July 11, 2007 (Yahoo! India News / Washington) -- Alex Proyas is set to direct "Dracula Year Zero," Universal's tale about Vlad the Impaler, who was the Prince of Wallachia, in his halcyon days. The project, which is produced by Michael De Luca, is among the several productions about the Romanian royal who inspired the celebrated vampire tale written by Irish writer Bram Stoker.

Proyas said that he liked the script written by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless, as it is a 'fresh take on the legend'.

He added that the new work manages to play-off the shock and empathy that everyone has for the Romanian who 'sells his soul to the Devil to save his kingdom and family'.

In the new film, Vlad will be shown in the prime of his power.

"Usually when you see him, he's past his prime and 100 years old. In our movie, he's at the height of his powers," Sazama said.

"One of the cool things about this is that we're doing it at Universal. This is the home of monster movies," Sharpless said.

Vlad is best known for the legends of the exceedingly cruel punishments he imposed during his reign.

As Prince, he led an independent policy in relation to the Ottoman Empire, and in Romania he is viewed by many as a prince with a deep sense of justice and a defender of Wallachia against Ottoman expansionism.

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Posted by Vladimir Fri, 07/13/2007 - 21:41

 

Politics: garlic for 'vampire' opposition

October 12th 2007 (Trinidad & Tobago Express) -- Christine Kangaloo, People's National Movement (PNM) candidate for Pointe-a-Pierre, warned supporters on Tuesday to hang all the garlic they can find over their doors to ward off those opposed to the ruling party.

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Split

My path has split to left and right,
Both confusing, with power in sight
Ones result is far away,
but the one that calls,
Promises today.
One resembles light the other one dark,
The dimness calls to me and sets a spark,
A flame, a lust, a wild desire,
burning, churning, sets my soul afire.
The flames licking, dancing, consuming my soul,
I give my body complete and whole.
The icy grip of darkness, sears my skin
But connects with my heart like once lost kin.

Zillah
March 8, 2002

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Ballad of the Sad Rat

I'm a lowly rat
in a vampire movie
Oh, woe is me
who'll bite me first?

Will it be Tom
So cute and curly,

Or pretty Brad
who looks so hurt?

These hunks from Hell
are all around me,

And how their fangs
do make me squeak.

Sweet little Kirsten?
Won't even pet me

She just says 'Yuk'
Though she's very sweet.

Oh, thank you, Larry
Liz Smith, I love you.

And dearest Oprah
How good thou art.

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A conversation with P.N. Elrod

A conversation with P.N. Elrod, author of the cult-smash series, The Vampire Files. Get the inside story behind her new novel, A Chill in the Blood.

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Vampire Folklore

Our traditional image of the vampire, though born from literature, is based on this folkloric vampire, which dates back as early as the eleventh century, and was (until the 1700's) found exclusively in the Slavic countries of Eastern Europe.

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