10 Great Moments From Not So Great Movies

6. Dracula's Ball (Van Helsing)

Van Helsing Van Helsing was a great high-concept idea, executed poorly. Designed to launch a new adventure franchise, poor reviews and lukewarm box-office ensured the monster mash-up stumbled out of the gate. With enough monsters, plot twists and action to sustain two movies, what Van Helsing really needed was a little restraint. When it did, it led to the best scene in the movie. It begins with a lengthy establishing shot that shows off the incredible production design; set in a cavernous hall, the masquerade ball is a suitably convincing depiction of 19th Century decadence. Trapeze artists, fire-breathers and opera singers all feature as Richard Roxburgh's Dracula and Kate Beckinsdale's Anna bust some ye olde moves while he delivers exposition. Then comes the big reveal; as they move in front of the mirror we see that she is the only one with a reflection. In a movie that rushes from one CGI-heavy set piece to the next with little regard for plot and character, it's almost ironic that this subtle moment is the most memorable part of the movie.
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