Should Van Helsing Have Remained in Black & White Throughout the Movie? Part Deux

[Winter]

Last year I asked the question if the 2004 movie Van Helsing should have been in Black and White all the way through instead of just the film's prologue. Since it's the witching season I decided to re-watch this film again and by god I still love it. As I said in the original post to me this is the Hocus Pocus of the 2000's with cheesy acting, over the top and very dated effects and one of the most Hammy Count Draculas to ever be put on the silver screen. It's so silly that I can't help but love it.

A lot happened after posting that so I had to table the idea for a while but when I went to re-watch it and I decided to take hammerofglass advice and set my screen to black and white to see how the film looked. And Wow this completely changed the film in the best way possible because guys, the film looks AMAZING in Black and White. So many shots go from looking pretty solid to out right GORGEOUS and every thing just seemed to click more with it's over the top style of acting and effects.

One scene that really stood out more in Black and White is when the sun shines on the village when the brides of Dracula attack Helsing and Anna. The shot looked good in color but now just Beautiful with all the color drained out. Like it looks like a shot taken straight out of the classic Universal Horror Movies and uh, *Chef's Kiss*!

Even one of the film's greatest weaknesses, the dated CGI, honestly isn't as noticeable in Black and White or at least it adds to the more hammy and cheesy elements of the film.

Seriously, now that I have seen the film like this I HIGHLY recommend that you all do the same and if one day Universal Studios decides to release a Director's Cut they should have be in or at least be given the option to watch it all in Black and White. It's a small change but one that adds so much to the film and makes it feel like a proper tribute to the classic monster movies.

[CharlesPhipps]

No, because the absurdly hot women of the movie deserve all their colorful hair and costumes.

And no, I'm not dialing back that reasoning.

They killed a potential franchise by killing Kate Beckinsale, though. I'd have watched the duo through a dozen movies.

[McAvoy]

Black and white is just a artistic choice. The average viewer won't appreciate it on that alone. Sin City got away with it due to how comic book it was.

Hmmm.. Redoing Van Helsing like Sin City would have been interesting.

[Winter]

Black and white is just a artistic choice. The average viewer won't appreciate it on that alone. Sin City got away with it due to how comic book it was.

Hmmm.. Redoing Van Helsing like Sin City would have been interesting.

Not sure that would work, Sin City is VERY stylized and meant to emulate the comic as much as possible. Van Helsing is filmed more like an classic Universal Monster Movie with a few more "Modern" tricks like slowmo and CGI.

[McAvoy]

Black and white is just a artistic choice. The average viewer won't appreciate it on that alone. Sin City got away with it due to how comic book it was.

Hmmm.. Redoing Van Helsing like Sin City would have been interesting.

Not sure that would work, Sin City is VERY stylized and meant to emulate the comic as much as possible. Van Helsing is filmed more like an classic Universal Monster Movie with a few more "Modern" tricks like slowmo and CGI.

I know and I know the movie is copying the style of comic book. Just saying the idea of a Van Helsing movie like Sin City would be interesting. Not even talking about ripping off the stylized scenes.