There was this rumor just recently that Ryan Coogler, Michael B. Jordan, and Warner Bros. joined hands for another possibility of a vampire movie. But then, as always, it will not be a regular vampire movie, as for this project, the vampires will fight against the KKK or the other way around, with the KKK as the vampires, hunting Colored people.
In simple words, the Ku Klux Klan, also known as the KKK, is a white supremacist hate group that has inscribed myriad violent and murderous episodes of social disorder in its blood-stained history. More than that, the KKK is an odious and maleficent organization that neither upholds nor practices membership associated in any respect.
Michael B. Jordan in Black Panther
Michael B. Jordan’s Vampire Movie Could Spark Outrage With Plot Involving The KKK
Hollywood leads Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan seem to have set their eyes on another vampire film,...
In simple words, the Ku Klux Klan, also known as the KKK, is a white supremacist hate group that has inscribed myriad violent and murderous episodes of social disorder in its blood-stained history. More than that, the KKK is an odious and maleficent organization that neither upholds nor practices membership associated in any respect.
Michael B. Jordan in Black Panther
Michael B. Jordan’s Vampire Movie Could Spark Outrage With Plot Involving The KKK
Hollywood leads Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan seem to have set their eyes on another vampire film,...
- 2/23/2024
- by Rajdeep Majumder
- FandomWire
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
Angela Bassett (Photo Credit: D’Andre Michael)
Two-time Academy Award nominee Angela Bassett is finally getting her much-deserved Oscar. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will be honoring Angela Bassett, Mel Brooks, and editor Carol Littleton with the Academy’s Honorary Awards during the Governors Awards taking place in November 2023.
Sundance Institute’s Michelle Satter will be recognized with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.
“The Academy’s Board of Governors is thrilled to honor four trailblazers who have transformed the film industry and inspired generations of filmmakers and movie fans,” stated Academy President Janet Yang. “Across her decades-long career, Angela Bassett has continued to deliver transcendent performances that set new standards in acting. Mel Brooks lights up our hearts with his humor, and his legacy has made a lasting impact on every facet of entertainment. Carol Littleton’s career in film editing serves as a model for those who come after her.
Two-time Academy Award nominee Angela Bassett is finally getting her much-deserved Oscar. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will be honoring Angela Bassett, Mel Brooks, and editor Carol Littleton with the Academy’s Honorary Awards during the Governors Awards taking place in November 2023.
Sundance Institute’s Michelle Satter will be recognized with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.
“The Academy’s Board of Governors is thrilled to honor four trailblazers who have transformed the film industry and inspired generations of filmmakers and movie fans,” stated Academy President Janet Yang. “Across her decades-long career, Angela Bassett has continued to deliver transcendent performances that set new standards in acting. Mel Brooks lights up our hearts with his humor, and his legacy has made a lasting impact on every facet of entertainment. Carol Littleton’s career in film editing serves as a model for those who come after her.
- 6/26/2023
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
The Academy Board of Governors voted to present Academy Honorary Awards to Angela Bassett, Mel Brooks and editor Carol Littleton and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award to the Sundance Institute’s Michelle Satter. They will accept the four Oscars at the Academy’s 14th Governors Awards event on Saturday, November 18, 2023, at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles.
“The Academy’s Board of Governors is thrilled to honor four trailblazers who have transformed the film industry and inspired generations of filmmakers and movie fans,” said Academy President Janet Yang in a statement. “Across her decades-long career, Angela Bassett has continued to deliver transcendent performances that set new standards in acting. Mel Brooks lights up our hearts with his humor, and his legacy has made a lasting impact on every facet of entertainment. Carol Littleton’s career in film editing serves as a model for those who come after her. A...
“The Academy’s Board of Governors is thrilled to honor four trailblazers who have transformed the film industry and inspired generations of filmmakers and movie fans,” said Academy President Janet Yang in a statement. “Across her decades-long career, Angela Bassett has continued to deliver transcendent performances that set new standards in acting. Mel Brooks lights up our hearts with his humor, and his legacy has made a lasting impact on every facet of entertainment. Carol Littleton’s career in film editing serves as a model for those who come after her. A...
- 6/26/2023
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
The newest Academy Award winners have been announced.
Angela Bassett, Mel Brooks, and veteran film editor Carol Littleton have been voted Honorary Oscars, and the Sundance Institute’s Michelle Satter the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. All will be presented on Saturday, November 18, during the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 14th annual Governors Awards at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles.
The three Honorary winners have all danced with Oscar before. Brooks won for his Original Screenplay for The Producers in 1968. Littleton received her sole previous nomination for editing E.T. The Extra Terrestrial in 1982. Bassett, coming off a Best Supporting Actress nomination this year for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, also was a Best Actress nominee 30 years ago for her portrayal of Tina Turner in 1993’s What’s Love Got to Do With It.
Satter’s Hersholt award represents the second Sundance-related special Academy Award after creator and founder...
Angela Bassett, Mel Brooks, and veteran film editor Carol Littleton have been voted Honorary Oscars, and the Sundance Institute’s Michelle Satter the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. All will be presented on Saturday, November 18, during the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 14th annual Governors Awards at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles.
The three Honorary winners have all danced with Oscar before. Brooks won for his Original Screenplay for The Producers in 1968. Littleton received her sole previous nomination for editing E.T. The Extra Terrestrial in 1982. Bassett, coming off a Best Supporting Actress nomination this year for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, also was a Best Actress nominee 30 years ago for her portrayal of Tina Turner in 1993’s What’s Love Got to Do With It.
Satter’s Hersholt award represents the second Sundance-related special Academy Award after creator and founder...
- 6/26/2023
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
Calling all fans of classic Universal Monsters! We’ve got a wickedly delightful treat for you—a list of ten essential horror movies that pay homage to those iconic creatures, monsters, and tragic villains! From howlingly funny werewolves to cheeky phantoms and monstrously hilarious experiments, these films are a must-see for horror fans who are looking for a fresh take on the classic beasties of yesteryear; Dracula, Th Mummy, Frankenstein, The Wolfman, Phantom of the Opera, and more!
TriStar Pictures
The Monster Squad (1987)
Dracula and his monstrous pals descend upon a small town, but don’t fret! A group of brave kids forms “The Monster Squad” to take them down. With humor, heart, and a tribute to classic Universal Monsters, this film delivers thrills and giggles.
Why it’s a must-see: The Monster Squad is a wickedly fun tribute that brings together the classic monsters in a fresh and hilarious way.
TriStar Pictures
The Monster Squad (1987)
Dracula and his monstrous pals descend upon a small town, but don’t fret! A group of brave kids forms “The Monster Squad” to take them down. With humor, heart, and a tribute to classic Universal Monsters, this film delivers thrills and giggles.
Why it’s a must-see: The Monster Squad is a wickedly fun tribute that brings together the classic monsters in a fresh and hilarious way.
- 5/17/2023
- by Kimberley Elizabeth
Description
Got Blood? Join your horror hosts Kim & Jon as they close out their horror parody double-feature with Mel Brooks’ Dracula: Dead And Loving it (1995), a silly but surprisingly faithful send-up of Bram Stoker’s classic vampire story. Starring Leslie Nielson as a laffy, daffy (batty!) Count Dracula and Peter MacNicol as the 2nd best Renfield of all time, Dracula: Dead And Loving It is a coffin of laughs and a goofy good-time for any horror fan obsessed with the Universal Classic Monsters. Join ussss….
Support The Show:
Unlock access to exclusive bonus content and earn some other frightfully good rewards; including watch parties, merch discounts, and swag by joining the Nightmare on Film Street Fiend Club. This week, Fiend Club members have instant access to our review discussions of Evil Dead Rise and Renfield, as well as our retro-revisit of James Whale’s Frankenstein (1931).
Released:
May 4th, 2023
Links:...
Got Blood? Join your horror hosts Kim & Jon as they close out their horror parody double-feature with Mel Brooks’ Dracula: Dead And Loving it (1995), a silly but surprisingly faithful send-up of Bram Stoker’s classic vampire story. Starring Leslie Nielson as a laffy, daffy (batty!) Count Dracula and Peter MacNicol as the 2nd best Renfield of all time, Dracula: Dead And Loving It is a coffin of laughs and a goofy good-time for any horror fan obsessed with the Universal Classic Monsters. Join ussss….
Support The Show:
Unlock access to exclusive bonus content and earn some other frightfully good rewards; including watch parties, merch discounts, and swag by joining the Nightmare on Film Street Fiend Club. This week, Fiend Club members have instant access to our review discussions of Evil Dead Rise and Renfield, as well as our retro-revisit of James Whale’s Frankenstein (1931).
Released:
May 4th, 2023
Links:...
- 5/4/2023
- by Nightmare on Film Street
Chris McKay's new horror/comedy "Renfield" has a whimsical premise: it seems that when Count Dracula was vanquished at the end of Tod Browning's famed 1931 feature film "Dracula," he wasn't quite dead. His weaselly assistant Renfield, played in 1931 by the incomparable Dwight Frye, absconded with Dracula's remains and went into hiding. Renfield, now immortal and made powerful by eating bugs, stalked the night to find victims for his still-barely-alive vampire master. Dracula would drink blood, slowly grow back from the brink, and eventually be a whole monster once again. Once empowered, however, Dracula would go a little hog wild and being drinking the blood of nobles willy-nilly. This would inspire another round of attacks, Dracula would be vanquished once again, and the cycle would repeat.
"Renfield" catches up with Dracula (Nicolas Cage) and Renfield (Nicholas Hoult) in the modern day while Dracula is in one of his recovery periods.
"Renfield" catches up with Dracula (Nicolas Cage) and Renfield (Nicholas Hoult) in the modern day while Dracula is in one of his recovery periods.
- 4/22/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Actor, producer, and writer Mel Brooks discussed his first date with his late wife, Anne Bancroft. Brooks says he faced significant financial difficulty early in his career. He reveals he had to tell Bancroft he was “broke” during their first date.
Mel Brooks says he was ‘broke’ Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft | Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
During an interview with ABC News, Brooks spoke about his first date with Bancroft. He admits she gave him $20 under the table because he couldn’t afford to pay for the meal.
“I didn’t have any money, and I was dating Anne Bancroft,” Brooks tells interviewer George Stephanopoulos. “She was on Broadway and The Miracle Worker. We were at a Chinese restaurant one night, and I said, ‘I’m broke.’ She slipped me a $20 bill under the table. And the bill came up to $14 or $15. It wasn’t that expensive.
Mel Brooks says he was ‘broke’ Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft | Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
During an interview with ABC News, Brooks spoke about his first date with Bancroft. He admits she gave him $20 under the table because he couldn’t afford to pay for the meal.
“I didn’t have any money, and I was dating Anne Bancroft,” Brooks tells interviewer George Stephanopoulos. “She was on Broadway and The Miracle Worker. We were at a Chinese restaurant one night, and I said, ‘I’m broke.’ She slipped me a $20 bill under the table. And the bill came up to $14 or $15. It wasn’t that expensive.
- 4/13/2023
- by Sheiresa Ngo
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Actor, producer, and writer Mel Brooks discussed life after winning an Oscar for his film The Producers. The entertainer says he faced financial hardship even after receiving the prestigious award.
Mel Brooks says he wasn’t making money Mel Brooks | Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for TCM
In 1969, Brooks won an Oscar for The Producers for best original screenplay. Roughly 30 years later, the film was transformed into a Broadway musical, starring actors Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane. The production won 12 Tony Awards.
Despite the success of the 1967 film, Brooks reveals he had a tough time with his finances. Receiving an award didn’t translate into financial security.
“Up until Blazing Saddles, I was hanging on to show business with the skin of my teeth, not making any money,” says Brooks during an interview with Ruth Rogers on Ruthie’s Table 4 (presented by iHeartPodcasts). “The first movie I made was The Producers.
Mel Brooks says he wasn’t making money Mel Brooks | Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for TCM
In 1969, Brooks won an Oscar for The Producers for best original screenplay. Roughly 30 years later, the film was transformed into a Broadway musical, starring actors Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane. The production won 12 Tony Awards.
Despite the success of the 1967 film, Brooks reveals he had a tough time with his finances. Receiving an award didn’t translate into financial security.
“Up until Blazing Saddles, I was hanging on to show business with the skin of my teeth, not making any money,” says Brooks during an interview with Ruth Rogers on Ruthie’s Table 4 (presented by iHeartPodcasts). “The first movie I made was The Producers.
- 3/29/2023
- by Sheiresa Ngo
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
It’s been nearly three decades since Mel Brooks released a feature film (1995’s “Dracula: Dead and Loving It”). He’s done some sporadic voice and TV work since then, including adapting “Spaceballs” into an animated series, but the 96-year-old legend has come out of his semi-retirement to produce his biggest project in a generation in the event series for Hulu, “History of the World, Part II.” Picking up with the same irreverent tone as the 1981 film, this 8-episode sketch comedy almost works like a collection of Brooks films cut together into episodic form in that there are recurring sketches that tell a full story.
Continue reading ‘History Of The World, Part II’ Review: Mel Brooks Returns With A Sporadically Funny Event Series at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘History Of The World, Part II’ Review: Mel Brooks Returns With A Sporadically Funny Event Series at The Playlist.
- 3/1/2023
- by Brian Tallerico
- The Playlist
Spoofs are all about volume. Deliver enough punchlines and there are almost guaranteed to be duds — but if you get enough big laughs, viewers will be too busy wheezing and wiping away tears to notice.
With the possible exception of the Airplane! guys, nobody knows this better than Mel Brooks. There are jokes in Blazing Saddles that fall flat. You mostly don’t remember them, because so much of it is still a riot. And because so much of Dracula: Dead and Loving It is stagnant, the few punchlines that land are rarely mentioned.
As Mel Brooks spoofs go, 1981’s History of the World, Part I is right in the middle. It has great bits — I quote “It is said that the people are revolting.” “You said it. They stink on ice!” in my head at least once a week — and flailing duds and stretches I think were memorable that...
With the possible exception of the Airplane! guys, nobody knows this better than Mel Brooks. There are jokes in Blazing Saddles that fall flat. You mostly don’t remember them, because so much of it is still a riot. And because so much of Dracula: Dead and Loving It is stagnant, the few punchlines that land are rarely mentioned.
As Mel Brooks spoofs go, 1981’s History of the World, Part I is right in the middle. It has great bits — I quote “It is said that the people are revolting.” “You said it. They stink on ice!” in my head at least once a week — and flailing duds and stretches I think were memorable that...
- 2/28/2023
- by Daniel Fienberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
(Welcome to Year of the Vampire, a series examining the greatest, strangest, and sometimes overlooked vampire movies of all time in honor of "Nosferatu," which turns 100 this year.)
Vampires may be fundamentally incapable of self-reflection (seeing as how they don't show up in mirrors and all), but that doesn't mean we can't reflect on them. And so we have, all throughout 2022. The Year of the Vampire is almost over now, and these last 11 months have been an educational, blood-spattered ride through one of film history's oldest genres.
With the first 50 articles in this series, we spotlit individual vampire movies, beginning with F.W. Murnau's original "Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror" and ending with Werner Herzog's 1979 remake "Nosferatu the Vampyre." However, if you've been following along at all, you might know we've jumped around in time since January and analyzed over two dozen 20th-century vampire films.
This list adds to that with 20 more titles,...
Vampires may be fundamentally incapable of self-reflection (seeing as how they don't show up in mirrors and all), but that doesn't mean we can't reflect on them. And so we have, all throughout 2022. The Year of the Vampire is almost over now, and these last 11 months have been an educational, blood-spattered ride through one of film history's oldest genres.
With the first 50 articles in this series, we spotlit individual vampire movies, beginning with F.W. Murnau's original "Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror" and ending with Werner Herzog's 1979 remake "Nosferatu the Vampyre." However, if you've been following along at all, you might know we've jumped around in time since January and analyzed over two dozen 20th-century vampire films.
This list adds to that with 20 more titles,...
- 11/5/2022
- by Joshua Meyer
- Slash Film
Bram Stoker once envisioned his most successful novel, Dracula, as a stage play. The actor he wanted to play the title role, Sir Henry Irving, walked out of the table read, yawning and griping about wordiness. It was probably the most auspicious walkout in horror entertainment history. Had Irving starred in a bomb, Bela Lugosi, Frank Langella, Gary Oldman, and quite a few other actors wouldn’t have been able to don the cape.
Dracula wasn’t the first book about vampires, but it was the first time Vlad “the Impaler” Tepes was portrayed as one. Until then, people thought of him as a cruel tyrant who nailed hats onto the heads of monks, and dipped his bread in the blood of vanquished soldiers. That is if they thought of him at all, outside of Romania, which celebrates him with pride as a freedom fighter and national protector, the “son...
Dracula wasn’t the first book about vampires, but it was the first time Vlad “the Impaler” Tepes was portrayed as one. Until then, people thought of him as a cruel tyrant who nailed hats onto the heads of monks, and dipped his bread in the blood of vanquished soldiers. That is if they thought of him at all, outside of Romania, which celebrates him with pride as a freedom fighter and national protector, the “son...
- 9/10/2022
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
(Welcome to Year of the Vampire, a series examining the greatest, strangest, and sometimes overlooked vampire movies of all time in honor of "Nosferatu," which turns 100 this year.)
Comedy legend Mel Brooks ended his career on low note, with his final film "Dracula Dead and Loving It" bombing at the box office in 1995 and going down as one of his worst-rated films. The legend had seemingly lost his touch -- the former Academy Award winner (his debut feature "The Producers" won Best Original Screenplay) failed to satisfy either critics or audiences, with the current Rotten Tomatoes score being a pathetic 11 among critics and...
The post Year of the Vampire: Dracula Dead And Loving It Doesn't Suck appeared first on /Film.
Comedy legend Mel Brooks ended his career on low note, with his final film "Dracula Dead and Loving It" bombing at the box office in 1995 and going down as one of his worst-rated films. The legend had seemingly lost his touch -- the former Academy Award winner (his debut feature "The Producers" won Best Original Screenplay) failed to satisfy either critics or audiences, with the current Rotten Tomatoes score being a pathetic 11 among critics and...
The post Year of the Vampire: Dracula Dead And Loving It Doesn't Suck appeared first on /Film.
- 4/30/2022
- by Sarah Milner
- Slash Film
The stars of the excellent new comedy doc Joy Ride discuss some of their favorite two handers with hosts Josh Olson and Joe Dante.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Graduate (1967) – Neil Labute’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review
Cocoon (1985)
Mission: Impossible III (2006)
Santa Claus Conquers The Martians (1964)
Police Academy 3: Back In Training (1986)
Crooklyn (1994)
Call Me Lucky (2015)
Shakes The Clown (1991)
A History Of Violence (2005)
You Only Live Twice (1967)
Artists And Models (1955) – Tfh’s global trailer search
Joy Ride (2021)
Joy Ride (2001)
Stay (2005)
Sleeping Dogs Lie (2006)
Capturing The Friedmans (2003)
Bela Lugosi Meets A Brooklyn Gorilla (1952) – Joe Dante’s trailer commentary, Charlie Largent’s review
Sleepless In Seattle (1993)
The Producers (1967) – Charlie Largent’s Blu-ray review
My Friend Irma Goes West (1950)
Delicate Delinquent (1957)
Keyholes Are For Peeping (1972)
The Brain That Wouldn’t Die (1962) – John Landis’s trailer commentary
Abbott And Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) – John Landis’s trailer commentary, Charlie...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Graduate (1967) – Neil Labute’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review
Cocoon (1985)
Mission: Impossible III (2006)
Santa Claus Conquers The Martians (1964)
Police Academy 3: Back In Training (1986)
Crooklyn (1994)
Call Me Lucky (2015)
Shakes The Clown (1991)
A History Of Violence (2005)
You Only Live Twice (1967)
Artists And Models (1955) – Tfh’s global trailer search
Joy Ride (2021)
Joy Ride (2001)
Stay (2005)
Sleeping Dogs Lie (2006)
Capturing The Friedmans (2003)
Bela Lugosi Meets A Brooklyn Gorilla (1952) – Joe Dante’s trailer commentary, Charlie Largent’s review
Sleepless In Seattle (1993)
The Producers (1967) – Charlie Largent’s Blu-ray review
My Friend Irma Goes West (1950)
Delicate Delinquent (1957)
Keyholes Are For Peeping (1972)
The Brain That Wouldn’t Die (1962) – John Landis’s trailer commentary
Abbott And Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) – John Landis’s trailer commentary, Charlie...
- 10/26/2021
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
Carol Arthur, an actress best known for her several collaborations with Mel Brooks including “Blazing Saddles,” has died, Variety has confirmed. She was 85.
Arthur died on Sunday at the Motion Picture and Television Fund’s Mary Pickford House in Woodland Hills, Calif.
She appeared in the 1974 comedy “Blazing Saddles,” directed by Brooks, as the schoolmistress Harriett Johnson. Arthur also held roles in three more films helmed by Brooks: 1976’s “Silent Movie,” “Robin Hood: Men in Tights” in 1993 and 1995’s “Dracula: Dead and Loving It.”
Born on Aug. 4, 1935 in in Hackensack, N.J., Arthur first met her husband-to-be, actor Dom DeLuise, in 1964 while working on theater productions. The two married a year later and shared three sons: Peter, Michael and David, who all pursued careers in acting as well.
Arthur’s first acting appearances were as herself on 10 episodes of “The Dom DeLuise Show” in 1968 and five episodes of “It Takes Two...
Arthur died on Sunday at the Motion Picture and Television Fund’s Mary Pickford House in Woodland Hills, Calif.
She appeared in the 1974 comedy “Blazing Saddles,” directed by Brooks, as the schoolmistress Harriett Johnson. Arthur also held roles in three more films helmed by Brooks: 1976’s “Silent Movie,” “Robin Hood: Men in Tights” in 1993 and 1995’s “Dracula: Dead and Loving It.”
Born on Aug. 4, 1935 in in Hackensack, N.J., Arthur first met her husband-to-be, actor Dom DeLuise, in 1964 while working on theater productions. The two married a year later and shared three sons: Peter, Michael and David, who all pursued careers in acting as well.
Arthur’s first acting appearances were as herself on 10 episodes of “The Dom DeLuise Show” in 1968 and five episodes of “It Takes Two...
- 11/3/2020
- by Ellise Shafer
- Variety Film + TV
Carol Arthur, an actress known for appearing in Hot Stuff, Intrepid and Mel Brooks’ Blazing Saddles and the widow of Dom DeLuise has died. She was 85.
The actress died Sunday at the Mary Pickford House at the Motion Picture & Television Fund senior home in Woodland Hills, the retirement center confirmed.
Born in Hackensack, N.J., in 1935, Arthur kicked off her acting career in 1971 as Christina in David Swift’s television series Arnie. After Making It and Emergency!, came her time as Harriett Johnson in Brooks’ Oscar-nominated comedy Blazing Saddles. In the film, starring Gene Wilder and Cleavon Little, Arthur’s Harriett expresses “extreme displeasure” towards Little’s Sheriff Bart in a strongly worded letter.
“The fact that you have sent him here just goes to prove that you are the leading asshole in the state,” Harriett reads to an approving crowd. She also has a famous line when Little was...
The actress died Sunday at the Mary Pickford House at the Motion Picture & Television Fund senior home in Woodland Hills, the retirement center confirmed.
Born in Hackensack, N.J., in 1935, Arthur kicked off her acting career in 1971 as Christina in David Swift’s television series Arnie. After Making It and Emergency!, came her time as Harriett Johnson in Brooks’ Oscar-nominated comedy Blazing Saddles. In the film, starring Gene Wilder and Cleavon Little, Arthur’s Harriett expresses “extreme displeasure” towards Little’s Sheriff Bart in a strongly worded letter.
“The fact that you have sent him here just goes to prove that you are the leading asshole in the state,” Harriett reads to an approving crowd. She also has a famous line when Little was...
- 11/3/2020
- by Alexandra Del Rosario
- Deadline Film + TV
“When you’re dead, you can’t do much,” Mel Brooks says in his first overt political statement without a punchline. It is a big turnaround from the position he took while making the 1995 vampire comedy, Dracula: Dead and Loving It. But Brooks has enough limits in his life right now. He can only see his son and grandson through protective glass. His closest friend, the late and wonderful Carl Reiner, no longer picks up morning coffee. Brooks is endorsing former Vice President Joe Biden for president because President Trump is “not doing a damn thing” about the coronavirus pandemic.
“My father, @MelBrooks, is 94. He has never made a political video. Until now,” Brooks’s son, author Max Brooks, tweeted along with a video of Mel addressing the camera while his son and grandson stand forlornly behind a glass window.
My father, @MelBrooks, is 94. He has never made a political video.
“My father, @MelBrooks, is 94. He has never made a political video. Until now,” Brooks’s son, author Max Brooks, tweeted along with a video of Mel addressing the camera while his son and grandson stand forlornly behind a glass window.
My father, @MelBrooks, is 94. He has never made a political video.
- 10/21/2020
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
“To die, to truly be dead,” Bela Lugosi said in Hollywood’s classic adaptation of Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula, “that must be glorious.” But beloved monsters never die, no matter how many stakes you drive through their hearts. They are rebooted. Following the box office and critical success of The Invisible Man, Jason Blum’s Blumhouse production banner is looking to resurrect Dracula, according to The Hollywood Reporter. While Universal hasn’t officially signed on, they do have a first-look deal with Blumhouse and a cloakroom of capes for the Transylvanian Count.
The new Dracula movie will be helmed by Karyn Kusama. Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay, who teamed with Kusama on those latter two films, will write the screenplay. Kusama also recently directed an episode of HBO’s adaptation of Stephen King’s The Outsider.
Universal has learned some lessons since unwrapping The Mummy, starring Tom Cruise, in...
The new Dracula movie will be helmed by Karyn Kusama. Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay, who teamed with Kusama on those latter two films, will write the screenplay. Kusama also recently directed an episode of HBO’s adaptation of Stephen King’s The Outsider.
Universal has learned some lessons since unwrapping The Mummy, starring Tom Cruise, in...
- 3/11/2020
- by Mike Cecchini
- Den of Geek
Becky Lea Dec 6, 2019
Will the Sherlock creators' take on Dracula make the Count a monster, gentleman or clown?
Bram Stoker’s Dracula was not an instant hit in 1897 when it was first published, despite positive reviews. But the figure of the vampire himself has since become a cultural figure with a status few others have achieved. Consequently, there have been an enormous amount of stage and screen adaptations of the Dracula novel, or featuring the character throughout the 20th century and into the 21st.
And now, Sherlock creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss have made their own adaptation of Stoker’s novel, starring Claes Bang as the eponymous bloodsucker. It got us wondering what kind of Dracula we might be in for this time. There are far too many iterations of Transylvania’s most famous citizen to produce an exhaustive list, but there are a few broad categories that adaptations...
Will the Sherlock creators' take on Dracula make the Count a monster, gentleman or clown?
Bram Stoker’s Dracula was not an instant hit in 1897 when it was first published, despite positive reviews. But the figure of the vampire himself has since become a cultural figure with a status few others have achieved. Consequently, there have been an enormous amount of stage and screen adaptations of the Dracula novel, or featuring the character throughout the 20th century and into the 21st.
And now, Sherlock creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss have made their own adaptation of Stoker’s novel, starring Claes Bang as the eponymous bloodsucker. It got us wondering what kind of Dracula we might be in for this time. There are far too many iterations of Transylvania’s most famous citizen to produce an exhaustive list, but there are a few broad categories that adaptations...
- 12/6/2019
- Den of Geek
Ah, the Halloween season. The weather’s cooling down, the sun’s setting earlier, the leaves are browning and pumpkins are being carved for decoration and pies. It also means you’re sure to find a couple of new scary movies trying to make their genre marks while holding their own against the classics. And while Hollywood is currently focused on the horror of lascivious producers, Netflix and director McG are focused on getting their fantastical little yarn called The Babysitter out to thrill and make you laugh. The success rate of that, unfortunately, isn’t what it should be.
From the onset, preteen protagonist Cole (“Demolition”’s Judah Lewis) is a checklist of every movie nerd stereotype turned up to 12: terrified of Everything (even his own shadow would be afraid of its shadow), dresses like an outdated 1990s computer programmer, bullied by the older kids and has one...
From the onset, preteen protagonist Cole (“Demolition”’s Judah Lewis) is a checklist of every movie nerd stereotype turned up to 12: terrified of Everything (even his own shadow would be afraid of its shadow), dresses like an outdated 1990s computer programmer, bullied by the older kids and has one...
- 10/20/2017
- by William Coffey
- Age of the Nerd
Last fall, Universal Studios Home Entertainment gave horror fans an early Halloween treat with their Complete Legacy Collection Blu-ray box sets for Frankenstein's monster and The Wolf Man. This spring, two more Universal Monsters will get their due, as Dracula and The Mummy are also getting the Complete Legacy Collection Blu-ray treatment.
The respective Complete Legacy Collection Blu-ray box sets for Dracula and The Mummy are scheduled for a May 16th release. Although the full list of films for each collection have not been announced, it's likely that they will contain the same films featured on the DVD versions:
Dracula Complete Legacy Collection:
Dracula (1931) Dracula's Daughter Son of Dracula House of Frankenstein House of Dracula Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein Dracula (1931) - Spanish version
The Mummy Complete Legacy Collection:
The Mummy (1932) The Mummy's Hand The Mummy's Tomb The Mummy's Ghost The Mummy's Curse Abbott and Costello Meet The Mummy
And for additional details,...
The respective Complete Legacy Collection Blu-ray box sets for Dracula and The Mummy are scheduled for a May 16th release. Although the full list of films for each collection have not been announced, it's likely that they will contain the same films featured on the DVD versions:
Dracula Complete Legacy Collection:
Dracula (1931) Dracula's Daughter Son of Dracula House of Frankenstein House of Dracula Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein Dracula (1931) - Spanish version
The Mummy Complete Legacy Collection:
The Mummy (1932) The Mummy's Hand The Mummy's Tomb The Mummy's Ghost The Mummy's Curse Abbott and Costello Meet The Mummy
And for additional details,...
- 2/23/2017
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
The news of Gene Wilder's death got us thinking about Mel Brooks movies. After all, Wilder starred in many of his best, including The Producers, Young Frankenstein and Blazing Saddles. Had Wilder never become an actor, the Mel Brooks filmography would look very different. "He was such a dear friend," Brooks told Jimmy Fallon. "I expected that he would go, but when it happens, it's still tremendous…I'm still reeling."
Now we have a question for you: What is the greatest Mel Brooks movie? Feel free to vote for...
Now we have a question for you: What is the greatest Mel Brooks movie? Feel free to vote for...
- 9/2/2016
- Rollingstone.com
Summer just officially started just a few days ago, so Halloween is months away. Perhaps a great way to get us cooled off, to put us in a Fall state of mind, would be to pay a visit to one of the oldest horror movie icons: the vampire. Everyone’s aware of how scary those fanged fiends can be, but you may have forgotten how funny they are (intentionally, of course). Movie audiences have emitted nervous laughter ever since Max Schreck emerged from the shadows in the silent classic Nosferatu. And certainly there are bits (and bites) of humor (mostly comic relief supporting players) in 1931’s Dracula and Mark Of The Vampire, both with Bela Lugosi. It wasn’t until 1948 that he was in an all out farce (though the Count is never lampooned) in Abbott And Costello Meet Frankenstein. After Hammer Studios brought back (in full gory color) the bloodsuckers ten years later,...
- 6/24/2016
- by Jim Batts
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
The Hollywood Horror Museum presents two very accomplished visionaries in horror as board members, directors John Carpenter and Greg Nicotero. Also in today’s Horror Highlights: details on the all-female directed anthology, Xx, a Toxic Avenger marathon on El Rey Network, and Nitehawk Cinema’s screening of both Wicker Man movies in New York.
Hollywood Horror Museum Members: Press Release: “The Hollywood Horror Museum is proud to announce today, that legendary directors John Carpenter and Greg Nicotero are its two newest board members. The museum which has been showing up at various conventions will be touring later in the year before it finds it’s permanent home in 2017. The interview will be made (if available) upon request.
John Carpenter is the writer, producer, and director of many genre classics including Halloween, Escape From New York, Big Trouble in Little China, The Thing and They Live. Greg Nicotero is director and producer of The Walking Dead,...
Hollywood Horror Museum Members: Press Release: “The Hollywood Horror Museum is proud to announce today, that legendary directors John Carpenter and Greg Nicotero are its two newest board members. The museum which has been showing up at various conventions will be touring later in the year before it finds it’s permanent home in 2017. The interview will be made (if available) upon request.
John Carpenter is the writer, producer, and director of many genre classics including Halloween, Escape From New York, Big Trouble in Little China, The Thing and They Live. Greg Nicotero is director and producer of The Walking Dead,...
- 4/13/2016
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
Two of my favorite Aip horror movies, Count Yorga, Vampire and The Return of Count Yorga, are both making their way to Blu-ray this October. Scream Factory will be handling the release of the sequel and we now have final release details, including the list of bonus features.
"A horrifying love story… with bite! Scream Factory proudly presents The Return of Count Yorga in its North American Blu-ray debut on October 13, 2015. The sequel to the hit 1970 original film Count Yorga, Vampire, the Deathmaster makes his triumphant return in this release, complete with special features including an audio commentary with film historian Steve Haberman and actor Rudy De Luca (Dracula: Dead and Loving It).
When the overlord of the damned rises again to prowl the shadows, who will stand against The Return Of Count Yorga? Robert Quarry is back as one of the most dapper vampires to ever set up shop...
"A horrifying love story… with bite! Scream Factory proudly presents The Return of Count Yorga in its North American Blu-ray debut on October 13, 2015. The sequel to the hit 1970 original film Count Yorga, Vampire, the Deathmaster makes his triumphant return in this release, complete with special features including an audio commentary with film historian Steve Haberman and actor Rudy De Luca (Dracula: Dead and Loving It).
When the overlord of the damned rises again to prowl the shadows, who will stand against The Return Of Count Yorga? Robert Quarry is back as one of the most dapper vampires to ever set up shop...
- 8/20/2015
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
Iconic Hollywood director Mel Brooks will present Steve Martin with the American Film Institute's 43rd Life Achievement Award — America's highest honor for a career in film. Martin will be recognized as one of the most acclaimed artists of his generation. The private black tie gala will be held at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood on June 4 and will premiere Saturday, June 13, at 10 p.m. (Est/Pst) on TBS, with an encore at 11:30 p.m. (Est/Pst). Sister network TCM will present an encore of the special on Thursday, July 30, at 8 p.m. (Est/Pst) during a night of movies starring Martin.
As the 41st AFI Life Achievement Award recipient in 2013, Brooks is also in an elite group as an "Egot" — an artist who has received all four major entertainment prizes: the Emmy®, Grammy®, Oscar® and Tony® awards. Most recently Brooks was awarded the British Film Institute Fellowship — the British Film Institute's highest possible honor. Brooks has written, directed, produced and starred in many classic comedies, including "The Producers" (1967), "Blazing Saddles" (1974), "Young Frankenstein" (1974), "Silent Movie" (1976), "High Anxiety" (1977), "History of the World Part 1" (1981), "To Be or Not to Be" (1983), "Spaceballe" (1987), "Robin Hood: Men in Tights" (1993) and "Dracula: Dead and Loving it" (1995). His visionary film company, Brooksfilms Limited, also produced critically acclaimed films such as "My Favorite Year" (1982), "The Fly" (1986), "84 Charing Cross Road" (1987) and the Academy Award®-nominated "The Elephant Man" (1980).
Steve Martin is an actor, comedian, author, playwright, screenwriter, producer and musician. Recipient of an Emmy®, four Grammy Awards®, a Kennedy Center Honor and an Honorary Oscar®, Martin first rose to prominence as a stand-up comedian and quickly established himself as a leading man with a body of work defined by his unique creative voice. In his break-out role in "The Jerk"(1979), which he also co-wrote, Martin's distinct comedic sensibilities launched him into the zeitgeist.
He went on to become a bankable big-screen star, with distinct roles in films such as "Pennies from Heaven" (1981), "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid" (1982), "The Man with Two Brains" (1983), "Three Amigos!' (1986), "Little Shop of Horrors" (1986) and "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" (1988), "All of Me" (1984), "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" (1987), "Roxanne" (1987) and "Father of the Bride" parts I and II (1991, 1995), "Parenthood" (1989), "Grand Canyon" (1991), "L.A. Story" (1991) and "Shopgirl" (2005) — a film which he wrote based on his novella of the same name.
In addition to his beloved film credits and his successful writing career, Martin is also an accomplished musician. Martin recently premiered his new musical "Bright Star," at the Old Globe Theater featuring original music by Martin and songwriter Edie Brickell, inspired by their Grammy Award®-winning collaboration "Love Has Come For You."
"Steve Martin is an American original," said Sir Howard Stringer, Chair of the AFI Board of Trustees. "From a wild and crazy stand-up comic to one who stands tall among the great figures in this American art form, he is a multi-layered creative force bound by neither convention nor caution. His work is defined by him alone, for he is the author — and a national treasure whose work has stuck with us like an arrow in the head. AFI is proud to present him with its 43rd Life Achievement Award." Proceeds from the AFI Life Achievement Award Gala Tribute event directly support the Institute's national education programs.
As the 41st AFI Life Achievement Award recipient in 2013, Brooks is also in an elite group as an "Egot" — an artist who has received all four major entertainment prizes: the Emmy®, Grammy®, Oscar® and Tony® awards. Most recently Brooks was awarded the British Film Institute Fellowship — the British Film Institute's highest possible honor. Brooks has written, directed, produced and starred in many classic comedies, including "The Producers" (1967), "Blazing Saddles" (1974), "Young Frankenstein" (1974), "Silent Movie" (1976), "High Anxiety" (1977), "History of the World Part 1" (1981), "To Be or Not to Be" (1983), "Spaceballe" (1987), "Robin Hood: Men in Tights" (1993) and "Dracula: Dead and Loving it" (1995). His visionary film company, Brooksfilms Limited, also produced critically acclaimed films such as "My Favorite Year" (1982), "The Fly" (1986), "84 Charing Cross Road" (1987) and the Academy Award®-nominated "The Elephant Man" (1980).
Steve Martin is an actor, comedian, author, playwright, screenwriter, producer and musician. Recipient of an Emmy®, four Grammy Awards®, a Kennedy Center Honor and an Honorary Oscar®, Martin first rose to prominence as a stand-up comedian and quickly established himself as a leading man with a body of work defined by his unique creative voice. In his break-out role in "The Jerk"(1979), which he also co-wrote, Martin's distinct comedic sensibilities launched him into the zeitgeist.
He went on to become a bankable big-screen star, with distinct roles in films such as "Pennies from Heaven" (1981), "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid" (1982), "The Man with Two Brains" (1983), "Three Amigos!' (1986), "Little Shop of Horrors" (1986) and "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" (1988), "All of Me" (1984), "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" (1987), "Roxanne" (1987) and "Father of the Bride" parts I and II (1991, 1995), "Parenthood" (1989), "Grand Canyon" (1991), "L.A. Story" (1991) and "Shopgirl" (2005) — a film which he wrote based on his novella of the same name.
In addition to his beloved film credits and his successful writing career, Martin is also an accomplished musician. Martin recently premiered his new musical "Bright Star," at the Old Globe Theater featuring original music by Martin and songwriter Edie Brickell, inspired by their Grammy Award®-winning collaboration "Love Has Come For You."
"Steve Martin is an American original," said Sir Howard Stringer, Chair of the AFI Board of Trustees. "From a wild and crazy stand-up comic to one who stands tall among the great figures in this American art form, he is a multi-layered creative force bound by neither convention nor caution. His work is defined by him alone, for he is the author — and a national treasure whose work has stuck with us like an arrow in the head. AFI is proud to present him with its 43rd Life Achievement Award." Proceeds from the AFI Life Achievement Award Gala Tribute event directly support the Institute's national education programs.
- 6/2/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Kiwi spoofers put some bite back into a flagging sub-genre. And the problem with the submarine thriller form…
As sub-genres go, the vampire movie parody has had a remarkably low strike rate, perhaps because the films in the firing line have an inbuilt sense of camp that either resists irony or absorbs it. But over the mirthless corpses of Lesbian Vampire Killers, Dracula: Dead and Loving It and Vampires Suck, a genuinely funny attempt has risen: What We Do in the Shadows (Metrodome, 15), a cheap, chipper exercise in bloodsucker banter from New Zealand that also finds improbable life in the creatively dormant mockumentary format.
Such are the sharply silly comic skills of Flight of the Conchords goofball Jemaine Clement, who co-wrote and directed the film with Taika Waititi; the pair also play half of the film’s mismatched quartet of vampires, sharing digs in defiantly un-moody suburban Wellington. One’s geeky,...
As sub-genres go, the vampire movie parody has had a remarkably low strike rate, perhaps because the films in the firing line have an inbuilt sense of camp that either resists irony or absorbs it. But over the mirthless corpses of Lesbian Vampire Killers, Dracula: Dead and Loving It and Vampires Suck, a genuinely funny attempt has risen: What We Do in the Shadows (Metrodome, 15), a cheap, chipper exercise in bloodsucker banter from New Zealand that also finds improbable life in the creatively dormant mockumentary format.
Such are the sharply silly comic skills of Flight of the Conchords goofball Jemaine Clement, who co-wrote and directed the film with Taika Waititi; the pair also play half of the film’s mismatched quartet of vampires, sharing digs in defiantly un-moody suburban Wellington. One’s geeky,...
- 4/2/2015
- by Guy Lodge
- The Guardian - Film News
The comedy great received the honour in person in London.
Us comedy writer, actor and director Mel Brooks has been awarded the highest honour of the British Film Institute (BFI), the BFI Fellowship, at a private dinner in London tonight (March 20).
Previous recipients include Sir Christopher Lee, Ralph Fiennes, David Cronenberg, Dame Judi Dench, Isabelle Huppert, Tim Burton, Martin Scorsese and Orson Welles. The honour is awarded by the BFI Board of Governors and is presented for outstanding achievement in film and television
Ahead of the presentation, Brooks said: “I am deeply honoured to be the recipient of the BFI Fellowship and to be inducted into such distinguished company.
“When I was informed that I had been chosen, I was surprised and delighted. Not many Americans have been offered this prestigious award…and for good reason.”
BFI chair Greg Dyke, who hosted the event, said of Brooks: “His brilliant wit and satire have continued to surprise and delight...
Us comedy writer, actor and director Mel Brooks has been awarded the highest honour of the British Film Institute (BFI), the BFI Fellowship, at a private dinner in London tonight (March 20).
Previous recipients include Sir Christopher Lee, Ralph Fiennes, David Cronenberg, Dame Judi Dench, Isabelle Huppert, Tim Burton, Martin Scorsese and Orson Welles. The honour is awarded by the BFI Board of Governors and is presented for outstanding achievement in film and television
Ahead of the presentation, Brooks said: “I am deeply honoured to be the recipient of the BFI Fellowship and to be inducted into such distinguished company.
“When I was informed that I had been chosen, I was surprised and delighted. Not many Americans have been offered this prestigious award…and for good reason.”
BFI chair Greg Dyke, who hosted the event, said of Brooks: “His brilliant wit and satire have continued to surprise and delight...
- 3/20/2015
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
It's been 20 years since Mel Brooks made a new movie. Since 1995's Dracula: Dead and Loving It, the funnyman has done some acting here and there, but most of his work has been either on the stage or on the page. That all may soon change, however, thanks to Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Brooks recently revealed on Adam Corolla's podcast [transcribed by Bloody-Disgusting] that all this buzz surrounding the launch of a new Star Wars trilogy has him looking back on Spaceballs and considering if it has a future. I’m thinking now, if I did a movie that came out right after Star Wars comes out — maybe a couple of months later — I’d have a big weekend, you know? No matter what, even if it fell on its ass and didn’t get its money...
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- 2/10/2015
- by Peter Hall
- Movies.com
Now that we're getting Star Wars: The Force Awakens this winter, wouldn't it be the perfect time for a sequel to Spaceballs? That's exactly what writer and director Mel Brooks thinks. The iconic spoof master appears on Adam Carolla's "Take a Knee" podcast and when he was asked about what he might do next. After all, it's been 20 years since he directed Dracula: Dead and Loving It and 10 years since he wrote The Producers musical for the big screen. And in the conversation, he mentions that he's pondered about doing another Spaceballs movie. However, is it more than just a passing thought in his head? More below! Here's what Brooks had to say about the idea of Spaceballs 2: “I was thinking about 'Spaceballs' the other day. In 'Spaceballs,' in the movie, Bill Pullman says to me, Yogurt, just plain Yogurt, he says ‘Do...
- 2/9/2015
- by Ethan Anderton
- firstshowing.net
Comedy legend Mel Brooks is getting back into the bloodsucking business, with news that Sony Pictures Animation has recruited him for a supporting role in its upcoming animated sequel, Hotel Transylvania 2.
Brooks, who previously flirted with vampirism in the underrated 1995 comedy Dracula: Dead and Loving It, will be portraying Vlad, the very old and grumpy father of protagonist Dracula (Adam Sandler). The sequel finds the titular hotel, a classy getaway for monsters of all varieties, experiencing an unexpected collision of supernatural old-school and modern-day cool when Vlad decides to pay an unexpected visit.
Said the acclaimed comedian:
“He’s been around for eons, and he’s a pretty crabby guy. Basically, he reminds me of me.”
In addition to Brooks and Sandler, the sequel will feature the voice talents of Andy Samberg, Selena Gomez, David Spade, Keegan-Michael Key, Steve Buscemi and Fran Drescher, most of whom are reprising their roles from the initial pic.
Brooks, who previously flirted with vampirism in the underrated 1995 comedy Dracula: Dead and Loving It, will be portraying Vlad, the very old and grumpy father of protagonist Dracula (Adam Sandler). The sequel finds the titular hotel, a classy getaway for monsters of all varieties, experiencing an unexpected collision of supernatural old-school and modern-day cool when Vlad decides to pay an unexpected visit.
Said the acclaimed comedian:
“He’s been around for eons, and he’s a pretty crabby guy. Basically, he reminds me of me.”
In addition to Brooks and Sandler, the sequel will feature the voice talents of Andy Samberg, Selena Gomez, David Spade, Keegan-Michael Key, Steve Buscemi and Fran Drescher, most of whom are reprising their roles from the initial pic.
- 11/27/2014
- by Isaac Feldberg
- We Got This Covered
In 2012, Sony brought a monster mash to the big screen with Hotel Transylvania, an animated comedy take on classic monsters that featured Adam Sandler as the voice of Dracula, Kevin James as Frankenstein’s monster, and many more. With the sequel due out next fall, a new addition to the voice cast has been announced: the legendary Mel Brooks, who will voice Dracula’s vampire father, Vlad.
Deadline reports that Mel Brooks will voice Vlad, a character with a serious grumpy side (though he’s smiling in the photo shown above). As many fans of Bram Stoker’s Dracula know, the real life 15th century ruler, Vlad III Dracula, aka Vlad the Impaler, helped inspire the Count Dracula character.
Brooks is no stranger to portraying classic monsters in a comedic way, having helmed and co-written Young Frankenstein 40 years ago. Brooks also directed, co-wrote, and co-starred as Professor Van Helsing in...
Deadline reports that Mel Brooks will voice Vlad, a character with a serious grumpy side (though he’s smiling in the photo shown above). As many fans of Bram Stoker’s Dracula know, the real life 15th century ruler, Vlad III Dracula, aka Vlad the Impaler, helped inspire the Count Dracula character.
Brooks is no stranger to portraying classic monsters in a comedic way, having helmed and co-written Young Frankenstein 40 years ago. Brooks also directed, co-wrote, and co-starred as Professor Van Helsing in...
- 11/26/2014
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Comedy legend Mel Brooks has been tapped to voice Vlad in Sony Pictures Animation’s Hotel Transylvania 2. He’ll play the very old and grumpy vampire father to Adam Sandler’s Dracula. The sequel to Sony’s 2012 family film sees old-school supernatural meet modern-day cool when Vlad turns up at the hotel for an impromptu family get-together. Genndy Tartakovsky is helming again from a script by Robert Smigel. The original movie made about $360M worldwide and was nominated for a Golden Globe. This one is set for release September 25.
The Oscar-, Tony-, Grammy- and Emmy-winning Brooks has some cinematic vampire experience; he directed, produced and co-wrote 1995’s Dracula: Dead And Loving It, also starring as vamp hunter Val Helsing. He said of the Hotel Transylvania character: “He’s been around for eons, and he’s a pretty crabby guy. Basically, he reminds me of me.”
In a savvy move...
The Oscar-, Tony-, Grammy- and Emmy-winning Brooks has some cinematic vampire experience; he directed, produced and co-wrote 1995’s Dracula: Dead And Loving It, also starring as vamp hunter Val Helsing. He said of the Hotel Transylvania character: “He’s been around for eons, and he’s a pretty crabby guy. Basically, he reminds me of me.”
In a savvy move...
- 11/26/2014
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline
Every year near Halloween, I find myself re-watching at least some of the classic Universal monster movies from the 30s, 40s, and 50s. This year, thanks to purchasing the Universal Classic Monsters 30-Film Collection, I’m pretty much revisiting all of them. Kicking off that list is Tod Browning’s timeless classic Dracula, which was the first Hollywood production of the character and also the risky endeavor Universal diving into the monster movie market. Of course, being more than 80 years old, there are no contemporary filmmaker commentaries available on this title. In the DVD box set, which packages together all the Legacy Collection discs, we are left with a commentary by film historian David J. Skal and the screenwriter from Dracula: Dead and Loving It. As much as I enjoy Mel Brooks’ works, I felt it was a better bet to go with the possibly drier but more insightful historian. This...
- 10/9/2014
- by Kevin Carr
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Dracula Untold bites the UK box office this week, but are we reaching vampire overload, James wonders...
Drac is back (in, erm, black, but we're not going to crank AC/DC because it's cliché, it's anachronistic in this medieval setting and it might be mistaken as a reference to Iron Man). If you go to your local cinema this weekend you can see Dracula Untold which has Luke Evans vamping it up as the latest incarnation of the most infamous bloodsucker in cultural history.
Once the movie has been seen the title should be changed to 'Dracula Told' because then it won't be a story 'Untold' but, ah, I digress. The important thing to know is that audiences are going to get to enjoy a new movie expanding the Dracula mythos and this one has a lot to offer cinemagoers getting into the horror mindset in the Halloween month.
We're...
Drac is back (in, erm, black, but we're not going to crank AC/DC because it's cliché, it's anachronistic in this medieval setting and it might be mistaken as a reference to Iron Man). If you go to your local cinema this weekend you can see Dracula Untold which has Luke Evans vamping it up as the latest incarnation of the most infamous bloodsucker in cultural history.
Once the movie has been seen the title should be changed to 'Dracula Told' because then it won't be a story 'Untold' but, ah, I digress. The important thing to know is that audiences are going to get to enjoy a new movie expanding the Dracula mythos and this one has a lot to offer cinemagoers getting into the horror mindset in the Halloween month.
We're...
- 10/2/2014
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
Horror cinema has a long tradition of creating iconic characters and none more so than those borne in the early days of the genre: characters such as Frankenstein’s monster, the Mummy, the Creature from the Black Lagoon and, of course, Dracula – the king of horror. A character who, despite his many cinematic deaths, always returns to the silver screen for one more bite of flesh… As he does this week in Dracula Untold, which features Luke Evans as the evil Vlad Tepes.
With that in mind we thought we’d rundown the ten best unforgettable Dracula performances in cinema. Check them out below and let us know in the comments if you agree or disagree!
Christopher Lee – Dracula (1958)
Dracula (1958) is the first in the series of Hammer Horror films. Directed by Terence Fisher, Dracula (1958) stars Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Melissa Stribling, Carol Marsh and Michael Gough. Retitled Horror of Dracula...
With that in mind we thought we’d rundown the ten best unforgettable Dracula performances in cinema. Check them out below and let us know in the comments if you agree or disagree!
Christopher Lee – Dracula (1958)
Dracula (1958) is the first in the series of Hammer Horror films. Directed by Terence Fisher, Dracula (1958) stars Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Melissa Stribling, Carol Marsh and Michael Gough. Retitled Horror of Dracula...
- 10/1/2014
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
At 87, Mel Brooks has lost none of his edge.
The legendary comic provocateur has phoned me from his Los Angeles office to promote the just-released 40th anniversary Blu-ray of his magnum opus, "Blazing Saddles," but before he submits to an interview, he quizzes me about Moviefone's unique pageviews and other Web traffic statistics, about which he knows more than I do. Having concluded that Moviefone is well-trafficked enough for him to talk to, he says, "Ask away, Susman!"
"Blazing Saddles," which made serious satirical points about racism while also making cinema safe for fart jokes, is certainly one of the most influential comedies ever made. Brooks believes it's the funniest film of all time (followed closely by his own "Young Frankenstein"), and he's still upset with the American Film Institute for disagreeing with him. He's making his case for the film with the Blu-ray (which contains a new making-of documentary,...
The legendary comic provocateur has phoned me from his Los Angeles office to promote the just-released 40th anniversary Blu-ray of his magnum opus, "Blazing Saddles," but before he submits to an interview, he quizzes me about Moviefone's unique pageviews and other Web traffic statistics, about which he knows more than I do. Having concluded that Moviefone is well-trafficked enough for him to talk to, he says, "Ask away, Susman!"
"Blazing Saddles," which made serious satirical points about racism while also making cinema safe for fart jokes, is certainly one of the most influential comedies ever made. Brooks believes it's the funniest film of all time (followed closely by his own "Young Frankenstein"), and he's still upset with the American Film Institute for disagreeing with him. He's making his case for the film with the Blu-ray (which contains a new making-of documentary,...
- 5/20/2014
- by Gary Susman
- Moviefone
Turner Classic Movies (TCM) has added an exciting roster of screen legends and beloved titles to the 2014 TCM Classic Film Festival, including appearances by Maureen O’Hara, Mel Brooks and Margaret O’Brien, plus a two-film tribute to Academy Award®-winner Richard Dreyfuss. Marking its fifth year, the TCM Classic Film Festival will take place April 10-13, 2014, in Hollywood. The gathering will coincide with TCM’s 20th anniversary as a leading authority in classic film.
O’Hara will present the world premiere restoration of John Ford’s Oscar®-winning Best Picture How Green Was My Valley (1941), while Brooks will appear at a screening of his western comedy Blazing Saddles (1974). O’Brien will be on-hand for Vincente Minnelli’s perennial musical favorite Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), starring Judy Garland. The tribute to Dreyfuss will consist of a double feature of two of his most popular roles: his Oscar®-winning performance...
O’Hara will present the world premiere restoration of John Ford’s Oscar®-winning Best Picture How Green Was My Valley (1941), while Brooks will appear at a screening of his western comedy Blazing Saddles (1974). O’Brien will be on-hand for Vincente Minnelli’s perennial musical favorite Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), starring Judy Garland. The tribute to Dreyfuss will consist of a double feature of two of his most popular roles: his Oscar®-winning performance...
- 2/5/2014
- by Melissa Thompson
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
It's kinda sad knowing an entire generation will grow up with stuff like Vampire's Suck and Dracula: Dead and Loving It being their only idea of what a vampire spoof movie is or should be. Or any spoof movie, for that matter. It's depressing knowing we have to go back decades to stuff like Airplane or Hot Shots in order to find the last great spoof movies. Hollywood's sensibilities are just different these days when it comes to the spoof, but that doesn't mean there aren't pockets of resistance popping up around the globe. What We Do in the Shadows is easily one of the most clever and genuinely funny spoof movies I've seen in quite some time. Framed as a documentary tracking the lives of a group of vampires living in New Zealand, the film brilliantly...
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- 1/22/2014
- by Erik Davis
- Movies.com
The Spoof, or Parody, movie has long been a mainstay of the comedy genre. Though it offers writers and directors the chance to transcend the formula they are imitating there is a very fine line between success and failure. An understanding of the form is as important as a healthy disregard for it, and many of the examples below do push the genres they spoof to ridiculous extremes. As we usher in the release of The Starving Games on DVD and VOD this week we wanted to look back at past efforts of this enduring genre.
There’s a case to be made that some of the films gathered under the umbrella of the Parody Movie are so successful they become notable examples of the genre they spoofing. Edgar Wright’s films in particular are loving tributes to a their particular genre but in each case they become far more than a mockery.
There’s a case to be made that some of the films gathered under the umbrella of the Parody Movie are so successful they become notable examples of the genre they spoofing. Edgar Wright’s films in particular are loving tributes to a their particular genre but in each case they become far more than a mockery.
- 11/12/2013
- by Jon Lyus
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Sarah Dobbs Jun 21, 2017
As news arrives that Sherlock's creators are working on a Dracula adaptation, here are 10 screen versions of Bram Stoker's character...
Dracula is one of the classic monster stories. It’s the quintessential vampire tale; most of our ideas about what a vampire is, what a vampire does, and what a vampire can be killed by come from Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel. And while elements of the story have been woven into countless other vampire-themed books, films, and TV shows, it’s Dracula that we keep coming back to, over and over. Sherlock creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss are in talks about reviving the character once again for a BBC miniseries, but before that arrives, let’s take a look back at ten other versions of the world’s most famous vampire…
See related Kevin Feige on Black Panther, female superhero movie Thor: Ragnarok - Thor's roommate won't be in it Nosferatu (1922)
Who plays Dracula? Max Schreck.
What’s the story? It’s a pretty faithful, if pared down, version of the Dracula story: a clerk is sent out to meet a mysterious client in a spooky castle, realises he’s a monster, and tries to flee, only for his own wife to fall victim to the vampire’s spell. It’s silent, black and white, and gorgeous.
What makes it special? What’s kind of amazing about this film is that it almost didn’t survive. The production didn’t have the approval of Bram Stoker’s estate, and despite changing a few details – the vampire here is known as Count Orlok, not Dracula, and the other names and locations have also been altered – it’s close enough that when the Stokers sued, a court ordered all copies of the film to be destroyed.
Luckily for us, one survived. It’s incredibly creepy, all weird angles and lurking shadows, and Schrek plays the vampire as a proper monster. There’s nothing seductive about him, he’s just terrifying. Even now. Especially now, maybe, now that we’re jaded and cynical about special effects and CGI. Because this film looks scarier than anything created on a computer, and it’s all real.
Dracula (1931)
Who plays Dracula? Bela Lugosi.
What’s the story? Based on a popular stage adaptation of Dracula, this is another mostly faithful adaptation, though the characters have been shuffled a bit. Here, it’s Renfield, not Jonathan, who goes out to meet Dracula in his castle in Transylvania. Jonathan and Lucy get shunted off to the side of the story, with Mina taking centre stage, while Dr Seward, head of the lunatic asylum, is recast as her father. Lugosi is a much sexier Count than Schreck, and the subtext about Mina’s sexual awakening is, er, pretty much text here.
What makes it special? Oh, everything. It’s beautiful to look at, for one thing. It’s got a bit of a sense of humour, though not enough to stop it from being insanely creepy. Lugosi makes the role completely his own; when people think of Count Dracula, this is the version most of them imagine. Interestingly, this version also does a lot more with Renfield’s story than the original novel, and Dwight Frye is fantastic in that role. Even if you think you’ve seen too many Dracula parodies to enjoy Lugosi’s rendition of the Count, this film is worth watching for Dwight Frye alone.
Dracula (1958)
Who plays Dracula? Christopher Lee.
What’s the story? It’s Dracula, but slightly wonky. It starts with Jonathan Harker setting off to visit Castle Dracula – but this time, he knows what he’s in for, and is planning to kill the Count. He fails, leaving Van Helsing to take up the hunt. Most of the characters have been shuffled around: Jonathan is engaged to Lucy, who’s Arthur’s sister, and Arthur is married to Mina. It’s not obvious why that reshuffle had to happen, because it doesn’t make a huge amount of difference to how things play out. It’s still Mina who has to fight to extricate herself from Dracula’s clutches in the end.
What makes it special? Dracula was one of the first Hammer Horror films, and it was massively successful. It spawned eight sequels, including The Brides of Dracula, Dracula Has Risen from the Grave, and Taste The Blood of Dracula, and it basically shaped the horror genre for a good couple of decades. But what’s special about it today is the cast. Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing are always good value, and here, as the evil Count and the scholarly vampire hunter determined to kill him off, they’re brilliant.
Count von Count, Sesame Street (1972)
Who plays Dracula? Originally Jerry Nelson, and now Matt Vogel.
What’s the story? Okay, this is kind of a cheat. Count von Count isn’t actually called Dracula, but he’s so clearly modelled on Bela Lugosi’s portrayal of the great vampire that I couldn’t just leave him out. The character appears to be based on the idea that vampires are obsessed with counting – folklore from all over the world has it that if a vampire encounters a pile of rice or other grains, they won’t be able to do anything until they’ve counted it all. The Count loves to, er, count.
What makes it special? The fact that Sesame Street included a vampire character is kind of amazing, and the fact that he speaks in a parody of Lugosi’s accent, and wears that cape, well, it’s just sort of brilliant. The earliest incarnations of the Count were a bit spooky, but apparently kids found his maniacal laughing and tendency to zap people who interfered with his counting a bit scary, so he was made cuter and goofier. He’s basically the most adorable incarnation of Dracula you’ll ever find.
Blacula (1972)
Who plays Dracula? Charles Macaulay.
What’s the story? This film is about one of Dracula’s protégés, rather than Dracula himself. After an African prince approaches Dracula for help dealing with the slave trade, he gets bitten and sealed in a coffin for centuries. Popping out in the 1970s, Mamuwalde – dubbed “Blacula” by the Count – sets about trying to win the heart of a woman he believes to be the reincarnation of his dead wife.
What makes it special? Isn’t the idea of a blaxploitation take on Dracula special enough for you? William H. Marshall plays the first ever black vampire in this movie, and since there haven’t been all that many since, that’s still pretty notable. The fashion is glorious, and the music is wonderful too. The plot is, well, kind of flimsy, and pretty slow, and it actually verges on being kind of boring, but there’s something pretty cool about it nonetheless.
Blood for Dracula (1974)
Who plays Dracula? Udo Kier.
What’s the story? A sickly Dracula is starving to death due to the lack of available virgins in Romania, so he travels to Italy in search of a bride. Unfortunately, the family of impoverished aristocrats he ends up staying with employs a rather rapey handyman, and there may not be any virgins left for him.
What makes it special? Produced by Andy Warhol, this is definitely one of the strangest takes on the Dracula story. Many of the established tropes are present – Dracula doesn’t have a reflection, and can’t stand garlic - but rather than being powerful and seductive, Kier’s Count is almost pitiable. He spends much of the film in a wheelchair, which is an oddly creepy image, and he’s kind of… whiny. It’s hard to know where your sympathies should lie, and it’s fun to see a mother actively throwing her daughters at Dracula rather than trying to save them from him. The accents are occasionally baffling (especially Joe Dallesandro’s Brooklyn drawl) but maybe that’s all part of the joke.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
Who plays Dracula? Gary Oldman.
What’s the story? Back in the fifteenth century, Dracula’s wife kills herself after being told her husband has been killed in battle. Knowing suicide is a sin, Dracula figures she’s damned, and turns against God himself, becoming a vampire. After skulking in his castle for centuries, he decides to move to London, where he meets Mina Harker – a woman who looks exactly like his dead wife. The rest of the Dracula story is intact, but with a side of overly dramatic tragic romance.
What makes it special? It’s one of the most faithful adaptations around, in terms of how much of the book it conveys to the screen. Characters are shown writing letters and diary entries, as per the book, and Lucy’s three suitors are all present and correct, which is rare.
Unfortunately, some of the performances are pretty terrible (Keanu Reeves is an easy target, but he’s truly awful here, and Cary Elwes is in full smirk mode). There are so many famous people crammed in that it gets distracting, and the set design is too stagey to be effective. But it gets points for keeping all the characters in their places.
‘Buffy vs Dracula’, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (2000)
Who plays Dracula? Rudolf Martin.
What’s the story? To kick off the fifth season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Buffy went up against the most famous vampire of all time. Yup, they actually wrote Dracula into an episode of Buffy. There’s no real messing with the character, apart from dropping him into modern day California, and he uses pretty much all of his tricks: he turns into a bat, he dissolves into mist, he uses mind control to turn Xander into a slavering minion, and he seduces Sunnydale’s women, including Buffy herself.
What makes it special? There’s something about crossovers that’s always oddly irresistible. Fitting the Scooby Gang into the Dracula story is fun because of the cognitive dissonance it causes: they’re all-American teenagers, and he’s a character from a gothic Victorian novel, so there’s no reason they should ever encounter one another, and the fallout is genuinely funny. (Spike’s indignation is a particular highlight.) There’s also a serious side to the story, as Dracula tells Buffy she’s a creature of darkness, but that’s something that really developed over the rest of the series. This episode is mostly just fun.
Dracula 2000 (2000)
Who plays Dracula? Gerard Butler.
What’s the story? Despite Van Helsing’s best efforts, someone has let Dracula out of his prison, and he’s determined to track down the one woman who might be able to stand up to him. (Who just happens to be Van Helsing’s daughter.) Bringing Van Helsing and Dracula into a modern day setting requires a bit of sleight of hand, but it just about works, and the film has an ace up its sleeve: an explanation for Dracula’s true identity that finally explains why he’s so averse to silver and crucifixes.
What makes it special? It kind of shouldn’t be, because it’s so silly. It’s got that self-aware, slightly camp late-90s horror thing going on, and it’s never actually scary. But it is a lot of fun, with some sharp dialogue (“I don’t drink… coffee”) and loads of geek-friendly faces popping up, including Jonny Lee Miller, Nathan Fillion, and Jeri Ryan.
Blade: Trinity (2004)
Who plays Dracula? Dominic Purcell
What’s the story? Dracula, or “Drake”, is an ancient vampire summoned by modern day vampires looking for an upgrade. Blade has been killing off too many of them, and they want to walk in daylight, which apparently Drake’s blood will let them do. Drake is a bit of a rubbish Dracula, as they go; he’s just a really old vampire, and none of the usual Dracula plot elements are present.
What makes it special? Let’s be clear about this, Blade Trinity is a pretty terrible film. It has two redeeming features, though: Ryan Reynolds and Parker Posey are fantastic, and every scene they have together is wonderful; and it includes a scene in which Drake wanders into a vampire-themed shop and terrorises the snarky goth assistants. Those things just about make it worth watching, but for Dracula super-fans, it hasn’t got much to offer. Purcell’s Dracula is apparently meant to be charismatic, but he just comes off dull and thuggish.
Other notable onscreen Draculas: Countess Dracula (Ingrid Pitt stars as Elizabeth Bathory, so not really Dracula at all, except in the title); Count Duckula (an 80s cartoon about a vampiric duck); Count Dracula (a low budget horror from 1979, directed by Jess Franco and starring Christopher Lee despite not being part of Lee’s Hammer Dracula franchise); Dracula: Dead And Loving It (Mel Brooks’s daft spoof); Dracula Ad 1972 (a reteaming of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing that brings Dracula into the 70s); Dracula Sucks (a hardcore porn adaptation); and Dario Argento’s Dracula 3D (which isn’t out yet, and will almost certainly be terrible.)
This feature was originally posted in October 2013.
As news arrives that Sherlock's creators are working on a Dracula adaptation, here are 10 screen versions of Bram Stoker's character...
Dracula is one of the classic monster stories. It’s the quintessential vampire tale; most of our ideas about what a vampire is, what a vampire does, and what a vampire can be killed by come from Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel. And while elements of the story have been woven into countless other vampire-themed books, films, and TV shows, it’s Dracula that we keep coming back to, over and over. Sherlock creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss are in talks about reviving the character once again for a BBC miniseries, but before that arrives, let’s take a look back at ten other versions of the world’s most famous vampire…
See related Kevin Feige on Black Panther, female superhero movie Thor: Ragnarok - Thor's roommate won't be in it Nosferatu (1922)
Who plays Dracula? Max Schreck.
What’s the story? It’s a pretty faithful, if pared down, version of the Dracula story: a clerk is sent out to meet a mysterious client in a spooky castle, realises he’s a monster, and tries to flee, only for his own wife to fall victim to the vampire’s spell. It’s silent, black and white, and gorgeous.
What makes it special? What’s kind of amazing about this film is that it almost didn’t survive. The production didn’t have the approval of Bram Stoker’s estate, and despite changing a few details – the vampire here is known as Count Orlok, not Dracula, and the other names and locations have also been altered – it’s close enough that when the Stokers sued, a court ordered all copies of the film to be destroyed.
Luckily for us, one survived. It’s incredibly creepy, all weird angles and lurking shadows, and Schrek plays the vampire as a proper monster. There’s nothing seductive about him, he’s just terrifying. Even now. Especially now, maybe, now that we’re jaded and cynical about special effects and CGI. Because this film looks scarier than anything created on a computer, and it’s all real.
Dracula (1931)
Who plays Dracula? Bela Lugosi.
What’s the story? Based on a popular stage adaptation of Dracula, this is another mostly faithful adaptation, though the characters have been shuffled a bit. Here, it’s Renfield, not Jonathan, who goes out to meet Dracula in his castle in Transylvania. Jonathan and Lucy get shunted off to the side of the story, with Mina taking centre stage, while Dr Seward, head of the lunatic asylum, is recast as her father. Lugosi is a much sexier Count than Schreck, and the subtext about Mina’s sexual awakening is, er, pretty much text here.
What makes it special? Oh, everything. It’s beautiful to look at, for one thing. It’s got a bit of a sense of humour, though not enough to stop it from being insanely creepy. Lugosi makes the role completely his own; when people think of Count Dracula, this is the version most of them imagine. Interestingly, this version also does a lot more with Renfield’s story than the original novel, and Dwight Frye is fantastic in that role. Even if you think you’ve seen too many Dracula parodies to enjoy Lugosi’s rendition of the Count, this film is worth watching for Dwight Frye alone.
Dracula (1958)
Who plays Dracula? Christopher Lee.
What’s the story? It’s Dracula, but slightly wonky. It starts with Jonathan Harker setting off to visit Castle Dracula – but this time, he knows what he’s in for, and is planning to kill the Count. He fails, leaving Van Helsing to take up the hunt. Most of the characters have been shuffled around: Jonathan is engaged to Lucy, who’s Arthur’s sister, and Arthur is married to Mina. It’s not obvious why that reshuffle had to happen, because it doesn’t make a huge amount of difference to how things play out. It’s still Mina who has to fight to extricate herself from Dracula’s clutches in the end.
What makes it special? Dracula was one of the first Hammer Horror films, and it was massively successful. It spawned eight sequels, including The Brides of Dracula, Dracula Has Risen from the Grave, and Taste The Blood of Dracula, and it basically shaped the horror genre for a good couple of decades. But what’s special about it today is the cast. Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing are always good value, and here, as the evil Count and the scholarly vampire hunter determined to kill him off, they’re brilliant.
Count von Count, Sesame Street (1972)
Who plays Dracula? Originally Jerry Nelson, and now Matt Vogel.
What’s the story? Okay, this is kind of a cheat. Count von Count isn’t actually called Dracula, but he’s so clearly modelled on Bela Lugosi’s portrayal of the great vampire that I couldn’t just leave him out. The character appears to be based on the idea that vampires are obsessed with counting – folklore from all over the world has it that if a vampire encounters a pile of rice or other grains, they won’t be able to do anything until they’ve counted it all. The Count loves to, er, count.
What makes it special? The fact that Sesame Street included a vampire character is kind of amazing, and the fact that he speaks in a parody of Lugosi’s accent, and wears that cape, well, it’s just sort of brilliant. The earliest incarnations of the Count were a bit spooky, but apparently kids found his maniacal laughing and tendency to zap people who interfered with his counting a bit scary, so he was made cuter and goofier. He’s basically the most adorable incarnation of Dracula you’ll ever find.
Blacula (1972)
Who plays Dracula? Charles Macaulay.
What’s the story? This film is about one of Dracula’s protégés, rather than Dracula himself. After an African prince approaches Dracula for help dealing with the slave trade, he gets bitten and sealed in a coffin for centuries. Popping out in the 1970s, Mamuwalde – dubbed “Blacula” by the Count – sets about trying to win the heart of a woman he believes to be the reincarnation of his dead wife.
What makes it special? Isn’t the idea of a blaxploitation take on Dracula special enough for you? William H. Marshall plays the first ever black vampire in this movie, and since there haven’t been all that many since, that’s still pretty notable. The fashion is glorious, and the music is wonderful too. The plot is, well, kind of flimsy, and pretty slow, and it actually verges on being kind of boring, but there’s something pretty cool about it nonetheless.
Blood for Dracula (1974)
Who plays Dracula? Udo Kier.
What’s the story? A sickly Dracula is starving to death due to the lack of available virgins in Romania, so he travels to Italy in search of a bride. Unfortunately, the family of impoverished aristocrats he ends up staying with employs a rather rapey handyman, and there may not be any virgins left for him.
What makes it special? Produced by Andy Warhol, this is definitely one of the strangest takes on the Dracula story. Many of the established tropes are present – Dracula doesn’t have a reflection, and can’t stand garlic - but rather than being powerful and seductive, Kier’s Count is almost pitiable. He spends much of the film in a wheelchair, which is an oddly creepy image, and he’s kind of… whiny. It’s hard to know where your sympathies should lie, and it’s fun to see a mother actively throwing her daughters at Dracula rather than trying to save them from him. The accents are occasionally baffling (especially Joe Dallesandro’s Brooklyn drawl) but maybe that’s all part of the joke.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
Who plays Dracula? Gary Oldman.
What’s the story? Back in the fifteenth century, Dracula’s wife kills herself after being told her husband has been killed in battle. Knowing suicide is a sin, Dracula figures she’s damned, and turns against God himself, becoming a vampire. After skulking in his castle for centuries, he decides to move to London, where he meets Mina Harker – a woman who looks exactly like his dead wife. The rest of the Dracula story is intact, but with a side of overly dramatic tragic romance.
What makes it special? It’s one of the most faithful adaptations around, in terms of how much of the book it conveys to the screen. Characters are shown writing letters and diary entries, as per the book, and Lucy’s three suitors are all present and correct, which is rare.
Unfortunately, some of the performances are pretty terrible (Keanu Reeves is an easy target, but he’s truly awful here, and Cary Elwes is in full smirk mode). There are so many famous people crammed in that it gets distracting, and the set design is too stagey to be effective. But it gets points for keeping all the characters in their places.
‘Buffy vs Dracula’, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (2000)
Who plays Dracula? Rudolf Martin.
What’s the story? To kick off the fifth season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Buffy went up against the most famous vampire of all time. Yup, they actually wrote Dracula into an episode of Buffy. There’s no real messing with the character, apart from dropping him into modern day California, and he uses pretty much all of his tricks: he turns into a bat, he dissolves into mist, he uses mind control to turn Xander into a slavering minion, and he seduces Sunnydale’s women, including Buffy herself.
What makes it special? There’s something about crossovers that’s always oddly irresistible. Fitting the Scooby Gang into the Dracula story is fun because of the cognitive dissonance it causes: they’re all-American teenagers, and he’s a character from a gothic Victorian novel, so there’s no reason they should ever encounter one another, and the fallout is genuinely funny. (Spike’s indignation is a particular highlight.) There’s also a serious side to the story, as Dracula tells Buffy she’s a creature of darkness, but that’s something that really developed over the rest of the series. This episode is mostly just fun.
Dracula 2000 (2000)
Who plays Dracula? Gerard Butler.
What’s the story? Despite Van Helsing’s best efforts, someone has let Dracula out of his prison, and he’s determined to track down the one woman who might be able to stand up to him. (Who just happens to be Van Helsing’s daughter.) Bringing Van Helsing and Dracula into a modern day setting requires a bit of sleight of hand, but it just about works, and the film has an ace up its sleeve: an explanation for Dracula’s true identity that finally explains why he’s so averse to silver and crucifixes.
What makes it special? It kind of shouldn’t be, because it’s so silly. It’s got that self-aware, slightly camp late-90s horror thing going on, and it’s never actually scary. But it is a lot of fun, with some sharp dialogue (“I don’t drink… coffee”) and loads of geek-friendly faces popping up, including Jonny Lee Miller, Nathan Fillion, and Jeri Ryan.
Blade: Trinity (2004)
Who plays Dracula? Dominic Purcell
What’s the story? Dracula, or “Drake”, is an ancient vampire summoned by modern day vampires looking for an upgrade. Blade has been killing off too many of them, and they want to walk in daylight, which apparently Drake’s blood will let them do. Drake is a bit of a rubbish Dracula, as they go; he’s just a really old vampire, and none of the usual Dracula plot elements are present.
What makes it special? Let’s be clear about this, Blade Trinity is a pretty terrible film. It has two redeeming features, though: Ryan Reynolds and Parker Posey are fantastic, and every scene they have together is wonderful; and it includes a scene in which Drake wanders into a vampire-themed shop and terrorises the snarky goth assistants. Those things just about make it worth watching, but for Dracula super-fans, it hasn’t got much to offer. Purcell’s Dracula is apparently meant to be charismatic, but he just comes off dull and thuggish.
Other notable onscreen Draculas: Countess Dracula (Ingrid Pitt stars as Elizabeth Bathory, so not really Dracula at all, except in the title); Count Duckula (an 80s cartoon about a vampiric duck); Count Dracula (a low budget horror from 1979, directed by Jess Franco and starring Christopher Lee despite not being part of Lee’s Hammer Dracula franchise); Dracula: Dead And Loving It (Mel Brooks’s daft spoof); Dracula Ad 1972 (a reteaming of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing that brings Dracula into the 70s); Dracula Sucks (a hardcore porn adaptation); and Dario Argento’s Dracula 3D (which isn’t out yet, and will almost certainly be terrible.)
This feature was originally posted in October 2013.
- 8/19/2013
- Den of Geek
I recently watched the American Masters documentary on Mel Brooks entitled Make A Noise and immediately wanted to go back and re-watch all of his films. The guy is so genuinely funny that it is a shame he hasn't directed a film since 1995's Dracula: Dead And Loving It. But, after winning more awards than any living entertainer (Grammy, Tony, Oscar, Emmy, and more), Brooks is set to receive the American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award. In anticipation of...
- 6/6/2013
- by Alex Maidy
- JoBlo.com
Martin Scorsese will present Mel Brooks with the American Film Institute’s 41st Life Achievement Award – America’s highest honor for a career in film. The private black tie gala will be held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on June 6 and will air on TNT Saturday, June 15, at 9 p.m. Et/Pt and as part of an all-night tribute to Brooks on Turner Classic Movies (TCM) Sunday, July 24, at 8 p.m. Et. Brooks will be recognized for his range of mastery as a director, producer, writer, actor and composer.
Martin Scorsese is widely regarded as one of the greatest directors of all time having received the AFI Life Achievement Award for his contributions to cinema, two AFI Awards, an Academy®Award, a Palme d’Or, Grammy® Award, two Emmys®, four Golden Globes®, a BAFTA and three DGA Awards. Scorsese’s body of work includes films such as The Departed,...
Martin Scorsese is widely regarded as one of the greatest directors of all time having received the AFI Life Achievement Award for his contributions to cinema, two AFI Awards, an Academy®Award, a Palme d’Or, Grammy® Award, two Emmys®, four Golden Globes®, a BAFTA and three DGA Awards. Scorsese’s body of work includes films such as The Departed,...
- 5/20/2013
- by Melissa Thompson
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Today is author Bram Stoker’s birthday. The man who wrote Dracula would be 165 years old today, if he had the same affliction he gave his most famous character. In honor of Stoker’s birthday, we’ve found some of the best spoofs, parodies, and satires on Dracula. Because dammit, birthdays should be fun!
Count Duckula
Count Duckula - Opening Theme [HQ]
A favorite cartoon of mine growing up, Count Duckula was a duck version of Dracula. Every now and again, he would die, but could be resurrected once a century. The most recent resurrection didn’t go according to plan. Instead of blood, ketchup was used. Thus, this incarnation of Duckula was a vegetarian who was more interested in becoming a star than in starting blood wards.
Dracula: Dead and Loving It
Dracula: Dead and Loving It (Trailer 1995)
As a sort of “follow-up” to the wildly successful Young Frankenstein, Mel Brooks...
Count Duckula
Count Duckula - Opening Theme [HQ]
A favorite cartoon of mine growing up, Count Duckula was a duck version of Dracula. Every now and again, he would die, but could be resurrected once a century. The most recent resurrection didn’t go according to plan. Instead of blood, ketchup was used. Thus, this incarnation of Duckula was a vegetarian who was more interested in becoming a star than in starting blood wards.
Dracula: Dead and Loving It
Dracula: Dead and Loving It (Trailer 1995)
As a sort of “follow-up” to the wildly successful Young Frankenstein, Mel Brooks...
- 11/9/2012
- by Alyse Wax
- FEARnet
One thing we always make time for here at Dread Central is honoring the masters, and we wanted to take a moment to point out our recent review of Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection on Blu-ray along with the overflowing image gallery Universal provided to us as a supplement.
Click Here to read our review of Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection (as you can imagine, it earned pretty high marks), and enjoy perusing the exclusive photos below.
From the Prior Press Release:
Digitally restored from high resolution film elements in perfect high-definition picture and perfect high-definition sound for the first time ever, Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection brings together the very best of Universal’s legendary monsters—imaginative and technically groundbreaking tales of terror that launched a uniquely American movie genre. This definitive collection features eight films on Blu-ray, a collectible 48-page book featuring behind-the-scenes photographs, original posters,...
Click Here to read our review of Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection (as you can imagine, it earned pretty high marks), and enjoy perusing the exclusive photos below.
From the Prior Press Release:
Digitally restored from high resolution film elements in perfect high-definition picture and perfect high-definition sound for the first time ever, Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection brings together the very best of Universal’s legendary monsters—imaginative and technically groundbreaking tales of terror that launched a uniquely American movie genre. This definitive collection features eight films on Blu-ray, a collectible 48-page book featuring behind-the-scenes photographs, original posters,...
- 11/6/2012
- by The Woman In Black
- DreadCentral.com
You know that the classic Universal monster movies are some of the most important and influential horror films ever made. But you also are not keen on spending $150+ for the newly released, fully remastered special edition box set. Let’s take a look at the set, the remaster, the bonus features. Then you can make an informed decision.
All of the films come with its own featurettes that discuss the historical and cultural significance of each film. These have clearly been made at least a decade ago (probably for an earlier special edition) but really, how much info can change about films that were made nearly 100 years ago? The films also include plenty of the expected archival goodies: posters, artwork, trailers, and the like. A collectible booklet inside the set includes a little bit of history and background on each film and their stars and directors.
Dracula
Released on Valentine’s Day,...
All of the films come with its own featurettes that discuss the historical and cultural significance of each film. These have clearly been made at least a decade ago (probably for an earlier special edition) but really, how much info can change about films that were made nearly 100 years ago? The films also include plenty of the expected archival goodies: posters, artwork, trailers, and the like. A collectible booklet inside the set includes a little bit of history and background on each film and their stars and directors.
Dracula
Released on Valentine’s Day,...
- 11/3/2012
- by Alyse Wax
- FEARnet
By now the word is out and the monsters have exited their graves in search of your Blu Ray player. Have you seen the new Universal Classic Monsters Essenstial Collection and bright shiny new Blu Ray in the ultra cool box set with the handy collector’s edition book? While it doesn’t necessarily come cheap, retailing just over $100, it contains eight movies, bonus features out the wazzooo (and I’ll even include the press release below so you know what those are) and, as previously stated, some literature that will be perfect for the monster maniac on your Halloween chopping list. Never forget that this would make the ideal Christmas present for the holiday horror fiend in your home. Also don’t forget that I, as a horror fiend, am telling you that it’s on my wish list. When I pick it up, you’ll get a review,...
- 10/5/2012
- by Jimmy Terror
- The Liberal Dead
Today's the day that Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection debuts on Blu-ray, and in honor of the occasion, Universal has released a trailer for the collection. See Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney, Jr., Claude Rains, and Elsa Lanchester in the roles that made them famous!
From the Press Release:
Digitally restored from high resolution film elements in perfect high-definition picture and perfect high-definition sound for the first time ever, Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection brings together the very best of Universal’s legendary monsters—imaginative and technically groundbreaking tales of terror that launched a uniquely American movie genre. This definitive collection features eight films on Blu-ray, a collectible 48-page book featuring behind-the-scenes photographs, original posters, correspondence, and much more.
Each iconic film is accompanied by an array of bonus features that tell the fascinating story of its creation and history, including behind-the-scenes documentaries, filmmaker commentaries, interviews, storyboards,...
From the Press Release:
Digitally restored from high resolution film elements in perfect high-definition picture and perfect high-definition sound for the first time ever, Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection brings together the very best of Universal’s legendary monsters—imaginative and technically groundbreaking tales of terror that launched a uniquely American movie genre. This definitive collection features eight films on Blu-ray, a collectible 48-page book featuring behind-the-scenes photographs, original posters, correspondence, and much more.
Each iconic film is accompanied by an array of bonus features that tell the fascinating story of its creation and history, including behind-the-scenes documentaries, filmmaker commentaries, interviews, storyboards,...
- 10/2/2012
- by The Woman In Black
- DreadCentral.com
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