Universal Monsters Series (1925-1956) Tribute Thread

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Re: Universal Monsters Series (1925-1956) Tribute Thread

Post by GojiDog »

I love the Universal Monster films and I watch a handful of them for Halloween every year. And as they get older, I love them even more because its a style of film that is so far out of style now that they weirdly stand the test of time by being completely unique to themselves.

Dracula, The Wolf Man, The Creature from the Black Lagoon, The Invisible Man, The Old Dark House, The Black Cat, and the various sequels and one offs...its just all fantastic. Strangely though, I was never a huge fan of The Mummy...I mean its okay...but feels like a rehash of Dracula at times...oh well. Oh and by the way, Dracula's Daughter is underrated. Countess Zeleska needs more love!

All the movies I like have fantastic sets, great use of music, memorable lines and performances and characters...I can talk about them all day long.

Truly classic is every sense.

The Frankenstein Series are my favorites and its one of the cases where I prefer the adaptation to the source material. No knock on Mary Shelley and her classic work, but really, it is Karloff's performance as The Monster that goes against the novel that works for me. For me, I feel a lot more empathy for The Monster because he's a simpleton that can't adequately deal with the world around him (as opposed to the novel where the monster is actually quite intelligent and fully aware of what he's doing). There is an innocence there that makes me feel for him every time I watch these movies, specifically the first two.

Bride of Frankenstein is at the top for me. One of the greatest movie sequels of all time? Yeah, I'd go that far. There is a scene in this movie that brings a tear to my eye every time I see it (when The Monster meets the blind man) and Karloff's performance is at its best here as well. This is also one of my favorite movie climaxes of all time. Also Dr. Pretorious needs more love as an all time great movie villain. He is just fantastic and deliciously slimy and devilish.
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Re: Universal Monsters Series (1925-1956) Tribute Thread

Post by mvp9056 »

I've never seen the Phantom Of The Opera movies from Universal before. Those were always the outlier to me as far monster movies go. They aren't supernatural like Drac or the Wolfman. They don't employ extravagant mad science Frankenstein or Invisible Man. And I'm not really into musicals (which the 1943 version is) or silent cinema - the 1925 original. However, I will say the Chaney makeup for the original Phantom is absolutely phenomenal, and makes him worthy of standing alongside the others. I consider it probably the 2nd best makeup design of all the characters. Especially considering Chaney did it all himself.

Speaking of which, how would you all rank the makeup/costume designs of the characters?

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Re: Universal Monsters Series (1925-1956) Tribute Thread

Post by eabaker »

mvp9056 wrote:And I'm not really into musicals (which the 1943 version is)
It's a movie that has songs in it, but it is not a musical, in that the songs are all actually motivated as musical performances within the narrative, rather than being employed strictly expressionistically.
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Re: Universal Monsters Series (1925-1956) Tribute Thread

Post by GojiDog »

To be honest, the only Phantom of the Opera film I care about is the original silent movie version, and that is almost entirely because of Lon Chaney. The Claude Rains version was never a favorite of mine.

Speaking of which, how would you all rank the makeup/costume designs of the characters?
Top Ten!
1. Frankenstein Monster (specifically how he looked in Bride. That was the best)
2. Phantom of the Opera (Lon Chaney)
3. The Gill Man / Creature from the Black Lagoon
4. The Wolf Man (Lon Chaney Jr.)
5. The Bride (Elsa Lancaster)
6. Imhotep / The Mummy (Boris Karloff, both the one scene bandaged look and the priestly garb)
7. Count Dracula (Bela Lugosi...its funny. Carradine and Chaney Jr. looked silly in their costumes but Bela...classy and iconic AF).
8. Ygor (Son of Frankenstein and Ghost of Frankenstein)
9. The Invisible Man (Claude Rains...okay technically you can't see him, but to execute the effect, the visual tricks for their time were remarkable).
10. Morgan the Butler (Karloff in The Old Dark House)
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Re: Universal Monsters Series (1925-1956) Tribute Thread

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Gill-man did nothing wrong
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Re: Universal Monsters Series (1925-1956) Tribute Thread

Post by Leviarex »

GojiDog wrote:I love the Universal Monster films and I watch a handful of them for Halloween every year.
Same here. If not Halloween, then at least some time late in October. More specifically the ones I watch are those featuring Dracula, The Mummy, Frankenstein's Monster, The Wolf Man, and The Creature From The Black Lagoon (I've never cared for The Invisible Man that much). The last three are my top favorites out of all the series' monster characters.
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Re: Universal Monsters Series (1925-1956) Tribute Thread

Post by Kaiju no Kami »

I just released a video on my top 10 movies:


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Re: Universal Monsters Series (1925-1956) Tribute Thread

Post by MandaSaurus »

I have Frankenstein, Mummy, Creature Complete Legacy Collections. Passed on Dracula, cuz too many of the Drac flicks are repeated in the Frankie collection...

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Re: Universal Monsters Series (1925-1956) Tribute Thread

Post by UltramanGoji »

MandaSaurus wrote:I have Frankenstein, Mummy, Creature Complete Legacy Collections. Passed on Dracula, cuz too many of the Drac flicks are repeated in the Frankie collection...
It sucks that that is the case, honestly. I wish Universal would release some of the more obscure films like Dracula’s Daughter individually instead of packaged in the big sets.
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Re: Universal Monsters Series (1925-1956) Tribute Thread

Post by eabaker »

I bought all the individual releases when they first came out on DVD, then replaced them with the boxed sets, and traded the individual releases for weed.
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Re: Universal Monsters Series (1925-1956) Tribute Thread

Post by Kaiju no Kami »

UltramanGoji wrote:
MandaSaurus wrote:I have Frankenstein, Mummy, Creature Complete Legacy Collections. Passed on Dracula, cuz too many of the Drac flicks are repeated in the Frankie collection...
It sucks that that is the case, honestly. I wish Universal would release some of the more obscure films like Dracula’s Daughter individually instead of packaged in the big sets.
Well they just did a 30 films box set. Some of them just wouldn't sell being released on their own.

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Re: Universal Monsters Series (1925-1956) Tribute Thread

Post by Spuro »

NECRO POST!

*summons lightning from the heavens and into the Universal Monster Series (1925-1956) Tribute Thread*



Recently, as part of my growing DVD and Blu-ray collection, I discovered and bought for the cheap price of forty dollars the Universal Classic Monsters Complete 30-Film Collection. Unlike most of you here who've posted in this thread, I'm a complete newcomer to the series. Until I bought this box set I'd never seen a single classic Universal Monster film in my life – my focus had always been on the sci-fi/horror films of the 50's and onward (and even then, Creature from the Black Lagoon eluded me).

Now I'm finally introducing myself, diving into a marathon, watching the films from this box set in order of release. As of today I completed the 1930s with 1939's Son of Frankenstein, and I wanted to give a newcomer's first impressions.


1. Dracula (1931)
I must be brutally honest, I had a rough start to this marathon. Dracula disappointed me. Previously my earliest "talkie" had been 1933's King Kong, which really revolutionized film-making on several fronts. Dracula, perhaps because it was made before King Kong, when talkies were still brand new – or perhaps because it was based off a stage play – never quite felt like a "cinematic" experience. The cinematography was minimalistic, saved only by the set design, and led to the feel of watching a recorded stage performance. I don't think it's a film that holds up particularly well, aside from possibly the acting (and as someone with aspergers, I find it very difficult to notice or appreciate acting, good or bad). I've heard the Spanish version (also present in this box set) is a better movie, but I'm saving that for last, to bookend my marathon.

2. Frankenstein (1931)
If Dracula disappointed me, Frankenstein more than made up for it. What a great movie. A fascinating story with both a complex main character and a sympathetic monster, great cinematography and effects, brilliant set design. It's easy to see why this one is such a classic. My favorite scene was when the monster meets the little girl and ends up accidentally drowning her due to a misunderstanding. It sells the tragedy of his existence so well. I'm not sure what more I can say that hasn't already been said.

3. The Mummy (1932)
I knew going in that this wouldn't be anything like the action/adventure comedies that was the Brendan Frasier trilogy, but what surprised me was how similar The Mummy was to Dracula. Both are undead, but intelligent and handsome monsters that rely on hypnosis over brute force to accomplish their work, and both are after the souls of a mortal woman. Although it was slow-moving, I found The Mummy superior to Dracula overall – the monster had understandable motivations and was even a bit sympathetic; his ability to induce heart attacks from another building was a seriously chilling idea; and of course the movie was a lot less "stage-y". IIRC, this was also when musical scores started to punch the movie up, which was a great addition. Not nearly in the same league as Frankenstein, but a good, if slow-burning movie.

4. The Invisible Man (1933)
Holy shit. If you told me that the movie about a normal human who's invisible would turn out to be my favorite movie of the lot so far, beating out the vampires and mummies and monsters, I'd have never believed you. Perhaps it's because I've always been a fan of horror-comedy. I remember having a smile on my face throughout the movie and even laughing out loud at certain scenes (something I rarely do when watching a film alone). Pure joy of experiencing this film aside, the special effects were fucking incredible as well. I fully believed in the illusion of an invisible man. To think this came out in the same year as King Kong... what an amazing year for movies! I said back during my thoughts on Dracula that I had trouble appreciating actors – this is not the case here; Claude Raines carries charisma that is so bloody infectious. I learned later that this was the inspiration for Mark Hamil's take on the Joker... I can see the resemblance! I adore this movie and can't wait to see it again.

5. The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Alright. Between this movie, the original, and the Invisible Man, I think I'm starting to become a fan of James Whale. This movie manages to surpass the original and is currently my second favorite of the bunch, right after the Invisible Man. The story continues the development of the monster, and its search for acceptance and trying to find a place in a society that hated it felt ahead of its time for the era it was produced in. My favorite scene was when the monster befriends the old blind hermit, the only man who accepts the monster as a fellow man – a surprisingly emotional scene that caught me off guard. I read later that James Whale was an openly gay man, and a lot of the subtext in this movie begins to make sense upon learning this. Production quality is ramped up, presumably given a bigger budget than the original (and being filmed in a post-King Kong world) and feels the most "cinematic" movie yet. And of course I gotta mention the titular Bride. I was disappointed she only appeared at the very end but... wow... I still can't believe how creepy she was. For a 1930's horror film I was impressed that she actually managed to freak me out a bit. That damn hiss... :freak:

6. Werewolf of London (1935)
The first talkie werewolf movie! At least, from what I've read. I can't say I fell in love with this movie – it's my second least favorite so far, only ahead of Dracula – but seeing a werewolf movie before the classic werewolf tropes became set in stone made for an undeniably interesting watch. I laughed when the werewolf stopped to put on a hat and coat before heading outside, can't say I've seen that in a movie before. On the positive side of things, Wilfred's struggle to grow the blossoms before he killed his wife was an interesting story, and the twist with Yogami was one I honestly didn't see coming.

7. Dracula's Daughter (1936)
I went into this one expecting a cheap cash grab. To my surprise I actually liked it better than the original Dracula. Five years have passed since that movie, and it's easy to see how much the landscape of cinema has changed to allow for a more immersive experience. What really drew me in however was our vampire. Unlike Dracula, who was a fairly one-note villain, the Countess's struggle against her predatory nature made for an interesting, complex and sympathetic antagonist that I found myself rooting for, hoping she'd be able to overcome her troubles and witnessing the tragedy as she succumbs and finally gives in. Unfortunately, the third act was weaker than the rest of the film.

8. Son of Frankenstein (1939)
I was nervous that James Whale wasn't returning. This film proved my fears wrong. What a fantastic movie, three for three! The Frankenstein films have been consistently great so far and I'm hoping against hope that this trend continues. The human characters here are my favorites yet, and watching the three-way battle between Young Frankenstein, Igor and the Inspector was more thrilling than the actual monster scenes. The set design was absolutely GORGEOUS in this one. I loved the strange, asymmetrical dream-like architecture and the way the light and shadow played on the walls of the set – it reminded me somewhat of old German silent-era horror films. If I had one complaint, it's that the monster regressed from Bride of Frankenstein back into a brute. Still, this manages to be my third favorite of the films I've seen, right behind Bride of Frankenstein and just ahead of the original.


My Favorites, So Far:
1. The Invisible Man
2. Bride of Frankenstein
3. Son of Frankenstein
4. Frankenstein
5. Dracula's Daughter
6. The Mummy
7. Werewolf of London
8. Dracula


Next I'll be hitting the 1940s. Yeesh... there's a ton of movies in this decade, at least in this box set. Maybe I should break them in half as I review them here – this post alone is long enough and it's only eight movies.

I also know that there are other 1930's Universal horror flicks not in this box set. I don't own them on DVD or Blu-Ray yet, but once I grab them I'll be sure to give my thoughts. I'm especially interested in The Old Dark House (More James Whale, yay!), The Black Cat, The Raven, and the 1925 Phantom of the Opera.
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Re: Universal Monsters Series (1925-1956) Tribute Thread

Post by UltramanGoji »

Glad to see you took the plunge! Universal's output is the creme de la creme of horror films for me. Nothing ever comes close to replicating the gothic, atmospheric visuals and fantastic golden age acting of these films.

Dracula is definitely a polarizing film and I can see how someone would dislike it. I'm a big fan of it's pacing myself, I like it's slow, hypnotic feeling and the awkwardness of it is charming. I haven't checked out the Spanish version yet but I think it's got a far more dynamic look to it from what I've seen. I think the cast had access to the dailies of the English version and were able to experiment more with shot composition and stage direction.

I'm glad you also enjoyed the Frankenstein films and Invisible Man! The latter is definitely one of my favorites of the bunch and Claude Reins' Griffin might break my top 3 all time favorite horror characters.

Dracula's Daughter and Werewolf of London I have to give another look to. I've only seen them once before each and remember Werewolf slightly more due to my school library having the old Crestwood House chapter book version.

Excited to see you jump into the 40's. Things definitely start to change around then.
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Re: Universal Monsters Series (1925-1956) Tribute Thread

Post by Mac Daddy MM »

Just stumbled across this:

https://imgur.com/a/8cQIa

Its the storyboard scenes showing Gillman's appearance and design before he was cut from 2004's Van Helsing. I admit, I kind of like the tail. I can see why he was cut, however. It does suck though, since the Creature hasn't really had a time to shine outside of his original trilogy. His appearance in Monster Squad was pretty good, but limited. While everyone else has had crossovers and remakes galore.


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Re: Universal Monsters Series (1925-1956) Tribute Thread

Post by G2000 »

MM Raids Again wrote:Just stumbled across this:

https://imgur.com/a/8cQIa

Its the storyboard scenes showing Gillman's appearance and design before he was cut from 2004's Van Helsing. I admit, I kind of like the tail. I can see why he was cut, however.
Damn, hadn’t known he was supposed to be in Van Helsing. Kind of wish it had panned out. Conflicted feelings on the tail.
It does suck though, since the Creature hasn't really had a time to shine outside of his original trilogy. His appearance in Monster Squad was pretty good, but limited. While everyone else has had crossovers and remakes galore.
Depending on how you count it he did get The Shape of Water and that wound up winning an Oscar, so it’s not as if it’s all been bad for the Gillman
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Re: Universal Monsters Series (1925-1956) Tribute Thread

Post by Mac Daddy MM »

G2000 wrote:
MM Raids Again wrote:Just stumbled across this:

https://imgur.com/a/8cQIa

Its the storyboard scenes showing Gillman's appearance and design before he was cut from 2004's Van Helsing. I admit, I kind of like the tail. I can see why he was cut, however.
Damn, hadn’t known he was supposed to be in Van Helsing. Kind of wish it had panned out. Conflicted feelings on the tail.
It does suck though, since the Creature hasn't really had a time to shine outside of his original trilogy. His appearance in Monster Squad was pretty good, but limited. While everyone else has had crossovers and remakes galore.
Depending on how you count it he did get The Shape of Water and that wound up winning an Oscar, so it’s not as if it’s all been bad for the Gillman
Yeah... I really don't. It's as much Creature from the Black Lagoon as Humanoids from the Deep are.


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Re: Universal Monsters Series (1925-1956) Tribute Thread

Post by Leviarex »

In three years the series will finally be given the grand theme park treatment:

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Re: Universal Monsters Series (1925-1956) Tribute Thread

Post by SoggyNoodles2016 »

Deleted, wrong thread.
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Re: Universal Monsters Series (1925-1956) Tribute Thread

Post by Spuro »

You know, exactly three months ago I made a post detailing my first steps into Universal's horror output.

I've, uh... seen 27 more films since then (for a total of 35). I could make an update with my thoughts on each movie but... that would be a serious time investment.
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Re: Universal Monsters Series (1925-1956) Tribute Thread

Post by tbeasley »

These are some of my all-time favorite movies - I still remember staying home from school one day to watch all the main films when they were marathoning on TV during the Halloween season.

Dracula, Frankenstein and The Mummy are interesting in how they're essentially this transitional form between silent and sound films. The lack of music adds to the eeriness and the pacing and staging are almost at odds with now most modern audiences expect movies to be presented.

The Invisible Man and Bride of Frankenstein on the flipside feel surprisingly modern and are wildly entertaining - James Whale was definitely the master of these movies.

The Wolf Man and Creature from the Black Lagoon are fun creatures features, although some might be disappointed by the former's limited screen time. The latter however is brilliantly showcased and one of the greatest creature designs of all time.

I have not seen the Claude Rains Phantom of the Opera...

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