Alex Moss EditorA documentary charting the phenomenon that is Twilight and how the
stars of the films have become some of the most recognised people on
the planet.
Love it or hate it, Twilight is huge. There is no escaping that fact.
To date the films have grossed over $1 billion, not to mention the
millions of books sold the world over. As Eclipse, the latest film in the franchise, is released, this documentary looks at how Stephenie Myer’s story of teen angst and love has become such a global success.
Considering the film is ‘The Unauthorised Story’ it is impressive the
amount of access the producers have found. All the major Twilight
players are interviewed including Myers, Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Launter as well as others.
Author Myers makes it clear the reason the books have captured the
hearts of so many is that they focus on experiences that all teenagers
have but with a fantastical spin that makes them a comforting form of
escapism. That the popularity of the stories is not limited to teenagers
goes to show the universal themes touched upon in the books. One
interview with a group of self-professed ‘soccer mums’ highlights just
how far reaching these stories are.
The documentary only touches on the books and instead focuses more on
the films that have captured the fans imagination to the point of
hysteria. The cast, in particular Stewart, points out that they thought
they were signing onto an indie film rather than the box office behemoth
that it has now become. As Pattinson is interviewed on red carpets, it
becomes clear that going from a young, unknown actor to a global icon
overnight, was not easy. Thankfully, by the release of the second film New Moon
they seem to have embraced the fandom and understand that without the
screaming hordes the films would not be the success they are.
Not so much an investigative piece of documentation about Twilight as
some would like; this film is all about the fans. If you consider
yourself a Twi-Hard or Fampire than Twilight: An Obsession will give you
no end of pleasure. It even offers an insight into the whirlwind
romance between Stewart and Pattinson as Twilight director Catherine Hardwick claims she saw a spark when they first read together.
Probably best that non-Twilight fans avoid this doc but those who
happily and endlessly argue for Team Edward of Team Jacob, this is a
film to really whet the appetite and get your teeth into.
