Blade is a 1998 movie that tells the story of a vampire hunter. He was born a half-vampire after his mother was bitten while she was in labor. In his mid-thirties he grows up to become an infamous vampire hunter. The plot of the movie revolves around Blade and a few humans learning of a plot by vampires to summon a blood god, known as La Magra. Throughout the movie, Blade is trying to stop the main antagonist, Deacon Frost, and his clan of vampires from completing the ritual. However they are unable to stop it, and the spirit is projected into Frost. The climax ends with Blade managing to inject Frost with several syringes containing an anticoagulant that when mixed with vampire blood causes their cells to explode.
Blade and Whistler, one of his only human friends
While the main plot of the movie doesn't really revolve around Blade's condition completely, there is also an internal struggle with him being an outsider to everyone he meets. He is one of the only half-vampires he's met that tries to fight his curse actively. He is an outsider, neither a human or vampire, and is therefore disliked by both, or has very few connections, those being with only humans. The one person he can really trust is his friend and hunting partner, Whistler. Whistler is a human who despises vampires as much as Blade, and helps create the tools and weapons he uses in combat. However, during the movie Whistler is attacked and infected by a vampire. Before he succumbs to the infection and turns, he and Blade share one last conversation. After it, Blade gives Whistler a gun so that he may shoot himself and free himself from the curse. After losing his friend, He can never really fit in with anyone. If he were to try to relate to humans, his condition and craving for blood would put him against them or they would fear him. Jeff Cohen's Monster Culture: Seven Theses also talks about the implication the different characteristics a vampire would have compared to a human. On the other side, If he was to try to fit in with vampires, his ability to walk in the daylight and morality to not kill and drink blood would contradict vampiric ideals. Eventually, they would think that he places himself on a pedestal or thinks of himself better than others, and perhaps begin to resent him. While this isn't a direct point discussed in the movie, its one that resonates with Blade as he continues to go about his life, and why he chooses to remain somewhat a loner.
Course Material:
Jeff Cohen's Monster Culture: Seven Theses
Outside Material: