Staci Layne Wilson visited the set of the upcoming monster movie "Van Helsing" and sat down with members of its cast and crew. Over the next several weeks, we will be publishing the interviews in the order listed below.
"Van Helsing" hits theaters May 7, 2004.
The vampire hunter character of Abraham Van Helsing first appeared in Bram Stoker's Dracula. Although this film draws upon both Dracula and other of Universal's classic horror properties, like the Wolf Man and Frankenstein's Monster, this film itself is not directly based on a previous movie or book, so it's not a "remake" as such. Universal did make three movies in the 1940s that teamed up the three monsters: The House of Frankenstein (1945), The House of Dracula (1948), and 1948's Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein. The Dr. Van Helsing character didn't appear in any of those movies.
Set in the late 19th century, monster hunter Dr. Abraham Van Helsing (Hugh Jackman) is summoned to a mysterious land in East Europe to vanquish evil forces: Count Dracula (Richard Roxburgh), the Wolf Man (Will Kemp), and Frankenstein's Monster (Shuler Hensley). Assisting him once he gets there is Anna (Kate Beckinsale), the heir of a long-running family committed to hunting down and destroying Dracula.
Reporter's Notes: On the day of the interviews, I saw a scene being filmed (on the clapboard: 214-55-1) which Hugh Jackman and Stephen Sommers talk about in their interviews. The scene was set in Frankenstein's dining hall, and showed Hugh and Kate Beckinsale getting a glimpse of Frankenstein's elf-like, creepy little helpers called the "Dwergie".
They screened a rough trailer of the film for me (showing the wires, no special effects added yet, etc.) and it looked marvelous! The costumes are amazing -- Kate looks like a pirate, and the Brides of Dracula have shucked their black widow's weeds for gowns of pink and yellow. The "angry mob" complete with torches and pitchforks are there, as well. Should be quite interesting to see the final product.
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The Interviews
Interview with Hugh Jackman, "Van Helsing"
Interview with Stephen Sommers, Writer/Director
Interview with Silvia Colloca and Elena Anaya, the "Brides of Dracula"
Interview with Allen Cameron, Production Designer
Interview with Shuler Hensley: "Frankenstein's Monster"
Interview with Bob Ducsay, Producer/Editor
Interview with Will Kemp, "Velkan/The Wolf Man"
Interview with Kevin J. O'Connor, "Igor"
Interview with Richard Roxburgh, "Dracula"
Interview with Kate Beckinsale, "Anna"
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Official Van Helsing Site
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