Universal Monsters Cinematic Universe

A Vampire's Kiss reference was a fairly significant part of Color Out of Space, so I wouldn't be surprised if there's a nod or two here.

The Renfield trailer reminds me of whoever said that it feels like the same four guys write all the jokes in Hollywood movies now(the Postmates line feels...clunky). And knowing that Cage's role is very small doesn't do much for its luster.

Eh. One crotchety jerk's opinion. Maybe it'll actually be delightful.

Edited by Prowler on Jan 14th 2023 at 10:00:45 AM

KnownUnknown: Isn't the music just Toccata and Fugue in D minor?

No, Toccata & Fugue was the part before it.

Unrelated but Cage actually looks great as Drac. I'm actually a bit sad he isn't playing him in a more serious and expanded role.

To me it just sounds like the big chord from Toccata and Fugue in D minor. But you may be thinking of the Previews Pulse "bwooooooom" sound.

Okay, so some new updates. I went to see Renfield today, it's pretty fun and entertaining when it's not being a generic cop movie, which thankfully evens out as the movie goes along.

Something that's more interesting to me, though, is that we finally have a trailer for The Last Voyage of the Demeter:

And I think it looks pretty awesome.

How was Nick Cage Dracula? I heard from people he might be one of the best modern incarnations of the count in film.

Honestly Cage was great. He was funny, but also got to be legitimately evil and villainous.

Regarding Renfield, if I may ask: to what degree is it a "superhero film"? The trailer made it seem like that was the direction that they were taking. (Which was one thing that put me off a little—I preferred what the trailer seemed to be depicting before the superpowers appeared, as I recall.)

Regarding Last Voyage of the Demeter, I think that I recall hearing of this one, and being not all that interested. The trailer has changed that: this actually looks pretty interesting, and I'm definitely inclined to see it now!

A bit of a shame they decided to put Renfield in between John wick 4 and Mario. It's getting killed at the box office form what I've seen.

Renfield is more of a carnage candy action-horror-comedy blend than anything close to a superhero film.

Hmm... That does sound like it could be good. (And isn't at all the impression that the trailer left with me. ^^; )

I recall that the trailer seemed to show Renfield eating a bug and then gaining powers—i.e. essentially becoming a superhero of the "has to turn their powers on" variety.

I saw Renfield last night and really liked it! It was Bloody Hilarious, of course, but there were plenty of scenes that were genuinely scary, particularly Drac's massacre of Renfield's support group friends and on a more psychological note The Reveal the every single cop in Rebecca's precinct except her is crooked to a murderous degree (Social commentary? In my silly vampire movies?).

Saw Renfield and loved it. Nic Cage as Dracula was, of course, delightful and the best part, but the rest of it was pretty solid as well. I loved the opening recreations of scenes from the 1931 film, they were just so spot-on.

I loved the idea that there's so much different vampire lore out there that Renfield isn't actually sure what can really kill him for good, so they just try everything and hope it works. Cage's reaction to the defeat is even better. "Whatever losers, Hell is where all the cool people are! HAIL SATAN!"

Edited by lbssb on Apr 17th 2023 at 6:36:16 AM

I enjoyed Renfield far more than I was expecting, but man, those cop scenes just made it grind to a halt. I'm neither disliker nor fan of Awkwafina, but she felt awfully miscast, and that all the dialogue she gets to deliver to non-supernatural characters is old-school cop cliche hokum was rough.

Otherwise, I liked it a fair bit. McKay has a good sense of how hard he can lean on horror imagery to make it silly when needed, but also genuinely horrifying if necessary—and sometimes somewhere in between(the scene with the bishop and the hunter near the beginning comes to mind). I also don't think I've seen Cage seemingly more engaged in years; he was good in Unbearable Weight and fine in a bunch of others, but his zeal in playing a pissy, passive-aggressive Dracula is very noticeable.

Apparently Dracula was one of three roles he always wanted to play.

If you've not seen Mandy, Cage crushed it in that.

Which are the other two?

Superman and Captain Nemo.

Renfield was the best one hour and 33 minutes of my life.

I saw it, I liked it, and Cage in it. But five years is a long time, especially when I check out some of the stuff he did to keep working, since I'm a fan of his. Admittedly, he doesn't go as far here as he did there, but I appreciated the effort.

Even if Renfield underperforms at the box office, it'll definitely be a cult classic.

Ryan Gosling has left The Wolfman, along with director Derek Cianfrance, who initially replaced Leigh Whannell. Whannell has returned to the director's chair, with Christopher Abbott replacing Gosling as lead.

Release date is October 25th, 2024.

Edited by Prowler on Dec 13th 2023 at 1:25:26 PM

The Dark Universe branding has been resurrected for a Universal Monsters themed section of the Epic Universe park going up at Universal Orlando. (3:36)

What do we think? I suspect the place will be banging on Halloween Horror Nights.

Edited by BigBadShadow25 on Jan 30th 2024 at 10:20:10 AM