Cirque du Freak - The Vampires Assistant

Advantages: Nothing to shout at really
Disadvantages: Not as good as the book.

...Film details: Genre: Horror Film running length: 105 min Language: English Based on the Cirque du Freak vampire chronicles by UK Darren Shan. The film is a fantasy adventure. It tells the story of Darren, an ordinary teenager but things begin to change for him when a vampire named Larten Crepsley gets his teeth into him. Now a vampire Darren joins the Cirque Du Freak, a touring freak show, and unwittingly breaks a 200-year truce between two warring factions of vampires. Suddenly, the now not so ordinary teenager, has to somehow stop creatures from feasting on what?s left of his humanity. Its not a great a great plot, it seems rather disjointed and stumbles from one scene to the next. I found the film hard going( particulary after reading the book, its somewhere in the middle of an adult and childrens film. Some...

Falstaff100 31.10.2009 · Read review
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Review of Cirque Du Freak - The Vampire's Assistant

Cirque Du WOW

Advantages: Breathtaking Show new perspecitves
Disadvantages: Not the same as seeing it live

...First question - Do you know what cirque du soleil is? Well if you don't then it's pretty hard to some up really. I mean yes it is a circus in principle but it is so much more. I'm sure if you have experianced the magic that is the Cirque Du Soleil then you are fully aware of how hard it is to describe to people. The cirque du soleil is a breathtaking show from start to finish, and is made up of a number of acts which are all spectacular to watch. The real magic though is the way in which the show is presented, with each individual show having a unique and interesting soudtrack, which is played live during each performance. The way in which the cast work is fantastic, and the sheer randomness of the show means that at all times multiple things are going on for you to watch and to grab your attention. Being an A level drama...

bonneyboy 03.09.2005 · Read review
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Review of Cirque Du Soleil - La Nouba (DVD)

Meet Darren. He's sixteen going on immortal.

Advantages: Some good casting, great special effects, entertaining storyline
Disadvantages: Too silly and unrealistic for my liking

...Both fed up with their normal and dull lives, best friends Darren and Steve go to see a freak show where all kinds of strange and scary creatures put on performances. But a turn of bad luck sees Steve in hospital and the only way to save his life is for Darren to become a vampire. Larten Crepsley, a vampire himself, takes Darren under his wing at the Cirque du Freak and prepares him for the lifestyle that vampires lead. But when a war breaks out between the vampires and their deadly counterparts, Darren must learn how to fight in order to save himself, his family and the vampire population. ~ Cast ~ Darren - Chris Massoglia Larten Crepsley - John Reilly Steve - Josh Hutcherson Mr Tiny - Michael Cerveris Rebecca - Jessica Carlson Evra the Snake Boy - Patrick Fugit Murlaugh - Ray Stevenson Madame Truska - Salma Hayek...

frankiefromings13 05.12.2009 · Read review
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Review of Cirque Du Freak - The Vampire's Assistant

What a fantastic book, Brilliant written

Advantages: great story, well thought out plot, grips you from start to finish
Disadvantages: nothing

...Darren Shan in cirque du freak writes himself as the main character of the story. The Darren Shan saga has over ten books that all follow the same boy and all follow each other. Cirque du freak is the first of these books and inroduces you to the characters and the story. Basic outline of the book The basic story of cirque du freak revovles around a boy called Darren. Darren is pretty normal guy, he is nothing out of the ordinary except for a wierd love of spiders. He has a nice close family. He has a good group of mates which are like normal teenage boys. His best mate is called Stave Leonard. The main part of the story starts when him and steve buy a pair of tickets to cirque du freak. Cirque du freak is a circus with freaks in. So there are things like wolf-man, a boy that has snake skin and aman with two bellies for example...

09jbooth 24.06.2009 · Read review
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Review of Cirque Du Freak - Darren Shan

How do you actually assist a vampire?

Advantages: Easy Viewing
Disadvantages: No Great Performances, A Bit Forgettable

...Cirque Du Freak ? The Vampires Assistant Cirque Du Freak is a film based on the book series ?The Saga of Darren Shan? written by Darren Shan. I have never read the book myself, so this review will have no comparisons of the 2. Details ---------- Released: 23rd October 2009 Certificate: 12a Running Time: 109 Mins Directed By: Paul Weitz Plot ------ Darren is your usual 16 year old boy, although a bit of a goodie goodie and obsessed with spiders. Along with his best friend Steve, Darren decides to sneak out and visit a travelling freak show that is in town one evening. Here the boys manage to get themselves in trouble, and when vampires are part of the show, they realise just how much trouble. Steve is fatally hurt at school one day and Darren asks the only person he knows can save him for help, Larten Crepsley...

chugglebunny 02.11.2009 · Read review
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Review of Cirque Du Freak - The Vampire's Assistant (DVD)

The greatest show on Earth......on DVD!

Advantages: Can see the show if you can't afford a show ticket
Disadvantages: Not quite as good as being in the theatre itself!

...I am a huge fan of the Cirque Du Soleil shows and have been lucky enough to win tickets to two of the shows. The last time I won tickets I couldn't actually go on the night they offered me the VIP package so they advised they could offer me two seats in the best section instead and they would send me a few bits of merchandise to make up for not being able to enjoy the VIP package. One of these items was the DVD of the show. I didn't actually watch it until recently as I completely forgot they had given it to me as when it had arrived in the post I had simply put it on my shelf to watch after seeing the real thing! Directed by Nick Morris this DVD is the full show of Varekai. It was filmed back in 2003 and was during a performance at the Grand Chapiteau in Toronto. The show: The show is quite hard to describe really as in...

frankiecesca 27.01.2009 · Read review
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Review of CIRQUE DU SOLEIL - VAREKAI (DVD)

An amazing start to the Saga of Darren Shan

Advantages: very gripping storyline, appeals to all ages
Disadvantages: seriously impossible to put down once you start reading it

... General information about the book Cirque du freak was written by Darren Shan and is the first book of twelve in the 'Saga of Darren Shan'. Collins, which is an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers Limited, first published it in Great Britain in 2000. The recommended price is £3.99, which you will probably find to be the same (or approximately the same) in most major retailers. The basic storyline Darren Shan is just an ordinary schoolboy - until he gets an invitation to visit the Cirque du Freak?until he meets Madam Octa?until he comes face to face with a creature of the night. Soon, Darren and his friend Steve are caught in a deadly trap. Darren must make a bargain with the one person who can save Steve. But that person is not human and only deals in blood? The official introduction to the book I...

x__Amz.Loves.Harry__x 29.02.2008 · Read review
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Review of Cirque Du Freak - Darren Shan

A spider with impecable table manners

Advantages: Excellent and easy read
Disadvantages: Very short books

...Well hey there, just so everyone knows this is my second attempt at this review as my saved 600 word original for some reason when clicked on for final editing just doesn?t appear so i'm back to square one...Anyway enough ranting. Cirque du Freak is the first in the Darren Shan saga, as well as being the main character in the book this is also the title the author uses for himself when writing. I guess it makes it easier on him. Anyway these books are to me an inspiration, after having read most of the Anne Rice vampire chronicles I struggled to find anything to renew my interest in Vampire reading, or the occult in general. That was until I stumbled across the Shan saga, my friend lent them to me when I was about 14 and recently I've been buying them, just had to read them again. The Shan books are very different to the Rice ones...

vampiresthirst 01.06.2007 · Read review
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Review of Cirque Du Freak - Darren Shan

A great read for both kids and adults!

Advantages: Amazing
Disadvantages: Can't stop reading :-)

...I often read books, many grab me, some do not. But Cirque Du Freak literally pulled me right into the story. I couldn't let go, i couldn't put it down, I couldn't stop reading. This book is the first in a series of 12 called the Saga of Darren Shan, featuring the actual author as the main charecter. It tells the life of a normal teenager who becomes a vampire. But it's not what you'd expect from a vampire. You'll have to read it to find out more on that. The story is very cleverly written in the first person (the character is actually telling the story as it happens). Currently, Darren Shan is my favourate author, followed by Anthony Horowitz (yes, it's actually better than Alex Rider!). I even got my 37 year old step dad hooked on the books. Now that is somthing! If you're a bit worried about reading a book about vampires, it's not...

matty0501 18.08.2007 (26.09.2007) · Read review
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Review of Cirque Du Freak - Darren Shan

VareKai - this show should go on and on!

Advantages: Exciting, unusual, family show
Disadvantages: None

...Varekai is another superb Cirque Du Soleil masterpiece. I took my family to this show in the Royal Albert Hall (Grandparents, Parents and kids aged 12 and 8) and they all thoroughly enjoyed the show. The show runs in London until 10th February so book now if you want to see something quite different but spectacular. For people who have never been to one of Cirque's performances it is difficult to describe so here goes! Varekai is a beautiful combination of music, dance, comedy, trapeze acts and unusual "flying" men! Think of it as a very modern day circus style show with amazingly talented performers in breathtaking costumes with a specific theme throughout. The set design is fantastic and based on the inside of a forest. The forest is made up of vertical bamboo sticks which soar into the Royal Albert's dome. The stage comes...

amtallen 14.01.2008 · Read review
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Review of Varekai - Cirque Du Soleil