I'm sorry to tell you, Zoe, that McDonald IS an American name. As is Trybyczewski. As is Subido. As is ... I could go on. (These are all real last names of Actual Americans I know). America is like this - I don't think it's a bad thing, and in fact I'm pretty proud of it.

vampire myths aren't that old.

Um. I believe that Romans had vampire myths (involving victims having their noses bitten off), and I've got a pretty strong feeling that there are variations on the theme of blood-sucking monster/undead in Asia and South America, although I may be talking shite.

Interesting.

I'm sorry to tell you, Zoe, that McDonald IS an American name.

Like I said about the cat. There are many, many highlanders who would dispute that.

And although America has a myriad of cultural roots they have only been reworking them in movies for the last 50 years or so.

Try closer to a hundred, babe. Which is to say, a reworking of myths with an American POV/Bent has been going on as long as there have been pictures that moved. And longer, if you feel the urge to count books, or plays, or whatnot.

Taking myths from a source and reworking them doesn't make them American it's like saying that "MacDonald" is an American name because it is an American cultural reference as well and Oops that cat's escaped!

Your logic here escapes me.

I *think* (and someone please correct me if I'm culturally off base) that UnAmerican has acheived a backhanded non-negative status, since it was used as an insult by People We Don't Like.

I see it in much the same light, rather like the Rats of Tobruk or such like. (Plus, especially libving here, I get a bit of a kick out of being UnAmerican on occasion.)

I know one person who fled this page because of the thread titles, but that was because she thought we were trashing the shows since the titles were humorous and mocking.

This is probably a fair comment. I think in some ways I'd be offended if we UnAmericans were treated differently from the other threads. In Australia, if you're not willing to give and receive the occasional snark, you're no friend of mine.

Or one could even interpret the "all ogle - no cash" as this being the thread for links to free porn.

Hee. Ok, this could be a problem. FTR, I won't be overly sorry to see the 'all ogle, no cash' bit disappear once the thread ticks over (I have Anya issues), but I do like the UnAmerican bit.

Try closer to a hundred, babe. Which is to say, a reworking of myths with an American POV/Bent has been going on as long as there have been pictures that moved. And longer, if you feel the urge to count books, or plays, or whatnot.

100 years is a very short time. Like I said I'm not saying that vampire myths have not become an american cultural reference cos they have, only that they are not an American cultural creation.

Okay, I am an American, so I'll gladly step out of this, but I think that we have two separate issues being conflated. The first is a dislike of the term UnAmerican, the second is a sense that there is not enough regard for the fact that vampire myths did not originate in America. But I'm not seeing the connection between the two.

But I'm not seeing the connection between the two.

I'm not sure there is one.

OK-- now I am just being argumentative, but isn't the primary "myth" or "trope" or what have you that Buffy sprang from NOT the vampire myth, but rather the horror movie cliche that the young pretty girl will get killed by the monster? But turned on its head? A youngish cliche to be sure, but I think the vampires were just sort of convenient.

100 years is a very short time. Like I said I'm not saying that vampire myths have not become an american cultural reference cos they have, only that they are not an American cultural creation.

100 years is about the whole history of film.

Sorry, can't go back much further.