Van Helsing (2004)

Director:

Stephen Sommers

Writer (WGA):

Stephen Sommers (written by)

Release Date:

7 May 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Horror | Fantasy | Thriller

Tagline:

The One Name They All Fear

Plot:

The notorious monster hunter is sent to Transylvania to stop Count Dracula who is using Dr. Frankenstein's research and a werewolf for some sinister purpose.

Plot Keywords:

Electrical Torture | Arm Amputation | Shirtless Male Bondage | Absinthe | No Title At Beginning

Awards:

2 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Hugh Jackman	...	Van Helsing
Kate Beckinsale	...	Anna Valerious
Richard Roxburgh	...	Count Vladislaus Dracula
David Wenham	...	Carl
Shuler Hensley	...	Frankenstein's Monster
Elena Anaya	...	Aleera
Will Kemp	...	Velkan
Kevin J. O'Connor	...	Igor
Alun Armstrong	...	Cardinal Jinette
Silvia Colloca	...	Verona
Josie Maran	...	Marishka
Tom Fisher	...	Top Hat
Samuel West	...	Dr. Victor Frankenstein
Robbie Coltrane	...	Mr. Hyde
Stephen Fisher	...	Dr. Jekyll (as Stephen H. Fisher)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for nonstop creature action violence and frightening images, and for sensuality.

Runtime:

132 min

Country:

USA | Czech Republic

Language:

English | Latin

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Italy:T | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | France:U | Malaysia:18PL | Iceland:12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Brazil:12 | Canada:14A | Chile:TE | Finland:K-11 (re-rating) | Finland:K-15 (original rating) | Germany:12 | Ireland:12 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:11 | Peru:PT | Philippines:PG-13 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG (original rating) | South Korea:15 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Zurich) | UK:12A | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

There are three separate scenes where a werewolf falls off something and into a body of water, making a small but noticeable splash. This is an in-joke on Wile E. Coyote.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the scene where Anna and Velkan are fighting the werewolf at the beginning of the film, the werewolf chases Anna towards the cliff edge while Velkan is 'stuck' up a tree. How did Velkan get to the cliff edge to shoot the werewolf before it got there?

Quotes:

[first lines]
Dr. Victor Frankenstein: It's alive. It's alive. It's alive!

Movie Connections:

References Goldfinger (1964)

People sometimes miss the point

I personally love this kind of tongue-in-cheek, change of the usual film. League of Extraordinary Gentlemen was that, as was Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow. If people looked at them more as just visually entertaining with a bunch of sharp one-liners, and tried to stop making them the next big action movie, or trying to read a life change message somewhere in there, they'd have more fun! I loved the real mix of actors appearing in this movie - I was straight to IMDb after watching it to see if I was right or wrong about who played who. I especially liked the straight-in beginning - no credit break to kill the run of the film. The black-and-white beginning, going to colour soon after, was not new, but echoed nicely with the old Hollywood movies that the start was echoing. Altogether, a great fun watch. But that's just me!