Universal's Epic Universe Wish List & Speculation

[JungleSkip]

I don't believe the movie was intended to be campy.

I think you need to read up on the director.

lol

 

[Parkscope Joe]

I take it you haven't seen Bride of Frankenstein yet. That movie basically invented camp. lol

 

[RFRees]

I think you need to read up on the director.

lol

Adding lol to every post is actually really condescending.

If you have a point you want to make about the director, linking to an article or pointing me in the right direction for a search would be helpful.

Which is why I mention the camp arrived years later with the sequels (and mention Abbott and Costello). That movie came out 1948, 20+ years after the the originals had started. So this is exactly my point.

 

[JungleSkip]

Adding lol to every post is actually really condescending.

If you have a point you want to make about the director, linking to an article or pointing me in the right direction for a search would be helpful.


Which is why I mention the camp arrived with the sequels.

The film's and director's wikipedia pages talk about it.

A quick google brought this up: The Smiling Corpse: Parody And Camp In 'Bride Of Frankenstein' And 'Shaun Of The Dead'

 

[RFRees]

The film's and director's wikipedia pages talk about it.

A quick google brought this up: The Smiling Corpse: Parody And Camp In 'Bride Of Frankenstein' And 'Shaun Of The Dead'

The wiki doesn't mention camp in Bride of Frankenstein, unless I'm missing something?

The article you linked is strictly someone's opinion.

I just finished the movie, and aside from one comical scene featuring miniaturized people, the film looked like it was intended to be taken seriously (unlike the Abbott and Costello movies).

 

[JungleSkip]

The wiki doesn't mention camp in Bride of Frankenstein, unless I'm missing something?

The article you linked is strictly someone's opinion.

I just finished the movie, and aside from one comical scene featuring miniaturized people, the film looked like it was intended to be taken seriously (unlike the Abbott and Costello movies).

From the wikipedia:

"scholars have perceived a gay subtext suffused through the film, especially a camp sensibility,[55] particularly embodied in the character of Pretorius and his relationship with Henry. "
"I think the closest you can come to a homosexual metaphor in his films is to identify that certain sort of camp humor."[59]

The common reading on Bride of Frankenstein is that it has camp sensibilities. The Abbott and Costello movies are comedies. The two are very different.

 

[OLSinFLA]

If I really said the word “campy” I didn’t mean campy. But they are obviously less “scary” than today’s horror.

Maybe not as scary as scream scary, but "Dracula" is still creepy and unsettling to this day. Its the combo of the actors and the cinematography.

 

[OLSinFLA]

I don't believe the movie was intended to be campy.

I believe even the director decides it had to be very tounge-in-cheek when made. he definetly went overboard on purpose

 

[RFRees]

From the wikipedia:

"scholars have perceived a gay subtext suffused through the film, especially a camp sensibility,[55] particularly embodied in the character of Pretorius and his relationship with Henry. "
"I think the closest you can come to a homosexual metaphor in his films is to identify that certain sort of camp humor."[59]

The common reading on Bride of Frankenstein is that it has camp sensibilities. The Abbott and Costello movies are comedies. The two are very different.

Yes, the director was openly gay and this movie may had some metaphors in it, but that's a long shot from calling the movie campy or that it "invented camp" as you said.

And keep in mind, the word "camp" can be defined narrowly or we can use the word more loosely as people generally do. The Abbott and Costello movies were more campy in the way "camp" is loosely defined, but I'm open to conceding these movies don't fit within the narrow definition.


Edit

This topic started on something I pointed out Alicia said on a podcast, which she later mentioned may have been not the best choice of words. I agree with the point Alicia was making entirely. (The point was that the original films may have been considered "horror" for their time, but they are tame in comparison to what we see today.)

What I don't agree with is anyone who points to Abbott and Costello as a justification for why this land should be campy (using the loose definition here). I've heard other people saying this so it's not just today or here on the forums.

We can define the term "campy" more narrowly and then point to one film (Bride of Frankenstein), but 1) the exception is not the rule, and 2) this is really not the same "camp" people are referring to.

Classic Monsters, more than any other land, has the widest range of expectations. From one end you have people thinking Beetlejuice's Graveyard Revue and Abbott & Costello, on the other hand you have people thinking Halloween Horror Nights. While I think there may be some tongue in cheek and humorous moments to the land, I think it'll stay true to the originals.

 

[Alicia]

Maybe not as scary as scream scary, but "Dracula" is still creepy and unsettling to this day. Its the combo of the actors and the cinematography.

Yes. “Creepy” is the word I keep coming back to for this land in general. Things can be eerie or unsettling without being jump-out scare in your face, or gory.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Yes. “Creepy” is the word I keep coming back to for this land in general. Things can be eerie or unsettling without being jump-out scare in your face, or gory.

Foreboding?

 

[RFRees]

Yes. “Creepy” is the word I keep coming back to for this land in general. Things can be eerie or unsettling without being jump-out scare in your face, or gory.

What I always think back to is the queue to Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. The basement especially has a very unsettling vibe to it.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

I personally love the films for their “creepiness” and not there jump out scare you tactic. It makes me able to relax more and enjoy the world building around me and have fun with it, rather than worrying about what’s coming next or “oh what’s over there!” And crap. I’m also weak when it comes to horror but these fit my bill perfectly and for feel timeless in the sense that even tho they’re old films, they still feel like they were made today minus the obvious tech differences. The films don’t require much than what they’re already giving us, and the black and white plays well with the overall creepiness and dark tone it has. I expect the same from the land

 

[Mad Dog]

Example of 'Unintended' campy: F&F USF

 

[OLSinFLA]

What I always think back to is the queue to Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. The basement especially has a very unsettling vibe to it.

Remember an imagineer describing what they do to unsettle you there, The color of the lights (mostly red) - the turns are at angles instead of curves. And a low, throbbing sound almost constantly. All of these prey on your mind and subconsciously unnerve you. (The sound effect was also used in two movies I know of - recently in "Dunrkik" with the clock, and most effectively in the 70mm prints of "Alien" which had a constant low throbbing from the surround speakers).

 

[Scott W.]

Yes. “Creepy” is the word I keep coming back to for this land in general. Things can be eerie or unsettling without being jump-out scare in your face, or gory.

That's what I'm hoping for. Jump scares are a cheap tactic.

 

[WaterToWade]

Speaking of fantastic beasts... is that blind pig photo op from whichever the current parks (i forgot) still there?

 

[Brian G.]

Speaking of fantastic beasts... is that blind pig photo op from whichever the current parks (i forgot) still there?

Oh, that's been gone for years. It was removed pretty quickly after Celebration weekend.

 

[WaterToWade]

Oh, that's been gone for years. It was removed pretty quickly after Celebration weekend.

 

[WaterToWade]

I know it’s expected to be Mack, but ill just post some photos of this zamperla splash battle to give a guess at how the ride vehicles for the httyd splash battle will look