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November 19, 2009

<img src="http://www.joplinglobeonline.com/images/zope/extra.gif" border=0>‘Twi-hards’ pack theaters for 'New Moon'<font color="#ff0000"> w/ New Moon movie trailer and info</font>

By Joe Hadsall

jhadsall@joplinglobe.com

LaTausha Reed was prepared for the release early this morning of “The Twilight Saga: New Moon.”

For about a month before the movie’s release, she had been wearing her “Twilight” T-shirts. For the screening of the movie at 12:01 a.m. today, she planned to dress as Alice Cullen, one of the sparkling vampires in the movie.

“I have about 20 T-shirts that are ‘Twilight’-related,” Reed said Thursday. “I have one that says ‘New Moon,’ and the one I have on now says ‘11-20-09.’”

Reed, 24, of Galena, Kan., went all out for her costume, spending hundreds of dollars to find a baseball outfit similar to one the character wore in the first movie. Reed even cut and dyed her blond hair black.

She is a picture-perfect definition of a “Twi-hard,” a die-hard fan of the “Twilight” series of books written by Stephenie Meyer. She was one of many around the nation who flocked to see the latest movie adaptation of Meyer’s story.

Many theaters in the area, including the Hollywood Northstar 14 in Joplin and the Pittsburg 8 in Pittsburg, Kan., offered the screenings shortly after midnight Thursday. Alexis Jackson, assistant manager at the Pittsburg 8, said tickets for almost every showing this weekend have been sold over the past few weeks, and that one family had waited in line all day to ensure good seats.

Corporate officials from Hollywood Theaters, owner of the Northstar 14, did not allow local employees to comment.

“New Moon” is the second of four titles in the “Twilight” series and is about Bella Swan, a teenage girl who falls in love with vampire Edward Cullen — who also has a hunger for her, literally. The fourth and final book, “Breaking Dawn,” was published last year.

Reed became a fan before reading a word of the series.

“I saw the first movie and fell in love with it,” she said. “The romantic atmosphere was a different perspective from other movies.”

After watching the first movie, Reed bought all four of the books and read them in less than two weeks.

The books have become popular with teenagers and women. Cari Rerat, teen librarian at the Joplin Public Library, said she can’t keep the books on the shelves.

“All of our copies are checked out or on hold,” Rerat said. “It’s a rare thing when one comes in.”

Some middle-school students in Southwest Missouri will be given complete sets of the series soon. Students from Bolivar Middle School recently appeared on Oprah Winfrey’s talk show and were able to connect with the author. After hearing that the school’s library had many holds on the title, Meyer said she would give each student a complete set, said Principal Shane Dublin.

“We got the first shipment in, and we’re keeping the books under lock and key until we get the full shipment,” Dublin said. “They are really excited for them.

“For us, the books have galvanized the culture of literacy here. Kids who were reluctant readers before are reading these books and others.”

One group that isn’t excited about the movie: critics. The movie is being panned by many professional movie reviewers. Associated Press movie reviewer David Germain gave the movie one and a half stars out of four, saying the movie is “boring, eternally so.”

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