Notable Science Fiction Gaffes, Part 4

Van Helsing

Though not technically a sci fi film, this one definitely deserves mention.

The Hype: A loving homage to classic movie monsters, the movie featured Dracula, Frankenstein, Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde, and the Wolf.....uh some Werewolves against the legendary monster hunter Gabriel Van Helsing.

What Went Wrong: It appears that the studio gave director Stephen Sommers a little too much creative control, an affliction now know as "Lucas Syndrome." While The Mummy benefited from a tongue-in-cheek tone, Van Helsing was all over the place. His blinding love of the source material may have been why Sommers couldn't quite pull this one off. And why the hell did he make Frankenstein such a little bitch?


While these examples are hardly conclusive, I'm tired of writing this piece. The point remains, however, for every Serenity we get a kid friendly new Star Wars trilogy. That one still smarts.