THE MONSTERS WITHIN 'VAN HELSING' DIRECTOR STEPHEN SOMMERS UNIVERSAL'S CLASSIC MOVIE CREATURES.

Byline: Glenn Whipp Film Writer

Contrary to appearances, the monster mash ``Van Helsing'' did not begin its life as a multimedia extravaganza.

Sure, you could go see the $148 million movie in theaters today after having already purchased the ``Van Helsing'' computer game and having read the comics and bought the action figures, not to mention the old Dracula, Frankenstein and Wolfman DVDs. And after seeing the movie, you may (or may not) have your appetite whetted for the upcoming ``Van Helsing''-inspired TV series, ``Transylvania,'' and the eventual theme-park ride at Universal Studios.

But 2 1/2 years ago, Stephen Sommers wasn't thinking about any of that. The guy who wrote and directed the two ``Mummy'' movies for Universal was just sitting in his office, trying to come up with an idea. Staring at the walls, as writers will do when they're not staring at the computer screen, Sommers looked at his framed one-sheet posters for the classic Universal horror characters. That inspired him to dig out the movies and have a marathon. And that led to an idea that could be thought of as ambitious or ridiculous or presumptuous - or all of the above.

``It started out almost as a writing exercise,'' Sommers, 42, says. ``I just wondered if I could do it. Could I put Dracula, Frankenstein and the Wolfman in one story and have the characters be vital to each other, not just something like 'Abbott and Costello Meet the Werewolf and Frankenstein.' And, you know, I had my doubts about whether I could do it.''

Universal didn't. When Sommers sat down with studio executives in the spring of 2002 and mapped out his idea, they saw an explosion of synergistic possibilities. Universal, after all, was built on horror movies. Taking the crown jewels of its film library, dusting them off and making them come aliiiive again ... well, short of, say, somehow reinventing ``Jaws,'' this was about the best proposal anyone could make.

``Studios sometimes try to force square pegs into round holes, but the beauty of this was that it wasn't a trick,'' says Adam Fogelson, Universal's president of marketing. ``These characters have a legacy at this studio. And if, by their very nature, they lend themselves to a ride at Universal Studios, all the better.''

Sommers is a self-described square peg, a nice-guy film geek who took immense satisfaction from turning the Mummy into something other than the butt of toilet-paper jokes. With Dracula, Frankenstein and the Wolfman, he faced a different challenge. He had to re-imagine characters that, through the sheer volume of movie portrayals, had almost become obsolete.

That's where Van Helsing comes into the picture. Van Helsing has long been Dracula's nemesis. Bram Stoker used him, as did Tod Browning and Francis Ford Coppola. But Sommers figured if he made Van Helsing into an action hero, a master of monster slaying, then he could take the old monster war-horses just about anywhere.

``He's always been there, always been the hero,'' Sommers says of Van Helsing. ``I don't know if he's ever been this much fun, though.''

Fun is the operative word with Sommers. Hugh Jackman, who plays Van Helsing, calls the filmmaker ``guileless'' and ``like an innocent.'' Co- star Kate Beckinsale adds: ``He's childlike and excited, totally goofy and fun. If you watch him at the mirror, he's so into it. He's like a kid with a very expensive Barbie and Ken.'' (Jackman: ``I'm not THAT expensive.'')

So when it's suggested - as it has been often - that ``Van Helsing'' is little more than a very expensive, somewhat convoluted way for Universal Pictures to flex its multimedia muscles, Sommers recoils. He almost gets mad. And that's saying something, because this guy lives permanently on the sunny side of the street.

``I couldn't make a movie if I wasn't 100 percent interested in it,'' Sommers says. ``I know the perception is that Universal somehow came to me with the idea, but that's just not how I work.''

If anything, Sommers has had to be restrained from participating in all the ``Van Helsing'' spin-offs. He was heavily involved in creating the game, mostly because, as he puts it, `` 'The Mummy' games were not very good.'' (Sommers says his nephew had an even blunter assessment: ``They sucked.'')

So Sommers spent 18 months working on the game, convincing all the actors to lend their voices as well. And then he wrote the pilot and the second episode of ``Transylvania,'' a weekly series for Universal-owned NBC. (``It's not a spin-off,'' Sommers says. ``There aren't any of the same characters. But it will have witches and warlocks and vampires and a lot of fun stuff.'') The show is scheduled to debut next spring.

``He absolutely loves this stuff,'' Jackman says. ``He's a born showman. Even when he runs out of monsters, I think he`s going to be all right.''

Glenn Whipp, [phone]

Glenn.whipp(at)dailynews.com

Monster mash notes

``Van Helsing'' writer-director Stephen Sommers describes his movie's legendary monsters as ``ordinary humans with some rather extraordinary problems.'' Here's how Sommers - and the actors playing Dracula, Frankenstein and the Werewolf - tried to reinvent the classic characters.

DRACULA

The actor: Richard Roxburgh, Aussie actor steeped in Shakespeare.

The new take: Dracula as a rock star, complete with three groupies-turned- brides. ``I got to wondering what would happen if vampires mated,'' Sommers says. ``The story just kind of took off from there.''

Upside of being Dracula: ``Immortality,'' Roxburgh says. ``And just look at those three wives he has.''

Downside: Immortality. And those three wives. ``Dracula is immortal, but he's unable to feel anything,'' says Roxburgh. ``That makes living a drag. And having three wives for eternity could, as most men know, prove to be a double-edged sword. You'd want to take a very, very long time to choose a bride because you're going to have to listen to her voice for many, many years. There aren't any divorce courts in Transylvania.''

Favorite Dracula movie: ``I have a real soft spot for Bela Lugosi, although there's no way on earth you could do a film like the original 'Dracula' now with a gentleman in a tuxedo flipping a cape over his face,'' Roxburgh says. ``Klaus Kinski had such an odd quality in 'Nosferatu.' He was never trying to play a malicious Dracula. There was something very sad about it and slightly pathetic.''

FRANKENSTEIN

The actor: Shuler Hensley, who played another monster - Jud Fry - in the recent Broadway revival of ``Oklahoma!''

The new take: ``He's the Elephant Man or Lenny from 'Of Mice and Men,' '' Sommers says. ``He's sad and lonely and just wants to be accepted like everyone else.'' Adds Hensley: ``Frankenstein is sort of the reverse of Dracula and the Werewolf. They have the beast within. He has the beast outside and the human qualities within. It gives him an awareness of how people are. He doesn't judge from appearances. When you think about it, he's really a nice guy.''

Upside of being Frankenstein: ``He's big and, at least in this movie, pretty agile,'' Hensley says. ``If he could make it out of Transylvania, he'd have a pretty good career in the NBA.''

Downside: ``He wears a size 23 shoe,'' Hensley says. ``That has to cut down on your selection.'' Pause. ``And, of course, there's all those people with pitchforks and torches hunting him. Scary stuff. All that running away from people would probably wear out what shoes he has. He's really in a pickle.''

Favorite Frankenstein movie: ``I love all the takes on him, including Peter Boyle singing 'Puttin' on the Ritz' in 'Young Frankenstein' and Boris Karloff and Herman Munster. This character can work in just about any situation.''

WEREWOLF

The actor: Will Kemp, best known for lead work in Matthew Bourne's ballets.

The new take: To borrow a Cole Porter song title: I've Got You Under My Skin. ``I always assumed the parallel was a drug addict or alcoholic,'' Sommers says. ``It could be your neighbor or best friend. They're so uncomfortable in their own skin that when the full moon comes out they shred it. We just took that metaphor and made it literal.'' Kemp's background in ballet helped with all the writhing. ``Will is an amazing contortionist,'' Sommers says.

Upside of being a werewolf: ``Well, as an actor,'' Kemp says, ``whenever anyone pisses me off, I can say, 'Go watch ``Van Helsing'' and see what happens if you make me mad.' '' Pause. ``But apart from frightening people, I can't see much upside.''

Downside: ``He's an incredibly tragic figure,'' Kemp says. ``He comes under a curse and can't control it. He even wants to kill his sister.'' Pause. ``And then there's the shedding. No more white carpets in your home.''

Favorite werewolf movie: ``I loved 'Wolf,' '' says Kemp. ``Jack Nicholson was fantastic in that. And of course the classics with Lon Chaney growing the hair.''

- Glenn Whipp

CAPTION(S):

6 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- cover -- color) BIG STAKES

Hopes are high for Hugh Jackman and `Van Helsing'

(2) Josie Maran is one of Dracula's three bloodthirsty brides in ``Van Helsing.''

(3) ``Van Helsing'' star Hugh Jackman, left describes director Stephen Sommers as ``guileless'' and ``like an innocent.''

(4) SHULER HENSLEY: ``When you think about it, he's really a nice guy.''

(5) RICHARD ROXBURGH (with SILVIA COLLOCA, left, and ELENA ANAYA): ``There aren't any divorce courts in Transylvania.''

(6) WILL KEMP: ``No more white carpets in your home.''

Box:

Monster mash notes (see text)