Some cinematic creativity revives a pair of creature feature classics

 Movie monsters never truly die, it seems,especially when their origin stories are based upon books. 

Despite notions to the contrary, Dracula and Frankenstein(both doctor and creation) are making their pop culture presence known yet again. This time, however, fresh imaginative twists are given to these creature feature cocktails.

Most recently, we have the horror comedy Renfield which stars Nicholas Hoult as the iconic henchman to the infamous vampire king(Nicholas Cage, who clearly sinks his acting chops into this role). 

Renfield has been serving Dracula for decades but now with the assistance of a 12 step group and a new friend (Awkwafina), realizes that he has more to offer in life than bloody blue plate specials to his master. Naturally, his “boss” is not quick to accept Renfield’s resignation and decides to take matters into his own fangs.

So far, the reviews have been positive from audiences and critics alike with the movie making the top five at the opening weekend box office. This certainly sounds like fun and probably worth it just to see Cage in all of his gruesome glory:

For something a bit more seriously scary arriving later this summer, The Last Voyage of the Demeter takes an entire chapter from the Bram Stoker novel to bring to terrifying life onscreen.

As the captain (Liam Cunningham) and crew, which includes a doctor named Clemens(Corey Hawkins) and a stowaway (Aisling Franciosi) , must face the fact the body count on this nautical trip is higher due to a dangerous stranger in their midst, they have to work together against that bloodthirsty foe as well as the sea storms that threaten them all with mutual destruction.

Granted, if you’re familiar with Dracula, how this ends may not be surprising but then again, it is possible that some of these characters manage to live to tell this tale entertainingly well:

Meanwhile, this June brings a modern take on the Frankenstein front with The Angry Black Girl and her Monster.

Laya Deleon Hayes stars as Vicaria, a brilliant teen scientist that decides to test her theory that death is curable by attempting to revive her newly deceased brother via electricity.

The results are more unpredictable than she anticipated and ultimately, Vicaria must find a way to halt the path of destruction that she never intended to make worse for her loved ones.

This movie has garnered early praise on the film festival circuit and  this mix of Mary Shelley and modern horror promises to be a hauntingly emotional take on grief as well as the terror of trying to take control of chaos:

With all of the focus that Hollywood gives to rebooting and recreating formerly successful movies and television shows these days, it’s refreshing to see a few folks take up the mantle of reviving the tried and true classics of literature by using a new perspective or two there.

Sure, not every project turns out top notch but points at least trying to add something new to established material ought to be given.

 One definite benefit of such artistic attempts is introducing these stories to a whole new generation of readers who may be inspired to create freshly made tales of imagination via film, TV or theater. Even Shakespeare makes everything old new again in this brave new world of ours: