UW-Madison?s vampire lore expert Tomislav Longinovic attributes the sometimes graphic creatures? foothold in popular culture to people becoming more accustomed to violence through war and what?s seen daily in the news. “As we accept more evil, the image of the vampire becomes more acceptable,” said Longinovic, who teaches “The Vampire in Literature and Film. “Plus, people want an escape. The rise of ?Twilight Saga? … really comes at a time when I think there?s a youth withdraw from reality,” Longinovic said. “It provides a nice imaginary niche … a psychological solace.”
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