More after the jump...
Transylvania 6-500 tells the story of two reporters (Jeff Goldblum and Ed Begley Jr.), sent by their tabloid newspaper to investigate sightings of Frankenstein (??) in Transylvania. Upon arrival in Transylvania, they encounter a motley crew of monster movie icons. Can they figure out what's going on before it's too late?
There's no denying it. Transylvania 6-5000 is not a good movie. It's lazy, it's unoriginal and mostly forgettable. I can't get over the randomness of going to Transylvania to look for Frankenstein. That joke falls completely flat. However, despite its obvious limitations both logically and comedically, this film is more fun than it has any right to be.
Written and directed by Rudy DeLuca, a friend of Mel Brooks and writer of High Anxiety and Dracula: Dead and Loving It, Transylvania 6-500 aims low and hits low. It's not a spoof of old horror movies, more of a gentle reminder of old horror movie characters. But showing Vampires and Werewolves out of context and de-fanged kind of takes away their impact. They're not scary and they're not funny.
It is enjoyable to see some classic comedy icons pop up in this film (Hey there's Jeffrey Jones! Hey there's a pre-Seinfeld Michael Richards!!), and they're the best things about it. Even though Goldblum and Begley Jr look like they're having fun in this movie, they just don't have the comedic chops to rival the supporting cast. Even Goldblum can't help but crack a smile whenever Michael Richards prat-falling simpleton butler is on screen.
In another world this film would be a career killer, but luckily for Goldblum he followed this film with The Fly, a clever re-treading of an old horror movie icon. The most disappointing thing about Transylvania 6-5000 is that the cast didn't produce something better, but then what did i expect from a movie that takes its name from a Bugs Bunny cartoon?
Save From Obscurity? NO.
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