Funnyman Adam Sandler lends
his voice to Dracula, in Columbia Pictures’ new 3D, animated comedy “Hotel
Transylvania.”
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| Character photo courtesy of Columbia Pictures |
In
the film, all of the qualities that make the Prince of Darkness the
indisputable leader of monsters—his strength dominance charisma and perhaps
over-controlling nature-—also happen to make him an excellent manager of Hotel
Transylvania – the lavish five-stake resort, where monsters and their families
can live it up, free to be the monsters they are without humans to bother them.
Problem
is, where his daughter Mavis (voice by Selena Gomez) is concerned, Dracula’s a
softy. Fearful for his daughter’s safety, he’s kept her in the sanctuary of his
hotel her entire life, away from the torch-wielding humans he remembers so
well. But now, on the eve of her 118th birthday, he must keep a promise he made
to let her see the world for the first time.
Unfortunately,
in the midst of this, a hotel brimming with monster guests, and the arrival of
the first human ever to set foot in the castle, Drac’s well-laid plans start to
unravel fast. What is a doting vampire father to do—continue to protect Mavis
from the threat of humans, or relinquish control and let her spread her (bat)
wings and fly…?
“I
wanted Adam to redefine Dracula for a new generation,” says director Genndy
Tartakovsky. “We’ve seen the Bela Lugosi’s Dracula and all the other Draculas;
I wanted a performance that would be a new Dracula for our generation.”
The
character is truly a new take on Dracula. “I’m most proud of Dracula – he’s a
fun, manic character to watch,” says the director. “I love to see how people
react to the animation – how crazy and fun it gets. I’ve shown some of it to my
kids, and their eyes open wide. The most important thing is that it never takes
itself seriously – it’s just so fun.”
“Adam
is not only the star of the movie, but has been very involved with the making
of the film,” says producer Michelle Murdocca. “Of course, he brings the
comedy, but he also has a lot of warmth, which comes out in his scenes with
Mavis – he’s the loving, doting dad. Then, in the scenes with Dracula’s
friends, Dracula can be a little controlling – a guy who wants things a certain
way. Adam brings an amazing richness where he can turn on a dime – all of these
aspects are part of the same character, the same performance.”
Working
with Sandler brought an unexpected challenge for Tartakovsky that created a
memorable moment. “It was very intimidating when we had our first creative
meeting where Adam and some of his guys would be riffing on some jokes. I sat
quietly, nervous to contribute. But then I gathered some courage and jumped in,
and when they laughed I felt relieved.”
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