Forget swine flu.  The most intense virus sweeping teens is Twilight.   Feverish anticipation for the second part of The Twilight Saga:  New Moon has been brewing for months.    The most dedicated fans, “Twi-hards,” have taken to the streets of Los Angeles, camping out for days before the second installment of the teen vampire saga opened.  Despite blistering reviews from film critics, Thursday's midnight screening set a sales record.  It is enroute to being one of the biggest opening weekends in cinema history.

Those who’ve read Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series are predisposed to swoon for the tortured teen vampire, Edward Cullen.   His radiant appearance, sparkling in the sunlight, echoes David Bowie’s androgynous “Diamond Dogs.”   Edward defends Bella Swan with such ferocity, taming his own blood-lust to protect her life.   Robert Pattinson brought minimal screen experience (he plays Cedric Diggory in the Harry Potter series) to the role.   But Edward’s pale skin and private suffering suited the London-born actor.  Pattinson even contributed a couple of songs (‘Never Think’ and ‘Let Me Sign’) to the Twilight soundtrack.