Van Helsing

[Taem]

I'm just back from "Van Helsing" and it delivered exactly what I expected in advance. A rather thin story, but gorgeous special effects and creature effects by the world's best F/X company Industrial, Light & Magic (ILM). The film is basically an amazing thrill-ride in a cinematic ghost-train, and if you like such stuff, I think you'll be pleased. In fact, if ILM would release an annual F/X demo reel, this would be it for 2004 :)

But do you think its worth $8.50? I was considering seeing it in the theatres, but thought I'd wait for DVD instead. With so much hype and advertising, I have this aching feeling its going to suck. I guess if I go without any expectations, I might like it, but not for $8.50. Not unless its "Really Good." Not great, nor fantastic, just really good.

[[wcip]Angel]

If it's a pure graphic-fest, wouldn't you want to see it on a big screen with lots of surroundy-type effects?

I'm steering clear of this thing. I don't like movies in general, I don't like superficiality in general, and when the two mix, I tend to go catatonic.

[nobbie]

We pay 5$ here in the afternoon, and F/X movies must be seen on the big screen ;)

[channel1]

Yogi Bear was, indeed, the cartoon bear in Jellystone (IIRC) Park. Yogi Berra was a great baseball player, coach, manager who was famous for his quips.... I've often suspected that the bear might have been modeled after the player, but I've never bothered to check it out.

Hanna Barbara cartoons for the first decade or so were notorious for using / satirizing / stealing the styles of famous characters. Yogi Bear was probably the most blatant, although in that case the characteristics were less played up than the name.

A few of the others:
Andy Griffith / Huckleberry Hound
Hopalong Cassidy / Quick Draw McGraw
The Honeymooners / The Flintstones
Phil Silvers / Top Cat

[jahcs]

nobbie Posted on May 7 2004, 10:57 AM
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I'm just back from "Van Helsing" and it delivered exactly what I expected in advance. A rather thin story, but gorgeous special effects and creature effects by the world's best F/X company Industrial, Light & Magic (ILM). The film is basically an amazing thrill-ride in a cinematic ghost-train, and if you like such stuff, I think you'll be pleased. In fact, if ILM would release an annual F/X demo reel, this would be it for 2004  

Spot on review nobbie. This is a budget hour, popcorn, please don't go to the theatre expecting anything movie. The castles are best viewed on a large screen.

If you want to waste a bit over 2 hours on some nice eye candy (well rendered monsters, well rendered scenery, well rendered Kate Bekinsale) then this movie won't disappoint. If you are looking for authentic vampire and frankenstein lore and a grab the edge of your seat ending you may want to look elsewhere.

[Cryptic]

It was fun and trashy. No character development whatsoever. It's simplest to describe as the most expensive gothic cartoon ever.

It's gorgeous to look at, and the special effects are lots of fun. But it could have been so much more - the best sequences are the ones with actual sets and scenes, and little CGI. The masquerade ball, for example, is the best visual scene I've scene so far this year, possibly rivaled by the Pei Mei chapter in Kill Bill Vol. 2.

The references (tributes? rip-offs?) come so fast and furious that I lost count in the first 5-minute black and white sequence. Probably the funniest one is when the werewolf does a Wylie Coyote imitation (twice!) and falls off an enormous cliff, seen from overhead, with complete silence and that tiny little *poof* in the center of the screen.
:lol:

It's that kind of movie.

[Vandiablo]

The references (tributes? rip-offs?) come so fast and furious that I lost count in the first 5-minute black and white sequence. Probably the funniest one is when the werewolf does a Wylie Coyote imitation (twice!) and falls off an enormous cliff, seen from overhead, with complete silence and that tiny little *poof* in the center of the screen.

Yes, the review I saw said that you should go in expecting "a fun, roller coaster, comic book" movie, i.e., not a serious movie. Don't take it seriously and it's okay.... However, I just saw one like that ("League of Extraordinary Gentlemen") and what annoyed me was my feeling that, "you know, they could have done it much better".

[Vandiablo]

Secret Squirrel had a character named Morocco Mole. (He was hunched over, wore a fez, and spoke in a whiny voice.) The Mole was blatantly based on an actor who specialized in dislikable characters, with the same whiny voice... Peter Lorre.



Peter Lorre

Secret Squirrel



-Van
Actual Member of the Dirk Dastardly Club

Muttley and Precious Pup... related???

Edit: You may notice that I have misspelled Dastardly's first name slightly to make sure there's no problem with The Filter.

[Vandiablo]

I just found a site that refers to a lot of shows I remember-- it often seems to me like I'm the only one who remembers them, but this site has their themes...

Cartoon Themes

Not only do they have Deputy Dawg, Underdog, Roger Ramjet, Crusader Rabbit, and Sinbad the Sailor, they also had "The New Adventures of Huck Finn" *sob!* my lost youth!

Evidently I was a Peter Potamus fan but I have absolutely no recollection of the theme.

-Vanderdog

ps. I think that Buzz Lightyear was based on Roger Ramjet. Just a hunch.