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Blogs by David J. Thompson
"Underworld": another view of its vampires. 5/20/2013 7:14:29 PM
They grow on you... The film "Underworld" was given a big thumbs-down by this humble author after the first couple of viewings. Well, i just watched it again and enjoyed it a bit more because I think I figured out their origins.
Years back, when role-playing games (the pencil and paper kind, I mean) were in vogue, D+D wasn't the only game in town, though it may have been the most popular. I liked it and even was of the Dungeon Master. I sucked as a player/character, usually. But, as time went by, I heard about other games based on Westerns, Lovecraft's work, super-heroes, and also vampires. That game was called "Vampire: the Masquerade". I never tried it but I'd probably have liked it due to fixation on those bloodsuckers.
A few yrs ago, i purchased a computer game from Steam called "Vampire: the Masquerade...Bloodlines". I think it was the second of a series of games from Activision.
You play a fledgling vampire who, in a typical RPG fashion, gains strength and advanced abilities by fulfilling quests. Of course, at times, you have to feed from people on the streets (L.A.) without getting caught and without killing them, as this may go against the rules of "the Masquerade":vampires "hiding in plain sight". You break the rules 4 times, I think, and the game ends...rather aggravating if you've been playing a long while on it.
now, to the comparisons: "The Masquerade" and "The Covenant (movie) are a great deal alike. There are also different clans of vampires. In the place of werewolves, the game has groups of vampires fighting against the main families and there's a lot of in-fighting.
but the main thing that I just noticed tonight is how in both the game and the movie, normal firearms can KILL you! Apparently, a shotgun blast to the head is a real bad thing.
