Hotel Transylvania, a very adult kids’ movie

When Hotel Transylvania came out in theaters, I was intrigued by the trailers. An animated comedy about classic Hollywood monsters? How is that going to appeal to little kids? I have no kids, so why is it that I want to see it?

I recently got the dvd from Netflix, and I was pleasantly surprised. It is funny, introspective, and cute.

The movie centers around Count Dracula, yes, the Count Dracula (voiced by Adam Sandler). He has a daughter named Mavis (Selena Gomez) and runs Hotel Transylvania, a hotel in the middle of nowhere where his monster friends can let their freak flags fly. Incidentally, it’s Mavis’ 118th birthday, so Dracula has to manage a fully-booked hotel and come to grips with the fact that his daughter is now a grown adult vampire. Add his extreme fear of humans (embodied by Jonathan–Andy Samberg) and other emotional baggage, and Dracula has his hands full. However with the help and support of his best friends (and special hotel guests) Wayne the werewolf (Steve Buscemi), Griffin the invisible man (David Spade), Frankenstein (Kevin James), and Murray the mummy (CeeLo Green)–and their wives and kids in tow–Dracula sorts himself out.

This movie is aimed for children but everything from the classic monster-movie references to the rapid-fire humor suggests otherwise. When asked whether a “wooden stake to the heart” would kill him, Dracula replies, without skipping a beat, “Yeah, well, who wouldn’t that kill?” There are also literary references to things such the Hunchback of Notre Dame and Doctor Frankenstein, as well as references to (zombie) Mozart. This is one of those movies that kids will enjoy but not understand all the humor.

Dracula, minus the cape and superpowers, is just a guy trying to run a business and raise his daughter the best way he can. Any parent or adult can identify with that, which is something I did not expect seeing but enjoyed watching. However it makes sense. Parents have to take their kids to see this movie, they should get as much enjoyment as the kids are.

One of my favorite recurring jokes that is funny–but only the adult audience would understand–is the plight of Wayne, the werewolf father, which is a running joke throughout the film. He comes to the hotel with his heavily pregnant wife, Wanda, and his dozen or so wolf pups. From the minute the pups enter the hotel, they tear up, gnaw, or pee on everything and everyone there to Wayne’s chagrin. All adults, human or supernatural, parent or not can agree with Wayne when he says: “Hey, kids reel it in! You’re only suppose to make mom and dad miserable!” This guy can’t get a moment’s rest, not even when he’s sleeping. They literally surround and envelope him as he sleeps.

I didn’t find out until the end, but the same person who directed The Powerpuff Girls (Genndy Tartakovsky) directed this movie. To everyone who watched PPG growing up, doesn’t that blow your mind? During the credits you will find graphics of the Hotel Transylvania in Powerpuff Girls animated style. For me, that was icing on the cake.

Hotel Transylvania has something for everybody, but I think this is one of those movies that keep kids happy but entertain the adult more. Parents are a captive audience; they might as well be captivated.

Go and get the dvd. You will not be disappointed. I don’t know about you, but when I have to watch my friends’ kids, I’m bringing over this dvd, for my own sake.