Friday the 13th was a perfect day for vampires to come out at night and in the rain. The Blockbuster video at Cabin John Mall was the scene of die-hard fans of the Twilight books to win tickets and prizes for the upcoming New Moon movie opening Nov. 20. New Moon is the second installment of author Stephenie Meyers’ Twilight series about mortal Bella Swan and her love Edward Cullen, a vampire. The books are known worldwide and fans are eagerly waiting for the New Moon movie to open in theaters next week. The event at Blockbuster was hosted by radio station Mix 107.3. Morning radio personality Aly was on hand to give away tickets to a screening of the movie. She was there because "We know our listeners want to get tickets to see the movie before anyone else and they can win them tonight. We love events like this that have a huge fan base and a big following. The books by Stephenie Meyers just draw you in — especially with the mysterious character of Edward Cullen."
Farah Madi came dressed as a vampire in the hopes of winning tickets to the screening. She feels "the story has romance, adventure, fiction and fantasy in the series." She relates to the heroine of Bella because they are the same age. Another fan, who goes only by the name of Angel, thinks people are attracted to vampires because they are "weird, supernatural, attractive yet evil. It is the classic story of good vs. evil."
Tania Mamdouhi also came to the event in the hopes of winning tickets. She is attracted to the books "because they are action packed and suspenseful." Her friend Elizabeth Kitt is a fan as well and finds that in the books "everything goes wrong, but the characters still find a way around it." She relates to heroine Bella because "we are both klutzy."
Most fans are either cheering for the Edward the vampire or Jacob the werewolf. Ashley Statter is on Team Jacob because "Edward is kind of creepy." Fan Jordan Maser is torn between the two heroes. She feels that "Edward is super protective, but Jacob is a friend that is always there for you."
Amy Smith of Write Ideas who helped planned the event remembers the Twilight DVD launch. "People were camped out around the store waiting until midnight to buy the movie. It is fun to be a part of such a huge event that has a tremendous fan base."
Blockbuster store manager Jay Rubin feels the event is "a great partnership with Mix 107.3, the movie studios, and Blockbuster. We love the neighborhood feel of Potomac. The people here tonight are customers and friends. We love a crowd. Parents are here with their kids. They can enjoy reading the books and seeing the movies together. Twilight has become like another Harry Potter. It is truly a phenomenon. People have been fascinated by vampires since Dracula. They are creeped out by them. But these vampires are good and beautiful creatures."