Susan Sontag's Notes on “Camp” describes the different criteria for a work of art to be considered “camp.” There is a discernible amount of “camp” in the two films that I will be comparing to and the different types criteria of “camp” that they fall under, The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Twilight respectively.
Twilight and The Rocky Horror Picture Show fall under some of Sontag's criteria, but both films illustrate two different types of “camp” as explained in criteria #18:
“One must distinguish between naïve and deliberate Camp. Pure Camp is always naïve. Camp which knows itself to be Camp (“camping”) is usually less satisfying.”
Twilight is meant to be taken seriously, yet the delivery of the dialogue and certain key scenes take the film into a whole other level of absurdity. The film is based off of a series of popular novels which also lend themselves to “camp.” Twilight fits under the #19 criteria because of its unintentional humor. Sontag's 19th Criteria states:
“The pure examples of Camp are unintentional; they are dead serious.”
The dialogue in Twilight fits this criteria not because of the way it is written, but the delivery of the dialogue by the film's principal actors Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart. Stewart delivers her lines in a dry, dead pan and awkward manner, as if she is trying to get herself fired from the production of the film, while Pattinson's delivery is melodramatic and ridiculous. The intention of the film is not meant to be a comedy, but a romantic thriller about vampires and werewolves in love with humans.
In one of the key and most absurd scenes in the film, Edward (Pattinson) takes Bella (Stewart) to a secluded part of the woods. She asks Edward why he doesn't go out into the sunlight, despite knowing that he is a vampire. Edward proceeds to show her what happens when he exposes himself to the sunlight. The end result is Edward “sparkling” and saying “This means I'm a killer!” The sparkling in the sunlight is a notable trait among vampires in the Twilight universe. This scene and the dialogue delivery takes Twilight into the level of “Pure Camp.”
The Rocky Horror Picture Show on the other hand, is a film that is aware of its “campiness” and an argument can be made that its intended “camp” makes the film less enjoyable. Sontag's 20th criteria explains this idea as well:
“Probably intending to be campy is always harmful.”
The Rocky Horror Picture Show is self aware of its own “Camp.” The film was created in such a manner in which it was not meant to be taken seriously. The musical numbers are extravagant, the acting is greatly exaggerated, and the avant-garde set design and costumes all lend to self-parody. The film is intending to be campy, which takes away the innocent humor of the film.
In one notable scene, Dr. Frankenfurter (Tim Curry) comes out singing “I'm just a sweet transvestite, from Transsexual...sexualvania!” to his guests after the “Time Warp” musical number, in black lingerie, stockings, make-up and a pearl necklace. This scene is absurd and funny, but it cannot qualify as “Pure Camp” because the film is aware of its self-parody and its own “camp” factor.
"Camp" reinforces ideology which is utilized to separate certain types of people based on their tastes. The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Twilight have their own respective audiences. Rocky Horror Picture Show fans religiously go to the midnight showings to sing along to the musical numbers, add their own commentary and throw objects at the screen. Twilight and non-Twilight fans appreciate the unintentional “campiness” of the films and also insert their own commentary and jokes. The most important thing to remember is that it's not about the ideology of aesthetics and taste, but the entertainment and happiness that audiences of both films experience when viewing them with or without their own “camp” eyes.
-Maricruz
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