Hollywood

When Lincoln hunted vampires

Hindustan Times
New Delhi, July 12, 2012

First Published: 18:47 IST(12/7/2012)
Last Updated: 00:30 IST(13/7/2012)

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Benjamin Walker, stars as Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.

Wouldn't you be surprised if you got to know that Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, used to pose as an axe-wielding vampire hunter in the night?

Well, don't think we are trying to re-write history here, this is just the description of the fictional take on Lincoln in

the film - Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, which is based on the novel of the same name by Seth Grahame-Smith. The movie, which releases in India today, tells the story of vampires trying to take over the US in the 19th century, and how President Lincoln takes it upon himself to eliminate the blood-thristy creatures. Actor Benjamin Walker, 29, who plays the titular character in the film, says playing Lincoln was quite complex and challenging. "When you look at Abraham Lincoln and his legacy and his life, you realize how truly complex and complicated he was as a man," he says.

As for mashing up history with fiction in the film, Walker says, "It's a thriller that marries a portrait of American history and encompasses fantastical elements that we all recognize. The same way that Abe Lincoln has become iconic and idolised, so have vampires."