REPOST: Universal could reanimate old-school movie monsters, from Frankenstein to the Invisible Man

Imagine a universe where all classic horror movie monsters exist.  An article by Ben Beaumont-Thomas of The Guardian talks about Universal's plans to revive the horror classics on the big screen.
 

Image Source: theguardian.com

From Spider-Man to Transformers, franchises have become Hollywood's most reliable cash cow, allowing them to create the epic narratives allowed on TV's canvas, and building characters that millions of people worldwide become attached to. Now Universal is gearing up a new set of franchises based around its library of classic horror characters, some last seen decades ago.

The studio's monsters include Frankenstein, Dracula, and the Mummy, all of which have had frequent movie outings, but also the Invisible Man, the Wolfman, and that 1950s favourite, the Creature from the Black Lagoon.

Deadline reports that a new strategy is cooking at Universal, where they're building an "interconnected slate" of monster films. This is a strategy similar to that of Marvel, whose universe of comic book characters, including Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk and Captain America, interact with each other across various film and TV franchises.

Previously, Universal's horror characters have existed in their own standalone universes: the likes of the Mummy franchise starring Brendan Fraser, the misfiring 2010 reboot of the Wolfman with Benicio del Toro, or the upcoming Dracula Untold, an origins story about the vampire starring Welsh actor Luke Evans. But now the way could be paved for Avengers-like films in which the characters' universes are blended into one, and they interact with one another.

The initiative will reportedly be headed up by Alex Kurtzman, who has had a variety of producer roles across hits like Spider-Man and Star Trek franchises (as well as the flop Ender's Game), alongside Chris Morgan, who has written much of the Fast and Furious franchise, a huge success for Universal in recent years. Deadline report that the first film will be a reboot of the Mummy, coming April 2016.

The plan was hinted at by Kurtzman's former producing partner Robert Orci last year, who said: "There's an interesting thing that could happen at Universal where they have this amazing library of their old monsters and these kinds of heroes, and the idea of trying to create a universe [with] Van Helsing, and we're also producing the Mummy for them. We're kind of imagining updating these kinds of things."

In 2012, Kurtzman and Orci announced their intention to make a Dark Knight-style reboot of the vampire hunter Van Helsing that would be "really grounded in reality... without sacrificing the fantasy element," but little has been heard since.

Frankenstein meanwhile is being frequently brought back to life – first in this year's flop I, Frankenstein, and next in a forthcoming film starring Daniel Radcliffe and James McAvoy.  

Louis A. Habash is a film historian who enjoys critiquing old films. Follow this blog for more articles like this one.

A critical analysis of Disney princesses in film

Image Source: stuffpoint.com

Animated films starring Disney princesses have gone through an evolution. From classic beauties like Snow White to new royalties such as Elsa, Disney princesses have remained a relevant cultural obsession over the past decades, even in the age of the internet.

A research published in the Journal for the Human Sciences found that the roles of Disney princesses, especially in classic films, are very “gender specific.” According to critics, such roles have created stereotypes on how a princess should look and act in terms of gender, race, and social class. 

The study also noted that culture and identity in majority of Disney princess movies were not fully embraced—in some cases they were even dispelled. Because of this, girls get an inaccurate depiction of the roles expected of them in society, and boys are also misled about how girls look and behave.

Image Source: nydailynews.com

Today, however, it seems Disney is learning its lesson. Significant progress can be seen in its recent animated releases like Tangled, The Princess and the Frog, and Frozen.

Image Source: wallsave.com

 Tangled, for example, showed that self-actualization precedes romantic fulfillment; while Frozen showcased a sense of female empowerment by portraying two strong women with opposing personalities.

Time has clearly shown us how Disney princesses can be good role models depending on how they are portrayed in films. Disney must explore alternative destinies for proverbial princesses that can inspire the younger generation to look beyond royal depictions.  

I am Louis A. Habash, writing for the love of film and history. See this Pinterest page for more of my passions.