The Flip Side

Courtney Cox and David Arquette

From looktothestars.org

The clock is ticking for actors Courteney Cox and David Arquette, who have pledged to raise $1 million in two weeks to benefit the Epidermolysis Bullosa Medical Research Foundation (EBMRF).

Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) is a genetic condition that causes skin and linings to break and blister at the slightest touch. Sufferers battle daily with fluid loss and infection of the open wounds. In worst cases, they’ll die of skin cancer before the age of 40, many in infancy.

“Now is such an important time to put the spotlight on EB and ensure that research can continue at a fast pace,” Cox told the Associated Press.

Both Cox and Arquette are honorary board members of the foundation, as are actors Jennifer Aniston, Brad Pitt, Jackie and Adam Sandler and singers Gavin Rossdale and Gwen Stefani. Kate Beckinsale, Orlando Bloom, Rashida Jones, Eva Longoria and James Marsden have also joined the challenge to bring much needed attention to the painful disease.

Cox and Arquette have a personal link to EB as someone close to them suffers from it. To raise funds for EBMRF on an ongoing basis they have co-designed a necklace with a butterfly, a symbol for hope and freedom, etched onto a small silver pendant, on sale at SATYA boutique in New York and online at www.satyajewelry.com.

Kate Beckinsale

Kate was recently hospitalized in Memphis, Tenn. for exhaustion.  Hope she feels better very soon.

As with vampires, the vampire hunters have also evolved.  They once looked like Peter Cushing here.

Or, they looked more like Jack MacGowran here:

But, the times they are a changin’.  Now look who are the Fearless Vampire Killers.

Hugh Jackman in “Van Helsing”

Kate Beckinsale in “Van Helsing”

David Wenham in “Van Helsing” (yes, he’s the meek friar, but he’s still hot)

Jessica Biel in “Blade: Trinity”

Ryan Reynolds in “Blade: Trinity”

Sarah Michelle Gellar in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” (tv)

Now in the interest of consistency, let me just say that I am not making a commentary on the hotness of the stars who play the Vampire Killers nor of the Vampires.  I am, however, making a commentary on the changing attitudes when it comes to the way they are portrayed.  Back in the day, Vampires (and their hunters) were not particularly attractive.  Bram Stoker’s Dracula was written as a very seductive character and this is the model for most movie vampires so they should be portrayed as attractive.  As for the Hunters, well, they should probably look a lot like Peter Cushing or Jack MacGowran if we’re being faithful to the originals.

After my last post about Steven Dorff and his hot Deacon Frost character, I got to thinking…(yeah, I’ll do that from time to time).  Anyway, I remember seeing vampire movies back in the day (no you don’t need to know exactly which “day”) and the vampires were all older dudes without much in the way of sensuality.  They were gravitating more toward the monster or scary category.  These days, vampires are smokin’.  Take a look at the old style vampires:

This is Max Schreck in “Nosferatu”…shoosh!  That’s just wrong and a face only a flying mammal momma could love.

After Max, most vampires looked like Christopher Lee here.  An improvement to be sure but still…

Now, in 1979 horror movie makers started getting the idea.  Frank Langella played Dracula and while it’s true that he was sportin’ some serious 70s hair and disco boots, the improvement on Vampire evolution is notable.  Plus, I might mention that in close-ups of this man you can see that his eyes shimmy rapidly back and forth.  I believe that’s something Mr. Langella can’t control but it made for some excellent close ups of the good Count.  It was a little creepy and a little sexy as a good vampire should be.

Richard Roxburgh in “Van Helsing”

Personally, I’m fond of the hot vampire who can get really monstrous when the need arises.  Take the movie “Van Helsing” for instance.  Dracula is a nice looking man…until he gets mad and then he’s some horrific flying bat monster.  I had one of those in my room once and had to trap it in a bathrobe (a bat, not a horrific bat monster)…but I digress.  These days, the vampires get better looking with each passing year.  I suppose if you’re a vampire, then that would be the case since you’re not aging, you have ample cash and the fact that there are many advances in cosmetic surgery, etc.  I’ve found a few of the hotter vampires for your review.  I understand that not every vampire appeals to every mortal, but these are a few that I think are right up there on the hot-o-meter.

Steven Dorff in “Blade” (the one that got me thinking)

Johnathon Schaech in “The Forsaken”

Kate Beckinsale in “Underworld: Evolution”

James Marsters in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” (tv)

As an aside, Spike (pictured here) is a British punk vampire (which is rare) but most of us had no idea that the accent, while great, was not real.  James is quite American.

Salma Hayek in “From Dusk Till Dawn”

O.K., sorry dudes, that image kinda sucks (ha! Get it?).  Here’s a non-vampire related image for you. 

Better?  You’re welcome.

Stuart Townsend in “Queen of the Damned” (as Lestat)

Sweet jumpin’ jehosephat!  Now that’s a freakin’ vampire; the kind for whom you’d offer up a jugular.

Aaliyah in “Queen of the Damned”

I can hear every guy out there echoing my “sweet jumpin’ jehosephat” with this pic.  The sex scenes between Akasha and Lestat are responsible for the baby boom of 2003.  (Calm down, they weren’t explicit.)

Angie Everhart in “Bordello of Blood”

Wesley Snipes in “Blade”

Parker Posey in “Blade: Trinity”

Dominic Purcell in “Blade: Trinity”

Gerard Butler in “Dracula 2000″ (you know, that ripped Leonidas from “300″)