One of the first things we learn is that Meyer chose Forks after discovering that it's one of the rainiest places in America. Although there is some debate as to whether or not she'd ever been there prior to writing her first novel, there's no doubt she did some serious research. The owner of a local eatery, for example, was called to get information about his menu, since the characters Edward and Bella would be having their first date at his establishment. Other similar stories abound.

Forks, at one time, hosted a vibrant logging community. Like many industrial towns, jobs were lost as the economy fluctuated over the years. The success of Meyer's series - and the movies made from it - started to turn things around to the point where "Twilight" has replaced logging as the town's primary industry. Fans flock from all over the world to see the place, and many of the local businesses cater to them. Some have the word "Twilight" in their names. Some sell memorabilia. There is a "Dazzled by Twilight" tour that takes visitors to places that inspired scenes from the novels. The head of the local Chamber of Commerce collects fan mail that arrives for the characters. A local department store even occasionally pages Bella to a specific department, just so the employees can see fans run toward it. This is especially helpful during important sales.

It doesn't stop there. Many locals are interviewed, each giving their unique perspective on the phenomenon. Some are a little skeptical about their town's fame, but most embrace it. Consider the local man who claims to be Jacob Black's grandfather and happily regales tourists with legends about the Quileutes tribe and how they descended from wolves. Or the local police chief who signs autographs as "Charlie Swan." Yes, these folks might seem nuts on the surface, but what comes across more than anything is their sense of playfulness. They truly appreciate the interest in their little corner of the world, and since the Twi-hards are coming no matter what, they've decided to have some fun with it.

I suppose that many "Twilight" fans will be drawn to this documentary because it does show many of the real-life inspirations. The appeal for me was the way Twilight in Forks shows how this town avoided economic collapse by exploiting its newfound claim to fame. Sure, it's opportunism, but it's also coming from a place of hometown pride.

In addition to locals, several fans are interviewed as well. Honestly, a couple of them are pretty scary. We meet more than one person who picked up and moved to Forks, simply because they are "Twilight" fanatics. A few even go through their day-to-day lives dressing the part. A more sane perspective comes from the local professor who says, rather astutely, that the appeal of "Twilight" is that it gives its core audience an experience that is both erotic and spiritual.

Twilight in Forks is obviously sympathetic to the fan perspective, and while it's a good film, that bias is also somewhat limiting. I wish it presented both the pros and cons of Forks' fame. Surely there are a few citizens who resent the fact that their town has turned into a playground for vampire fans. Still, I have to say that I was really entertained by this documentary. It's hard to knock the good people of Forks. They didn't ask for this notoriety, but they realize that their small town means a whole lot to many, many people, and so they do everything possible to give visiting Twi-hards a good show. If there's a boatload of money to be made doing it…well, the workers in Forks will be feeding their families good tonight.

( out of four)

Twilight in Forks is unrated but contains nothing objectionable. The running time is 1 hour and 24 minutes.