It's the last week of Halloween month, and I have watched some garbage, although Killer Sofa turned out to be a bit of a surprise, but I wanted something just a little bit special for the last post, something that really captures the spirit of Halloween. And then I stumbled on Transylvania 6-5000; an old Jeff Goldblum film about 2 reporters travelling to find Frankenstein.
And I don't know what I just watched if I'm being totally honest with you...
Transylvania 6-5000, a 1985 Comedy / Horror film focuses on 2 reporters (Jeff Goldblum and Ed Begley Jr.) sent to Transylvania to track down Frankenstein, staying at a hotel in Transylvania conveniently also owned by the Mayor. Of Transylvania. Following the clues they eventually stumble on an ex-Doctor who has been carrying out dastardly experiments in the basement of the hotel creating a wolfman, a vampire, a erm... contortionist... and a FRANKENSTEIN MONSTER! BUT it turns out the ex-Doctor is just a practising plastic surgeon, and all these people have legit medical issues he's trying to help them with! And everybody enjoys a nice dance at the end.
This was the oddest film I've watched for a really long time... Handful of scenes of slapstick humour, really over the top campy comedy and jokes in the vein of the Carry On films but without the innuendo. Jeff Goldblum and Ed Begley Jr. bounce off each other really nicely and just watching a clearly very young Jeff Goldblum on screen is a delight. Genuinely such a good actor without even trying.
But the rest of the film was just frankly bizarre, really odd over the top comedy typical of the 80's completely with cheesy dialogue and cheesy jokes. It got a snort and a laugh out of me a few times, particularly when Odette, the Vampire lady started undoing the wrong belt when Ed's character was strapped to a table, that was great, but it felt a bit like it was trying to be too funny. Like they were trying to capture the magic of the Carry On films, but it didn't quite hit the mark.
Jeff Goldblum is just fantastic, in everything really, and this is worth watching just to see him in the very early days of his career. The plot genuinely unfolds quite nicely and the other characters all put in pretty good performances, if not a bit over the top in places, but it was just such an cringey, campy odd little film that I feel a bit unsettled after watching it.
If you have a chance, this is one of the curiosity kind of films that you have to watch just to try and understand how, or why, anyone would put a film together like that. Nowhere near "The Room" level bad, but creeping into that territory slightly. And whilst it's genuinely enjoyable and fascinating, it's also a slightly uncomfortable and cringey experience and there is that nagging feeling at the back of your mind all the way through that you're watching a really terrible film. Now I'm just going to go and wash my hands and look at myself in the mirror for a minute. Happy Halloween folks. 3 out of 5.
