Cirque du Freak Tagged Articles at Cinematical
Review: Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant
Filed under: Horror », Sci-Fi & Fantasy », Thrillers », Theatrical Reviews », Family Films »
Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant has the unfortunate fate of arriving at the height of the vampire resurgence. I fear a lot of potential movie goers will dismiss it as part of the wave, as a major studio (Universal) trying to rush an adaptation of a very popular young-adult book franchise in an attempt to capitalize on the Twilight demographic. And while I understand that sentiment, in this particular case it's a shame, because Paul Weitz' film stands tall whether it was made inside or outside this temporary rise in the vamp popularity. Remove the cynical marketing climate and The Vampire's Assistant is a charming, imaginative, and most importantly, very entertaining film for children, teens and adults alike.
Having not read any of the 12 books comprising author Darren Shan's young-adult Cirque Du Freak saga, I can't attest as to how faithful an adaptation it is, but the macabre world About a Boy director Paul Weitz has brought to life on film feels like the kind of mysterious wonderland I could have easily lost myself in as a child. That's not to say that The Vampire's Assistant is a children's film, far from it, but it's the kind of film that's full of content that's simultaneously adult and juvenile, the breed of subtle scripting that provides eye candy for teenagers and nostalgic mind candy for adults.
Will 'Cirque du Freak' Suffer From 'Twilight' Comparisons?
Filed under: Fandom », Movie Marketing »
Leaving an early screening of Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant this week, I heard an amazed teenage girl say to her companions, "It's, like, a vampire movie, but it's funny!" As if such a thing weren't possible. But then, the average teen was in kindergarten when Buffy was in its prime, and 80's movies like Fright Night and Once Bitten are ancient history. Funny vampires?! Who knew?As Peter Hall says in his excellent Cinematical review of Cirque, it's a shame that this particular movie feels as if it were rushed out to take advantage of the current Twilight and True Blood fueled vamp renaissance. Based on the first three volumes of the popular kid-lit series by Darren Shan, the film bumps the twelve-year-old hero's age to 16 -- the better, one supposes, to promote the flick to the Twilight crowd, despite it being a piece with a completely different flavor, based on books for kids between the ages of 10 and 12.
If you think it's a stretch that Cirque's being marketed to the sparkly-vampire crowd, check out the design of one of the posters (above). Wow ... it's totally Robert Pattinson! Except that it's not. Take a look below, to see what actor Chris Massoglia really looks like in the movie.
Fantastic Fest Review: Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant
Filed under: Sci-Fi & Fantasy », Universal », Theatrical Reviews », Fantastic Fest »
Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant has the unfortunate fate of arriving at the height of the vampire resurgence. I fear a lot of potential movie goers will dismiss it as part of the wave, as a major studio (Universal) trying to rush an adaptation of a very popular young-adult book franchise in an attempt to capitalize on the Twilight demographic. And while I understand that sentiment, in this particular case it's a shame, because Paul Weitz' film stands tall whether it was made inside or outside this temporary rise in the vamp popularity. Remove the cynical marketing climate and The Vampire's Assistant is a charming, imaginative, and most importantly, very entertaining film for children, teens and adults alike.
Having not read any of the 12 books comprising author Darren Shan's young-adult Cirque Du Freak saga, I can't attest as to how faithful an adaptation it is, but the macabre world About a Boy director Paul Weitz has brought to life on film feels like the kind of mysterious wonderland I could have easily lost myself in as a child. That's not to say that The Vampire's Assistant is a children's film, far from it, but it's the kind of film that's full of content that's simultaneously adult and juvenile, the breed of subtle scripting that provides eye candy for teenagers and nostalgic mind candy for adults.
Fantastic Fest Interview: John C. Reilly
Filed under: Fantastic Fest », Interviews »
John C. Reilly is one of my most favorite actors working today. It's to the point that I'll watch a mediocre film just to see his performance in it. Case in point: Step Brothers. Not that it was a completely terrible movie, but I didn't love it. However, Reilly does some subtle things in it that just kill me. His added "Boats and Hoes" lyric during Will Ferrell's heartfelt song in the climax was one of the funniest moments in the movie. Then there's his brilliant understated role in The Promotion, a film that needs more attention.
But I digress. I met with Reilly after a screening of Fantastic Fest's premiere of Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant, in which he plays Larten Crepsley, a 200+ year old vampire. He's seen a lot during his lifetime, and he has a jaded outlook on it all. Find out what drew Reilly to the role in the full interview beyond the break, where he also talks about other roles he'd like to take on.
The Best and Worst Vampire Movies
Filed under: Horror », Sci-Fi & Fantasy », Fandom », Lists »
Bloodsuckers are back, baby! If you happen to own a television, visited the fantasy section of your local bookstore, or clicked onto a certain high-quality film site (*ahem*), then you've probably noticed the pigment-challenged are everywhere. Before you get all worried, I'm not just talking about the Twilight saga, which has become the scourge of so-called 'serious' vamp fans everywhere. Nope, this trend goes way beyond the Cullens, and vampires are now everywhere.
Just yesterday we got our first look at the trailer for Cirque de Freak: The Vampire's Assistant, and now that Guillermo del Toro's Strain is also on its way to TV screens, I doubt our fanged friends are going to be disappearing anytime soon. Which is fine by me, because I always thought the best thing about vampire mythology was that everyone has their own take on which kind of monster they want to create -- I mean, how else could we have Abe Lincoln: Vampire Hunter? So whether you like your bloodsuckers funny, romantic, or just downright bloodthirsty, there's a little something for everyone these days.
I have to admit, though, I'm a little picky about my vampire movies, and there are just certain things I cannot abide. So, because there is nothing I love more than a list, I decided to compile the best and the worst when it comes to bloodsuckers on the big screen.
After the jump: my picks for the top five best, and worst vampire movies...
'Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant' Trailer Premiere!
Filed under: Horror », Comic/Superhero/Geek », Trailers and Clips »
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Are you tired of vampires yet? Between HBO's True Blood, the CW's upcoming The Vampire Diaries, and of course, The Twilight Saga: New Moon, the bloodsuckers are getting a ton of exposure. But finally a trailer for Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant arises over at Moviefone to put a new spin on the genre. It manages to recall the carnival scenes from The Lost Boys, while finally giving us something besides moody vampires who just want to have sex with humans and complain about how hard it is being an undead denizen of the night.
We premiered the poster yesterday, but now you can check out Ken Watanbe in all that funky makeup, a bearded Salma Hayek, a freaky looking Willem Dafoe, and of course, John C. Reilly as probably the most refreshing vampire to appear on screen since ... well, since Bela Lugosi. This trailer actually has me excited about the movie, which is based on the first three of Darren Shan's excellent series of "The Saga of Darren Shan" books, and is definitely not your tired old "boo hoo it's hard to be a vamp" storyline.
Head beyond the jump to watch the trailer right here, or head over to watch it in HD over on Moviefone ... and get ready to get Freaked this October 23.
Exclusive: 'Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant' Poster Premiere!
Filed under: Sci-Fi & Fantasy », Universal », Movie Marketing », Images », Posters »
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Cinematical has just received the dark new poster for Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant, an adaptation of a young adult book series by Darren Shan. The film version stars John C. Reilly as a vampire -- which is enough to sell me on the movie right there!
But, for those who must know more, the official synopsis says in part that the movie is "a fantasy-adventure about a teenager who unknowingly breaks a 200-year-old truce between two warring factions of vampires. Pulled into a fantastic life of misunderstood sideshow freaks and grotesque creatures of the night, one teen will vanish from the safety of a boring existence and fulfill his destiny in a place drawn from nightmares." Chris Massoglia plays a 16-year-old boy who becomes the assistant of a vampire named Larten Crepsley (Reilly). Among the assistant's new friends are Salma Hayek as a bearded lady (?!) and Ken Watanabe as a "gigantic barker." Josh Hutcherson also stars.
The film takes its title from the second installment in the 12-book series, The Saga of Darren Shan, but the script combines elements from the first three books. Directed by Paul Weitz (In Good Company, American Dreamz), look for Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant in theaters on October 23, just in time for Halloween.
Have a look at the full-sized poster in the gallery below. The complete synopsis is available after the jump. And keep an eye out for the trailer, which will debut on Moviefone tomorrow.
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Finally! A Look at John C. Reilly's Freaky Vampire
Filed under: Sci-Fi & Fantasy », Images »
Way back in November, John C. Reilly signed on to play Larten Crepsley in the adaptation of Darren Shan's Cirque Du Freak. Since then, we've gotten a sneak peek at Salma Hayek's bearded lady, but nothing of the sharp-toothed Crepsley -- until now! Empire has posted a first look at Reilly's character, which you can see cropped on the right. (It's a little bigger over at Empire, but unfortunately, not much.) The film focuses on a 14-year-old kid, Darren Shan (Chris Kelly), who visits an illegal freak show, sneaks in after hours, and gets thrust into a life of freak shows and vampiric servitude. The photo shows Shan and Crepsley, so maybe this is when the poor kid getting pulled into the freakish life. Although really, I think Crepsley's outfit is the most freakish thing. That, and the darkly rouged cheeks.
The flick should hit US shores in 2008, before the scheduled UK release in February of 2009.
*Note: Both the real Darren Shan and the kid who plays the fictional Darren Shan use two names. To clear up confusion between the Empire report, here, and IMDb: The young actor goes by Chris Kelly and Chris Massoglia, while Darren Shan is also known as Darren O'Shaughnessy.
Willem Dafoe Bites Again
Filed under: Action », Horror », Thrillers », Casting », Family Films »
The last time Willem Dafoe appeared on the big screen as a vampire, he was Nosferatu, and his performance scored him an Oscar nomination. Now he's got not one, but two vampire films on the way. Daybreakers has entered post-production, and now ShockTillYouDrop reports that Dafoe has signed on for a role in Paul Weitz's Cirque du Freak.
The film focuses on a kid who visits a freak show with his best friend, and then has to become an assistant to the vampire Mr. Crepsley to save his bud's life -- which means leaving his family and life forever. While in the freak show, he ends up in the center of a vampiric turf war. Dafoe will play Gavner Perl -- a Vampire General and old friend of Crepsley's.
This whole production just got even sweeter. Other names attached to the film include Salma Hayek, John C. Reilly, Jane Krakowski, Ken Watanabe, and Patrick Fugit.
Take a Look at Salma Hayek, Bearded Lady
Filed under: Images »
Beards! They're all the rage these days! Conan and Letterman grew facial hair during the writers strike, Ryan Reynolds has been sporting some, Jonah Hill has that scruffy thing going, Jake Gyllenhaal has a beard (and I don't mean Reese Witherspoon) -- and now the trend has even spread to the womenfolk. Get a load of Salma Hayek, the dazzlingly incomprehensible Mexican beauty who's now shooting a film called Cirque du Freak, in which she plays a sideshow's bearded lady. The film, based on a series of novels, also stars John C. Reilly as a vampire. (I'm sold!) It's set to open in February 2009, two months after that other vampire movie, Twilight.
Hayek is no stranger to unflattering facial hair, of course. She uglied up her eyebrows to play the title role in Frida back in 2002, and that extra bit of hair was just enough to put her over the top for an Oscar nomination. Eyebrows, now a beard -- what next? The lead in the Magnum P.I. movie? Just a thought.
[Via JustJared, which has a few more bearded-Hayek pics, too.]
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