mania.com / May 19, 2009
I've no idea where ideas and inspiration come from. I do know where they come from, though: out of nowhere, because they usually sideswipe me and take me completely by surprise.
They also come from history, life itself, music, etc., but there in that special hidden place is where these things gel in unique and interesting ideas and its in that place where a "vampire movie" no longer becomes the typical "vampire movie," it becomes more.
That's how "Unbitten" got started.
As of this morning, while bacon was being nuked in my microwave and Elton John was singing a B-Side release from the early 90's, music and myth mixed itself up in that strange place and it was released at damn near light speed cause it almost knocked me over.
The song that was playing was "Suit of Wolves," a sort of stream of consciousness lyric which has something to say, albeit very mysteriously and I've never really been certain what the whole damned thing was about.
Now, I've admitted openly I'm not fond of the standard "vampire movie," or the standard "werewolf movie." They've been done to death, it's all been said and done, it's just more of the same.
Then "Twilight" came around, and dared to act differently, even though it is still "more of the same." More "Romeo And Juliet," which I admit to being sick of, more vampires, and more werewolves.
But it's less about the monsters and more about the relationships -- the monsters just keep getting in the way of the relationships.
So back to "Suit of Wolves" and the mythology it made sweet love to.
The question this may ask would likely be this: what if the werewolves weren't the bad guys? What if there was something much, much worse taking them out to become one of them?
What if the real evil isn't in the beasts of legend, it's hiding in the hearts of those who fear the legends?
Now this has likely been done before. I fully admit I'm not fully up to speed on all modern horror, as I simply am not interested in grisly or excessively violent movies. I avoid them constantly. I have a weaker stomach than most do, so I'm more easily affected because I haven't jaded myself to these thoughts and images.
But here's the general story I'd come up with in the course of a few seconds while listening to a song: someone is killing young werewolves, skinning them for their pelts, to essentially form a suit with the intent on becoming a werewolf themselves.
Only, it doesn't work.
"Well, duh it doesn't work," Jarrod's probably saying right now.
But the legend is this: at the height of werewolf scares in Europe, it was believed it you took the pelt of a wolf, wore it around you like a belt, you would transform into a wolf.
To me, picturing the possibilities here is somewhat grisly. I honestly don't care if this would make my name in Hollywood or not, I don't like to go down those paths.
And, also if its ever made (and made badly) it really would become the werewolf equivalent of "101 Dalmatians."
And that would be terribly laughable.
But the possibility is there.