Customer Reviews

Van Helsing: The Making of the Thrilling Monster Movie (Newmarket Pictorial Moviebook Series)

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There are a number of things that one could single out for complaint regarding Stephen Sommers' summer tribute to the classic Universal monster films, but one of its strengths is its rich art direction. For fans of this film the art direction, and how it came about, is well pictured and documented in "Van Helsing: The Making of the Thrilling Monster Movie." It is a fun compaion to the film and a tribute to Sommers' work in creating a visually stunning summer treat. Shortly, after the realease of the film, the "Salt Lake Tribune" complained that "Van Helsing" lacked "atmosphere." This was a bizarre comment given one of the most atmospheric treatments of this genre since the best of the Hammer films. Much of this is caught in "The Making of." The phenomenal sets and backdrops are well preserved here. The book also contains a full working screenplay which may not stand up to more literal scripts, but it works here and is again fun to have in print.

Despite the rather silly premise of the movie itself, I bought this book for the art alone. I am a fan of monster designs and I have to say that the creature designs on this book (the Hellbeast and Werewolf)are worth every penny of it. The costumes, sets, and creatures' transformation are magnificent. I have only one dislike about the look of the Frankenstein monster which seems to be lifted out of the Munsters. If you're into dark creatures and monsters, you'll like this book.

Van Helsing: The Making of the Legend is a gorgeous book full of beautiful scenes with glamorous vampires and adventurous monster hunters. It's too bad Dracula's brides were killed because I wanted to ask them where they shop. The only person without magnificent tresses is Frankenstein's monster, and he's so sympathetic I couldn't help but love him despite his monstrosity.

I had to laugh at this understatement from the writer/director on page 8 of the book, "There are no monsters in this movie, there are only people with very bad problems."

Richard Roxborough's Dracula stole the show with his seductive portrayal of evil's attempt to defy God (with predictable consequences), so I would have liked to see more of him in the book. However, Van Helsing: The Making of the Legend thoroughly documents the creation of the characters and filming of the stunning scenery. If you loved the movie I would highly recommend this book.

Also available in a hardcover edition (1557046298, $29.95), Van Helsing: The Making Of The Legend is a highly recommended accompaniment to the new film Universal starring Hugh Jackman and Kate Beckinsale, written and directed by Stephen Sommers, and produced by Stephen Sommers and Bob Ducsay. This marvelous work showcases more than 140 film stills, concept sketches, line drawings, set designs, monster make-up, and spectacular special effects. Of this original treatment of the character first made famous in Bram Stoker's 19th century novel Dracula, has been revised and revisited as a legendary monster hunter as a renegade outlaw confronted not only by Dracula and his three brides, but Frankenstein's Monster, the Wolf Man, and a legion of other icons drawn form the archive of classic Universal film studio monsters.

My husband and the nine-year-old boy in his heart really liked the movie. I like Hugh Jackman and I was mildly amused by the movie (never really scared thank goodness).
But this book is quite wonderful for people interested in films and how they come about. "Van Helsing" is a movie you have to respect for its production values, even if you aren't blown away by its monsterness. Tampering with the old images may just have made me a little unhappy.

The editor, Linda Sunshine, can be justly proud of making this material so very entertaining to a reader and a book person. And I shouldn't be surprised if the script gets a good work out at a lot of school plays for years to come.