Continuing the final week of AWESOME-tober-fest. This week I’ve been reviewing all Dracula movies. Monday was Nosferatu from 1922. Tuesday was Universal’s Dracula from 1931. Yesterday I reviewed Horror of Dracula by Hammer Films. Today I’m looking at a movie that threw out these past movie versions of Dracula and went back to the source.  The director wanted to do a new, more faithful adaptation of Stoker’s novel.  That director was Francis Ford Coppola.

So, in 1992 we got Bram Stoker’s Dracula.  Coppola was actually given the script for this adaptation by Wynona Ryder.  She wanted a project for them to do together to help patch things up with the director after she pulled out of The Godfather Part III at the last minute. So Coppola agreed to do this and production began.

Coppola really wanted to create an ethereal almost dreamlike quality to this movie. Originally, he didn’t want to build any sets. He wanted elaborate costumes but very sparse, minimalistic backgrounds. Luckily the studio said no and forced him to do “traditional” sets. I’ve attempted to watch this movie several times since the 90s. But I hadn’t tried for a few years, so I thought this might be the year to give it a try, especially since I just read the original novel and watched a bunch of other Dracula movies.

So, what did I think this time? I didn’t like it. At all. They put Stoker’s name over the title, but that was mainly to differentiate it from Universal’s movie, not because there is that much more devotion to the novel. Coppola has created an overly indulgent arthouse flick about Dracula. It’s surreal and strange and boring. He ties the origins of Dracula to “The Impaler” Vlad III who renounces God after his beloved wife kills herself after mistakenly believing her husband was killed in battle.  Then Dracula stabs a stone cross, which starts to bleed, then he drinks the blood from the cross.  WHAT?!

There’s a lot I don’t like. The story. The acting. Keanu Reeves as Jonathan Harker is terrible. Wynona Ryder as Mina Harker is also terrible. The costumes are pretty good, but the movie is like a fever dream.  It’s so surreal and weird that it’s hard to really follow what the hell is going on.  You would think a Dracula movie starring Gary Oldman, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Keanu Reeves, Tom Waits and Monica Bellucci as Dracula’s bride would be AWESOME.  But it’s not.  It’s terrible.  I didn’t even finish watching it.  The movie is two hours and I stopped it just after the hour mark.

Is there anything I did like?  Well, Anthony Hopkins is good.  Oldman is pretty good as Dracula.  I enjoyed the costumes and sets.  Monica Bellucci as a topless Dracula bride was fantastic.  Sadie Frost, the chick that plays Lucy’s loses her top several times.  But none of that makes up for the horrible, surreal story that felt like a morphine fever dream and made little to no sense.  I realize this has become sort of a cult hit, but I can’t recommend it.  If you want to watch a thoroughly entertaining Dracula movie, see Hammer’s Horror of Dracula.

Two years later, a very similar attempt would be made with Mary Shelly’s book, Frankenstein. Acclaimed director Kenneth Brannagh would film a re-adaptation of Shelly’s novel starring himself as Victor Frankenstein, Helena Bonham Carter as Elizabeth and Robert DeNiro as the Monster.  Click the link to read if I thought it was successful or not.

So, one more day of AWESOME-tober-fest.  Tomorrow will be Freaky Friday, I’ll be looking at a Dracula “spoof” movie.   See you then.

Also, check out the blog Countdown to Halloween for more Halloween-y, bloggy AWESOMEness.

Here we are on Day 4 of Dracula TV week. Today we are looking at one of my favorite Halloween cartoon specials.  Today we are looking at the special, The Flintstones Meet Rockula & Frankenstone.

The special was produced in 1979 but aired for the first time in Oct 1980. It featured the voices of Henry Corden as Fred, Mel Blanc as Barney, Ted Cassidy (Lurch from Adams Family) as Frankenstone and John Stephenson as Count Rockula.

The special starts with the Flintstones and Rubbles visiting the game show Make a Deal or Don’t. They win a trip to Rocksylvania to stay the weekend in Castle Rockula.

The ancient Castle Rockula has been turned in to a fancy hotel. The Flintstones and Rubbles attend a Halloween party dressed as Rockula and Frankenstone. They accidentally discover a trap door into a secret laboratory underneath the castle. While in this laboratory, a random bolt of lightning awakens the real Frankenstone monster. The real monster goes into another secret passage and awakens the real Count Rockula who has been asleep for the last 500 years.

Count Rockula immediately orders everyone out of the castle. While herding everyone out the doors, he meets Wilma, mistakes her for his bride, then, when he realizes his error, he decides to take her as his bride anyway even if it means killing Fred.

So Rockula and Frankenstone chase Fred, Wilma, Betty and Barney throughout the entire castle Scooby-style.  The Flintstones and Rubbles steal a car and attempt to escape the castle. They are able to escape when Barney does his rooster impression to trick Rockula into thinking the sun is about to rise.  The Flintstones and Rubbles quickly board a train and head home.

Back at home, Count Rockula flies into the Flintstone kitchen and begs Wilma to go away with him.  Wilma starts spouting off all the things he needs to do if she goes with him like pick up Pebbles from school, do the grocery shopping and fix the front fence.  Rockula is scared off and flies back out the window.

There is lots of fun in this special.  I recommend seeing it if you haven’t yet.  Rockula and Frankenstone would show up in later episodes of The Flintstones, but never together.  And the later incarnations aren’t considered to be the same characters as the ones in this special.  In fact, both Rockula and Frankenstone would show up as Flintstone neighbors in several episodes of The New Fred and Barney Show.  Rockula and his wife moved in next to the Flintstones in the episode Blood Brothers.  The Frankenstone character would move in next to the Flintstones during the episode The Flintstones’ New Neighbors.  He would be named Frank Frankenstone and his family would resemble both The Adams Family and The Munsters.

It seems the producers loved to give the Flintstones monsters as neighbors.  In the 60s, the Flintstones would get another monster family as their neighbors.  The Gruesomes.  The Gruesomes would be re-used and modernized a bit in the 1970s for the Laff-A-Lympics.

Also, check out the blog Countdown to Halloween for more Halloween-y, bloggy AWESOMEness.

Continuing our Halloween AWESOME-tober-fest, this week we are looking at comics featuring Dracula. Today is one part of a group of comics by Dell that re-imagines the Universal Monsters as super heroes.

I have previously looked at the other Dell Monster comics for Halloween. Dell picked up the Universal Monster license in the early 60s and tried to reboot the monsters into super heroes.  It was as gloriously insane as you think it was.  I talked a little bit about the Dell Frankenstein comic during AWESOME-tober-fest 2009. I hope to someday revisit that comic for a more in depth review. Next I took a long look at the Dell Werewolf comic for AWESOME-tober-fest 2010.  While strangely awesome and weird, the Werewolf comic had the best plot so far.  They next turned their eyes toward Dracula.  And the above comic laden with ridiculous weirdness was the result.  Check out that goddam costume.  Did he design it in the dark?

The Dracula series only lasted three issue.  Here are issues #3 and #4.

The comics are pretty zany. Let’s take a closer look at some of the more entertaining bits.

Here’s the new Dracula’s origin. This guy, Dr Dracula is trying to clear his family name since it’s been smeared by legend. He is trying to cure brain damage with bats…somehow.  He creates a serum, pronounces it a success and then proceeds to let go all of his test bats because his work is done (without testing it?).  Then one of the bats knocks over the serum and it pours into Dracula’s celebratory drink…without him knowing it (of course!).  The serum inexplicably gives Dracula the ability to transform into a bat which, if you think about it as a super power, kinda sucks.

So he “trains his body to physical perfection” and creates one of the most ridiculous costumes I’ve ever seen.  He’s now ready to fight crime…or join the Village People in a sing along.

The names in this book are completely weird. The main character, Dr Dracula, changes his name so he can travel unrecognized. What does he change it to? Al U. Card (it’s Dracula backward, get it?).  If that’s not clever enough, he expands it to Aloyisius Ulysses Card. He actually tells people that this is his name.  With a straight face.  And the chick he just met up there?  Her name is B.B. Beebe.  Yes, it sounds just like B.B.B.B.  The hell?

Here’s one of the villains in the series. His name is Hobart Goblin. As you can see, on his car door he abbreviates it Hob. Goblin to let you know that, yes, he is indeed the villain.

So Drac—sorry, Al U Card met BB Beebe on the cruise ship over from Europe to America. He said he’d call but apparently didn’t. BB sneaks up on him in the park asking where he’s been.  Every excuse he gives she shoots down saying she’s been watching the outside of his apartment for three days and he hasn’t ever come out.  Yeah, THREE DAYS.  Get away you creepy ass stalker.

BB finally brow beats poor Al into dating her. Then BB somehow breaks into his lab, steals the bat transformation serum and drinks it. Al is now forced into making her his sidekick and creating her a similarly ridiculous costume. And instead of calling herself something awesome like Lady Dracula BB picks Fleeta for her super hero name. F**KING FLEETA.  Because it’s some retarded shortening of Fledermaus (German for The Bat).

This was a somewhat cool idea I wish they had expanded on. Dracula and Fleeta arrive at a crime scene to help the authorities but they are beaten there by Frankenstein. We even get a one panel appearance by the monster super hero. I really wish they would have had a full on meeting between the two. Maybe even including Werewolf. I have no doubt that it was planned, as this one panel cameo sets up that they were in the same universe at least. Ahh, missed opportunities.

So that was the amazingness that was the super hero Dracula. I actually have the Dell Frankenstein books, and I really want to give a more indepth look at them because they are awesome. But it’ll have to wait. Possibly for next AWESOME-tober-fest.

Stay tuned for more awesome vampire comics coming this week!

Also, check out the blog Countdown to Halloween for more Halloween-y, bloggy AWESOMEness.

Welcome to AWESOME-tober-fest 2011.  For those that don’t know, this is my yearly Halloween celebration.  I do it in conjunction with the Countdown to Halloween Blogathon.  Each week I’ll be looking at comics, movies, TV shows and books that feature monsters.  This year’s theme is Dracula/vampires, so the stuff will all feature Dracula or vampires.

Anyway, we begin the celebrations with comic book week. This week I’ll look at a bunch of comic books and comic book stories that featured the character of Dracula. Today, I’ll start with a different type of comic book. A Power Records book and record set. This is the book and record set of A Story of Dracula, The Wolfman and Frankenstein.  It was released in 1975 and features awesome artwork by Neal Adams.  Somewhat of a long and awkward title, isn’t it?  I thought this book would be appropriate to look at today because it features the monsters in reverse order of how they appeared in the last three years of AWESOME-tober-fest.

AWESOME-tober-fest 2011 – Dracula/vampires (NOW)
AWESOME-tober-fest 2010 – Wolf Man/werewolves
AWESOME-tober-fest 2009 – Frankenstein’s monster

The book contained one long story incorporating all three monsters.

The story starts as a man and woman are discovered in the woods by a blonde Dracula with a Ted Nugent mustache.  The guy is revealed to be Vincent, the nephew of Baron von Frankenstein and the girl his fiance, Ericka.  He survived the murder of his uncle by villagers (saving the knowledge of his uncle’s work) and is being chased by those very same villagers.  Dracula offers his castle as refuge.  But as soon as the couple settle into the castle, Dracula takes Ericka hostage and forces Frankenstein to create a slave using his uncle’s lab equipment.  Frankenstein builds the monster and imbues it with life.  However the monster goes apesh*t and tosses the fiance out the window (I’m not kidding).  Frankenstein begs Dracula to save her and so he calls The Werewolf.

The werewolf attacks Ericka, then takes her to a gypsy camp run by Maleva and her son Bela (the two gypsies from the original Universal Wolf Man movie).  Ericka discovers a pentagram on her hand and remembers a werewolf poem, “Even a man who is pure of heart and says his prayers by night may be become a wolf when the wolfsbane blooms and the moon is shining bright”.  Yes, apparently Ericka has been turned to a werewolf.  Of course, at that moment, the full moon comes out from behind some clouds and Ericka turns into a wolf and engages in a battle with another giant werewolf.  Bela shoots the other giant wolf and it turns back into Maleva.  As a wolf, Ericka flees and somehow finds her way back to the Castle Dracula.

And so, we now are told that blonde Ted Nugent is officially Dracula, even though we pretty much guessed it the moment we saw and heard the character speak.  So Dracula gets into a pretty awesome fight with the Frankenstein monster, then wolf Ericka shows up and joins the fracas.  Soon, Dracula transforms into a bat and flees the battle. The castle catches on fire when the fleeing Dracula knocks over some candles. The wolf Ericka recognizes her fiance and helps him to escape the burning castle. They get outside just as the castle collapses to the ground. Ericka turns back into herself and Frankenstein realizes it was her all along. He consoles her saying he knows another doctor who can cure werewolfism (Frankenstein can’t?). Then they walk off in the distance arm and arm. And we don’t learn if Dracula or Frankenstein survived the fire.

If you want to hear the story, you can get the audio here (Via the Power Records Blog).

The story is pretty good, considering.  I like how they combined all the monsters into one story instead of having three separate stories.  The artwork is awesome, of course, thanks to the always reliable Neal Adams.  Definitely worth a read/listen.

The next year, Power Records would release a set of Marvel Monsters book and record sets.  It would feature separate releases for Dracula, Wolfman, Monster of Frankenstein and Man-Thing.
All were based on the Marvel Comics incarnations of the monsters.

That’s our first entry in AWESOME-tober-fest 2011.  Tomorrow I continue comic book week with a look at an odd interpretation of Dracula.  As a super hero.

Also, check out the blog Countdown to Halloween for more Halloween-y, bloggy AWESOMEness.

Our last Billy the Kid Week was last August when I celebrated the 22nd birthday of the movie Young Guns.  Now, nearly a year later, it’s time for another Billy the Kid Week.  This time, I am celebrating the 130th anniversary of Billy the Kid’s death.  It happened this week back in 1881.  This week, I’ll be reviewing various fiction/non-fiction books featuring Billy the Kid.

For today, I’m beginning Billy the Kid week with a review of the comic book mini-series, Billy the Kid’s Old Timey Oddities.  It was released in 2005 by Dark Horse Comics.

The comic is written by Eric Powell who also writes another popular comic, The Goon.  Like most of the Billy fiction I’ll read this week, this comic book assumes that Billy was not killed by Pat Garrett back in 1881.  That he somehow escaped. The comic starts off with a drawing of what looks like an old newspaper article talking about the chase, capture and killing of Billy the Kid (left).  At the top of the article is an image that homages an old dime novel woodcut from 1881 called “Killing the Kid” (right). I thought, historically, that was a nice touch.

Initially, we see Billy riding a train.  A man named Bill Sproule approaches Billy while on the train.  Of course Billy is suspicious, but Sproule offers Billy a job with his traveling circus, Bill Sproule’s Biological Curiosities.  Billy is reluctant at first, but decides to go with Mr Sproule to see what the job entails.

So, Billy goes to work for another guy’s traveling freak show.  Now, I think it’s weird that the title of the book is Billy the Kid’s Old Timey Oddities.  Like Billy owns the freak show.  That’s actually what I expected.  I guess not.  *shrugs*  Let’s press on, shall we?

The traveling show is populated by a bunch of awesomely freaky characters like a tattooed lady who’s tattoos constantly change to predict the future and a wolf man.  Billy is, of course, stubborn and immature.  He manages to alienate all the “freaks” immediately after meeting them.  Then continues to use “freak” slurs when describing them.  At first, it’s irritating.  Billy just seems like a mean douche.  But as the story goes on, Billy’s edge softens a bit and he helps the group when they get in trouble.

And they do get in trouble.  The group goes looking for a jewel called The Golem’s Heart.  It is owned by none other than Dr Victor Frankenstein.  So the group goes after it and immediately becomes trapped by the mad doctor.  The doctor has been performing ghastly medical experiments on the people in the surrounding town.  He plans on using the freaks in some of these experiments.

I love the depiction of Victor Frankenstein in this book (pic on left).  It’s eerily close to Peter Cushing, who portrayed Victor Frankenstein in a bunch of movies for Hammer Films in the ’70s (pic on right).  Just a really nice touch by the artist.

So Victor traps all of the group in his castle and plans to do horrible, horrible experiments on them.  Billy becomes locked in a chest but escapes and helps the group overcome and defeat Frankenstein.  They manage to turn Frankenstein’s mutated creations back on him.

It’s a pretty good book.  I enjoyed the majority of it and the artwork is perfect for the story.  It reminds me of some of the early EC work in Vault of Horror or Tales from the Crypt.  Very cool.  I can honestly recommend it to people wanting a nice, quick, fun read.

(Via Dark Horse.com)

Last year, Dark Horse released a sequel called Billy the Kid’s Old Timey Oddities and the Ghastly Fiend of London (that’s a lot of title to type).  However, I was not able to track down a copy to read, but it looks pretty awesome.  It looks like a Billy the Kid and freaks vs Jack the Ripper.  When I finally get a copy, I’ll put up a review.  It seems Powell is including his other comic creation, The Goon, as a backup feature to this second volume of Billy the Kid’s Old Timey Oddities.  I look forward to reading this.

Stay tuned, this week on the Cavalcade is full of Billy the Kid as we lead up to the 130th anniversary of the outlaw’s death on Thursday.