All varieties of otherworldly creatures come out to play in Stephen Sommers' gothic carnival. Frankenstein's monster, ferocious werewolves, vampire bat babies, a maniacal scientist named Igor, and a CGI Dr. Jekyll are just a few. When they come together, a thrilling fantasy adventure results, making VAN HELSING a visual feast. Destined to fight the world's evil, Van Helsing (Hugh Jackman) is a warrior in a cowboy hat and a trench coat, heavily armed with a rapid-fire multi-arrow crossbow, among other gadgetry. A legion of monks in Rome send Van Helsing to Transylvania to hunt the immortal Count Dracula (Richard Roxburgh), who terrorizes the local people with the help of his three vampire brides. Especially threatened is the vixen Anna Valerious (Kate Beckinsale), whose family also strives to kill the Count. Van Helsing and Anna Valerious work together, searching for the secret door to Dracula's lair. But it is only after massive battles involving impossible stunts, races on horse-pulled carriages, and the desecration of enchanting medieval castles (all done with dizzying computer graphics) that they succeed. Not only does the eye candy keep on coming, the tongue-in-cheek writing and deep Transylvanian accents perfect the film with a dose of dark humor.
Theatrical Release: MAY 7, 2004
DVD Features:
Region 1
Snap Case
Widescreen - 1.85
Audio:
Dolby Digital 5.1 - English
Dolby Digital 2.0 - Spanish
Dolby Digital 2.0 - French
Additional Release Material:
Audio Commentaries - 1. Stephen Sommers - Director, Bob Duscay - Editor
2. Richard Roxburgh - Star, Shuler Hensley - Star, Will Kemp - Star
Outtakes
Interactive Features:
Tour Of Dracula's Castle
You Are In The Movie! The Legend Of Van Helsing
Stars
Hugh Jackman: Actor
Kate Beckinsale: British Actress
Richard Roxburgh: Actor
David Wenham:
Will Kempe: Actor/"Pledge Night"
Shuler Hensley: Supporting Actor, MONDAY NIGHT MADNESS (2002)
Kevin J. O'Connor: Actor, FLIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD
Elena Anaya: Actress, SEX AND LUCIA (2002)
Josie Maran: Actor, VAN HELSING (2004)
Silvia Colloca: Actor, VAN HELSING (2004)
Director
Stephen Sommers: Director/Screenwriter
Producer
Bob Ducsay: Producer/Editor, VAN HELSING (2004)
Screenwriter
Stephen Sommers: Director/Screenwriter
Composer
Alan Silvestri: Composer, VAN HELSING (2004)
Editor
Bob Ducsay: Producer/Editor, VAN HELSING (2004)
Jim May: Editor, VAN HELSING (2004)
Kelly Matsumoto: Production Designer, VAN HELSING (2004)
Director of Photography
Allen Daviau: Director of Photography, VAN HELSING (2004)
Executive Producer
Sam Mercer: Producer/"Congo"
Production Designer
Kelly Matsumoto: Production Designer, VAN HELSING (2004)
Production Designer
Allan Cameron: Production Designer, SAHARA (2005)
Review 1:
"[With a] gleeful, chaotic sense of visual excess."
Source: New York Times
p.E1 05/07/2004
Review 2:
"The best part is the moodily handsome look of the sets..."
Source: USA Today
p.2E 05/07/2004
Review 3:
"The movie is like a Greatest Hits compilation; it's assembled like Frankenstein's Monster, from spare parts stitched together and brought to life with electricity, plus lots of computer-generated images."
Source: Chicago Sun-Times
p.39 05/07/2004
Review 4:
"The dark, desaturated imagery perfectly complements this vampires and werewolves tale, with lots of cold bluish-gray exteriors and warm firelit interiors."
Source: Widescreen Review
p.67 06/01/2006