen various movies from terrible to terrific; we are discussing ALOT of different scenarios; she did not have this 'well' to draw from.

One of the 'newer', but I think very faulty ways is by killing the head vamp; then it's offspring would die, ("Charmed"). That doesn't play too well though; 'The Master' wait, I just realized Julie Benz dies before the master, Angel was sired by Darla, Dru by Angel, etc.

I've often spoken with people while watching or talking about vamp movies, wondering, if vamps are seriouly repelled by the Cross, were there no vamps before Christ??

Patti

[Gerard]

You're right about the new mythology of killing the head vampire, Patti, would release all other vampires created by it from their existence.  Something had to make the head vampire a vampire, unless a curse is involved.  So, were all the head vampires cursed?  If that's true, then there would be a huge run on getting curses purchased.  I totally disregard the kill-the-head-vampire-all-vampires-released stuff.  It doesn't fil in.

Gerard

[MagnusTrask]

Well, as for the cross, Patti, I've never heard of the legends going back into B.C. times.  Anyone?

I'm afraid my vampire parameters are permanently set for life, by my kidhood DS watching.  Any vampire not following Barnabas rules is committing a transgression.

I never liked the idea of vampires just being a little shy of the sun, being able to wear big brimmed hats to get around... maybe partly because I actually have a much worse neurological hypersensitivity to light than that, myself.  Even vampires do better in sunlight than I do?!  Come on.  (My thing has been severe and undiagnosed for 30+ years by the way... ask me about it or offer ideas anytime, though my private messaging here doesn't work)

The favorite vamp vulnerability moment I think of first is Don Rickles in "Innocent Blood" (1992), a John Landis movie I've only seen a bit of.  (Mafia vampires!)  Rickles becomes a vampire one night, is put into the hospital, doesn't know he's a vampire, neither does the hospital staff, and when the curtains are opened in the morning he bursts into flames, having no idea what's going on!  Now that's what I want to see with vampires and the dawn... not a big hat...

The kill-the-head-vampire thing is just too easy.  It's a way of wrapping everything up in an hour episode.  Science fiction TV uses this shortcut too.

[Robot_Quentin]

Any vampire not following Barnabas rules is committing a transgression.

Right on Magnus!!!!!!!!!

Although I will give Lilly Munster a pass on bringing her umbrella to watch the drag races! (During the day no less)