Why ‘Twilight’ is the Best Movie From the Twilight Saga!
In 2008, we were blessed with the first film of the Twilight Saga. The indie vibes, blue filter & direction created a world that can never be replicated again.
Without the director, Catherine Hardwick, we would not have our beloved first Twilight movie! This film started the vampire romance phenomenon! The rest of the Twilight films just don’t feel the same as the first installment. Here’s why Twilight is the best from the Saga.
Indie Vibes
No one knew Twilight would amount to anything but a fantasy romance for tweens. Little did the whole world know that this movie restarted the vampire craze. The cast and crew never thought this movie would even get a sequel, so the budget was low from the get-go. Twenty-nine million sounds like a lot, but to account for the location, cameras, paying cast, costumes, makeup, and sets… that begins to add up quickly! Independent films rely less on special effects and more practical sequences, creating an almost real-life feeling of vampires living among us in Forks, Washington.
Catherine Hardwick was no stranger to working in an independent setting. Her debut film Thirteen was an independent movie, so she took the money she had and ran with it. Some of the on-set clothes were from her wardrobe! She also painted the nomad vampire red lenses. Talk about DIY.
The Blue FilterThe blue-gray color scheme was used for a good reason. It made the vampires extra pale, adding to the eeriness. Not to mention, the ambiance of the entire movie gives this sense of gloom— weirdly enough, it’s an inviting feeling. It reflects how Bella feels from the very start of moving to a town that never shines. This filter was even popular enough to become a Tik Tok trend. Nothing says Twilight, much like the melancholic blue tint.
Edward
You can disagree with me, but Edward Cullen hits differently in the first film. Was it the hair? The extra broodiness? Was it his iconic lines:After Twilight Edward, he became soft, but dull. Where did my brooding boyfriend go?! Robert Pattinson said many times he was implementing his own version of Edward in the first movie. However, midway through production, his agent warned him he would be fired if he continued his brooding antics. Sigh… Edward was a great balance of rough, simp, sassy at times– confident and cunning vampire boyfriend. I am 1000% still team Edward through and through, but RIP Twilight Edward.
The Soundtrack
The entire Twilight series has a beautiful soundtrack, and after the first film– New Moon and onward, each song was made originally for the movie. Meanwhile, since Twilight was the first, they relied on songs that were already out in public, but a chunk of them were made for the movie, AND two of Robert Pattinson’s songs are heard in the film. You can hear one of his songs when Bella almost died from Edward sucking the venom and almost drinking her dry blood. His unusual way of singing has gotten a mixture of jokes and praise alike.
Other songs that are worth mentioning are Paramore’s Decode. These songs completely fit the Twilight aesthetic, so listen to the playlist! I remember creating dance numbers in the living room! We also were granted Bella’s Lullaby (don’t lie, you always cry when you hear Edward play it to Bella) and A Flightless Bird American Mouth painted a romantic scene of Bella and Edward dancing at Prom.
Bella and Edward’s Chemistry
Kristin Stewart and Robert Pattinson’s chemistry was OFF the charts in the first movie. Watching Bella and Edward fall in love is intense, but also very cute. Not to mention their two kissing scenes are the best out of the entire series. We see the self-control radiating off of Edward. He doesn’t want to hurt her, but he definitely desires her. And the kiss at the end is heartbreaking. Bella wants to be a vampire, so she can be with him forever. Instead of biting her neck, he blesses her neck with a kiss.
It’s all very intense, but we also get the sweet moments of Edward playing the piano, letting her step on his feet, or calling her spider-monkey. Even the small parts, like him fixing the dent in Bella’s car and trying to put her seatbelt on after the baseball fiasco. Need I say more!?
After Twilight, Jacob Black’s intrusion complicates their relationship, so I would rather live in the first film forever in love with, “so the lion fell in love with a lamb.”
My Twilight Love Story
I was really young when the first movie came out in theaters, so it wasn’t until the DVD released that I could watch it– Remember when DVDs were a thing? To do that, my mom took me to the closest Target. The DVD was completely sold out. I was crushed, but my mom said we could go to another Target, but if they didn’t have it either, we’d have to go another day. The next Target was met with the same result, and I was left disappointed.
While driving back home, I fell asleep in the car. When I woke up, we were at Best Buy. And guess what? We got the Twilight DVD. My momma did not give up! I watched half of the movie that night and finished the next day after school. Then I popped the DVD in again. And again, and again, and again!
