Dow Chemical faced a problem in the 1980's- it was making tidy profits in Yugoslavia, but it couldn't take the profits out of the country due to the country's strict laws. Someone within the company pointed out that the company could make a movie in Yugoslavia with its Yugoslavian profits, then effectively "export" the film itself. It was an ingenious plan, one that Hollywood studios had used in Europe after World War II. The company quickly found a film project that it could test the waters with- Transylvania 6-5000.
This scheme worked for Hollywood because it was in the business of making films. Making films in Europe versus making them in Hollywood was merely an inconvenience. How would a chemical and plastics company fare in the tough world of movie production? About as well as one would imagine.
Here it is- the only good thing about this film.
Filmmaking is an interesting business. Egos must be dealt with, arcane rules followed and constantly changing audience tastes must be factored in. Dow Chemical had none of these skills or abilities. Casting Ed Begley, Jr and Jeff Goldblum at a time when neither were considered box office draws was just one of many mistakes.
You're still looking at that other picture, right?
In the film, Ed Begley, Jr and Jeff Goldblum play reporters who go to Transylvania to see if it's full of vampires, vampiresses and monsters like depicted in those old Bela Lugosi films. (By the way, reporters- If your boss approves your request to see if vampires exist, he's probably just trying to get rid of you for awhile.) They strike out at first, but later discover that Transylvania really is just like an old Universal Studios monster picture. By that time the audience has already checked out.
Hey, Kramer is in this one!
The film was barely profitable, but savaged by critics. Leonard Maltin merely noted that "Transylvania 6-5000 stinks." In any case, Dow Chemical felt that the film was not worth the effort put into making it and quietly ended its Hollywood experiment. After all, who could have guessed that a chemical company would be bad at making films?
