Ed,

That's the frame of mind I'm trying to build up for going to see Van Helsing -- directed by the guy who did the Mummy flicks. I'm trying to just accept beforehand that the accent will probably be heavy on the adventure, at the expense of horror. I'm gonna just try to look at it as a Summer Fun Junk Movie.

The thing the previews make me feel I might not be able to get past is Kate Beckinsale's "accent."

Matthew

Mattew,

How could you expect anything else based on the premise? Of course it's an action flick. Based on the trailer, and the MUMMY, it'll be a real crappy one, with terrible special effects.

Anyway, from imdb.com:

Well, Charles, the thing is that that premise involves playing around with several classic Universal monsters. Almost sorta the way House of Dracula and House of Frankenstein did back in the forties. (But not.) So, for a lifelong horror movie fanatic like me, it will bring up the spectre of horror cinema, in some way. Especially since the preview does show a good bit of gothicy, horror-movie *atmosphere.*

But, of course, there's no law that says that a movie with "horror movie" monsters can't be primarily, fundamentally, an action flick. And from what I've heard (and what little I've seen), that's just what the Mummy flicks were. But there can be than twinge of opportunity lost for a horror flick lover like me, watching that preview.

And, yeah, I knew Beckinsale was British -- or else I assumed it, I dunno -- but, I mean, you say you've seen the preview, right? She's gone all "Transylvanian" with her accent in this one, and I can't get through the preview without finding my teeth in "hard grit" mode over it. How'm I gonna make it through the whole MOVIE, that way?

Matthew

Best thing about "Van Helsing": ultra-cheap re-releases of all of Universal's classic monster discs. Four or five movies to each $19.95 package at Best Buy, with all the extras of the old single and double feature discs included. Not much use if you've already got 'em all in the old release, but if you put it off like me...

My mistake, I completely forgot she wasn't using her normal accent. As for the rest, you weren't surprised that there was no horror in UNDERWORLD were you? Is it even possible to do an actual horror film with multiple horror icons? For some reason, I think not. My hypothesis: such attempts turn the story into a fairy tale sort of world where the horrific aspects of any one monster become normalized, and thus not horrific. (Rev up the memory machines to prove me wrong.)

I never saw Underworld. Didn't seem like my bag. I guess it looked a lot like Van Helsing looks -- minus the possibility that it'll be cheezily fun.

You're probably right about monster-fest movies. Throwing in multiple iconic monsters can disipate that whole effect of the monster intruding upon the "regular" world, by making the normal folks, normal surroundings less monolithic.

On the other hand, those two 40s flicks I mentioned, while minor compared to many of the classic Universals of the 30s, are rather fun, charming affairs. They've definitely got their fans among horror movie buffs, and I guess I'm one of them. I guess they have some of that "fairy tale" effect of which you speak; but they also have their share of nicely horror-movie moments. Some nice atmosphere and horror-thrills. A number of fans, me among them, have a pretty high regard for the Dracula John Carradine assayed in these pictures.

Matthew

If you didn't know Kate B. was British, you obviously haven't seen Cold Comfort Farm.

"I saw something nasty in the woodshed..."

Count me as another fan who likes the monster-fests, even if they do violate the "one gimme" rule, the Aristotelian unities and suchlike.

HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN has a special place in my mem'ry, 'cause it was the first Universal monster film I ever saw. And the Abbott and Costello film is generally thought to be one of the team's best efforts.

What this has to do will KILL BILL not even Quentin could ever figure out, though...

Tarantino wants to get his hands on the next James Bond movie. Read about it at another dorky message board:

http://p199.ezboard.com/fmightypekingmansbarfrm7.showMessage?topicID=1725.topic

He wants Uma to be the Bond girl.

..sigh.


K

Am I the only one who finds Uma Thurman a.) not especially convincing in scenes that require her to talk and b.) downright weird looking?

She does a great knife fight, but I've never liked her acting.

I mean... that whole "even steven" speech half the people on the 'net have in their sig files was just horribly lame. I was cheering for Vivica Fox.