With Hollywood’s new obsession with vampires after the release of “Twilight,” “New Moon” and shows like “True Blood” and “Vampire Diaries,” it comes as no surprise that Hollywood’s next horror spoof would be about vampires as well.
In “Transylmania,” an odd group of college students embark on a wild, extreme adventure abroad. After all, studying abroad is a good way to stimulate students’ minds, learn new languages, make new friends, explore a new culture and grow as individuals. But these students weren’t accepted to any decent study abroad program. Instead, they are shipped off to Razvan University.
Razvan University is a centuries-old castle, located in the “cursed land” of Transylvania. It was said to be home to vampires during the Dark Ages. At Razvan, professors are fully dressed in black leather, and the dean is only 3-feet tall.
The students take courses like Garlic Growing 101, Advanced Wooden Stake Whittling and Crossbow for Dummies
According to production notes, “Transylmania” is a bubbling cauldron of off-the-wall horror spoof, vampire action-adventure and naughty college comedy, “Transylmania” culminates in a side-splitting climax that just might leave our bumbling heroes not Euro-trashed, but Euro-slashed.
The film was produced by brothers David and Scott Hillenbrand, who have been said to be fans of Mel Brooks’ classic 1974 horror spoof “Young Frankenstein” for years.
“We wanted to make a movie that didn’t merely spoof scenes from other horror movies,” David said, “but had fun with all kinds of genres.”
“We liked the idea of combining the feel of a road trip movie with a vampire, monster genre comedy. You get a mix that audiences haven’t quite seen before,” David said.
Productions notes also say, ” the film is inspired as much by comedy romps like ‘Road Trip,’ ‘Tropic Thunder’ and ‘Pineapple Express’ as ‘Van Helsing,’ ‘Twilight,’ ‘Underworld’ and other vampire flicks”
Actor Patrick Cunningham, who plays Pete, the typical partier and stoner of the film, said, “Twilight blew up!” Along with Hollywood’s vampire craze and “New Moon” release, “it’s not a bad lead to piggyback that success.”
The film stars Patrick Cavanaugh, James DeBello, Tony Denman, Paul H. Kim, Jennifer Lyons, Oren Skoog, Irena A. Hoffman, David Steinberg, Musetta Vander, and Natalie and Nicole Garza, formerly the Double mint twins.
With sexy hunchbacks, topless vampires, typical college behavior like partying and girl-chasing, monsters and all the gross perks of a horror movie, “Transylmania” is sure to be a hoot, especially for college students. A hilarious movie to see during their seasonal break!
“The film is relatable to college students, their behavior, and their experiences,” Cunningham said.
The movie is rated R and opens in theaters Dec. 4.