Dracula Untold: A Story That Should Have Remained Untold

F or the uninitiated, "Dracula," for many is a vampire who wears a black tuxedo and sometimes turns into a bat after he seduces women with his hypnotic stare. He speaks with a Romanian accent and says silly things like, "I want to drink your blood," He is a monster that preys on women, and in a venereal sense, is a creature of lust. However, "Dracula Untold" attempts to tell the story behind the legend and bring to light the historical figure that Bram Stoker hinted at in his 1897 Gothic Horror novel. Luke Evans ("The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug," "Immortals") plays the semi-historical Prince Vlad of Transylvania. Sarah Gadon ("The Amazing Spider-Man 2") plays his wife Mirena, and Art Parkinson, little Rickon Stark from the HBO series "Game of Thrones" is Ingeras his son. Although freshmen director Gary Shore and writers Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless attempt to fill in the details behind the mystery of who Dracula is, they fall short in the history department while trying to make up for it in effort, special effects and action. 

This is the second origins blockbuster film for 2014. The first, "Hercules" staring Dwayne Johnson did a decent job bringing a version of the demigod to the big screen that is a more human and perhaps a more honest view at how we see ancient legends. Bram Stoker gave only a few hints in his novel of who he was basing his dark count on. For instance during one of Jonathon Harker's conversations with the Count, Dracula mentions that his family comes from the proud Székelys, and Boyars who fought Ottoman Turks in defense of his people and their lands. This narrows the field down to Prince Vlad III of Walachia, situated next to the region of Transylvania. Although Stoker displaces Vlad III to the Transylvanian Carpathian Mountains, there was no person other than the reviled Vlad Țepeș, the Impaler. Even more specific is the name Dracula, as Vlad III was a Christian Knight in the Order of the Dragon, or Dracul, or Dragkwlya. As the reputation as the bloodthirsty Prince spread, 400 years later, Irish playwright and theater manager, Bram Stoker, created a vampire story around that legend. Others say that Stoker had his story pretty much outlined when he was looking for a name for his vampire and came upon the bloody prince.

"Dracula Untold" attempts to bring back Stoker's Count by providing the audience with a few morsels of truth about the infamous man behind the legend, as well as plenty of Hollywood myth making tossed in for good measure. In this version, a narrator recounts how Vlad and his brother Radu “The Handsome” were given as political hostages as a children and were educated by the Turks. He learned the Quran, Turkish, literature, logic, and the Art of War. Instead, Sharpless and Sazama turn the atrocious Vlad into a sympathetic anti-hero. Yes, Vlad the Impaler was a Christian Crusader who took up the cross during Pope Pius II's Crusade against the Ottomans, but he did so with such gusto that both friend and foe alike reviled him.  "Untold" presents us with a man born into a cruel world and tries to soften the edges and humanize him. As the narrator tells us, after leaving the captivity of the Turks, and returning to his own lands to reign, he renounces violence, and like Rock’s character in “Hercules,” intends to settle down and become a stay at home prince to his wife and a good and loving father to his son. 

After encountering evidence that the Ottoman Turks are on his lands, he and a small band of his men track the Turks to a bat infested mountain cave. Within the cave, they find the bones of humans who have lain there for centuries, along with the recently dispatched Turkish scouts. So many so, that Vlad realizes that something darker abides there. In a decent scene of horror (for a PG-13 movie), Vlad finds a creature who is so strong, but also so monstrous that he files that information for later. Returning to his home, we find that he has a beautiful wife (Gadon) and a well-bred, and unspoiled son (Parkinson) waiting for him to return. Shore allows us to see for ourselves perhaps the reason why Vlad hates the Turks so much as he removes his shirt to reveal horrible scars on his back from the whippings he endured when he was their prisoner.

While he and his family are in the midst of celebrating Easter in his grand hall with both servants and people of his court, Shore  depicts Vlad as a noble and generous prince. The Turks march in and interrupt the feast demanding their tax and levies for their Janissary corps. Janissarys are male children between the ages of 8 and 15 that serve in an elite corps of the Turkish Army. This sets the stage for rest of the film. Vlad is a good person only trying to save his family and his people. He has almost no army, and as he begs Mehmed II to leave his son out this deal, his hate returns with the memories of abuse at Mehmed's father's hands. Dominic Cooper ("Need for Speed," "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter") plays the Sultan Mehmed II who serves not only as the villain, but also as the catalyst that forces Vlad's hand in deciding to turn to the dark side. Returning to the bat cave mentioned earlier, he encounters a very old and ancient evil that may supply him with an answer to his dark prayers. "Game of Thrones" Charles Dance plays the very old Master Vampire. A dark Yoda of sorts, he cautions the young prince on the pitfalls of immortality and the need to feed. Yes, he will become a hero, but many will hate him. Unlike Louis and Lestat in "An Interview with a Vampire," Prince Vlad is given time to decide if he has buyer's remorse. He has three days to defeat the Sultan, however, the need to feed on human blood will become unbearable, but he cannot drink blood in that time. If he does, his change will become permanent. 

What would you do? Would you accept the dark side in order to save your loved ones? Or, would you stay the course and give in to the Sultan and wait until you have built your army? What the film does mention that is more or less historically accurate is that Radu, Vlad's brother, sided with Mehmed during the upcoming battles. From here on out, the "Dracula Untold" becomes a formula action film with somewhat melodramatic bitter sweet doomed romance, and plenty of CGI shenanigans which include Vlad morphing into not just one bat, but into an entire colony of them. The blood and gore is kept to a 21-century minimum, and the horror and thrill are more at an action level rather than going for the paranormal suspense and fear. 

The battle scenes are shot close up in the "Jason Bourne" style of dizzy and frenetic camera work, more of a blur if you will. Luke Evans' acting is stiff at times but conveys the charm of a prince and the brooding weight of responsibility for others. Dominic Cooper's Mehmet isn't around enough to like or dislike the character nor is Cooper's acting is of anything to note. Charles Dance as the creepy and demonic Master Vampire is probably the only real scary part in the whole film. Vlad's son Igneras is just another kid whom the audience are supposed to feel concern over his fate. Unfortunately I didn't. If anything i felt the film was lacking in passion (except for Luke Evans) for the whole film seems to me to be on the same level as Johnathon Harker played by Keanu Reeves, in Francis Ford Coppola’s “Bram Stoker’s Dracula.” The special effects in “Untold,” in some ways overshadow the story, and not in a good way. Watch if you are looking for an average action film  with just a tad bit of history, stay away if you are looking for that special film that you will remember as an important part of the Dracula cannon. If anything I give the director and writer some points for effort. 

"Dracula Untold" opened in theaters on October 10, 2014 and on DVD and Blu-ray on February 3, 2015.

Related

The Literary and Cinematic Origins of Dracula

Movie Data

Genre: Action, Drama, Fantasy, Horror, War 
Year: 2014
Staring: Luke Evans, Sarah Gadon, Dominic Cooper, Art Parkinson, Charles Dance
Director: Gary Shore
Producer(s) Michael De Luca
Writer: Matt Sazama, Burk Sharpless, Bram Stoker (characters)
Rating: PG-13

Running Time: 92 minutes

Release Date: 10/10/2012

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens: First Teaser Trailer

A long time ago, when I was but a child, The Force was present. It changed the way special effects were made, and had a huge social and cultural impact on the world. Then, not too long ago, when my children were young and impressionable, they too felt the force. Now the force has awoken and producer, director, writer, and all-around bad-ass  J.J. Abrams have released the first teaser trailer for the recently named seventh installment of George Lucas' epic mythology that captured the minds and hearts of audiences back in 1977. 

When  George Lucas wrote and directed "Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope." he drew on all the archetypes basic pattern is found in many narratives from around the world called the "Hero's Journey." Episodes 4 - 6 were, in mind the best of the six. However, say what you will about the prequels, my kids love them.

There isn't an official synopsis yet, as Abrams is a pretty secretive guy. However, you can glean what you can from the trailer. 

In the trailer below, the scene fades from black to the arid desert of what we all presume to be Tatooine. A voice says, "There has been an awakening. Have you felt it?" Actor John Boyega pops up wearing a Stormtrooper's uniform sans helmet. He is looking panicked and confused. Boyega turns his back to the camera. Still in the desert, but I guess closer to 

civilization, a droid that looks like a ball with an R2-D2 like semi-spherical top comes rolling past the camera. A platoon of Stormtroopers prepares to disembark into the night. Actress Daisy Ridley mounts a box-like speeder and dashes away. Cut to an X-Wing pilot sitting in the cockpit as several X-Wings skim over a lake. A robed person, presumably a Jedi or a Sith, walks away into a dark forest. He draws his lightsaber -- it is red, but with a handle guard. The voice once again speaks, "The dark side, and the light." John Williams' classic Star Wars theme blasts as the Millenium Falcon screams through the sky banking and rolling as it comes to skim the desert floor as two TIE fighters scream by blasting away. Then the familiar logo that launched a franchise appears on the screen. 

I find the whole clip both interesting and disturbing at the same time. Interesting in that like in "Star Trek" we saw some pretty interesting places that he placed the Enterprise. Here we some X-Wings doing more within the atmosphere. We see some new speeders and droid designs. I find it disturbing in that the Empire still exists or was the Republic was never restored after "Return of the Jedi?"  Lawrence Kasdan, who contributed his writing skills to "Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back" and "Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi" is listed along with Abrams as writers for this installment.

Overall, I am happy to return to that galaxy far, far away and a long time ago.

December 18, 2015 is a long time to wait.

Movie Data

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi

Year:  2015

Staring:  Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Domhnall Gleeson, Peter Mayhew, Max von Sydow, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, John Boyega, Daisy Ridley

Director: J.J. Abrams

Producer(s): J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burk, Kathleen Kennedy

Writer: J.J. Abrams, Lawrence Kasdan, George Lucas (characters)
Rating: PG-13

Running Time: 

Release Date: 12/18/2015

Revisiting A Classic: Star Wars - 33 Years Later.

Tuesday, May 25^th, 2010 is the 33 anniversary of Star Wars: A New Hope

W hat were you doing on May 25, 1977?  I know where I was; I was getting off my paper route and rushing to the theaters to see a movie my best friend from Junior High told me about the day before.  I waited in the lobby for a few minutes, and then I walked down into the dark rows of seats.  On the screen, a cartoon was playing while I tried to find my friend.  I was wearing my news press delivery bag over my shoulders as I took my seat.  The cartoon ended, and then the Fox Pictures fanfare played, and then for a moment, silence...  An orchestral crescendo and the solid blue words appear on the screen, "A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far, away."  The next two hours went by in such a blur, that all I know is that I didn't move from my seat, perhaps not even a muscle as the spectacle that is now titled Star Wars: A New Hope unfolded before my eyes.  Well after all this time, I can still remember just about every line, every nuance of every character.  In the decades that followed the release of Star Wars, we have seen two sequels, and three prequels, an animated series, a universe of licensed books and merchandise.  The phenomena that are Star Wars has infected new generations of loyal fans.

The story is classic, a teenage farm boy, on the desert world of Tatooine, wanting a find a life of adventure and excitement waits for the day that he can escape from his life of boredom.  A young princess, captured by a wicked dark-lord, tortures her into revealing the base of rebels against the evil empire.  The swashbuckling pirate, who seeks to make a quick buck, ends up as a hero.  Throw in an old wizard, two Laurel and Hardy like robots for comic relief, and you have the makings of what American mythologist, Joseph Campbell would call the archetypal hero.  Starring Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia Organa, and Harrison Ford as Han Solo, George Lucas has not only reinvented the modern myth, but also reinvented how we create visual effects in films are done today.  The visual effects of the original team, led by John Dykstra, developed the techniques and systems that have now become Industrial Light and Magic, a name recognized around the world for the high quality and leading edge technology.  As a young man, I studied the works of illustrator Ralph McQuarrie and the storyboards and conceptual designs.  A technique I later put to excellent use as a designer as a project manager for the marketing departments of some of the world's leading technology companies.  What is a film director but the manager of a highly complicated project?  One of the many legacies that /Star Wars gave to us is the grand musical scores by Academy Award Winner, composer and conductor, John Williams.  From the opening theme of all the Star Wars pictures, to the haunting melodies that serve as the themes for each of the characters, Williams weaves a musical tale that almost rivals the film itself.

The many mythological comparisons that writers like Mary Henderson, in her book "Star Wars the Magic of Myth," she matches each character with each of the various archetypes from myth, legend.  Drawing chiefly from Joseph Campbell's book, "The Hero with a Thousand Faces," and giving full credit to Campbell, Henderson illustrates concepts such as when Han and Luke running around the Death Star in search of detention block AA23, where Vader is holding Leia, and comparing the scene to Theseus and the Labyrinth of the Minotaur.  Or one can compare Darth Vader as the Dragon guarding over a treasure.  Luke, like Prince Charming, finds and awakens Leia sleeping in her prison cell, like Sleeping Beauty, for example.  Another comparison to the Star Wars plot line is from Lloyd Alexander's 1964 publication of "The Book of Three.'" Lloyd Alexander's "Chronicles of Prydain" series that feature Taran, a young farm boy, orphaned at birth, raised by, and cared for by an old, wise wizard.  After chasing after the farm's prize possession out into the dark forest, an oracular pig, Taran returns to find his farm set on fire by the evil Horned King, his forever covered with a skeletal mask of a human with the antlers of a deer or elk.  Taran, in "The Book of Three," journeys to the center of the land, saves a princess along the way, finds a glowing sword of immense power, and meets archetypal and memorable characters along the way.  Some these characters may remind one of C-3PO, R2-D2, and Han Solo.  Lloyd Alexander is also the author of Disney's 1985 release, '"The Black Cauldron."

With the 33rd anniversary of what the America Film Institute ranks as the second best Science Fiction film ("2001: A Space Odyssey" is the number one) of all time, perhaps it might be time to dust of that Blu-ray, DVD or VHS and re-watch or introduce members of a newer generation to a film

Movie Data

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Year:  1977

Staring:  Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Peter Cushing, Alec Guinness, Peter Mayhew, David Prowse, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker

Director: George Lucas

Producer(s): Gary Kurtz

Writer: George Lucas

Rating: PG

Running Time: 121 minutes

Release Date: 5/25/1977

Originally published on Associated Content by Robert Barbere on 5/19/2010 

Horns: Daniel Radcliffe Grows A Pair

In 2010, author Joe Hill wrote a book called "Horns."  It was Hill's second novel and he filled wit with Gothic horror,  love, lies, murder,  theology, and a touch of comedy and  magical realism. 

Daniel Radcliffe ("Harry Potter" franchise) stars as Ig Perrish. One year after the murder and rape of his girlfriend, Merrin Williams (Juno Temple), Ig begins to sprout a pair of horns. Although there was not enough evidence to try or convict him, he is now the town pariah.  As the horns begin to form and grow, Ig finds that he has some uncanny powers with the town's people. He uses this power to figure out who the real murderer of his girlfriend.

"Horns" is directed by Alexandre Aja. Aja is both a producer and a writer as well as a director. His directorial credits include 2006's "The Hills Have Eyes," "Mirrors" in 2008, and "Piranha 3D" in 2010. Aja also co-wrote the screenplays for those films as well.

In the trailer below, Ig promises Merrin  to love her forever.  Then Ig's world turns upside down when she is murdered.  The town accuses him but he goes free.  As his horns begin to grow, the people of the town tend to tell him their darkest secrets, whether he wants to hear them or not.  At one point, reporters want an exclusive story from him and Ig promises them that if they fight it out amongst themselves, he will give the winner the story.  The strange part is that the people don't out-right string him up or burn him as a demon.

Just over two hours long, "Horns" premiered at the Toronto Film Festival last year and is making its US debut on Halloween, 2014.  

Movie Data

Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Thriller

Year:  2014

Staring:  Daniel Radcliffe, Juno Temple, Max Minghella, Kelli Garner, Joe Anderson

Director: Alexandre Aja

Producer(s): Alexandre Aja, Riza Aziz, Joey McFarland, Cathy Schulman

Writer: Keith Bunin, Joe Hill (novel)

Rating: Not Rated Yet

Running Time: 123 minutes

Release Date: 10/31/2014

Maleficent: Twisted and Dark -- But All In Good Humor

E very so often, a scriptwriter, or producer or a director feels the need to remake and rewrite a story that has already embedded itself in pop-culture, and that is the case of "Sleeping Beauty.”  Executive Producer Angelina Jolie ("Salt," "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider" "Beowulf") stars in this gorgeous rendering of the Giambattista Basile of a girl who is cursed with the magical variety of trypanosomiasis.  Teaming up with veteran Disney Producer Don Hahn ("The Lion King" (1994), "Beauty and the Beast" (1991), "The Nightmare Before Christmas" (1993)) to retell and reimagine the classic tale of "Sleeping Beauty."  The classic stories that we learned and loved as children, and especially via Uncle Walt's Disney's studios, we can be sure we are getting the "family" version of these European folktales.  Keeping with the trend of giving our childhood monsters and villain’s motivation for their evilness, the filmmaker’s goal is to show us the other side of the story.  Angelina Jolie plays the Fairy Queen Maleficent, while Sharlto Copley ("District 9," "Elysium," "Europa Report") stars as King Stefan, and Elle Fanning ("Babel," "Super 8") is the beautiful “La Belle au bois dormant."  Being that "Maleficent" is a Walt Disney Studios distribution, the MPAA gave it a PG rating, and it runs just over an hour and a half.


The story of "Sleeping Beauty" is not quite the true story we heard as children.  That is what the narrator is tells us at the beginning of the film.  The voice speaks of the divide between two kingdoms.  The first is the kingdom of man, with its greed and lust, and the kingdom of the fairies in the moors...  I am always wary of films that start with long expositions.  "Maleficent" does exactly that and my first reaction was to sigh.  I then looked to my left at the kid in the seat next to me, and realized that this story telling method is for the children, not so much for the adults.  I am sure even the young kids who have come to see film with their parents have already seen the Disney's 1959 animated take on the Charles Perrault story from a collection of compiled folktales.  Thus, I think the story-telling motif at the beginning serves the purpose for the children to re-align their concept of the story.  

First time director Robert Stromberg ("Pan's Labyrinth," "The Chronicles of Riddick," "2012," "Life of Pi") drops us into the fairy world which is full of beautiful colors, grand landscapes, and the intriguing Isobelle Molloy as the young fairy Maleficent.  The first twenty minutes or so focus on setting up who the character of Maleficent was "before the fall."  Sweet and free-spirited she flies through the moors with her beautiful set of brown horned wings and introduces the audience to the various gnomes, talking frogs, sprites and the talking and walking trees.  Molloy's portrayal as the young naive and innocent fairy queen is in sharp contrast to the beautiful and malevolent adult fairy that she will become.  Similar in fashion to "Oz the Great and Powerful," we see our main character as she was before a man hurt her and woe to those who forget the axiom, "Hell hath no fury like a woman’s scorn."  The creatures of the moors do not allow men to enter their land; however, they make one exception.  The trees catch a young Stephan (Michael Higgins) stealing from their land.  Maleficent forgives the boy and allows the boy to go on his way.  We see the two become friends and then more.  When Maleficent turns 16, Stefan gives her what he called "true loves kiss."  We all know from "The Princess Bride," there is nothing more potent than true love.  


As the years go by, Stephan returns to the lands of man and pursues his goal of sitting on the throne of the kingdom of men.  The ways of men are greed and desire.  King Henry (Kenneth Cranham) and his horsemen and infantry, lay siege to the moors and now an adult Maleficent comes to defend the creatures of fairyland.  In a short battle scene, reminiscent of "The Lord of the Rings," the tree giants and Maleficent take on the army and mortally wound the king.  In an earlier scene with young Stefan, we find that Maleficent's weakness is iron as it burns her.  She too is wounded when she touches the king's amour.  Jolie's introduction at the beginning of this scene is regal and visually stunning.  Stromberg's strength is his visual style, as he was a visual artist in many fantasy films in the last two decades.  Although there is plenty of action in "Maleficent," there are parts where the pacing is uneven and even slow.  

The story follows as the dying king promises the kingdom to whomever vanquishes Maleficent and avenges his death. Stefan (Copley) enters the moors to warn Maleficent about the king and his bounty, and the two renew their friendship.  In this film, we see Copley's range of characters throughout this film, from a seemingly innocent individual as in "Distrct Nine," to the crazed, paranoid, fighter from "Elysium."  After drugging his friend, Stefan cannot bring himself to kill her, but instead does something worse; he takes her wings.  By leaving her alive but taking her wings, Stefan commits a very personal crime against Maleficent, so much so, that her grief and agony is just as great.  So far the themes presented have to do with man verses nature, or symbolically the iron swords and the ways of men represent industrialism and a sort of sexism, while the fairy folk are the ancient innocent pagan tradition.  Stefan becomes king and Maleficent turns her hurt, her anger, and her pain into a force for vengeance.  Without wings she must walk.  She saves a raven that she turns into a human.  The raven name is Diaval (diablo?) played by Sam Riley.  Now with the prerequisite faithful animal servant (or familiar) the villain can go on her way and do her wicked deeds.  



Diaval is Maleficent's eyes and ears, and one day he reports that the king and queen have a new child, a girl.  As in the 1959, Disney animated version, three fairies show up to give the child some fairy gifts.  Introduced earlier in the film, the three fairies, Knotgrass (Imelda Staunton) , Flittle (Lesley Manville), and Thistletwit (Juno Temple) each give the child a gift, the uninvited Maleficent shows up in all her dark regal glory.  It is hard to present the character of Maleficent as evil when Jolie is so beautiful, but somehow it works.  The film keeps the essential storyline of the spinning wheel and the needle.  However, instead of cursing the child to die on her 16th birthday, it is Maleficent's curse that will cause her to sleep.  A warning about curses; be careful what you wish for.  The Fairy Queen adds "...and nothing can reverse this curse."  

The three fairies trying to take care of a child is adorable, the way Maleficent and Diaval watch over the baby is cute, and the emergence of Aurora as a delicate and graceful young woman is enchanting.  Elle Fanning is everything that Charles Perrault's fairies endowed his storybook princess with.  She is beautiful, angelic, and graceful, and she displays these qualities to the audience and to Maleficent, whom she thinks is her fairy godmother.  Played with a fresh and happy naiveté, Fanning’s portrayal brings new life to a character that has always been a bit too syrupy, but without the toothache.  When Elle and Angelina are on screen, their performances together are at times sentimental and moving  This adaptation of "Sleeping Beauty" greatly reduces the role of Prince Phillip (Brenton Thwaites) to the point of three or short scenes and in two of them, he is asleep. 

As Angelina Jolie plays her character with a dark, twisted villainy, Sharlto Copely plays his even darker and more twisted as he descends into torment because of what he did to his childhood friend, and the ruin he brought to the women in his life.  He still loves Maleficent, and hates himself.  He shuts himself in a room rambling to himself as he "talks" to Maleficent's wings, in the meantime his wife dies, his child has fallen to the curse of sleep, and the now he wants is revenge.  Jolie's character is different; her evilness is tempered with a bit of humor, and is much more sentimental than her character's predecessors.  The ending is different than what we remember, and thus the exposition at the beginning.

The cinematography is splendid, and the visual effects (CGI) are good through most of the film, but sometimes, draw away from the story.  James Newton Howard's score is elegant and majestic.  Nobody breaks into song, however, Lana Del Rey's rendition of Sammy Fain and Jack Lawrence's "Once Upon A Dream" is hauntingly gorgeous.  Linda Woolverton's story has its own twists and turns, as did the stories of "Briar Rose" and "Sleeping Beauty" of the Brothers Grimm who rewrote many Charles Perrault's folktales who in turn took from 16th century poet Giambattista Basile.  Woolverton's changes to the storyline bring it out of the dark and into a new light.  As we all know, Disney stories usually have a dark background.  Uncle Walt sanitized the stories and brought them into line with socio-economic and cultural norms of the times.  Woolverton takes the focus from "the heroes" of the story and in a feminist sort of way puts it directly on the tough as nails, gorgeous badass that is Jolie.  Best of all, Woolverton does away with the absurd romantic notion of love at first sight, and shows the truth; that love develops over time and is cemented by shared interests and respect.


I am not usually fond of Origin-Stories, or Dark Reboots, however; at times, I have been pleasantly surprised.  Calling this story a deviation from the now nostalgic stories we grew up is ridiculous.  Steven Ford of the Orlando Sentinel explains very well the metamorphosis of this story. The story is fine and will entertain children for many years to come.  If anything, deviations in classic stories will open up people’s minds and give new perspectives to how we look at the world.  Either on the big screen or on DVD or Blu-ray, "Maleficent" is a fun entertaining film that will not replace the Disney classics, but will still keep families happy and entertained.

Movie Data

Genre: Action, Adventure, Family, Fantasy, Romance

Year:  2014

Staring: Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning, Sharlto Copley, Sam Riley, Isobelle Molloy

Director: Robert Stromberg

Producer(s): Joe Roth

Writer: Linda Woolverton, Charles Perrault, Jacob Grimm, Wilhelm Grimm, (Erdman Penner, Joe Rinaldi, Winston Hibler, Bill Peet, Ted Sears, Ralph Wright, Milt Banta)

Rating: PG

Running Time: 97 minutes

Release Date:  5/30/2014

I, Frankenstein ~ Potential Squandered

The film, "I, Frankenstein" takes Mary Shelly's classic Gothic tale and rewrites the story to allow for a modern audience.  Adapted from the graphic novel of the same name, writer and director Stuart Beattie (one of the many writers on the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise) working with graphic novelist, and actor Kevin Grevioux to turn Frankenstein's monster and Aaron Eckhart ("Olympus Has Fallen," "Battle Los Angeles," "The Dark Knight") into a modern day action hero.  "I, Frankenstein" is a fantasy film with extravagant special effects, over the top action scenes, new symbols, and a mythology to ponder on.  Bill Nighy ("Underworld," "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End," "Hot Fuzz") star along with Miranda Otto ("The Lord of the Rings" trilogy).  "I, Frankenstein" runs about an hour and a half and the MPAA rates it PG-13.

The first thing you will notice about "I Frankenstein" is the look and feel of this film.  If it invokes the spirit of the "Underworld" franchise, there is a good reason for that.  First, the screenplay is adapted from a story by Kevin Grevioux.  Grevioux and director Len Wiseman developed the "Underworld" franchise based on Kevin's original concept of genetic mutation rather than a supernatural reason for vampires and werewolves  

In 1795, the story goes...  Victor Frankenstein, the mad scientist who created a man from the remains of dead bodies, abhors and rebukes his creation and decides to destroy the creature by dropping it into the river.  This servers as a metaphor from the Bible referring to Noah's flood perhaps.  The creature returns and seeks vengeance upon its creator.  After the creature murders Victor's wife, the scientist hunts the creature into the Arctic where Victor succumbs to the elements.  Essentially,  Grevioux’s story diverges immediately after the creature is created.

As the creature returns Victor Frankenstein's body to his family estate, and while he is burying his creator in the shadow of the burnt out manor when a group of demons attack him.  The demons appear human at first, however, their underlying evil "burns" through their skin off and their true form shows.  The monster starts dispatching demons until he is outnumbered.  Enter the gargoyles.  You know – the stone grotesques that sit hunched atop church cathedrals?  Yes, those are the ones.  These creatures fly in and take out all but one of the demons.  When the gargoyles land, they turn into human form.  The two gargoyle rescuers, Ophir and Keziah take the creature back to the gargoyle stronghold.  The lair of the gargoyles is, of course, a magnificent cathedral with elaborate arched buttresses in the classic French Gothic style, sort of a Notre Dame de Paris on steroids.  Summoned before the Gargoyle Queen, Lenore--played stoically be Miranda Otto (she was Eowen from "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy).  A conflict arises between Lenore and the gargoyle commander, Gideon, played by Jai Courtney ("Jack Reacher," "A Good Day to Die Hard") as he believes it is better to kill the creature and destroy Frankenstein's journal on creating man.

Mary Shelly was 18 years-old when she created the characters of Frankenstein and the creature, failed to give the monster a name.  She did, however, in later interviews offer up the name of Adam.  Remember, the full title Shelly's Science Fiction, Gothic horror, romance novel was "Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus."  Even the name "Lenore" brings to mind Edgar Allen Poe's Gothic Romantic poem of a man as he sadly recalls the beautiful maiden who died way too young.  "I, Frankenstein" is steeped in mysticism and lore.  The Gargoyle Queen tells us that it was the Archangel Michael who created them to fight the demon hordes.  But, for some unexplained reason, or because this is how it appears to mankind -- God has forgotten about them and doesn't refill their ranks.  Instead, the gargoyles appeal to "Adam" to join them in their fight against evil.  The face of evil is Bill Nighy's character, Charles Wessex; head of a major scientific corporation, and just below the skin, the evil Prince Naberius, the Marquis of Hell.

I feel bad for Aaron Eckhart's character.  At this point, all he wants to do is go somewhere quiet, curl up near a warm fire, and read a good book.  In this case, it is Frankenstein's journal.  For Adam, the journal is as sacred for the Bible.  On one hand, “I, Frankenstein" presents a character whose desire to find out why he was created and for what purpose.  A lofty goal to be sure, however, Bettie's camera framing choices along with the pacing of the movement leaves little time for introspection by either Adam or the audience.  Lenore denies Adam the journal and has Gideon lock it up for safekeeping.  Reluctantly, Gideon obeys.  Before Adam departs, Lenore divulges the secret to killing demons -- they can be killed with sacred weapons.  So far, up to this time, most scenes have had subtle references to a triple cross.  This symbol is both holy and to demons, deadly.  As opposed to having a spiritual leader like a priest bless the weapons, all Adam has to do is engrave the image of the triple cross on any weapon.

Two hundred years goes by, Adam tells us.  In that time, he had stayed some place remote where neither demon nor gargoyle will find him.  Once again, we have supernatural creatures abandoned by their spiritual masters.  In (almost) all quests, the hero must be, not only be reluctant, but also must go through a training period.  Two hundred years of practicing should be enough.  Adam returns to the modern world, clean cut, appropriately dressed and ready to hunt demons.  In his first encounter in the modern world, he is stalking demons when a human cop interferes and is killed -- collateral damage.  Once again, the gargoyles intercede, haul Adam back before the Lenore for chastisement, and ultimately he is held captive to await sentencing by Lenore. 

Since Adam's disappearance, Naberius has been seeking the creature, created by man, now named Adam. Over the millennia, war between good and evil continues to the point that the souls of the soldiers of evil are waiting in hell for new, reanimated soulless bodies.  Victor Frankenstein's journal is the blueprint, and the Adam is the prototype.  Naberius/Wessex wants either the book or the body so that his eminent human scientist, the blonde, beautiful Terra Wade (Yvonne Strahovski -- "Chuck," "Killer Elite") can figure out how to "cure" death.  At least, that is what she thinks she is doing.  She is experimenting with both drugs and massive amounts of electricity to try to revive enormous white rats.  Working in Wessex's compound, her laboratory is all decked out in modern equipment, below in the depths of the building, one of Naberius’s minions is using Terra’s work to revive the many dead bodies that Naberius has been holding for the day that Terra will find the process to reanimate them.  Of course, Terra is fascinated with Adam, and she ends up being the damsel in distress whom needs saving.  This creates an awkward kind of relationship between the two.  Perhaps, they were going for a “Warm Bodies” kind of vibe.

The real question of this story is Adam capable of having a soul.  Does he have one now?  The concept of the soul goes back to ancient Greece.  Did Mary Shelly's creature have a soul?  He gave her creature many abilities that did not make into the 1930's film with Boris Karloff and Colin Clive.  Director James Whale's monster, was illiterate, inarticulate, and in some ways more primitive and childlike.  De Niro's version was, I think, closer in character of the novel.  Eckhart seems to be going for not only intelligence but adds a sense of philosophical wonder.  Unfortunately, Bettie doesn't have the time or the patience to explore those emotions.  Adam is us, mortal man who was reborn into a world were good and evil are a choice.  A being created from death, with no memory of an afterlife, a creator -- either human, or a supernatural god-like being willing to interact with his creations.  Humans, like Adam, make choices every day that have important existential impact that we just don't realize.  The irony of Frankenstein's creature is that he may eventually exist long enough, perhaps many centuries, allowing him/we to realize those far-reaching consequences.  In the end, like many of us, Adam is seeking to find himself.  He does, when a climactic moment in the film, he declares that he is I, Frankenstein.

Visual effects for the fight scenes between Eckhart and the demons are impressive, but somewhat formulaic at times.  The images of the grand cathedral are breathtaking and sublime.  The gargoyle effects while flying and morphing between human and winged creature are also stunning.  I enjoyed Reinhold Heil and Johnny Klimek’s musical score that I found sad at times and soaringly beautiful at others.  The great battles between good and evil, give not so subtle cues about how heaven and hell work.  The demons, whose souls are a hot red descend downward when dispatched (killed), while the gargoyle are a cold blue and ascend when their body dies.  For humans, there is nothing.

While there is plenty to complain about with "I Frankenstein," like the silliness of needing soulless bodies for a demon to inhabit, or that Kevin Grevioux is typecasting himself as the heaving second in command.  He plays Dekar, a role similar to the Raze character he played in "Underworld," and "Underworld: Rise of the Lycans."  On the other hand, there are some decent reasons to check this film out.  For example, Bill Nighy is always a joy to watch whether he plays a villain, or a good guy.  Beattie’s concept has potential, but he grounds them firmly in the world of graphic novels.  The visuals in many cases are stunning, but like Zack Snyder’s epic mess “Sucker Punch,” Bettie reaches for, or at least he teases us with some metaphysical concepts, for whatever reason, he decides not to dwell much on them.  In this case, it could leave one cold and confused.  For those who enjoy films in the same vein as "Underworld" and "Van Helsing," be prepared to add another anti-hero to the list.  However, if the vampire verses werewolf trilogy (I don't count "Underworld: Awakening") then perhaps this isn't your type of popcorn flick.

Movie Data

Genre: Action, Fantasy, Sci-Fi

Year:  2014

Staring: Aaron Eckhart, Yvonne Strahovski, Miranda Otto, Bill Nighy, Jai Courtney, Kevin Grevioux

Director: Stuart Beattie

Producer(s): Gary Lucchesi, Andrew Mason, Tom Rosenberg, Richard S. Wright

Writer: Stuart Beattie, Kevin Grevioux, Mary Shelley

Rating: PG-13

Running Time: 92 minutes

Release Date:  1/24/2014

The Wolverine: Existentialism the Marvel Way

"Eternity can be a curse.  It hasn't been easy for you, living without time.  The losses you have had to suffer, a man can run out of things to live for.  Lose his purpose, become a Ronin, a samurai without a master." ~ Yashida (on his death bed) to Logan.

The year 2013 was the Summer of Superheroes.  First, there was "Ironman 3," then there was Superman in "The Man of Steel," now there is "The Wolverine.”  "The Wolverine" is an action-packed, existential look at life, death, and immortality in the world of Marvel Superheroes.  The film stars Hugh Jackman in his fourth go as the character of the Wolverine. Joining the cast are Hiroyuki Sanada ("Sunshine," "The Last Samurai"), Haruhiko Yamanouch ("Push," "The Way Back") and relative newcomer from Russia, Svetlana Khodchenkova ("Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"), and two  total newcomers in their first motion pictures, fashion models Tao Okamoto, and Rila Fukushima.

In this latest edition of the “X-Men” franchise, and within the sub franchise that devotes its story entirely to the Wolverine, director James Mangold (“Knight and Day," "3:10 to Yuma," "Walk the Line, and "Identity") and Hugh Jackman  ("Les Misérables," "Real Steel," "The Prestige," and  "The Fountain") work to imbue the Wolverine mythos with some philosophical depth.  The film starts with a prologue of sorts.  It is near the end of World War II, just outside of Nagasaki Japan in a P.O.W. camp.  The date is August 9, 1945; the time is 11:00 am to be exact.  Trapped in a well in the ground, apparently in solitary confinement, Logan looks out of a slit in the side of the top of his prison as an air raid sirens scream from above.  Two B-29 bombers fly over the city while the Japanese scramble for cover.  One soldier, a guard, decides to free prisoners, giving every man the same chance.  As the soldier and the other guards are about to commit ritual seppuku (ritual suicide) Logan stays his hand and urges him down the hole where they will be somewhat safe.  Right from the beginning, the special effects for this film are top notch, from the atomic blast opening the film, to the insane battle on top of the Bullet train, to the chaotic climatic battle that is obligatory in a film of this magnitude.  The audience demands it.

Mangold paces this film very fast, while Jackman plays the Wolverine as both morose and introspective; Logan (Jackman) is a man at one with nature but not at one with himself.  Today, haunted by the death of Jean Grey (Famke Janssen) by his own hands, in "X-Men: The Last Stand," he lives alone in the hills of the Yukon woods.  Jean appears to him in his dreams (or nightmares – you decide), like a dark spirit to taunt him and remind him of the dangerous person that he is.  Of course, he doesn't stay a recluse for long; otherwise, there would be not much of a movie.

Logan has given up his killing ways.  His hair is long and he looks more like a vagrant than a hero.  Finding a campsite torn apart by a bear, he tracks the animal, only to find the wounded animal suffering with a poison arrow in its side.  In an act of kindness, Logan ends the creatures suffering.  He comes into town, finds the saloon, and confronts the hunter who is in the midst of telling his tall hunting tails.  This is an important aspect of Logan’s character not only as the Wolverine but as a mutant being.  His sympathy for the bear instills his character with empathy and honor. While confronting the hunter with is inhumanity, he is intercepted by Yukio (Fukushima), a Japanese, magenta haired woman with a bang cut.  As a mutant, Yukio is also prophetic like Casandra of Homeric tales, as she can see people's deaths before they happen.  She wields a katana, and stares at you with big Anime eyes.  You just know she is deadly in one way or another. Throughout the film, Rila Fukushima not only shows her mastery in the action sequences, but also her comedic timing.  She comes from Japan to collect Logan from his despair.  Yukio's boss is the owner of the largest Japanese technology firm, Yashida Industries.  Her boss is none other than Yashida himself, the same man Logan saved in 1945.

J ames Mangold moves the film along very quickly.  Within the first ten minutes, we move to Japan and have a meeting with the dying Yashida.  The journey that Logan begins is an attempt to show a depth to his character as he searches for a meaning to his immortal life.  Meaning is a shallow concept when there is no end to the madness that we call life.  Hugh Jackman, who also serves as a producer on this film, plays Logan as a tortured and haunted sole.  Not so much the loner he was before, but a man in need of some deep spiritual healing.  Mangold and writer Mark Bomback ("Live Free or Die Hard," "Total Recall," "Unstoppable") tell Logan's tale from Logan's point of view, interjecting flashbacks to 1945 Nagasaki and his time protecting the young guard who will eventually become rich and powerful.

Y ukio tells Logan that Yashida (Yamanouchi) is dying and wants Logan to go to Japan so he can say goodbye to him.  Reluctantly, Logan acquiesces and returns with her to see Yashida.  After the obligatory bath before visiting with Yashida in his own private intensive care unit, Yashida it turns out is not quite ready to say good-bye.  Instead, he offers Logan the ability to end his suffering, his pain, his immortality.  With the help of his "oncologist” Dr. Green (Khodchenkova), Yashida can transfer Logan's regenerative powers to him.  Yashida reasons that if Logan doesn't seem to want to live, Yashida will gladly take the curse of immortality.  We also meet Mariko (Okamoto), Yashida's granddaughter.  She is a fragile and elegant, educated woman, a princess.  We also meet Yashida's loyal and faithful son, Shingen (Sanada). 

A t this point, several tropes begin to form.  First, the rich, powerful, and old refuse to die and grasp at the fountain of youth, with little regard to their children.  The story is as old as the story of Ponce de Leon and his search for the fountain of Youth.  In Wolverine, Yashida's lust for life and Logan's desire for release. As Yukio explains to Logan, that as a warrior, "all he wants is an honorable death."  Characters are not what they seem, or perhaps they are.  Dr. Green turns out to be the serpentine Viper and like a demonic succubus comes to Logan as if in a dream. What steals is Logan's ability to self-heal.  How's that for evening the score. The other trope is the faithful but overlooked servant, or in this case Yashida’s son Shingen.  What level of treachery will he go to get what he desires?

While dealing with Logan's existential problems as displayed in his nightmares involving Jean, writers Mark Bomback and  Scott Frank ("Flight of the Phoenix," "Minority Report") infuse the story with almost non-stop action. While attending Yashida's funeral, the organized crime Yakuza syndicate kidnap Mariko.  Logan and Yukio snap into action in an effort to save the princess.  The Yakuza shoot Logan with a gun and it turns out that he isn't healing as fast as he usually does. One the rooftops, one of  Yashida's kinsmen from the Black Clan, by the name of Harada, is seemingly helping Logan as he chases down Mariko and her captors. His name is Hanada and he we find that he works for Yashida and has vowed to protect the house of Yashida with his life.  Entering  Japan's Bullet Mariko attempts to leave on her own. A battle on the top of train ensues, Yakuza die, and Logan and Mariko make it to temporary safety. Taking refuge in a hotel for lovers, Mariko enlists the help of a veterinary student to dig out the bullets inside Logan and bandage him up. Upon reaching her home in Nagasaki, Logan and Mariko settle down and now we get some real answers.

The tension between Yashida,  his son Shingen, and his daughter Mariko becomes more understandable. It seems Yashida gave the company over to Mariko, bypassing his son.  As we can see, Logan is falling for Mariko, and she for him. Logan begins to wonder what the meaning of his life is.  If all is death and destruction.  Remember we are still in the battle between mutants and humans.  Logan is a man of both the past and the present. Stuck in the middle of trying to protect Mariko and the hauntings of Jean Gray, Logan must decide why he must live. As it turns out Mariko, is just as good reason as any – for at least the present.  The Yakuza once again kidnap Mariko is, and Logan and Yukio team up again to save her.  Mariko is once again the princess trapped in a tower with the evil villains using her as bait.

As much as "The Wolverine" intends to be deep and somewhat philosophical, it doesn't pretend to answer any deep questions, nor are any of the scenes pondering on the question.  Mangold's direction is tight; the costumes are beautiful and spot on.  Production designs all around are top notch including the special effects.  One might want to call this a mindless action film; however, I think they would be wrong.  The story is tight, serious, and funny at times, and with a bit of romance.  Marco Beltrami's musical score is poignant at times and gives the film and the characters a certain sense of depth and sadness to the film.  The Yashida family politics are complicated and strained.  It turns out that Yashida willed all of his wealth and power to his granddaughter Mariko – but to what end.  Hugh Jackman plays Logan straight and tight-lipped, a stoic with a passion for doing the right thing as he navigates the complexity between Shingen and his daughter Mariko, Mariko and her fiancée the corrupt Minister of Justice, Noburo (Brian Tee), and Mariko and her grandfather.  As each one of search for meaning in our lives, it seems that the Wolverine has found his – doing the right thing for the right people, and for the right reasons.

A fun film to watch, not only for the action but for the story as well  “The Wolverine" is rated PG-13 and runs just over two hours.

Movie Data

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi

Year:  2013

Staring: Hugh Jackman, Tao Okamoto, Rila Fukushima, Hiroyuki Sanada, Hal Yamanouchi

Director: James Mangold

Producer(s): Hutch Parker. Lauren Shuler Donner

Writer: Mark Bomback, Scott Frank

Rating: PG-13

Running Time: 126 minutes

Release Date:  7/26/2013