Welcome back
to Mr. Movies October Marathon, and to properly celebrate this Halloween season, we need to take a look back at the most famous movie monsters of all time ... the
eight classic Universal movie monsters. Dracula, The Wolf Man, Frankenstein,
The Bride of Frankenstein, The Phantom of the Opera, The Mummy, The Invisible
Man and The Creature from the Black Lagoon are Universals most celebrated,
marketed, and memorable movie monsters, all of whom have had countless adaptions in
film and media.
#8 The
Phantom of the Opera (1943)
While the original silent film from 1925 is often sighted as the best classic, Universals 1943 release of “The
Phantom of the Opera” was still the first to have sound and dialogue, which is why it's grouped with the others. With that said, I never felt that this version was quiet on the same level of quality as the other classic monster films. It's certainly a great looking movie, was the only one originally shot in color, and it makes the sets and interiors genuine spectacles to look at. Claude Rains likewise is fantastic as the phantom, and even Susanna Foster is an above average female lead for the genera of the time. Unfortunately, there's a number of details that keep this movie from surpassing it's peers. Most of the supporting characters drag things down, there’s some really annoying hummer, a sub-plot involving a pointless lovers triangle, and a villain who doesn’t get enough attention. There’s also a noticeable lack of mystery, as the Phantoms story is told from the ground up, and hindering his screen presence less exciting as a result. Honestly, while this isn't a terrible movie by any means, there's just better versions of “The Phantom of the Opera” that I would recommend over this film. Personally, I'd suggest the 1962 Hammer studio remake, as I find that one largely superior.
#7 Dracula (1931)
This was the very first "Sound" horror movie, a true classic in every sense of the
word ... but for me personally, it doesn’t hold up as well for repeated viewings, at least in comparison to the others. Bela Lugosi’s performance as Dracula is still one of
the greatest villain performances of all time, and I highly recommend the Dracula special
edition, because of the added score by Philip Glass, which is one of the
most atmospheric, and haunting musical scores I’ve ever heard. Never the less, I
still find this a rather sluggish and dull film, with an anti-climactic ending
that always leaves me feeling empty. I won’t deny that this film is a classic, with a rich mood, but if you want a really good Dracula movie, I’d personally recommend the 1958
classic “Horror of Dracula” starring Christopher Lee instead. That to me
is about as great as vampire movies get.
#6 Frankenstein (1931)
From one landmark classic to another, "Frankenstein" is next, and while I have more feelings for many of it's successors ... I still consider this one of the greats. I absolutely feel that "Frankenstein" has aged better than “Dracula”, but I still don’t
think it’s quit on par with some of the others. It certainly holds your
interest while watching it, and everything from the opening in the cemetery, to Doctor Frankenstein’s lab, to the angry villagers are all very memorable. Most
unforgettable of all is Boris Karloff’s performance as the monster. His image
under that makeup is just so iconic, and he just lights up the screen.
Overall, it’s not a huge re-watch film, but it’s certainly worth watching if
you haven’t seen it.
#5 The Mummy (1932)
Surprisingly, this film is far more sophisticated then a movie about a cliched,
bandaged mummy killing people. It’s all about an evil spirit that simply wants
to bring back its long-lost love, and for an older 1930’s film, it boasts a spooky
atmosphere, and creates an eerie mood. Boris Karloff once again shines as the
mummy, and in my opinion, is even better here than he was as Frankenstein’s
monster. He has such a hypnotic and creepy feel whenever he’s on screen,
especially with him staring at you half the time with those lifeless eyes of
his. The rest of the characters do a great job holding your interest, most
notably the female lead named Helen, who’s easily the most attractive lead from
any of these early monster films. This is all around a very unique horror movie
that doesn’t rely on common horror movie conventions, and instead treats the
audience to a competently constructed film. Its only real weakness for me is
that it looms in the shadows of personally one of my favorite movies ever, the 1999 remake of The Mummy staring
Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz. That was the film that originally introduced
me to the character, and it’s been a personal favorite ever sense ... but the classic is still great.
#4 The Wolf Man (1941)
Now, things are starting to get really good. Unlike Dracula or The Mummy
who were purely evil, The Wolf Man is an innocent civilian that has an
uncontrollable monster living inside of him. You couldn’t ask for a better
actor to play both the werewolf and the victim than Lon Chaney Jr. This is a
character that’s very menacing, but at the same time we feel so much sympathy
for him. All the characters are great, the emotional levels are high, there are
plenty memorable lines of dialog, and you really just want a good outcome for
this pore soul. The film does lack a cool transformation, as well as a good
shot of the full moon, but it makes up for that with its chilling atmosphere,
foggy streets, foreboding cemeteries, forests and the music is
awesome. This film also features one of my favorite moments from any of the classic
Universal monster movies, and it’s when our lead has a chilling nightmare,
which leads into a spooky montage featuring nightmarish imagery. The Wolf Man
is a first-rate Horror classic, and highly recommendable.
#3 The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
This
movie is often regarded as one of the greatest movie sequels of all time, and
stands on its own as a classic, perhaps even more so then the first film.
There’s no denial there, as this really is a sequel that matches the the
original, and then goes twelve steps further. Despite what the title may lead you to think, the actual bride
(played fairly well by Elsa Lanchester) doesn’t come tile the very end of
the film, and is only seen for a few minutes ... yet, she still has a place in the monster hall of fame. Regardless, the main attraction of this film is the actual Frankenstein monster itself. Boris Karloff is back in the role, and turning on a
far more effective and emotional performance. The creature can now talk, and it
exposes both his monstrous side, and a rather tragic, sympathetic side.
There’s a pivotal moment in which the monster makes friends with a blind man, who brings out a good side to the creature. It might just be the most touching
moment between man, and monster to be viewed on screen. There’s also an awesome
new evil doctor, a terrific score, some very impressive special effects, and
some genuine chills. This is one old monster movie that has aged remarkably
well, so I say check it out if you haven’t seen it.
#2 The Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)
Speaking personally, I’m a huge fan of 50’s sci-fi films, so naturally, “The Creature from
the Black Lagoon” stands as one of my favorites among all these classics. The cast is great,
in that campy, and traditional kind of way. The creature (or Gill Man) on
land is played by Ben Chapman, but the real star is Richard O' Brown, who
played the creature under water. Not only did he Incorporate some
very unearthly swimming moves to the creature, but also while warring that
heavy monster costume, and holding his breath between takes (because he couldn’t
get breathing equipment under that costume). In others words, this guy deserves
a freaking metal, because that’s very impressive. The creepy swamp scenery is
great, and the underwater cinematography is brilliant. It might be the most
innovative camera work for its time. The buildup is equally strong, the
characters are good, and the payoff is exactly what you’d expect. This is a fun,
fun monster movie that to date hasn’t been surpassed ... not including the superior creature design seen in “The Monster Squad”.
#1 The
Invisible Man (1933)
Anyone who decides to sit down and watch “The Invisible Man” is in
for a really fun time. The visual effects are amazing, the tension is great,
and its hands down the funniest of the classic monster movies. For my money, of
all the talented actors who’ve brought these classic monsters to life, no one
excites me as much as Claude Rains in the roll of the Invisible Man (the
same talent who played The Phantom of the Opera). Not only is
his voice perfect, but his personality is outstanding. He perfectly balances
the line between being intimidating and hilarious. Just like The Wolf Man and
Frankenstein’s monster, he’s both sympathetic and ruthless, which is always an
awesome combination. This film is just great entertainment, complete with
plenty of thrills, laughs, and the unforgettable screen debut of
Claude Rains. Personally, it’s the most recommendable of all of the classic
Universal monster movies, and one of my all-time favorite horror films.
Thanks for reading my Ranking List ... and continue to enjoy the movies you Love!
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