the Dalaverse

You know, in this day of Twilight and "True Blood," I feel that the original 1992 film "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" has been underestimated as a piece of vampire film lore AND as a modern cinematic classic.

It's not just that it gave rise to one of the biggest cultural phenomenons of my generation. I mean, the whole reason I watched the BtVS pilot was because I loved the movie so damn much. Sarah Michelle Gellar quipping her way through seven seasons of vampires and/or boyfriends may have been a defining image in my adolescence, but Kristy Swanson in a white prom dress and black leather jacket was a defining image in my childhood. Even then I liked the fact that she actually looked like she could beat somebody up (I love SMG to death, but girl was looking pretty frail the last few seasons).

Plus it has so many other things to recommend it. Donald Sutherland doing horror (lite) as only Donald Sutherland can do horror! Luke Perry at the height of his mysterious teen idol powers! Hilary Swank before she became a Karate Kid, much less an Oscar-winning actress! Ben Affleck in the brief and questionably memorable role of Basketball Player #10! Fucking PEEWEE HERMAN! The cheesy vamp makeup; the neon, acid-washed, ill-fitting clothes of the early '90s; the TOTALLY AWESOME tunes of the early '90s! 'I Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore' by the Divinyls is still like one of my favorite songs. In fact I really need to get that soundtrack.

And the immortal line, in those hazy days before cell phones and texting: 'You broke up with my machine?' And when I was a kid, I thought Paul Reubens' death scene was the funniest thing EVER. It was like that scene, the part in 'Mrs. Doubtfire' where he catches the fake boobs on fire, and the scene where the chef tries to kill Sebastian in 'The Little Mermaid': those were the pinnacle of comedy for me (for the record, I still crack up at that rageful chef).

I realize it didn't turn out quite how Joss wanted, but that just meant a new and exciting breed of Buffy for us. And I...I have enough love for all the Buffy you got.