By Aubrianna Plavajka / Staff Writer
By Aubrianna Plavajka / Staff Writer
Over the top fan anticipation is something that has become familiar to those who have witnessed it over the years.
“Beatlemania” took the world by storm in the 1960s and many other fan frenzies have followed suit throughout the years, so it’s not surprising that another obsession has hit the world. The media have even reported this new obsession’s intense fan participation as a “phenomenon.”
This new obsession is “The Twilight Saga.” The saga began as a book series in 2005 and has turned into a full franchise. Stores are filled with merchandise, from T-shirts to body glitter with the name “Twilight” being the selling factor.
With faithful “Twi-hards,” buying the products and obsessing over the books, it wasn’t long before a movie was planned, filmed and then released.
“Twilight,” the movie version of the first book in the series, hit theaters in November 2008 getting fans of the series on edge of the event of their year in 2009, the release of “New Moon.”
Nov. 20 kicked off the release of the next installment of the movie series. Devoted fans prepared for the premiere by camping out in front the theaters over three days before the release.
Some fans even decided to miss time out of their school week to wait and some even took the time out of work their work schedule. Bryanna Castaneda and Raquel Sierra were two of those fans setting time aside from their busy lives to take part in “the Twilight experience.”
“I love the series and I want to be one of the first to see it,” said Castaneda, a Redlands high school student who spent her wait with friends, Madison Focier and Ashton Brooks.
“We have jobs, but we loved the books and we loved the first movie,” Sierra said, referring to both her and her sister, Graciella.
The fans varied in age, but all expressed the same concern about what could happen if they did not wait for the movie.
“I’m here waiting, so that I do not miss out on the ‘Twilight experience,” said diehard fan, Alicia Magno, who previously has never camped out for a movie premiere. “I drove by and saw all of the tents and decided that I needed to wait, too.”
Others were more experienced in waiting for “Twilight,” like Magno’s friend and camp companion, Priscilla Moran.
“I camped out to wait for the midnight DVD release of the first movie,” Moran said. “I waited all night with my dog, who was dressed in a ‘Team Jacob’ shirt.”
Most fans agreed that their waiting for the release of “Twilight” related items was the most over-the-top part of their obsession; however, that is not the case for Gabby Luine.
“I’ve organized and held a ‘New Moon’ party for my friends and also for my sister’s friends,” Luine said. “I am definitely obsessed with everything involving the ‘Twilight’ series.”
Although she purchased her ticket weeks in advanced, Luine was even one of the first fans to arrive for the three day wait at the Krikorian theater in Redlands.
The “New Moon” anticipation and wait, is nothing that is unfamiliar when it comes to fans of the series. “Twilight” sparked the same reaction.
There are two more books set to be made into movies in upcoming years that will no doubt spark the same eagerness and display and its sister films.
Like Beatlemania and the 1960s, the 2000s have not seen the last of these so-called “phenomena.” It’s most devoted fans will be waiting for at least another two years for the series to end. “Breaking Dawn,” the last installment, is scheduled to hit the big screen and wrap up the four part book-inspired movie series in November 2011.
