Image © of Stephanie Meyer


Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Cam Gigander

Director: Catherine Hardwicke

Release date: 18 Dec


Based on Stephanie Meyer's best-selling novel about the secret unorthodox love affair between melancholic high schooler Bella Swan (played by Stewart) and swoonworthy vampire Edward Cullen (played by Pattinson) who doesn't drink human blood. But the soul mates have to contend with the Cullen family's vampire enemies who come to town looking for Bella.

Not since Harry Potter has a book-to-film journey inspired so much enthusiasm. Twilight is the first installment from Meyer's immensely successful young adult collections, which has sold more than 10 million copies in the US and has over 100 fan sites devoted to it. It has also become a cultural phenomenon, with a rabid fan base that is eagerly awaiting the US37 million big-screen adaptation directed by Hardwicke (Thirteen, Lords Of Dogtown, The Nativity Story). Henry Cavill was Meyer's first choice to play Edward in the romance thriller, but by the time the film came to be, he was 25 and no longer looked like a 17-year-old. He was then offered the part of Carlisle Cullen, but turned it down due to his commitment with The Tudors. Over 5,000 actors auditioned for the heartthrob role.





Hardwicke has seen a picture of Pattinson, a 22-year-old Brit best known as Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire, but had been underwhelmed. So he flew to meet Hardwicke at her home in Venice, California, and his audition consisted of a love scene with Stewart on Hardwicke's own bed. To prepare for his role, Pattinson stayed out of the sun, wrote journal entries as Edward and shut himself off from his friends and family, but he had no formal training to perfect his American accent. Meanwhile, Stewart (Panic Room, The Messengers) was recommended by Emile Hirsch, her co-star from Into The Wild and whom Hardwicke directed in Lords Of Dogtown. Hardwicke then flew to Pittsburgh - where Stewart, then 17, was shooting Greg Mottola's Adventureland all night - and did an impromptu screen test with the young starlet, who learnt her new lines on the spot. And because Stewart didn't turn 18 until the middle of the production, Hardwicke was only allowed to use her for five hours a day. So for her big birthday, Stewart received a cake with a clock on it and the words "Now you're on nights".

The actors playing the Cullens wore topaz-colored contacts, while green-eyed Stewart wore brown contacts because Bella is supposed to have brown eyes. The initial 44-day production in Portland, Oregon - a location chosen in part because the skies are often overcast - was plagued by multiple weather-related difficulties, so the cast had to reunite recently to shoot additional scenes. One newly-redone scene shows Edward playing Bella's lullaby, with Pattinson playing the actual song which was written by veteran film composer Carter Burwell (No Country For Old Men). Hayley Williams, singer of US pop band Paramore and a huge fan of the Twilight craze, revealed they will have two songs on the movie soundtrack - Decode, which apparently details the inner workings of the protagonists' relationship, and a still-untitled track. A song from rock group Muse, Meyer's favorite band, will also be included.





More links related to Twilight (open in new window):

» The Twilight Saga

» Stephanie Meyer: Inside the 'Twilight' saga

» 'Twilight': Inside the First Stephanie Meyer Movie

» twilight teez: read the books wear the shirts

» Hollywood Backlot" Twilight Movie Photos

» MTV Movies Blog: Twilight

» Love at first bite

» No Sex Please, We're Vampires

» Mormon who put new life into vampires

» Fans of 'Twilight' vampire series pump new blood into Forks

» 'Breaking Dawn' release much anticipated in Forks

» Stephanie Meyer UK

» 'Twilight' author Stephanie Meyer unfazed as fame dawns

» Twilight: The Official Movie Site