Monsters are everywhere! Godzilla and Kong are going at it once again (this time as a double act) and now Abigail has hit screens, a movie about a heist gone wrong where the loot is an adorable 12-year-old ballerina. Starring Dan Stevens, Melissa Barrera and Kathryn Newton and directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett aka Radio Silence, who made the raucous Ready Or Not (as well as the most recent Scream movies), it’s a gore-soaked genre love letter that at one point had ties to the Universal Monsters canon.
Without Abigail spoilers, that’s not entirely evident in the finished product, which is nonetheless an absolute blast but it feels like a good time to celebrate the rich history of these creature features. After all, they aren’t going away anytime soon. From Leigh Whannell’s excellent take on The Invisible Man in 2020 to Zelda Williams and Diablo Cody’s Liza Frankenstein,...
Without Abigail spoilers, that’s not entirely evident in the finished product, which is nonetheless an absolute blast but it feels like a good time to celebrate the rich history of these creature features. After all, they aren’t going away anytime soon. From Leigh Whannell’s excellent take on The Invisible Man in 2020 to Zelda Williams and Diablo Cody’s Liza Frankenstein,...
- 4/22/2024
- by Louisa Mellor
- Den of Geek
"Abigail" is hitting theaters this weekend, bringing audiences a new vampire film to sink their teeth into. With that in mind, we're turning to the granddaddy of all vampires, Dracula! There are a lot of Dracula movies. Too many to Count, in fact (pun intended). Dracula has been to space ("Dracula 3000"). Dracula has turned out to be Judas Iscariot ("Dracula 2000"). Dracula has been to the Old West ("Billy the Kid Versus Dracula").
Hell, Dracula has been with us more or less since horror movies began (with the unauthorized adaptation "Nosferatu"). With that in mind, it's probably impossible to make a comprehensive list of every Dracula movie. So we're not even going to try to do that. Instead, we're going to list the five best Dracula movies, ranked. With so many Drac-centric flicks out there, any list like this is bound to be controversial. If your personal favorite Dracula movie didn't make the list,...
Hell, Dracula has been with us more or less since horror movies began (with the unauthorized adaptation "Nosferatu"). With that in mind, it's probably impossible to make a comprehensive list of every Dracula movie. So we're not even going to try to do that. Instead, we're going to list the five best Dracula movies, ranked. With so many Drac-centric flicks out there, any list like this is bound to be controversial. If your personal favorite Dracula movie didn't make the list,...
- 4/18/2024
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
For a significant portion of its running time, the new film from the directing team of Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (better known as Radio Silence) plays like a hard-boiled crime drama. In its opening scenes, we see a rag-tag team of criminals prepare for and then commit the kidnapping of a 12-year-old girl. First seen dancing ballet by herself in an empty theater, she obviously comes from wealth, getting into a chauffeured limousine after her exertions. The kidnappers, who’ve dubbed her “Tiny Dancer,” manage to snatch her away and bring her to a secluded mansion, where they’re greeted by their mysterious organizer (Giancarlo Esposito), who gives them fake names inspired by the members of the Rat Pack (Frank, Joey, Dean, etc.). So far, so Quentin Tarantino.
That the mansion seems to come from a ‘30s-era Universal horror film, complete with suits of armor and numerous examples of frightening taxidermy,...
That the mansion seems to come from a ‘30s-era Universal horror film, complete with suits of armor and numerous examples of frightening taxidermy,...
- 4/18/2024
- by Frank Scheck
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
From the moment the film was announced a year ago, “Abigail” has been marketed as a remake of “Dracula’s Daughter,” the 1936 Universal Pictures curio. So it’s no spoiler to say that the title character of “Abigail” is…Dracula’s daughter. Yet if you went in not knowing that, it might be the only real surprise in the movie, apart from what a brutally monotonous blood-vomiting genre mashup it is.
For a while, we think we’re watching a standard kidnap thriller. It opens with Abigail (Alisha Weir), who is 12, on the ballet stage rehearsing “Swan Lake,” a most definite vampire homage, since Tchaikovsky’s gorgeous heart-swelling score is the same music that played over the opening credits of the 1931 Bela Lugosi “Dracula.” That lyrical entré ends in about three minutes, as the kidnappers, all overstated profane synthetic crudeness, jam themselves into a van and abscond with Abigail, who they...
For a while, we think we’re watching a standard kidnap thriller. It opens with Abigail (Alisha Weir), who is 12, on the ballet stage rehearsing “Swan Lake,” a most definite vampire homage, since Tchaikovsky’s gorgeous heart-swelling score is the same music that played over the opening credits of the 1931 Bela Lugosi “Dracula.” That lyrical entré ends in about three minutes, as the kidnappers, all overstated profane synthetic crudeness, jam themselves into a van and abscond with Abigail, who they...
- 4/18/2024
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
If there was one thing that was going to tempt movie-goers into cinemas for some mid-budget vampire action in 2003, it was probably Bill Nighy as a vampire overlord. Or, was it the marketing campaign featuring a leather clad Kate Beckinsale? I’ll let you decide… The early noughties had already brought some decent vampire action, before we were subjected to the shimmering embarrassment to the genre that was the Twilight saga. We were also just a few short years away from seeing some proper kick-ass, sexy vampire action on the small screen with Hbc’s excellent True Blood series. The vampire genre was starting to show some signs of a re-awakening, and films such as the fun but flawed Queen of the Damned from 2002 and, of course, the awesome Blade series, were leading the bloodsucking way.
Vampires have always been a popular form of escapism for audiences and they’re still massively popular now.
Vampires have always been a popular form of escapism for audiences and they’re still massively popular now.
- 4/17/2024
- by Adam Walton
- JoBlo.com
The April of genre showers continues with four new wide releases and another expanding nationwide, offering quite a bit of variety. Can any of the take down reigning champion “Civil War”? Read on for Gold Derby’s box office preview.
First up is the new horror film, “Abigail,” from the filmmaking collective known as Radio Silence, who directed the last two “Scream” movies. This one involves a band of criminals who kidnap the young daughter of a powerful crime lord to get money from him, holding her in a mansion where they learn that … she’s a vampire! The filmmakers reunite with Melissa Barrera from their “Scream” films, who is joined by Dan Stevens, Kathryn Newton, Giancarlo Esposito, Matthew Goode and the title character is played by young Alisha Weir.
Universal does love its vampires. After all, it was the studio that made “Dracula” famous, going all the way back...
First up is the new horror film, “Abigail,” from the filmmaking collective known as Radio Silence, who directed the last two “Scream” movies. This one involves a band of criminals who kidnap the young daughter of a powerful crime lord to get money from him, holding her in a mansion where they learn that … she’s a vampire! The filmmakers reunite with Melissa Barrera from their “Scream” films, who is joined by Dan Stevens, Kathryn Newton, Giancarlo Esposito, Matthew Goode and the title character is played by young Alisha Weir.
Universal does love its vampires. After all, it was the studio that made “Dracula” famous, going all the way back...
- 4/17/2024
- by Edward Douglas
- Gold Derby
George Waggner's 1941 horror film "The Wolf Man" introduced audiences to, essentially, the "second officer" of the Universal Monsters canon. Everyone knows that Dracula is the captain of the monster ship, and that Frankenstein is his first officer (a position he often shares with the Bride). The Wolf Man is always third in command, perhaps serving as a security officer or an enforcer. Mummies, gillmen, invisible men, Dr. Hydes, and other ancillary ghouls serve lower down in the crew.
Watching the original "Wolf Man" film, however, reveals a dark and sad tale about Larry Talbot who is attacked by a wolf on a misty night in Wales, afflicting him with the curse of the werewolf. Throughout the year, Larry will transform into an animalistic wolf/human creature and stalk and kill random victims. The tale is terrifying and tragic and inspired many pop culture tales to follow -- as well as many nightmares.
Watching the original "Wolf Man" film, however, reveals a dark and sad tale about Larry Talbot who is attacked by a wolf on a misty night in Wales, afflicting him with the curse of the werewolf. Throughout the year, Larry will transform into an animalistic wolf/human creature and stalk and kill random victims. The tale is terrifying and tragic and inspired many pop culture tales to follow -- as well as many nightmares.
- 4/16/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki were the two stars of the CW show, Supernatural, playing the Winchester brothers. The show ran for 15 seasons, and the fans tuned in religiously to catch the brothers as they fought with a host of demons and monsters.
Both Ackles and Padalecki were the faces of the show, but the former drew crowds, and the show creators knew it. Therefore, when Ackles had to be punched in a particular scene, the actor opposite him was nervous. Ackles, however, was able to immediately put him at ease with a classy response.
Ackles had to reassure his fellow actor (Source: Supernatural)
Jensen Ackles’ classy response after being punched while filming a scene on Supernatural
Jensen Ackles has become one of the most well-known television actors around at present. However, it was his role as Dean Winchester on Supernatural that thrust him into the spotlight.
SUGGESTEDJensen Ackles Reveals...
Both Ackles and Padalecki were the faces of the show, but the former drew crowds, and the show creators knew it. Therefore, when Ackles had to be punched in a particular scene, the actor opposite him was nervous. Ackles, however, was able to immediately put him at ease with a classy response.
Ackles had to reassure his fellow actor (Source: Supernatural)
Jensen Ackles’ classy response after being punched while filming a scene on Supernatural
Jensen Ackles has become one of the most well-known television actors around at present. However, it was his role as Dean Winchester on Supernatural that thrust him into the spotlight.
SUGGESTEDJensen Ackles Reveals...
- 4/6/2024
- by Sreshtha Roychowdhury
- FandomWire
Garraka, the creepy demon in “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” who gives New York a “Death Chill,” was animated by Sony Pictures Imageworks with an eye toward Ray Harryhausen’s legendary stop-motion creatures from “Jason and the Argonauts.” In fact, the team paid particular attention to the skeleton army and Medusa for performance reference. That’s because director Gil Kenan (“Monster House”), who voiced Garraka, wanted to combine puppetry, stop motion, animatronics, and CG to evoke the handcrafted charm of the original “Ghostbusters” from 1984.
In this sequel to “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” the once powerful Garraka, who’s imprisoned in a brass orb by ancient Fire Masters, is inadvertently set free by the Ghostbusters and unleashed on New York. His “Death Chill” breath can freeze his victims and cause them to shatter like tiny crystals. What’s more, Garraka can deep freeze the entire planet, and his plan is to take over by resurrecting an army of the undead.
In this sequel to “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” the once powerful Garraka, who’s imprisoned in a brass orb by ancient Fire Masters, is inadvertently set free by the Ghostbusters and unleashed on New York. His “Death Chill” breath can freeze his victims and cause them to shatter like tiny crystals. What’s more, Garraka can deep freeze the entire planet, and his plan is to take over by resurrecting an army of the undead.
- 4/6/2024
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
The classic H.G. Wells story The Island of Dr. Moreau has been adapted multiple times in various different ways over the years – I’d personally like to recommend Island of Lost Souls, the classic 1932 adaptation starring Charles Laughton and Bela Lugosi – and Deadline reports that Anthony Hopkins has just come on board to star in the latest adaptation.
Hopkins will star in Eyes in the Trees for director Timothy Woodward Jr., being described as a “reimagining of the classic H.G. Wells novel The Island of Dr. Moreau.”
“In the film, Hopkins portrays a geneticist who has been isolated after the government stopped funding his research following the violent outbreak of one of his test subjects. Later, two renowned filmmakers and their crew embark on a journey of discovery, only to find their excursion turned into a fight for survival for not just themselves, but the entire human race.”
B. Harrison Smith...
Hopkins will star in Eyes in the Trees for director Timothy Woodward Jr., being described as a “reimagining of the classic H.G. Wells novel The Island of Dr. Moreau.”
“In the film, Hopkins portrays a geneticist who has been isolated after the government stopped funding his research following the violent outbreak of one of his test subjects. Later, two renowned filmmakers and their crew embark on a journey of discovery, only to find their excursion turned into a fight for survival for not just themselves, but the entire human race.”
B. Harrison Smith...
- 3/6/2024
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
When the moon is high and the shadows stretch long, there’s nothing quite like a monster mash to get the blood curdling in the best possible way. Yep, we’re talking about those rare cinematic feasts where Dracula toasts with Frankenstein, and the Wolfman crashes the party, only to find out the Mummy’s been hogging the dip. Welcome to the ultimate guide to horror’s most iconic gatherings – a list that promises more monster movies than a Halloween bash at Castle Dracula.
Before we unleash the monsters, a quick plug! Dive deeper into classic and modern monster lore with our “Graveyard Smash” limited podcast series on Patreon. Our latest haunt? Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein. Don’t miss it! Support us and get exclusive access at Nightmare on Film Street on Patreon.
20Th Century Studios 10. Transylvania 6-5000 (1985)
Directed by Rudy De Luca, this offbeat comedy takes a jab...
Before we unleash the monsters, a quick plug! Dive deeper into classic and modern monster lore with our “Graveyard Smash” limited podcast series on Patreon. Our latest haunt? Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein. Don’t miss it! Support us and get exclusive access at Nightmare on Film Street on Patreon.
20Th Century Studios 10. Transylvania 6-5000 (1985)
Directed by Rudy De Luca, this offbeat comedy takes a jab...
- 2/27/2024
- by Kimberley Elizabeth
In the 1930s, Universal laid claim to the two biggest horror stars of the era, Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi, and it was only a matter of time before the pair would meet on screen. In 1932, only months after each rocketed to stardom in Dracula and Frankenstein respectively, the two were dressed in tuxedoes and brought together for a genial photoshoot that simultaneously announced their partnership and implied a rivalry. Through a series of circumstances, it was another two years before the pair would star in a film together. As one might expect, it was in the most transgressive horror film of the era, 1934’s The Black Cat, a film that remains shocking not only for the early 1930s but even more surprising as a product overseen by the newly enforced Hays Code.
The Code had been established in 1927 as a self-censoring wing of the motion picture industry and an attempt to avoid government censorship.
The Code had been established in 1927 as a self-censoring wing of the motion picture industry and an attempt to avoid government censorship.
- 2/26/2024
- by Brian Keiper
- bloody-disgusting.com
There are a lot of "Frankenstein" movies. There's even one in theaters right now: "Lisa Frankenstein," a fun 80s-set horror-comedy-romance brew (read /Film's review here).
One could even say the story of "Frankenstein" birthed the horror genre as we know it today, both in literature (thanks to Mary Shelley's "Modern Prometheus") and in film. James Whale's 1931 "Frankenstein," arriving on the heels of "Dracula," cemented the age of Universal Horror and proved that monsters could be crowd-pleasers.
Countless sequels and remakes later, everyone knows the basics of the story. Dr. Frankenstein (first name usually Victor) sets out to create life in a reanimated corpse. The result is a Creature, unpleasant to the eye, and soon Frankenstein experiences the wrath of his Monster. Was Frankenstein's Monster born destructive or made that way by his creator rejecting him? Interpretations differ, but the message endures: don't play God (or become a parent...
One could even say the story of "Frankenstein" birthed the horror genre as we know it today, both in literature (thanks to Mary Shelley's "Modern Prometheus") and in film. James Whale's 1931 "Frankenstein," arriving on the heels of "Dracula," cemented the age of Universal Horror and proved that monsters could be crowd-pleasers.
Countless sequels and remakes later, everyone knows the basics of the story. Dr. Frankenstein (first name usually Victor) sets out to create life in a reanimated corpse. The result is a Creature, unpleasant to the eye, and soon Frankenstein experiences the wrath of his Monster. Was Frankenstein's Monster born destructive or made that way by his creator rejecting him? Interpretations differ, but the message endures: don't play God (or become a parent...
- 2/18/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Countless different types of Count Dracula stories have been told on the screen over the years, from Bela Lugosi’s black & white icon to Nicolas Cage’s scenery chewing take in Renfield.
The origin story of the Dracula character has also been told, most notably in Gary Shore’s 2014 movie Dracula Untold. And THR reports this week that it’s about to be told again.
Caleb Landry Jones (Antiviral) will star in an untitled Dracula origin story for director Luc Besson (The Fifth Element), which is said to be a “big budgeted film.”
The Hollywood Reporter previews that the movie will be a “retelling of Bram Stoker’s classic Gothic tale with Landry-Jones set to play the Transylvania Count-turned-vampire.”
The site also notes, “Besson’s take will focus on the beginning of Dracula’s life and relationship with his wife.”
Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained) is also in talks to star.
The origin story of the Dracula character has also been told, most notably in Gary Shore’s 2014 movie Dracula Untold. And THR reports this week that it’s about to be told again.
Caleb Landry Jones (Antiviral) will star in an untitled Dracula origin story for director Luc Besson (The Fifth Element), which is said to be a “big budgeted film.”
The Hollywood Reporter previews that the movie will be a “retelling of Bram Stoker’s classic Gothic tale with Landry-Jones set to play the Transylvania Count-turned-vampire.”
The site also notes, “Besson’s take will focus on the beginning of Dracula’s life and relationship with his wife.”
Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained) is also in talks to star.
- 2/17/2024
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
From the era of silent movies through present day, Universal Pictures has been regarded as the home of the monsters. Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection showcases eight of the most iconic monsters in motion picture history including Dracula, Frankenstein, the Mummy, the Invisible Man, the Bride of Frankenstein, the Wolf Man, Phantom of the Opera, and Creature from the Black Lagoon. Starring Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney Jr., Claude Rains, and Elsa Lanchester in the roles that they made famous, these original films set the standard for a new horror genre with revolutionary makeup, mood-altering cinematography, and groundbreaking special effects. Featuring over 12 hours of revealing bonus features plus an exclusive collectible book, each film has been digitally restored from high resolution film elements for the ultimate classic monster experience.
Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection is available on 4K Uhd Blu-ray on February 13.
Enter for your chance to...
Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection is available on 4K Uhd Blu-ray on February 13.
Enter for your chance to...
- 2/4/2024
- by Slant Staff
- Slant Magazine
Dr. Viktor Frankenstein is the fictional keystone for generations of horror artists. Monster makers bring dreams and nightmares to life, realizing a filmmaker's vision for the impossible things we need to see and shudder at. While movie monsters existed long before Bela Lugosi put on Dracula's cape in 1931, the birth of the classic Universal Monsters franchise is hard to ignore as a watershed moment for things that go bump in the night. Since then, artists like Ray Harryhausen, Phil Tippett, Stan Winston, and countless more have grown with the technology used to evolve an idea from the drawing board to the cinema screen.
However, making these critters isn't always a clear-cut process. Growing an idea into something we can shudder at can take a few attempts to get terrifying right. Sometimes, even the things that go bump in the night had their awkward teenage years. Below, find out about some...
However, making these critters isn't always a clear-cut process. Growing an idea into something we can shudder at can take a few attempts to get terrifying right. Sometimes, even the things that go bump in the night had their awkward teenage years. Below, find out about some...
- 1/29/2024
- by Margaret David
- Slash Film
I will never forget the first time I saw Devo. It was October 14, 1978, and my college roommates and I were watching “Saturday Night Live.” The band, which I had never heard of (I would guess that was true of 98 percent of the people watching the show), came on in their yellow jumpsuits, stiff and mechanical, swiveling like angry androids as they performed their brutalist robo version of “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.” When the song ended, one of the band members shot up his hand in what looked kind of like a Hitler salute. At this point, the punk revolution was old news, and the new wave was in full swing. I had eaten up the apocalyptic barbed anarchy of the Sex Pistols; I reveled in the Ramones, the Clash, Talking Heads, you name it. But I’m not remotely exaggerating when I say that Devo doing “Satisfaction” on...
- 1/25/2024
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
When we recently compiled our list of science fiction movies based on true stories, one film that didn’t make the list was Christopher Nolan‘s Oppenheimer. After all, the technology behind the nuclear bomb can no longer be said to be undiscovered, sadly. Nonetheless, Oppenheimer remains the archetypal science fiction story—one about a mad scientist who devises a new machine that changes the world through terrible unforeseen consequences. He is an an American Prometheus, yes, but also a regular Yankee Frankenstein. More than that though, by ushering in the nuclear age, Oppenheimer may have lit the fuse on the genre of cinematic science fiction.
It is hardly a new observation, but walk into any cinema in the 1950s and you will find no shortage of creatures, monsters, or occasionally people grown to giant size by the mysterious power of radiation. You don’t need to look too closely...
It is hardly a new observation, but walk into any cinema in the 1950s and you will find no shortage of creatures, monsters, or occasionally people grown to giant size by the mysterious power of radiation. You don’t need to look too closely...
- 1/20/2024
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Elvis Presley‘s manager, Colonel Tom Parker, is not a beloved figure among the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll‘s fans. However, Bob Dylan put up a decent defense of Parker. Here’s a look at what the folk singer had to say about one of the most controversial figures in the music business and how Priscilla Presley seemed to agree with him.
Bob Dylan said fans compared Elvis Presley’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker, to Judas Iscariot
In his 2022 book The Philosophy of Modern Song, Dylan discussed Parker’s place in rock ‘n’ roll history. “Among a certain cadre of fans, Colonel Tom Parker is equally reviled for squandering Elvis’ talents in increasingly substandard movies and holding him in stasis in Las Vegas by allowing the Hilton a sweetheart deal to help offset the manager’s staggering gambling debt,” he wrote.
“In the Elvis myth, it’s easy to...
Bob Dylan said fans compared Elvis Presley’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker, to Judas Iscariot
In his 2022 book The Philosophy of Modern Song, Dylan discussed Parker’s place in rock ‘n’ roll history. “Among a certain cadre of fans, Colonel Tom Parker is equally reviled for squandering Elvis’ talents in increasingly substandard movies and holding him in stasis in Las Vegas by allowing the Hilton a sweetheart deal to help offset the manager’s staggering gambling debt,” he wrote.
“In the Elvis myth, it’s easy to...
- 1/14/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Turner Classic Movies has a lot going on as it celebrates its 30th anniversary this year.
On Friday, execs from the beloved cable channel unveiled a new podcast, 2024 programming initiatives, a new branded studio tour of the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank and details about the 15th annual TCM Classic Film Festival in April.
On Jan. 16, TCM and sister streamer Max will debut Talking Pictures: A Movie Memories Podcast. TCM host Ben Mankiewicz will join filmmakers and actors as they discuss “their earliest film memories, favorite movies, creative influences and guilty pleasures,” with guests including Mel Brooks, Nancy Meyers and Patty Jenkins.
The TCM podcast The Plot Thickens is returning this year for a fifth season, with the subject yet to be disclosed.
In April, TCM will introduce a new franchise, Two for One, with prominent filmmakers co-hosting a double feature of their choice on Saturday nights. Guests will include Jenkins,...
On Friday, execs from the beloved cable channel unveiled a new podcast, 2024 programming initiatives, a new branded studio tour of the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank and details about the 15th annual TCM Classic Film Festival in April.
On Jan. 16, TCM and sister streamer Max will debut Talking Pictures: A Movie Memories Podcast. TCM host Ben Mankiewicz will join filmmakers and actors as they discuss “their earliest film memories, favorite movies, creative influences and guilty pleasures,” with guests including Mel Brooks, Nancy Meyers and Patty Jenkins.
The TCM podcast The Plot Thickens is returning this year for a fifth season, with the subject yet to be disclosed.
In April, TCM will introduce a new franchise, Two for One, with prominent filmmakers co-hosting a double feature of their choice on Saturday nights. Guests will include Jenkins,...
- 1/12/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Like most movies, The Invisible Man travelled a long and winding road to the silver screen, and perhaps longer and more winding than most. As biographer James Curtis put it in his book James Whale: A New World of Gods and Monsters, “The gestation of The Invisible Man was the lengthiest and most convoluted of all of James Whale’s films. It involved four directors, nine writers, six treatments, and ten separate screenplays—all for a film that emerged very much in harmony with the book on which it was based.” It was first suggested as a possible follow-up to Dracula (1931), perhaps as a vehicle for new star Bela Lugosi, but was dropped in favor of Frankenstein (1931) due to the complicated special effects it would require. After Frankenstein was an even bigger success, both director James Whale and star Boris Karloff were immediately attached to The Invisible Man and several...
- 12/21/2023
- by Brian Keiper
- bloody-disgusting.com
Singapore’s Robot Playground Media (Rpm) and Valencia-based co-producer TV On Producciones (Top) have commenced production on animated feature film “The Violinist,” it was revealed at the Asia TV Forum and Market.
The film was unveiled at a presentation attended by the representatives of Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (Imda) and the Spanish Embassy in Singapore.
Set during WWII-era Singapore and Malaya, the film will follow two young violinists, Kai and Fei, whose dreams are shattered with the Japanese invasion of Southeast Asia. Kai abandons his music career to join the resistance in Perak, Malaya, while Fei becomes a war survivor in Japanese-occupied Singapore. Their lives take vastly different paths over the span of decades as they try to hold onto the promise of performing a two-violin sonata together one day.
In development for seven years, “The Violinist” was first presented at the Southeast Asia Film Financing Forum in...
The film was unveiled at a presentation attended by the representatives of Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (Imda) and the Spanish Embassy in Singapore.
Set during WWII-era Singapore and Malaya, the film will follow two young violinists, Kai and Fei, whose dreams are shattered with the Japanese invasion of Southeast Asia. Kai abandons his music career to join the resistance in Perak, Malaya, while Fei becomes a war survivor in Japanese-occupied Singapore. Their lives take vastly different paths over the span of decades as they try to hold onto the promise of performing a two-violin sonata together one day.
In development for seven years, “The Violinist” was first presented at the Southeast Asia Film Financing Forum in...
- 12/9/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Back in March of this year the landmark 1943 film Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (dir. Roy William Neill) made its debut. In honor of the film’s 80th birthday, let’s have some fun celebrating the first big screen monster bash.
The Universal Monsters, particularly the trifecta of Dracula, Frankenstein, and The Wolf Man, are some of the most recognizable icons in pop culture, let alone film.
The legacy of Universal’s horror output from the 1930s and 40s has reached every corner of the zeitgeist. The visage of Bela Lugosi’s Dracula, Boris Karloff’s Monster, and Lon Chaney Jr’s Wolf Man have reached a point of cultural saturation that few fictional characters ever reach.
One of the most remembered films from this cycle is of course, Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man. It’s hardly a new or astute observation to connect today’s mega blockbuster shared universe...
The Universal Monsters, particularly the trifecta of Dracula, Frankenstein, and The Wolf Man, are some of the most recognizable icons in pop culture, let alone film.
The legacy of Universal’s horror output from the 1930s and 40s has reached every corner of the zeitgeist. The visage of Bela Lugosi’s Dracula, Boris Karloff’s Monster, and Lon Chaney Jr’s Wolf Man have reached a point of cultural saturation that few fictional characters ever reach.
One of the most remembered films from this cycle is of course, Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man. It’s hardly a new or astute observation to connect today’s mega blockbuster shared universe...
- 11/15/2023
- by Tyler Eschberger
- bloody-disgusting.com
Streaming bonus valued at $120m over three years.
SAG-AFTRA leadership have unveiled specific deal points in this week’s tentative agreement with Alliance Of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) and said the path was clear for a ratification vote by members after national board voted by 86% to approve the deal.
Speaking to press inside SAG-AFTRA Plaza in mid-city Los Angeles on Friday (November 10), national executive director and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said the new deal will bring more than $1bn in wage rises and benefit plan funding.
Terms include a 7%-4%-3.5% minimum pay increase through 2026, informed consent and...
SAG-AFTRA leadership have unveiled specific deal points in this week’s tentative agreement with Alliance Of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) and said the path was clear for a ratification vote by members after national board voted by 86% to approve the deal.
Speaking to press inside SAG-AFTRA Plaza in mid-city Los Angeles on Friday (November 10), national executive director and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said the new deal will bring more than $1bn in wage rises and benefit plan funding.
Terms include a 7%-4%-3.5% minimum pay increase through 2026, informed consent and...
- 11/10/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Johnny Depp once noticed a pattern with contemporary vampire films like Twilight that he wasn’t particularly fond of. So much so that he wanted to salvage his vision of the vampire sub-genre with his own film.
Johnny Depp hoped to create a real vampire movie with ‘Dark Shadows’ Johnny Depp | Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
Depp felt the direction vampire films were headed in contradicted what the creature features were originally supposed to be about. He wanted to pay homage to the less glamorous vampires he grew up seeing on screen. The 1960s television series Dark Shadows had exactly the type of grotesque blood-suckers that he hoped to modernize.
”I remember sprinting home from school to see it. I loved it, this soap opera with gothic vampires. Jonathan Frid, who originally played Barnabas, was such a striking presence – there’s a sliver of him in there,” Depp once told Total Film...
Johnny Depp hoped to create a real vampire movie with ‘Dark Shadows’ Johnny Depp | Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
Depp felt the direction vampire films were headed in contradicted what the creature features were originally supposed to be about. He wanted to pay homage to the less glamorous vampires he grew up seeing on screen. The 1960s television series Dark Shadows had exactly the type of grotesque blood-suckers that he hoped to modernize.
”I remember sprinting home from school to see it. I loved it, this soap opera with gothic vampires. Jonathan Frid, who originally played Barnabas, was such a striking presence – there’s a sliver of him in there,” Depp once told Total Film...
- 11/10/2023
- by Antonio Stallings
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The Movie Orgy.The title is a kind of ontological dare: can an assemblage of movies all lay on top of each other, swap positions, feel each other? Surely humans love, as they say, “to watch,” to raise voyeurism up as art. But when left to its own devices, does cinema also experience such base urges? Asked another way: when we say “the movie orgy,” don’t we mean “editing”? Disparate parts colliding with and enveloping one another, penetrating and being penetrated, and finally mutating after coming together? Cinema is transformed by—and transforms (us) through—the spaces between the images. A classier writer might cite Robert Bresson, speaking to Cahiers du cinéma at Cannes in 1957: “The cinema must express itself not with images, but with relationships between images, which is not at all the same thing.” A happy vulgarian—I betray that I am one, as I suspect Joe Dante,...
- 10/31/2023
- MUBI
How did I find monsters? My father.
It was around Halloween 1956, the same week of Elvis Presley’s second appearance on Ed Sullivan.
My parents often let me stay up and watch late movies. Adventure stuff mainly: Tarzan, tiger hunters, Roy Rogers, Gene Autry. Earlier that year, the first monster I met was King Kong, when my father introduced me to him late one night.
One evening a couple of weeks later, my father said, “I have something special for you tonight.” It was James Whale’s 1931 Frankenstein.
My mother wasn’t happy.
It was around Halloween 1956, the same week of Elvis Presley’s second appearance on Ed Sullivan.
My parents often let me stay up and watch late movies. Adventure stuff mainly: Tarzan, tiger hunters, Roy Rogers, Gene Autry. Earlier that year, the first monster I met was King Kong, when my father introduced me to him late one night.
One evening a couple of weeks later, my father said, “I have something special for you tonight.” It was James Whale’s 1931 Frankenstein.
My mother wasn’t happy.
- 10/31/2023
- by Mikal Gilmore
- Rollingstone.com
Long before Jigsaw and Annabelle, Ghostface and Samara—going back to even before Freddy and Jason—there were the Universal Monsters. These were the creatures and character designs who were so iconic that they defined what the horror genre was to most moviegoers during the earliest decades of talking pictures. Primarily released in two film cycles by Universal Pictures across the 1930s and ‘40s (plus a few outliers on both sides of this), the legacy of these films and the people who made them endures still. It echoes in Halloween costumes and TV specials, merchandise toys and candies, it’s even informing recent Blumhouse films and Netflix’s Wednesday. Right now, you can go to any Universal theme park and meet the Monsters as un-goodwill ambassadors at “Halloween Horror Nights.”
Yet to return to the original movement of films which were so frightening in their day that they essentially invented...
Yet to return to the original movement of films which were so frightening in their day that they essentially invented...
- 10/28/2023
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Horror legend Bela Lugosi was born on this day in 1882, and Neca is celebrating the late icon’s birthday today with the reveal of a brand new upcoming Dracula action figure.
The 7″ scale action figure is part of Neca’s growing Universal Monsters line, and it’s based on a retro action figure of Bela Lugosi’s Dracula that was released in the 1980s.
Coolest of all, this figure glows in the dark!
Neca previews, “To celebrate the most famous vampire of them all, Neca has created this retro-style tribute to the classic 1980s Dracula toy! Featuring a vinyl cape that harkens back to the original release, this highly articulated 7” scale action figure also glows in the dark.”
The figure is coming soon, exclusively to the Neca Store!
While you wait, sink your teeth into the official image gallery below.
The post Neca Celebrates Bela Lugosi’s Birthday With Retro-Style...
The 7″ scale action figure is part of Neca’s growing Universal Monsters line, and it’s based on a retro action figure of Bela Lugosi’s Dracula that was released in the 1980s.
Coolest of all, this figure glows in the dark!
Neca previews, “To celebrate the most famous vampire of them all, Neca has created this retro-style tribute to the classic 1980s Dracula toy! Featuring a vinyl cape that harkens back to the original release, this highly articulated 7” scale action figure also glows in the dark.”
The figure is coming soon, exclusively to the Neca Store!
While you wait, sink your teeth into the official image gallery below.
The post Neca Celebrates Bela Lugosi’s Birthday With Retro-Style...
- 10/20/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Chances are, if you’re familiar with the name Edward D. Wood, Jr., it’s thanks to Tim Burton’s delightful biopic, Ed Wood. Certainly, people were aware of the eccentric writer-director prior to the 1994 film, but Burton cast Wood in a whole new light, turning the quote-unquote “worst director of all time” into a lovable dreamer who wouldn’t let puny budgets, bad actors, or obnoxious producers impede his goals. Ed Wood gave us a reason to appreciate a man for whom making movies was the ultimate gratification, quality be damned. Settle into your favorite angora sweater, because we’re going to find out What Really Happened to Ed Wood.
To start off with the obvious, Wood’s real life wasn’t quite as peachy keen as the movie portrays. Tim Burton didn’t want to make a traditional biopic about the man, nor did the screenwriters, who based...
To start off with the obvious, Wood’s real life wasn’t quite as peachy keen as the movie portrays. Tim Burton didn’t want to make a traditional biopic about the man, nor did the screenwriters, who based...
- 10/19/2023
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
In the world of film, you will have icons that appear with a few manufactured into something better than they are. The Net and the Hollywood star system of the past do that today with some questionable ability and content on both sides of the camera being hailed as something special. The icons of the horror genre rise to the top like Boris Karloff, Vincent Price, Bela Lugosi, Christopher Lee, and Peter Cushing. Their names are often above titles of films even reduced to the use of the surname as in Karloff and Lugosi without losing box office appeal. Entering this realm is the feature documentary of actor Robert Englund simply called Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story.
I honestly was not a huge Freddy fan towards the end of the A Nightmare On Elm Street series of films because for me the stories became set pieces for effects.
I honestly was not a huge Freddy fan towards the end of the A Nightmare On Elm Street series of films because for me the stories became set pieces for effects.
- 10/18/2023
- by Terry Sherwood
- Horror Asylum
Between Slotherhouse arriving on Hulu, buddy comedy Shaky Shivers arriving on Screambox, and the theatrical release of Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls, this week belongs to the horror comedy. Horror comedies also happen to make for perfect Halloween viewing, as they frequently offer tricks and treats in the form of laughs and scares. Naturally, this week’s streaming picks are dedicated to horror comedies, emphasizing lesser-seen titles.
Here’s where you can stream them this week.
For more Stay Home, Watch Horror picks, click here.
Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein – Prime Video
This is the first of many movies in which the comedic pair encounter Universal Monsters, and it’s a delightful mashup all ages can enjoy. Here, Lon Chaney Jr.’s Larry Talbot tries to warn Chick (Bud Abbott) and Wilbur (Lou Costello) that Count Dracula (Bela Lugosi) has arrived in their town with nefarious plans to...
Here’s where you can stream them this week.
For more Stay Home, Watch Horror picks, click here.
Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein – Prime Video
This is the first of many movies in which the comedic pair encounter Universal Monsters, and it’s a delightful mashup all ages can enjoy. Here, Lon Chaney Jr.’s Larry Talbot tries to warn Chick (Bud Abbott) and Wilbur (Lou Costello) that Count Dracula (Bela Lugosi) has arrived in their town with nefarious plans to...
- 10/16/2023
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
Boris Karlov, Peter Lorre, and Vincent Price in The Raven.Image: Film Publicity Archive (Getty Images)
For almost as long as the medium has existed, filmmakers have been turning to the works of Edgar Allan Poe for inspiration. The earliest adaptations of his stories date back to the silent era.
For almost as long as the medium has existed, filmmakers have been turning to the works of Edgar Allan Poe for inspiration. The earliest adaptations of his stories date back to the silent era.
- 10/11/2023
- by Cindy White
- avclub.com
How do you like to celebrate the arrival of October and true autumn? Perhaps you have a favorite sweater you like to pull out of the drawer; or maybe you’re a fiend for consuming pumpkin-spiced… everything! For ourselves, it’s always been about putting on that first horror movie (or three). While the whole year is a fine time to watch scary movies, there’s something especially crisp about a favorite chiller to match the cool evenings outside.
Spooky season has to start somewhere, and for us it might as well be with a film that either makes us shriek or smile. So if you’re looking for suggestions on how to best ease yourself into the reason for the season, these are the movies that we think make Halloween a wickedly fine time.
It’s not Halloween until I watch… The Shining (1980)
There aren’t many of the...
Spooky season has to start somewhere, and for us it might as well be with a film that either makes us shriek or smile. So if you’re looking for suggestions on how to best ease yourself into the reason for the season, these are the movies that we think make Halloween a wickedly fine time.
It’s not Halloween until I watch… The Shining (1980)
There aren’t many of the...
- 10/5/2023
- by Rosie Fletcher
- Den of Geek
Kevin Smith has listed a Los Angeles home for $5.995 million that he first saw in 2001 when his friend Ben Affleck owned it.
The Clerks, Clerks III, Chasing Amy and Mall Rats director and his wife, Jennifer Schwalbach Smith, were invited to a Fourth of July barbecue at Affleck’s house that year. Smith told the Wall Street Journal that his wife fell in love with the 8,144-square-foot, five-bedroom Mediterranean-inspired house, calling it her “dream home.” During the barbecue, “My wife and I were admiring how beautiful the home was,” recalled Smith. “Ben was getting frustrated with the home as it is on a main road, and there were always paparazzi outside. He suggested we buy it from him at the same price he purchased it in 1998.”
The Smiths bought the house for $1.62 million in 2003 and raised their daughter Harley Quinn Smith (Cruel Summer, Jay and Silent Bob Reboot) there. They...
The Clerks, Clerks III, Chasing Amy and Mall Rats director and his wife, Jennifer Schwalbach Smith, were invited to a Fourth of July barbecue at Affleck’s house that year. Smith told the Wall Street Journal that his wife fell in love with the 8,144-square-foot, five-bedroom Mediterranean-inspired house, calling it her “dream home.” During the barbecue, “My wife and I were admiring how beautiful the home was,” recalled Smith. “Ben was getting frustrated with the home as it is on a main road, and there were always paparazzi outside. He suggested we buy it from him at the same price he purchased it in 1998.”
The Smiths bought the house for $1.62 million in 2003 and raised their daughter Harley Quinn Smith (Cruel Summer, Jay and Silent Bob Reboot) there. They...
- 10/3/2023
- by Degen Pener
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Anthony Hopkins in The Silence Of The LambsScreenshot: Orion Pictures/YouTube
Twenty years ago, the listicle-addicted American Film Institute named Anthony Hopkins’ cannibalistic serial killer Hannibal Lecter the greatest villain in American cinema, on a list including Norman Bates, Darth Vader, and the Wicked Witch of the West as runners up.
Twenty years ago, the listicle-addicted American Film Institute named Anthony Hopkins’ cannibalistic serial killer Hannibal Lecter the greatest villain in American cinema, on a list including Norman Bates, Darth Vader, and the Wicked Witch of the West as runners up.
- 9/8/2023
- by Ray Greene
- avclub.com
“The Last Voyage of the Demeter,” which spotlights the doomed ship in Bram Stoker’s oft-adapted 1897 novel, is the second Dracula film released in 2023 after “Renfield.” Both take generous liberties with the source material, which brings up the question: Out of the 200-some films about the famous Count, which ones are the most faithful?
Here’s our ranking of some of the most popular, and a few lesser-known, Dracula adaptations.
Universal
8. Renfield (2023)
Pretty much the only thing this horror comedy has in common with the novel is Nicholas Hoult as the bug-eating title character and a delightfully campy Nicolas Cage as his bloodthirsty boss. The movie brings them both into the 21st century, makes Renfield an ass-kicking hero and swaps out Lucy and Mina for Awkwafina’s incorruptible cop.
Miramax
7. Dracula 2000 (2000)
The film begins with a shot of the wrecked Demeter and footprints in the sand as Dracula heads to town.
Here’s our ranking of some of the most popular, and a few lesser-known, Dracula adaptations.
Universal
8. Renfield (2023)
Pretty much the only thing this horror comedy has in common with the novel is Nicholas Hoult as the bug-eating title character and a delightfully campy Nicolas Cage as his bloodthirsty boss. The movie brings them both into the 21st century, makes Renfield an ass-kicking hero and swaps out Lucy and Mina for Awkwafina’s incorruptible cop.
Miramax
7. Dracula 2000 (2000)
The film begins with a shot of the wrecked Demeter and footprints in the sand as Dracula heads to town.
- 8/12/2023
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
With The Last Voyage of the Demeter now in theaters, Dracula is once again on everyone’s mind. In it, Javier Botet plays a horrific version of the count that’s far removed from the recent, classic-style version played by Nicolas Cage in Renfield. How will he stack up against some of the best versions of the fanged Count? First, we must come up with our list of the Best Dracula Actors!
Christian Camargo – Penny Dreadful (2016)
While Universal was trying to figure out how to create their Dark Universe, over on Showtime, Penny Dreadful was already doing a fantastic job beating them to the punch. The series pulled together literary versions of Frankenstein’s monster, the wolfman, Dorian Gray, and eventually Dracula himself. Christian Camargo played Dr. Alexander Sweet in Season Three, who begins to seduce Eva Green’s Vanessa Ives. It is revealed later that this doctor is,...
Christian Camargo – Penny Dreadful (2016)
While Universal was trying to figure out how to create their Dark Universe, over on Showtime, Penny Dreadful was already doing a fantastic job beating them to the punch. The series pulled together literary versions of Frankenstein’s monster, the wolfman, Dorian Gray, and eventually Dracula himself. Christian Camargo played Dr. Alexander Sweet in Season Three, who begins to seduce Eva Green’s Vanessa Ives. It is revealed later that this doctor is,...
- 8/12/2023
- by Bryan Wolford
- JoBlo.com
This article contains major spoilers for "The Last Voyage of the Demeter" (and also for the 126-year-old novel "Dracula.")
"The Last Voyage of the Demeter" opens on a very familiar sight to those who've read (or are even vaguely familiar with) Bram Stoker's original novel: a foundering ship run aground on an English beach in the middle of a fierce rainstorm, without a single living soul left on board. As concerned onlookers descend upon the wreck, the very atmosphere fills with dread and fear once more and more rescuers realize that something very wrong has happened here. The discovery of the captain's log only confirms these suspicions, documenting an innocuous enough voyage that started out like any other ... before ending in abject tragedy and death. As someone reads through each journal entry, we flashback to the last voyage of the Demeter to pinpoint exactly where the journey went awry.
"The Last Voyage of the Demeter" opens on a very familiar sight to those who've read (or are even vaguely familiar with) Bram Stoker's original novel: a foundering ship run aground on an English beach in the middle of a fierce rainstorm, without a single living soul left on board. As concerned onlookers descend upon the wreck, the very atmosphere fills with dread and fear once more and more rescuers realize that something very wrong has happened here. The discovery of the captain's log only confirms these suspicions, documenting an innocuous enough voyage that started out like any other ... before ending in abject tragedy and death. As someone reads through each journal entry, we flashback to the last voyage of the Demeter to pinpoint exactly where the journey went awry.
- 8/12/2023
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
The Last Voyage of the Demeter is a supernatural horror film directed by André Øvredal from a screenplay by Bragi F. Schut Jr. and Zak Olkewicz. The film is based on a chapter titled “The Captain’s Log” from the 1897 book Dracula by Bram Stoker. The Lost Voyage of the Demeter follows the crew of a merchant ship named Demeter as Dracula picks them apart one by one.
The supernatural horror film stars Corey Hawkins (BlacKkKlansman) as Clemens, Javier Botet (Slender Man) as Conde Dracula, Aisling Franciosi (God’s Creatures) as Anna, Liam Cunningham (Game of Thrones) as Captain Eliot, and David Dastmalchian (The Boogeyman) as Wojchek.
Credit – Universal Pictures
While the critics are not actually loving the film, The Last Voyage of the Demeter could be a worthwhile watch for all the Dracula and gothic horror fans out there. So let’s find what the critics are actually saying about the supernatural horror film.
The supernatural horror film stars Corey Hawkins (BlacKkKlansman) as Clemens, Javier Botet (Slender Man) as Conde Dracula, Aisling Franciosi (God’s Creatures) as Anna, Liam Cunningham (Game of Thrones) as Captain Eliot, and David Dastmalchian (The Boogeyman) as Wojchek.
Credit – Universal Pictures
While the critics are not actually loving the film, The Last Voyage of the Demeter could be a worthwhile watch for all the Dracula and gothic horror fans out there. So let’s find what the critics are actually saying about the supernatural horror film.
- 8/11/2023
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
Warning: This article contains all sorts of bloody spoilers for "The Last Voyage of the Demeter."
A hardworking crew of blue-collar, no-nonsense grunts boards a ship taking them across a vast ocean of unforgiving environments, eager to reach their final destination to cash their paychecks and do it all over again. It's an abundantly simple life and an inordinately punishing job, but someone has to do it. Unknown to any of them, however, they're also carrying a bloodthirsty stowaway on board -- the likes of which these gruff, weathered veterans have never encountered before.
Countless movies and shows have taken the building blocks set down by Ridley Scott's "Alien" to heart, the legendary horror movie that forever established the mold for imitators to try their best to recreate. Even some of the biggest blockbuster franchises in the world have followed in the 1979 classic's footsteps, like when "Star Wars" channeled...
A hardworking crew of blue-collar, no-nonsense grunts boards a ship taking them across a vast ocean of unforgiving environments, eager to reach their final destination to cash their paychecks and do it all over again. It's an abundantly simple life and an inordinately punishing job, but someone has to do it. Unknown to any of them, however, they're also carrying a bloodthirsty stowaway on board -- the likes of which these gruff, weathered veterans have never encountered before.
Countless movies and shows have taken the building blocks set down by Ridley Scott's "Alien" to heart, the legendary horror movie that forever established the mold for imitators to try their best to recreate. Even some of the biggest blockbuster franchises in the world have followed in the 1979 classic's footsteps, like when "Star Wars" channeled...
- 8/11/2023
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
Tell me if you've heard this one before.
A vampire hunter, a doctor, a rich guy, an American cowboy, an in-over-his-head solicitor, and a hypnotized woman with a psychic connection to history's greatest monster pursue Dracula across Europe. If that sounds like a pretty great movie -- a proper "men on a mission" adventure film with a horror tinge -- you'd be right. It sounds rad as hell. And it's the best part of Bram Stoker's "Dracula," one of the greatest horror novels ever written. After a couple hundred pages of being preyed upon, the cast of human characters take the fight back to the legendary vampire and have him on the run. And a magnificent chase (By boat! By train! By horseback!) ensues. Did I mention that Mina Harker, she of the above-mentioned psychic connection, guides the team using visions wrought out of her by hypnosis? It's thrilling stuff,...
A vampire hunter, a doctor, a rich guy, an American cowboy, an in-over-his-head solicitor, and a hypnotized woman with a psychic connection to history's greatest monster pursue Dracula across Europe. If that sounds like a pretty great movie -- a proper "men on a mission" adventure film with a horror tinge -- you'd be right. It sounds rad as hell. And it's the best part of Bram Stoker's "Dracula," one of the greatest horror novels ever written. After a couple hundred pages of being preyed upon, the cast of human characters take the fight back to the legendary vampire and have him on the run. And a magnificent chase (By boat! By train! By horseback!) ensues. Did I mention that Mina Harker, she of the above-mentioned psychic connection, guides the team using visions wrought out of her by hypnosis? It's thrilling stuff,...
- 8/11/2023
- by Jacob Hall
- Slash Film
After seven seasons of playing the legendary sea captain Ser Davos Seaworth on Game of Thrones, as well as appearing as the infamously luckless captain of the Demeter in Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Irish thespian Liam Cunningham has a confession to make. He doesn’t like boats.
Don’t misunderstand him. Cunningham’s got buddies with boats. Some of his best friends, in fact, captain their own sea vessels. But Cunningham? He gets seasick. When he goes boating with pals he even has to psych himself up because he’s “always expecting to be nauseous soon.” And as he confides with a raconteur’s twinkle, “I like boats best when they’re nailed to a wall.”
Perhaps, then, this is what might make him the perfect choice for playing a guy like Captain Eliot in André Øvredal’s The Last Voyage of the Demeter: Here is a fellow who...
Don’t misunderstand him. Cunningham’s got buddies with boats. Some of his best friends, in fact, captain their own sea vessels. But Cunningham? He gets seasick. When he goes boating with pals he even has to psych himself up because he’s “always expecting to be nauseous soon.” And as he confides with a raconteur’s twinkle, “I like boats best when they’re nailed to a wall.”
Perhaps, then, this is what might make him the perfect choice for playing a guy like Captain Eliot in André Øvredal’s The Last Voyage of the Demeter: Here is a fellow who...
- 8/10/2023
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Clockwise from top left: Dracula (Universal Pictures), Bram Stoker’s Dracula (Columbia Pictures), Dracula: Dead And Loving It (Columbia Pictures), Nosferatu The Vampyre (Anchor Bay Entertainment: Screenshot/YouTube)Graphic: AVClub
Count Dracula is one of the most adapted characters in history. In fact, more actors have taken on the...
Count Dracula is one of the most adapted characters in history. In fact, more actors have taken on the...
- 8/10/2023
- by Richard Newby
- avclub.com
Even if you don't know his name, you've probably seen the work of Javier Botet. Specifically, if you've watched a horror movie in the 21st century, you've almost surely seen him. Or rather, you've seen his creatures. After scaring the pants off audiences worldwide with his terrifying work in the modern classics "Rec" and "Rec 2," Botet became horror's go-to "monster guy," sliding into the unsettling skins of ghosts, demons, zombies, aliens, and even non-Pennywise incarnations of the titular creature in "It." On the small screen, he played creatures in "Star Trek: Discovery" and "Game of Thrones." On the big screen, his credits include "Mama," "The Conjuring 2," "Crimson Peak," "His House," "Insidious: The Last Key," and so much more. He's the century's definitive monster performer.
Born with Marfan syndrome, Botet has utilized his physical differences to pull off characters who feel like walking, actually-there special effects. He stands 6' 7" tall and he's impossibly thin,...
Born with Marfan syndrome, Botet has utilized his physical differences to pull off characters who feel like walking, actually-there special effects. He stands 6' 7" tall and he's impossibly thin,...
- 8/10/2023
- by Jacob Hall
- Slash Film
There’s a reason that Dracula has endured as a figure of fascination for horror filmmakers for more than a century. Bram Stoker’s vampire creation proves endlessly malleable, subject to all sorts of depictions from actors as far afield as Max Schreck, Bela Lugosi, Christopher Lee, Frank Langella, Gary Oldman and, most recently, Nicolas Cage. The role is catnip, especially since the Count can be as sexy as he is menacing, as seductive as he is deadly.
That is, until his portrayal in André Ovredal’s Gothic horror film based on a single chapter, “The Captain’s Log,” from Stoker’s 1897 classic novel. As portrayed by Javier Botet, this is a vampire who seems more a feral wild creature than anything resembling a figure who could reasonably pass among human society. He’s one of the viscerally scariest Draculas ever seen onscreen, but he’s also one of the dullest.
That is, until his portrayal in André Ovredal’s Gothic horror film based on a single chapter, “The Captain’s Log,” from Stoker’s 1897 classic novel. As portrayed by Javier Botet, this is a vampire who seems more a feral wild creature than anything resembling a figure who could reasonably pass among human society. He’s one of the viscerally scariest Draculas ever seen onscreen, but he’s also one of the dullest.
- 8/10/2023
- by Frank Scheck
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Dracula has been dead and loving it for over 125 years. The blood-sucking count has been adapted to screen in every conceivable way, and he shows no signs of stopping. Earlier this year we got the legendary vampire in the form of Nicolas Cage in "Renfield." He's been Bela Lugosi, and Christopher Lee, and Frank Langella, and Udo Kier, and Gary Oldman, and — well, I could go on and on, until the sun comes up and turns me into dust. Bram Stoker's vampire captures our imagination; he's sleek, seductive, and deadly. He can woo and kill in equal measure. We love Dracula, don't we folks? That said, with so many Dracula movies out there, what else is there to do with the material? I mean, can anything come close to the dizzying, sophisticated highs of "Dracula 2000"?
"The Last Voyage of the Demeter" takes a somewhat novel approach. Rather than adapt Stoker's entire epistolary novel,...
"The Last Voyage of the Demeter" takes a somewhat novel approach. Rather than adapt Stoker's entire epistolary novel,...
- 8/10/2023
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
Tl;Dr:
Bauhaus’ “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” was inspired by an old horror movie playing on television. A member of Bauhaus didn’t want the song to just be a tribute to Bela Lugosi. The band performed the tune in the horror film The Hunger which co-stars David Bowie.
Some classic rock songs were inspired by movies. For example, Bauhaus’ “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” was influenced by a viewing of a famous horror film. However, the tune was also supposed to have an “erotic” component.
David J said Bauhaus’ ‘Bela Lugosi’s Dead’ was inspired by the best film version of Dracula
Bela Lugosi was a horror movie star, most known for playing Count Dracula in the 1931 film Dracula. During a 2019 interview with Uncut, Bauhaus’ David J discussed the inspiration behind “Bela Lugosi’s Dead.”
“There was a season of old horror films on TV, and I was telling Daniel...
Bauhaus’ “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” was inspired by an old horror movie playing on television. A member of Bauhaus didn’t want the song to just be a tribute to Bela Lugosi. The band performed the tune in the horror film The Hunger which co-stars David Bowie.
Some classic rock songs were inspired by movies. For example, Bauhaus’ “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” was influenced by a viewing of a famous horror film. However, the tune was also supposed to have an “erotic” component.
David J said Bauhaus’ ‘Bela Lugosi’s Dead’ was inspired by the best film version of Dracula
Bela Lugosi was a horror movie star, most known for playing Count Dracula in the 1931 film Dracula. During a 2019 interview with Uncut, Bauhaus’ David J discussed the inspiration behind “Bela Lugosi’s Dead.”
“There was a season of old horror films on TV, and I was telling Daniel...
- 7/28/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Sissy Spacek in Coal Miner’s Daughter, Robert De Niro in Raging Bull, Ben Kingsley in Gandhi, Liam Neeson in Schindler’s ListImage: Universal Pictures, MGM, Warner Bros., Universal Pictures
As we prepare to learn about the story of the man who created the atomic bomb in Christopher Nolan’s upcoming biopic Oppenheimer,...
As we prepare to learn about the story of the man who created the atomic bomb in Christopher Nolan’s upcoming biopic Oppenheimer,...
- 7/20/2023
- by Cindy White and Mark Keizer
- avclub.com
Bauhaus’ “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” is one of the most influential classic rock songs ever. In addition, members of Bauhaus compared the track to a famous Led Zeppelin song. The comparison is a little off for one very specific reason.
Bauhaus said ‘Bela Lugosi’s Dead’ was like a 1980s version of 1 Led Zeppelin song
During a 2019 interview with Uncut, Bauhaus’ Peter Murphy compared “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” to one of the all-time classic rock songs. “‘Bela Lugosi’s Dead’ just happened to be a seminal song,” he said. “It was the ‘Stairway to Heaven’ of the 1980s.”
Fellow Bauhaus member Kevin Haskins agreed with this assessment. “It definitely has a timeless quality,” he opined. “On reflection, I marvel at what we did. We were just four young kids who wanted to make something unique, without really having much idea what we were doing. But that song came out of it.
Bauhaus said ‘Bela Lugosi’s Dead’ was like a 1980s version of 1 Led Zeppelin song
During a 2019 interview with Uncut, Bauhaus’ Peter Murphy compared “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” to one of the all-time classic rock songs. “‘Bela Lugosi’s Dead’ just happened to be a seminal song,” he said. “It was the ‘Stairway to Heaven’ of the 1980s.”
Fellow Bauhaus member Kevin Haskins agreed with this assessment. “It definitely has a timeless quality,” he opined. “On reflection, I marvel at what we did. We were just four young kids who wanted to make something unique, without really having much idea what we were doing. But that song came out of it.
- 7/14/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
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