Universal’s attempts to update it’s classic monster properties have so far met with little success, instead inflicting the likes of Van Helsing on audiences and squandering some truly great premises, and while The Wolman won’t be to everyone’s taste, it’s certainly a step up from CGI fests such as The Mummy.

From the get go, there’s a very different feel about this film – that’s ‘film’ as opposed to ‘movie’ – with a pervading sense of dread that matches the original. The opening hunt scene showcases the Werewolf as a dangerous, feral predator lurking in the foggy wastes, and while there’s certainly a touch of CGI enhancement to the mist drifting about, it’s a fun, scary addition that we haven’t seen since American Werewolf’s moor-stalking.

After the quick and surprisingly bloody intro, we bump into the victim’s brother Lawrence Tutwell (Benicio Del Toro, cheekily foreshadowing events as he plays the lead in an on-screen production of Hamlet) and the film scores a genuinely huge bonus with it’s leading man, bringing a detailed, grounded and pathetic character rendition to the screen. Indeed, the presence of so many genuinely heavyweight thesps brings a gloriously Hammer-esque feel to proceedings – straight faced, and as such adding a delicious sense of camp without resorting to knowing winks or cheesy one liners. Director Joe Johnston certainly can’t be accused of talking down to his audience either, engaging with complex psychological questions – albeit with a light touch – as Del Toro questions if his transformations are real or a dream.

Indeed, this may turn out to be the film’s downfall; whether the measured plot and slow-ratcheting tension will hold the attention of a mainstream audience remains questionable, but the overall effect is engaging and never resorts to cat-in-cupboard moments to generate scares.

As the conclusion looms however, the action cranks up, the Wolfman stalking the city streets for an action-packed hunt, while there’s a lovely sequence at a masked ball that gives Johnston the chance to drop in his visual reference quota with marvellous, wryly amusing results.

While this may benefit from some editorial tightening, it’s nice to see a mainstream blockbuster that isn’t scared of taking it’s time with an ordered plot and engaging storyline. The cast are marvellous and we can only hope that this thinking monster movie marks a precedent after the woeful Steven Sommers excesses of previous attempts.

An Expertly-rendered preview of Worthington as Dracula...

It may finally be time for vampire-kind to shake of f the blousy Twilight romantic image –with MTV reporting that big bad Sam Worthington is in talks to don cape and widow’s peak in the Batmaningly titled Dracula: Year Zero.

Worthington’s been enjoying a skyrocketing profile this year despite his appearance as a half-man-half-convoluted-storyline in the ailing Terminator franchise, while popping up as demi-god Perseus in the ‘not-testing-well-apparently’ Clash of the Titans doesn’t seem to have hurt his cred either. Oh..and of course, there’s a certain animated biggest movie ever as well…

Variety first let slip that a new movie was on the cards detailing the exploits of Transylvania’s most famous export (Cheeky Girls notwithstanding), with Alex Proyas behind the lens. Rather more worryingly, the script comes from the haunted pens of Matt Sazama and aptly-named Burk Sharpless, famous for the intergalactic shit-fest that was the Flash Gordon reboot, and details Vlad Tepes.Esq’s fist steps towards virgin-eating immortality.

Do you think Vlad needs another do-over after the appalling Dracula 200? Or are Vampires passé –is it all about Werewolves and Ghost-Ninjas this year? Let us know!

It’s that super-spooky time of year again, and there’s just time to remind any readers in London town who aren’t on a ripper walk this weekend to get themselves tricked out and head down to Islington Union Chapel, where purveyors of top-notch whiskey Jamesons will be providing the treats; a series of excellently gruesome horror films for the gore-hound of distinction !

STS will be checking out Hammer classic Dracula on Thursday, and there’s also the likes of American Werewolf, The Shining and soon-to-be-cult Colin, with a director’s talk thrown in to choose from!

Best of the entire thing is free, and our generous hosts may even slip you a free nip of their fine product to calm your nerves afterwards. Check out the official site for more details

Zombie apocalypses may be all the rage these days, but it’s heartening to see that other cretures that go bump in the night aren’t being completely ignored. Witness the new trailer for Daybreakers, with the always value for money Sam Neil leads a particularly stellar cast fighting a Vampire plague ridden Earth.
Let’s face it-any movie with Willem DeFoe firing a crossbow at Dracula has to be worth a look right?

If you’re anything like the staff at STS, you already know that booze and movies are two of the best things in the world (The others being pizza and firearms), and it seems our friends and purveyors of fine purepot still Irish Whiskey Jameson’s agree, and to prove it, they’re putting their money where their mouths are (and their Whiskey where our mouths are) with a series of fantastic cult film showings in some unique venues around London as part of the Jameson’s Cult Film Club.

Now in it’s second year, the Cult Film Club uses the screening to project the audience into the film’s world, which means the chance to watch some awesome films in venues specially selected and redesigned for the show.

Things kick off –possibly quite literally – with the excellent Trainspotting tomorrow night at the Village Underground in Shoreditch, EC2A. STS will be there rolling around looking like Begby, and if you haven’t seen that toilet scene on the big screen then it’s an opportunity you shouldn’t miss.

And of course, with All Hallows Eve fast approaching, there’ll be the chance to check out some excellent horror classics at Islington Union Chapel, N1 during the run-up to Halloween. Movies on show in this excellently spooky setting include American Werewolf in London, Hammer’s superlative 1958 Dracula and the ubiquitous -but no less ace –Halloween.

Further events will be on throughout the year and we’ll be checking out as many as possible, so get involved here and get your asses down to EC2 tomorrow night!

In a frankly shocking display of prejudice, Hollywood has traditionally shunned the dead. Oh sure, there’s plenty of zombie movies out there, but when is the last time you saw a dead guy get the girl-and not eat her brains? STS sets out to redress the balance by bring you Six of The Best: Movie Dead Guys!

Sloth- Se7en

You know its coming. They break into the apartment; they wander around, lifting the plastic sheeting slowly and lurching backwards. If you’ve been to film school in the past 10 years you probably wrote an essay on the use of the Pavlovian response. He’s tied to the bed, looking like Skeletor’s S&M fancying cousin, and he’s dead as a doornail. Lean in closer detective, he smells a bit but there’s nowt to fear here. Until of course…That Ain’t No Corpse Grandma! The only dead body on the list to have forgone that whole pesky dying thing, Sloth gets our vote for possibly the finest ‘Cat-In-Closet’ shock in movie history. Possibly because the regular furry kitty has been replaced by a weeping, insane rictus that’s eaten its own tongue.

Bernie Lomax –Weekend at Bernies

Think of the truly great cinematic actors. Olivier, Brando, DiNiro. Presences that fill the screen with their intensity, burning emotion and conviction into the hearts and minds of the audience. Now ask yourself, honestly. Could any one of those screen heroes have played dead as well as TV regular Terry Kiser? Could you keep a straight face while a horny dog drags you off a balcony by your balls? Or while required to Conga with a paraletically drunk starlet in a bikini? No way, Dustin Hoffman has nothing compared to this guy, which is why he is and ever shall be cinemas greatest dancing corpse!

Bubba Ho-Tep

Yeah Yeah Yeah, there’ve been other mummies. Their was Nephren-Ka in Universal’s The Mummy, there was that bald dude in..er..The Mummy…but none of them was bad enough to wear a ten gallon hat and beat up a Karate-ing Elvis. Ho-Tep sucks the life outta oldies and lightbulbs alike with his mere presence, so it’s ironic that he’s finally despatched by a couple of septegenarians with back – and brain – problems. This ignoble demise doesn’t stop him dressing to kill in the smartest pair of western boots ever to walk outta Memphis.

Evil Ash - Army of Darkness

Despite looking like boil in the bag Spaghetti Bolognese, Evil Ash takes having his arms and legs chopped off in his stride, giving us one of cinemas greatest rising from the grave sequences. He commands a huge army of skeletons despite behaving like the fourth Stooge most of the time, and is the only action figure ever to arrive with Kung-Fu grip AND ‘Detachable Jaw’. Altogether now:” I…Live….AGAAAAAIINNNN!!!!!”

Dracula

Easily the best dressed cadaver in the house, Drac is the only necrotic body you’d ever feel comfortable taking to an opera. Capable of turning into a wolf, he’s his own best friend, which may explain why he’s happy enough sitting alone in his study when he has three nymphomaniac vampire women waiting in the bedroom. Even managing to be cool when George Hamilton is playing him, Drac is the thinking ladie’s corpse.

Death – Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey

Not content with his more traditional role as king of the dead, Death enjoys taking time out to win the Indy 500 on foot and release terrible bass solo albums. His Bergman-esque style extends to a head as smooth as his ‘Reaping burn a lot of calories’ sculpted behind, and he’s good with both a sickle and a shopping cart. The first dead dude brave enough to attempt transvestism in front of God Almighty, Death is the epitome of both poor sportsmanship and Rot N’ Roll. The only ex-person you’d want to go to a party with.