Don't miss our CASTLE DRACULA PODCAST discussion Tuesday Night at 10:30ET/9:30CT of DRACULA AKA HORROR OF DRACULA, starring Christopher Lee.
(as it was known in the US) and CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN
-- not to mention all the other films he was involved in-- has passed away. | Peter Cushing as Van Helsing in Horror of Dracula, written by Jimmy Sangster |
The world of cinematic horror fiction lost a true great yesterday: the wonderfully prolific Jimmy Sangster passed away at the age of 83. The man's name might not ring any immediate bells, but any true horror fan (especially a British one) could tell you he was the go-to screenwriter for a large portion of the very best Hammer Films. (Hammer Films being a production company that churned out lots of horror films in the 1950s and '60s.) When Hammer opted to resurrect old Universal favorites like Dracula and Frankenstein, Mr. Sangster was the man behind the typewriter. His 1958 double feature of Horror of Dracula and The Revenge of Frankenstein would be the envy of any horror screenwriter, but Jimmy Sangster just kept on banging 'em out.
my take: Alex Van Helsing returns with a book full of action, villianous vampires, and budding teen romance! We enjoyed the first book in this series (see Vampire Rising review here) and I enjoyed this second book even more.
I have to mention one of my favorite lines – when Alex asks “Who is Ultravox?”, Sangster said, “Well, for one thing it’s the name of a New Wave band.” “What’s New Wave?” Ahhh, Sangster – your young padawan needs some musical instruction. That, or vampires need to find names that don’t make the adults reading hum “Vienna” in their heads. Oh, wait, isn’t that the girl’s name with the green scarf? Hmmmm… Oh, Jason, you punny man.
In "Voice of the Undead," Alex attends school during the day and spends his nights searching Lake Geneva for the magic-protected Scholomance, an ancient vampire school. During one of these missions, he burns down Glenarvon Academy, which is forced to relocate to an all-girls academy down the road.
Summer Moore, AP
Meanwhile, the Polidorium want Alex to track down a vampire named Ultravox.
The Alex Van Helsing series is tapping into the market of books for young adult boys, and does so successfully. The novels are engaging and suspenseful, without relying on a central love story.
from blogger Shel:My love of the Alex Van Helsing books is pretty well documented and that love continues. This book is fast-paced and fun. I enjoy the way the author illustrates Alex’s thought process when facing stressful situations. I also enjoy that while Alex is extraordinary in many ways, we also see how in many ways, Alex is a typical 14 year old. It was reminiscent of reading The Hardy Boys, except with vampires and cooler gadgets! All in all, I say 4.5 stars and I cannot wait for Alex No. 3! I also cannot wait until my 4 year old nephew is old enough to read Alex. Please tell me it is coming soon!
:I liked Vampire Rising so much that I nominated it for the Cybils Awards.The second book is a textbook example of how to write for the Adrenaline rush: Alex is chased by two cars, has blood sucking leeches thrown at him by Elle, is attacked by the leeches again in his dorm room, and then the dorm catches on fire. That's just the first two chapters! The boys from Glenarvon have to move in with the girls at LaLaurie school until repairs are made.
Episode Notes: CRY LITTLE SISTER! A look at one of the most important vampire movies of the last forty years, THE LOST BOYS, starring Kiefer Sutherland and Jason Patric. Hosted by the creators of the Alex Van Helsing book series (Jason Henderson), indy comic Halloween Man (Drew Edwards), and manga Psy-comm (Tony Salvaggio), and attorney Julia Guzman. We'll cap it off with a look at vampires and pop culture, and of course Q&A from the audience!
