Tower of Terror (1997) (Movie Review)

    For about the best eight years of my childhood, during the late 90’s and early 2000’s, I grew up in San Diego California, and it was a frequent family tradition during vacation time to drive out to Disneyland. I can’t even begin to count how many times I visited that park as a kid, I knew it inside out, and my absolute favorite rides were always the spookier themed attractions. You name it … “The Haunted Mansion”, “Snow Whites Dark Ride”, “The Indiana Jones Thrill Ride”, and even “Pirates of the Carrabin”, all had these cryptic, otherworldly, atmospheric highlights that’s always drew me back to them. 

However, the one spooky attraction I regrettably never experienced at the time was Disney Worlds “Twilight Zone: Tower of Terror” attraction in Florida, and for years, I so badly wanted to experience the thrills of that ride. Thankfully, Tower of Terror did eventually come to Disney’s California Adventure Park in 2004, and while I was in Middle school at the time, I at least got to finally experience the ride before moving out of state. Not only did the ride surpass my expectations, but around this same time … Disney just released their theatrical movie of “The Haunted Mansion” … which had me hoping Tower of Terror was next for a movie adaption. Much to my surprise … there was already a movie based on the ride in 1997, simply titled “Tower of Terror”.

   Despite being a made for TV movie that aired on ABC, it was still the very first Disney movie to be adapted from one of their theme park attractions. The film was even shot at the theme park ride in Florida, which is kind of surreal … the Disney ride itself is in the movie it’s based around. One noticeable difference between the two is that the movie drops all ties to “The Twilight Zone” series, which the theme park attraction was originally based around. I don’t know if it was a copy right issue, but regardless, the movie dose all in its power to weave a narrative around the premise of the ride, and it’s also cool how the script weaves Halloween into the plot. Our story begins on Halloween night in 1939, in which a popular child actress has arrived at the Hollywood Hotel for a very special party on the twelfth flour. As she and four other attendances in an elevator begin their ascension, a mysterious bolt of green lightning hits the building, and the occupancy in the elevator vanishes without a trace.

   Sixty Years later, a phony journalist played by Steve Guttenberg wishes to report on real stories again, as opposed to fake, supernatural oddities that he sets up with the aid of his nice, played by Kirsten Dunst. He and his nice soon discover that there may be real supernatural haunts within the now closed-off Hollywood Hotel, and aims to not only relaunch his career with a real story … but for once, a real ghost story. After further exploring, it’s revealed that the spirits of the five-elevator victims are trapped on the lower levels of the hotel, and in order to lift their curse, they need to arrive on the Twelfth level of the building on Halloween night, and figuratively attend that special party that's waiting for them … only then can they cross over into the after-life. As our hero’s seek a way to lift their curse, a Wicked Witch is secretly scheming in the shadows, who was originally responsible for the five victims, and is setting an even bigger trap to spring on Halloween night.

   While this film can’t escape the fact that it’s a made for TV production, it’s still putting it’s all into feeling like a theatrical experience. Both the editing and camera work do their best to capture a sense of grandeur, and energy. While there’s not much in terms of action or non-stop excitement, the film makes-up for it with some subtle touches, including a charming personality, a decent enough mystery, and an inviting sense of spooky atmosphere. My favorite sequence of the whole film is all the build-up, in which all the haunted and mysterious elements first take shape. The tower itself feels like a character, with all kinds of secrets waiting to be explored. The environment has a fair amount of activity going on, including possessed objects, and spooky entities … including a headless specter. When the ghost of the little girl first appears, she’s a silhouette against this watery, green mist, and it’s effectively eerie.

  When we finally meet the ghosts, they each have distinct personalities, and it’s refreshing to have ghosts who are more grounded and conversational, rather than whacky caricatures of the time. The whole cast in general has great chemistry, and most of the films appeal comes from how these different players interact. Steve Guttenberg was one of those recognizable actors, who I grew-up with in family friendly comedies, like 1990’s “Three Men and A Little Lady”, but I have to admit … I’ve never called myself a fan. He certainly tried to channel the same energy of Tim Allen or Chevy Chase, but just never quiet had the same charm. Still, he does have chemistry with the cast in “Tower of Terror”, and his frequently annoying quirks are a little more bearable then usual. Kirsten Dunst was always a favored reoccurring young actress from my generation, and is just as lovable as ever in this film. At the time, she was in her early teenage years, and this marked one of her last family-friendly offerings, before moving on to edgier dark comedies, like 1999’s “Drop Dead Gorgeous”.  

   The mystery elements will undeniably be more effective for younger viewers, but I feel there’s still enough details in all the twists and turns that can keep older viewers invested. It’s very much in the style of a competent Scooby-Doo mystery, in which it may be predictable, but you like seeing how things unfold. Admittedly, the special effects at times can be a little doge, including some cheesy looking scene transitions. There are also several cliff-hangers, in a which a scene will build momentum, and then fade to black … which always reminds me that this movie was made for TV first. Like I said earlier, the film still tries it’s best to feel cinematic, without going for conventional spectacle, and I really admire it for that.

   The climax is set in an elevator, in which our ghosts are desperate to go up, and our humans are on the brink of falling down. It’s an effective nod to the theme park ride, as the attraction concluded with a plummeting elevator. Beyond that, it’s also a mature finale that ties into the characters, who all reflect on past mistakes, and learn to forgive one another. Without going into specific details, some of the back story made me think back on the 1962 horror classic “What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?”, in which a sister is jealous of her more famous sibling, and her anger has lasting repercussions on their adult lives. The Witch character in “Tower of Terror” has a similar backstory … but with a happy ending this time around. Actually, the epilogue leads to one of those special endings that isn’t obnoxiously sentimental, yet still leaves me feeling all warm, and cheerful inside.

   In the end, “Tower of Terror” is no masterpiece, but it’s certainly better than it had any right to be, and I feel it’s one of the better adaptions of a Disney Land theme park attraction. Honestly, it might just be my second favorite behind the first “Pirates of the Carrabin”. 

It’s certainly a stronger effort then 2003’s “The Haunted Mansion”, even though I do admittedly have more nostalgic reservations for that film. In general, I feel the spooky themed, made for TV Disney movies of the early days had a distinct personality … and even an edge … that I just feel is missing from what they produce now days. “Tower of Terror” has its dark elements, even subtle creepy touches, but its still appealing for a whole family to sit-down and watch together. If you’re a genera fan of these family friendly Halloween films, that retain just enough of a dark tone, then be sure to give this one a watch. It won’t knock your socks off, but you might just find it a welcome little experience to go with the season.  

Thanks for reading my review of Disney’s 1997 movie “Tower of Terror” … and continue to make every day in October feel like Halloween!           

 

 

My Top 15 Favorite Modern Appearances of the Classic Monsters

 

    Halloween in general is a season when iconic and recognizable creatures are always represented in decorations and merchandise galore. Among all the familiar staples are the classic monsters in the vein of Dracula, Frankenstein, The Wolf Man, Mr. Hyde, The Headless Horsman, The Mummy, The Phantom of the Opera, and so forth. Their classic staples of literature, classic staples of early horror cinema, and they continue to make appearances all through the ages … with admittedly varying levels in quality … but I’m always entertained on some general level as a long-time fan. For this October, I wanted to count down my personal top 15 favorite modern movie appearances of these classic monsters, both in live-action, and in animation. My one condition is that I won’t be including anything prior to 1980, which sadly means some other greats like Mel Brooks “Young Frankenstein”, "The Halloween that Almost Wasn't", or the various Hammer remakes won’t be qualified.      

 

First Off …

My Top 5 Modern Animated Movies with the Classic Monsters

For many kids, we’re introduced to all the classics through various animated specials, before we even see the original movies, and many of which still carry a decent nostalgic factor. As such, I’ll first rank my own personal Top 5 favorite animated movies to feature the classic monsters. Really quickly, here are some Honorable Mentions that couldn’t fit on my countdown … 

“Hotel Transylvania 2” (2015)

"Scooby-Doo and the Reluctant Werewolf" (1988)

“Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein” (1999)

 

#5 “Monster Mash” (2000) 

   Frankenstein, The Wolf-Man and Dracula are the best monsters at scaring people … at least until the new age of monsters in the vein of Jason, Freddy Kruger, Alien, and Chucky come in, and take the spot-light.  

Thus, the original trio are summand before the Superior Court of Horrors, in which the Reaper Judge putts them to the test to be scary in our modern world. While they may not achieve scares, they do succeed in bringing joy and entertainment to people, and as you’d expect from the title … it’s through music. I grew-up with this film back in the day, and while I wouldn’t call it one of the great animated specials to watch around Halloween, it at least has a great concept, with the classic monsters trying to find relevance in our modern world, which any long running IP finds themselves in. Plus, the songs are childhood staples of mine, so I just couldn’t help highlighting this one.       

 

#4 “Scooby-Doo and The Ghoul School” (1988) 

   This was one of the earliest Scooby-Doo movies, which came as part of an 80’s trilogy, and only featured Scooby, Shaggy and Scrappy as the main characters. The trio are called in to be teachers at a mysterious all-girl school, but there’s a twist … the girls are the doubters of all the classic monsters. Yeah, the doubter of Dracula, the doubter of the mummy, the doubter of the Wolfman, and so-forth are all gathered in this little monster school. 

Naturally, the gang is terrified of all these spooks, but over time grow to like them, and teach them some basic activities. Things get exciting once the gang get roped into an adventure to protect the children from an evil Witch, who plots to control the girls, and use them as a means to rule all the classic monsters. So, in an odd, funny twist, Scooby-Doo and the gang are protecting the monsters that they usually run away from. It’s a refreshing concept, the characters are likable, the villain is entertaining, and the animation lends to some fun spooky encounters. More than anything, I like that this film adds a different ingredient to the round-up of the classic monsters, with their children being the center point of attention. I would actually like to see a new spin-off solely focusing on the decedents of the classic monsters, but with more modern looks, as the ghoulish girls from this film do look like products of the 1980’s. 

 

 #3 “Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet the Wolfman” (2000) 

   It’s once again out of pure childhood nostalgia that this film is on my countdown, and while this may be something of a guilty pleasure, I just couldn’t imagine this list without it. 

While our favorite mischievous chipmunks put together a spooky themed school play of Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Alvin gets fixated on the idea that a real monster may be lurking in their neighborhood. What he wasn’t counting on was his kid brother Theodor transforming into a werewolf … with the Wolf-Man himself being the culprit. While this kid friendly monster feature is perhaps a little too loud and obnoxious for the grown-ups, it’s still competently animated, loaded with catchy songs, and is unavoidably cute in its own simple way. It’s a movie I can only recommend to little kids, but by those simple standards, it’s quite good.

 

#2 “The Batman vs Dracula” (2005) 

    A unique crossover for Batman to say the least, and one that takes full advantage of what could happen when two legendary figures of the night collide. When Batman goes searching for mysterious disappearing people in the city, his trail leads to a covenant of vampires … lead by none other than Count Dracula himself. 

The chemistry and rivalry between Batman and Dracula is surprisingly well defined in the film, and it’s genuinely exciting to see the two most famous Bat-themed characters going into battle. There’s plenty of nods to the lore of both Batman and Dracula, and some well-placed characters from the Batman universe … including Vicki Vale, who was featured in the 1989 Tim Burton “Batman” movie. The music is dripping with Gothic atmosphere, the animation is stylish, there’s a spectacular dream sequence, everything moves at a fast pace, and its action packed. For the only movie adaption from "The Batman" TV series, it definitely ranks high as … maybe not one of the absolute best Batman movies, but certainly my personal favorite to watch around Halloween.

 

#1 “Hotel Transylvania” (2012) 

   With all the really dark and scary Halloween films like “ParaNorman” and “Coraline”, it’s nice to know that kids have alternatives in the form of films like “Hotel Transylvania”. 

The story revolves around Count Dracula as he’s built a safe haven for all the classic monsters, but his daughter Mavis wants to see the world, and when a young human boy stumbles into monster land ... an unexpected romance is born, and it’s one energized situation after another as the Count tries to maintain peace in his castle. This movie has got just about everything ... funny moments, touching moments, colorful characters, terrific animation, lots of energy, upbeat music, and a location that’s just drenched in Halloween goodness. Dracula's daughter Mavis has a secure spot as one of my favorite new animated Halloween characters, and the rest of the cast play their parts great. It may be over shadowed by other Halloween films that are a pinch more adult, but I hope more people discover this film. It really is a gem, and a good one to show to your kids.      

 

Next, let’s move on to …

My Top 10 Modern Live-Action Movies with the Classic Monsters

   Post 1980 has seen a resurgence of sorts for the classic monsters, as they try to maintain their status as iconic figures of the horror genera. While very few are on par with the original classics, I’ve certainly enjoyed many of their modern remakes, and wanted to spot-light the ones I’ve enjoyed most. Before I rank my Top 10 favorites, here once again are some Honorable Mentions …

“The Phantom of the Opera” (1989)

“Dracula, Dead and Loving It” (1995)

“The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor” (2008)

“Blade Trinity” (2004)

“The Mummy” (2018)

 

#10 “Bram Stoker's Dracula” (1992) 

    Back in the 90’s, there was a wave of remakes revolving around classic movie monsters, namely “The Mummy”, “Frankenstein”, and The Headless Horsman of “Sleepy Hollow”. 

While I genuinely either loved or enjoyed these reimagining’s, the one I surprisingly liked the least was “Bram Stoker’s Dracula”, which arguable kicked-off the whole fad in the first place. I just didn’t connect with any of the characters, and found the experience kind of forgettable. However, the obvious high marks to take away from the film were Gary Oldman in the lead role of Dracula, and director Francis Ford Coppola’s epic vision of the classic literary story. While the source already had a sense of wonder, this film took the basic framework of Dracula and elevated it to a gargantuan size, with a lavish production design, huge landscapes, detailed set-pieces, insane costumes, and a haunting sense of majesty. It’s no wonder critics at the time had a soft spot for it, because the film truly is a visionary’s marvel to behold on screen. 

 

#9 “The Wolfman” (2010) 

  Benicio Del Torom, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt and Hugo Weaving star in this modern remake of “The Wolfman” … an admittedly disposable, yet perfectly enjoyable entry in the classic monster universe. 

Neither critic’s or audiences were on board with this film, and its sense faded from the public conscience, but I personally didn’t think it was that bad. It obviously wasn’t a great movie by any means, but as far as remakes are concerned, it at least captured the same look and feel of the original, with creepy scenery, a sense of grandeur, a generally strong cast, another exciting montage of frightening clips during a dream sequence, and some great music. It’s just an easy watch for a genera fan like myself, and it's cool to see The Wolfman brought to life though contemporary make-up and special effects.   

 

#8 “Mary Shellie’s Frankenstein” 

    In 1994, following after “Bram Stokers Dracula”, Francis Ford Coppola produced “Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein”, which was directed by the always theatrical Kenneth Branagh. 

He also stared as the famous mad doctor, and in the years sense, this arguably remains Frankenstein’s most popular modern remake. It stayed closer to the novel, stared Robert De Niro as the Frankenstein monster, and even the bride made an appearance, played in this film by Helena Bonham Carter. For whatever reason, I always found myself remembering this cast, Branagh’s direction, and the narrative more so than the previously mentioned Dracula remake produced by Coppola. While the film is far from perfect, I do still have a lot of fondness for director Kenneth Branagh, who has a talent for bringing stories to life on a grand and operatic scale. He may not have delivered a new Frankenstein classic, but a memorable one all the same.

 

#7 “The Mummy Returns” (2001) 

   The 1999 remake of “The Mummy” is personally one of my all-time favorite adventure entertainment movies ever made ... more on that one later.  

In some respects, “The Mummy Returns” succeeds as a larger, and more action-packed adventure picture. While this film is often described as a lesser sequel … it really isn’t that bad, especially when compared to everything else that came after. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that “The Mummy Returns” works just fine as an entertaining, and mostly complete sequel. It develops the characters further, explores the universe more, and features some of the franchises best action sequences. While it’s still dated, and brought down by some noticeable problems, it’s by no means terrible. If fun Saturday afternoon fodder is all you want, then this sequel delivers the goods, and is a mostly entertaining experience.

 

#6 “The Phantom of the Opera” (2004) 

   After two failed Horror reboots, director Joel Schumacher helmed a different project, a theatrical musical rendition of “The Phantom of the Opera”, adapted from the hit Broadway play. The movie came out in 2004, and while it was a modest success, it unfortunately got some really negative reviews from critics. Still, the film has its fans, and being completely transparent for a moment … this is the Phantom movie I have the most nostalgic fondness for. 

For both me and my sister, this was our introduction to the Phantom of the Opera, and what got the ball rolling. While I didn’t care for this movie upon my first viewing, it’s stuck with me over the years, and I find myself liking it more with each viewing. It still has faults, with some boring sequences, an inconsistent color scheme, and an autopilot direction from Schumacher. Still, there’s quality to be found in the film’s sheer spectacle. The costumes are good, the cinematography is great, the visuals are impressive, and the sets are amazing to look at. I can’t make a persuasive argument that it’s one of the millenniums best movie-musicals, but it’s remained a small favorite of mine, and one that I think is a little better than its reputation would suggest. If you’re a fan of the Broadway play, I say checkout this version of “The Phantom of the Opera” for an unremarkable … yet satisfying experience.

 

#5 “Van Hellsing” (2004) 

    Hugh Jackman and Kate Beckinsale play an attractive pair of monster hunters, and they’re out facing all the big ones. 

While this may not be a masterpiece, it is a fun, over the top, monster mash that features all the classic’s, including Dracula, the Wolf Man, Frankenstein’s monster, Dracula’s Brides, the hunchback Igor, and even Mr. Hyde. While these creatures have all been featured together in movies before, this was the first modern film with bigger action, bigger set-design, and perhaps too many special effects for the films own good. The casting is great, with Kate Beckinsale as an attractive monster slaying princess, and Hugh Jackman as a bad ass vampire slayer, you can’t get any more awesome. Throw in some especially attractive vampire brides, one of the coolest makeup renditions of Frankenstein’s monster I’ve ever seen, non-stop action, and you got yourself some solid, trashy entertainment.

 

#4 “The Invisible Man” (2020) 

   Of all the classic Universal Monsters, The Invisible Man has always been my personal favorite by far. For a modern retelling of the H. G. Wells novel, this film doesn’t try to copy the original in any way, and is a completely unique entity on its own, with different strengths than its predecessors. 

I’ve always felt that horror is most effective with the dangers that are off-screen … and this movie takes that approach and runs with it. Leigh Whannell’s direction and presentation is brilliant, as he uses sound design, and crafty camera tricks as a tool to create a sense of uncomfortable tension, and chilling suspense. Subtle practical effects are utilized frequently, while the digital special effects are used sparingly … which I highly respect. The cast all around is solid, with Elisabeth Moss delivering a fiercely committed lead performance. While this remake is by no means a “game changer”, it never the less is a great example of an original source material being reimagined into something fresh, smart, and exciting in its own right. 

 

#3 “Sleepy Hollow” (1999) 

   “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” is one of the most classic ghost stories of all time, and has been retold in several new ways throughout the ages. The 1999 version directed by Tim Burton probably has the least to do with Washington Irving’s novel, but it’s the first one that comes to mind whenever I think of the Headless Horseman. 

This version plays like a supernatural detective case, and captures the look and feel of a 60’s Hammer Horror film. When the monstrous headless horseman awakens from his grave, it goes on a killing spree throughout the town of Sleepy Hollow. All the murders get the attention of Ichabod Crane, played brilliantly by Johnny Depp, who’s on a mission to solve the mystery of the resurrected Headless Horseman. For an extremely over the top and violent film, it sure has all the stuff I love in a good thriller. Every time I watch it, I’m blown away by its haunting atmosphere, and it’s visually a marvel to look at. Tim Burton’s direction gives it a creepy yet magical dream like quality. The cast fill their respected roles very well, and the Headless Horseman is one of the most thrilling movie monsters of all time. While this obviously isn’t a movie for everyone, I personally think it’s one of Tim Burton’s best films, and his first true horror flick.

 

#2 “The Mummy” (1999) 

    Here it is, one of my favorite action-adventure films, and it was also my introduction to the classic monsters in live-action. The adventure takes place in Egypt and follows a team of explorers who accidentally unearth a mummy, whose evil curse spreads across the land like a plague. 

Boris Karloff’s original film will always be a classic, but this mummy is the most unforgettable, and a very personal favorite of mine. The creature itself is one of my favorite modern day movie villains, and a testament to the wonders of both special and practical effects. I love how the mummy changes his appearance in every scene, as he slowly becomes more human, that way the film can surprise us with something new each time our hero’s face him. The characters are also very likable in their own clichéd action hero ways. While a lot of the film can be regarded as campy, it’s still not without some subtly scary moments, and creepy sound effects. It may not be pure horror, but it’s still my personal favorite genera offering of the 90’s, and still stands as one of my favorite entertainment movies all these years later.

 

#1 “The Monster Squad” (1987) 

    A group of boys all living together in a small suburban neighborhood are all obsessed with classic monsters, and have started their own little club. One night, Dracula himself arrives in their area, and has brought all the other classic monsters with him, including The Wolf Man, The Mummy, The Creature from the Black Lagoon, The Brides of Dracula, and Frankenstein’s monster. 

With all these creatures running around, the boy’s band together to utilize their knowledge of monsters as a means to fight them back, and save their home town. It’s a cliched premise to say the least, but I’ve always loved the concept of a small group of kids going off on a small-scale adventure to fight the battles that grownups can’t. It’s also really cool to just see all the classic Universal monsters together in one live-action film. As far as I know, this was the first time they all appeared in a colored live-action movie together. Think of it as “The Avengers” of it’s time … just with classic monsters. For me, this has become the Halloween film to kick-off the season, and set the stage for all the other October material I love. By extent, it's personally my favorite modern age movie to feature the classic monsters.  

Thanks for reading my countdown … and continue to make everyday in October feel like Halloween!