Castlevania movie drops whip for sword [Joystiq]

[Icarus Moonsight]

If it was a little less played with it wouldn't be so bad. I can understand using a mace or a flail, hell, even the leg of a table to crush a skeleton. But the Vampire Killer whip is a main plot device of the franchise if not THE main one. If they make his sword the Vampire Killer then I guess that will pass for many people. Maybe tie it in with another beloved story like it was once Excalibur or something and it changes form and function to suit it's current purpose. Even still, I'll have secret wishes that the sword can break into connected segments and resemble a whip like the Ivy Sword from Soul Calibur.

[Berserker]

One can't help but wonder if these guys intentionally fuck with crucial elements of game/cartoon series just to gauge how popular the movie might be by way of how big of a negative reaction they get from fans.

Really though, there's no excuse not to have the whip. It's totally possible to just CG a whip in and have it do all kinds of neat and normally impossible things that would add a lot from a visual-panache standpoint, which must appeal to Anderson who seems to go for visuals-over-substance most of the time, and in that regard there'd be much more possibilities there than you would get from simply giving him a sword instead.

There just seems to be no foreseeable benefit to such a decision, especially when taking into account how it's going to twist in the craw of most people whom you'd want to see your movie.

[Push Upstairs]

You guys get your panties in a bunch over a missing whip when you clearly have forgotten the "Captain N" interpretation of Simon Belmont.

Would you rather have *him* on the big screen?

[Rob2600]

You guys get your panties in a bunch over a missing whip when you clearly have forgotten the "Captain N" interpretation of Simon Belmont.

Would you rather have *him* on the big screen?

Actually, I would prefer him on the big screen. It'd be hilarious...and he used a whip!

[TonyTheTiger]

Actually, I would prefer him on the big screen. It'd be hilarious...and he used a whip!

I agree. In fact, Captain N's Simon was really really awesome. And, if you think about it, is a breath of fresh air from the traditional dark brooding tough guy vampire hunter. Simon in Captain N is more like the constantly improvising Indiana Jones where at any given moment he thinks "Holy shit, I'm gonna die."

And you better believe that if I were directing a Castlevania movie, there'd be at least one point where Simon pulls out a mirror and admires himself. I would just have to do it.

Come to think of it, when I think of what Simon's personality should be like, I think Captain N. Mainly because when I think of every other Belmont I think of the steadfast tough guy. Simon as an arrogant, slightly cowardly, and somewhat bumbling vampire hunter of all things provides a nice divergence from the norm.

[Garry Silljo]

You people are insane. The Captain N Simon is absolutely horrible. There is no reasonable grounds to believe that version of Simon could conquer even one level of Castlevania. He'd go in, see some enemies, see that the place hadn't been dusted in ages, and run away. I don't mind if Simon is full of himself, like overly cocky about his abilities, but instead they took the approach of giving Vanity Smurf a whip.... no.... just no.

[TonyTheTiger]

You people are insane. The Captain N Simon is absolutely horrible. There is no reasonable grounds to believe that version of Simon could conquer even one level of Castlevania. He'd go in, see some enemies, see that the place hadn't been dusted in ages, and run away. I don't mind if Simon is full of himself, like overly cocky about his abilities, but instead they took the approach of giving Vanity Smurf a whip.... no.... just no.

But isn't that interesting (if not a little campy)? I remember when Roger Ebert explained why Indiana Jones is a better character than Lara Croft. He said it's because sometimes it's fun to watch a hero not be very heroic and improvise his way through trouble all the while being scared shitless. I'm not saying that's something I'd like to see every Belmont do, but one out of 6 or 7 could make for some good fun.

[boatofcar]

Once again, I agree with Tony. The Captain N version of Simon would be a riot.

[kainemaxwell]

What a way to drop the ball. There's so much more they go do with a whip in a movie then a sword that we haven't already seen one way or another.

[Kaine2071]

Hope you never drop them balls boy 'cos damn do I love that squeaky voice of yers. Come give grandpa some sugar!

[Push Upstairs]

Simon as an arrogant, slightly cowardly, and somewhat bumbling vampire hunter of all things provides a nice divergence from the norm.

So you want Hugh Grant to play Simon Belmont?

[TonyTheTiger]

So you want Hugh Grant to play Simon Belmont?

I'm thinking more Simon Pegg.

[Garry Silljo]

I'm thinking more Simon Pegg.

Well he does have experience with the undead. That's a plus.

[TonyTheTiger]

I genuinely think it would surprise movie goers. While everyone is conditioned to think of the personality traits of D, Van Helsing, Blade, etc. when they're presented with a movie about the greatest vampire hunter ever, to sit down and get two hours of conceit and buffoonery from the hero (all while being set to a pretty serious backdrop, mind you) would just astound people. Didn't Shigeru Miyamoto once say something about giving people the things they don't know they want?

[calthaer]

No, the reason the Transformers movie is bad is not because they "mangled" the license. They did OK in that regard as far as I'm concerned.

It's bad because there is bad character development. There are too many people running around that aren't well-developed - like that blonde chick and her fat hacker sidekick. We see them a few times in the movie, but - who are they and why should we care? The bad guys hardly have any dialogue whatsoever, so it's hard to really hate them. Compare that to lines like "Such heroic nonsense - BAM!" and you come up way short.

That, and there's just ridiculous nonsense in there. Secret map to the megacube BURNED INTO SOMEONE'S BIFOCALS!!!!1 ON EBAYS!!!! OH NOES!!! And the Autobots sneaking around the parents' lawn while the mom tries to talk to the son about masturbation? Seriously. I thought the way that Transformers hid was...y'know...to turn into cars and such - not try to hide their thirty-foot-tall bodies behind the shrubbery.

Universal Soldier had a better plotline than that. And I'll bet it's going to have a better plotline AND better acting than the Castlevania movie.

[Dr. Dib]

How did this topic go from the Castlevania movie to Transformers?

Anyway, as someone said before the problem with taking out the Vampire Killer is that it has been a main part of the Castlevania in nearly every game. It would basically be like remaking Star Wars, keeping the main plot intact, but leaving out the force. You're leaving out a major plot point.

Though here we may be starting to worry a lot for nothing. Am I disappointed that they took out the whip? Well yeah, I don't really think it can be considered a true Castlevania movie without it, but if they use the sword, call it the Vampire Killer, and keep the backstory intact I think it could be passable. Sure it wouldn't be the same as the game, but it might still be a good movie. We won't know it until we see it.

The problem with adapting anything from its original format to a new format is that the hardcore fans are going to take a "they changed it now it sucks" attitude if they change anything big or small. We simply have to realize that Hollywood really doesn't care too much about us. The hardcore fans probably make up a small part of moviegoers anyway and they are going to see the movie so they can complain about it. The people making the movie are just in it for the money. I doubt many care about their original source material.

But so long as this doesn't get as changed as much as Dragon Ball I think it could be okay.

[kainemaxwell]

If the "Vampire Killer" ends up being some sword, then I'll be pissed.

[Garry Silljo]

It would basically be like remaking Star Wars, keeping the main plot intact, but leaving out the force.

Actually it's more like leaving out lightsabers and replacing them with whips.

[TonyTheTiger]

How did this topic go from the Castlevania movie to Transformers?

Anyway, as someone said before the problem with taking out the Vampire Killer is that it has been a main part of the Castlevania in nearly every game. It would basically be like remaking Star Wars, keeping the main plot intact, but leaving out the force. You're leaving out a major plot point.

Though here we may be starting to worry a lot for nothing. Am I disappointed that they took out the whip? Well yeah, I don't really think it can be considered a true Castlevania movie without it, but if they use the sword, call it the Vampire Killer, and keep the backstory intact I think it could be passable. Sure it wouldn't be the same as the game, but it might still be a good movie. We won't know it until we see it.

The problem with adapting anything from its original format to a new format is that the hardcore fans are going to take a "they changed it now it sucks" attitude if they change anything big or small. We simply have to realize that Hollywood really doesn't care too much about us. The hardcore fans probably make up a small part of moviegoers anyway and they are going to see the movie so they can complain about it. The people making the movie are just in it for the money. I doubt many care about their original source material.

But so long as this doesn't get as changed as much as Dragon Ball I think it could be okay.

You know what? They could change it all they want. Or they could keep it the same. The real problem is that Paul Anderson is not talented. You could give him the script to Citizen Kane and he'd find a way to inject his textbook "Directing For Dummies" style into it. The fact that the whip is being replaced by a sword isn't so much indicative of Hollywood not caring about keeping things the same but more about how Anderson finds it impossible to work with anything that isn't the most standard fare. He has no vision for anything besides cliches.

[Flashback2012]

I've yet to see the live action TF movie and little motivation to ever do so. Even though I was a fan of the cartoon and toy line, I'll not cop to the "Hollywood is raping my childhood" excuse. From what I've seen in pre-release photos and trailers and what I've heard in subsequent word of mouth on what I should expect, it doesn't appeal to me and I'd just as soon vote with my wallet and not subscribe to what they're offering.

In regards to the Castlevania movie, something seems amiss if the main character is not brandishing a whip. I'd say it's about as appealing to me as watching Finding Nemo set in the Sahara desert but I understand that's not the same parallel. I don't have a problem with him having a sword, just that it shouldn't be his primary weapon in the movie. Hell, he should have a whole slew of weapons on his person like the dagger, crucifix, holy water, etc. and that they should utilize each of those in the movie.

What I'm failing to understand is that it's proven that execs in Hollywood get a hard on for movies that are nothing more than a CGI wankfest (case in point TF). To me, it would seem the whip would be THE ideal weapon for a movie like this as a primary weapon for Simon. It's going to take a copious amount of CGI to bring both the denizens of Castle Dracula to life such as skeletons, werewolves, medusa heads, etc. as well as help establish the mood and ambience of the movie. Understanding that, you'd think they'd realize that they could pull off several scenes in the movie that involved zany, over the top uses of the whip for a variety of CGI shots. Everyone knows they LOVE their bullet time effect in Hollywood and you could have tons of that with a whip.

Meh, I can't say I've much faith in this movie even if they left the whip in. I'm willing to bet it'll go over like a lead balloon in the theaters and end up as part of a two-pack with the Dead or Alive movie and available at dollar stores across the country.