It is clear from the trailers
that the movie
Jennifer’s Body
deals with the paranormal.
It has this paranormal element
because with movies like Twilight
and shows like The Vampire Diaries,
paranormal is hot
with the teen target group.
Unfortunately,
the marketing talks down
to this target group.
The paranormal element is a succubus
but there’s no mention of that
anywhere.
The only reason I can think of
for the oversight
is the assumption
that teens
won’t know or care
what a succubus is.
That’s a big assumption
with this very intelligent group.
I think you are highly overestimating the young generation’s knowledge of mythology.
As you wrote a few posts ago, nearly all teens play video games, and the vast majority engage in social networking, but that is the extent of their technological prowess. They do not read history nor study any subject not directly related to teen social issues. They tend to actively avoid books.
They do not like big words. Browse Myspace to gauge their literacy level.
It sounds like Jennifer’s Marketing targeted its audience accurately.
Do you watch Gossip Girl or The Vampire Diaries, Mike?
Teens may not use big words
(because they mostly write in short form)
but judging by the success of these shows,
they KNOW big words.
Gossip Girl is NO 90210.
The script uses words that I, as a writer, aren’t familiar with.
As for knowledge of what a succubus is…
there are series of young adult novels featuring succubus
(Mark Of The Succubus,
Richelle Mead’s Succubus Blues series – that skews older but as it comes from the same author as The Vampire Academy…, etc)
This target group grew up with Harry Potter.
They aren’t reading Sweet Valley High.