Giving Thanks: I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him
November 26, 2022
In the state of Washington, under a near constant cover of clouds and rain, there is a small town named Forks.
The familiar narrative of Bella Swan’s soft and downcast voice echoes throughout the dreary landscape of the scene. Perpetual rain combined with a blue tint creates a dark atmosphere, emphasizing the gloom that existed within the tall pine trees that towered over the small town in Washington. There is significant mystery, a sense that perhaps there is more than just cold and wetness that exists.
After moving from sunny Arizona to cold Washington to live with her father, Charlie Swan, 17-year-old Swan settles into her childhood home and is given a rusted orange truck. She becomes reacquainted with Jacob Black, a Native American who lives on the Quileute Indian Reservation nearby. Everything is business as usual as she heads to school the next day, and becomes acquainted with other students.
During lunch, Swan turns her head as a group of abnormally attractive high school students enter the cafeteria. She immediately catches the eye of Edward Cullen, a tall and broody gentleman who becomes her love interest later on in the film.
I love the (albeit cheesy) Swan and Cullen love story; however, I find myself enjoying other aspects of the film more. It’s the perfect fall movie, I never fail to watch it at least three times a year. The soundtrack in particular is perfectly crafted, with tracks by artists such as Paramore and Linkin Park.
Out of all the films, I find myself listening to the New Moon soundtrack the most. The melodramatic, somber strings of “Possibility” by Lykke Li and the gentle strumming of Rosylyn paint enchanting visions of foggy darkness and quiet mystery.
Costuming of the characters has especially been a significant aspect of my life since I watched the first film for the first time in 2012.
Swan’s effortless jeans and long-sleeve crew neck tops, Alice Cullen’s vintage rings and black vest and even Jasper Hale’s face of ongoing pain inspires my fall fashions daily.
I joke with my friends that the baseball scene is the peak of modern cinema, with the accompaniment of “Supermassive Black Hole” by Muse being the perfect addition to an already flawless scene. Hale flipping the bat, Alice Cullen’s pitch, Edward Cullen and Emmet Cullen’s race to catch the ball gives baseball a refreshing breath of air.
In the depths of my seasonal depression, I find that Twilight hoists me on its back and tells me to “hold on tight spidermonkey” as I fly through the adventures of the Cullens. The aesthetics that surround the films and novels are tantalizing, feeding into my delusions and desires to dress like the characters themselves.
Without Twilight influencing my life, I would not be the person I am today. I would lack a sense of purpose, like Swan flailing in the deep dark waters of La Push in New Moon.
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