( CNN ) -- `` New Moon , '' the latest film in `` The Twilight Saga '' is doing record business at the box office . In its opening weekend the film grossed $ 140.7 million -- more than any other film with an autumn release in history . The tales of teenage vampire love based on the best-selling books by Stephanie Meyer have wooed film-goers without having to resort to acres of flesh being on display . This distinct lack of on-screen sex runs contrary to the popular trend of portraying teenagers on screen as playing fast and loose with their virginity and affections . Love and the importance of relationships most definitely rule in `` The Twilight Saga '' and the formula is proving popular with audiences . Elizabeth Morowitz , Communications Professor at the University of Missouri and author of `` Bitten By Twilight '' thinks that this more sensitive approach is the key to the film 's success . `` A lot of people ask 'what 's so appealing about the Twilight and why is it popular now ? ' and we think it 's because of the relationships and the messages about love in Twilight . In a more conservative environment we 've had this push for abstinence education , so we now have a media message that 's more congruent with that . So perhaps some teens relate to it in that way , '' Morowitz told CNN 's Katie Walmsley . The director of `` New Moon '' Chris Weitz says that sexual abstinence is central to the film 's appeal . `` It 's not that they ca n't have sex , they choose not to and I think there 's so much popular culture that 's saying to young people : 'you 'll be cool if you have sex ' or 'it 's important to be sexy ' whereas this series really concentrates on matters of the heart and spirit and I think that 's lovely , '' Weitz told CNN . A dashing male lead , in the shape of Robert Pattison does n't hurt either when you 're trying to attract a female teenage audience . But whatever the exact recipe for its undoubted success it looks like teenagers in the `` Twilight '' world do n't like to bite off more than they can chew .
` ` The Twilight Saga : New Moon '' is breaking records at the box office . It contains lots of sexual tension but no love scenes . Twilight Saga concentrates on matters of the heart and is by director Chris Columbus .