Onwards I plod towards the completion of this blog series on the Universal Classic Horror films, started in 2008. This third "Abbot and Costello meet the monsters" installment is perhaps the most simple, primitive installment so far--and also I think it is my favorite.

Compared to MEET FRANKESTEIN (1948) and MEET THE INVISIBLE MAN (1951), the ( Read more... )

Ten years! It's been 10 years almost to the day since the last entry in my Universal Classic Horror blog series. According to a list, available then but now gone from Wikipedia, there are 51 films in the classic Universal Horror film series, starting with THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME (1921) and ending with THE MOLE PEOPLE (1956). I watched and ( Read more... )

Universal Pictures Scooby Doos itself with this comedy send up of its monster franchises, which was well liked at the time of its release and temporarily revived the careers of the famous comedy duo in the title. The film is also notable for the return of Bela Lugosi in the role of Count Dracula for the first time since the original 1931 ( Read more... )

All good things come to an end, and when it happens, they aren't always good anymore. This was Universal's last straight film of the classic era with Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Wolf Man (each would return, however, for a last hurrah in ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN (1948)). In our story, Count Dracula arranges to have his coffin ( Read more... )

Huzzah, this is Universal Pictures' final Mummy film. Well, final until ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET THE MUMMY (1955) and Stephen Sommers' Indiana Jones-inflected revival of the franchise in 1999. But this is, at least, Universal's last classic non-comedic Mummy film, and none too soon given the evident lack of inspiration.[1 ( Read more... )

Because nothing says Christmas Eve like a Mummy movie ( Read more... )

In 1944, while Universal's other monster franchises were running out of ideas, the Invisible Man series could still be counted on for creativity. The invisible man this time is Bob Griffin (Jon Hall), who is strangely no relation to the other invisible Griffins, Jack, Frank, and Frank. Bob starts the film as an insane fugitive from justice, and ( Read more... )

Pop quiz for readers of this blog series: What is House of Frankenstein ( Read more... )

THE CLIMAX was envisioned as a sequel to the phenomenally and deservedly successful PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1943), but they couldn't get anyone in the cast to return except for Susanna Foster, and the story went in a different direction with all new characters. The film is shot in Technicolor (alas, not as brightly lit, well designed, or well ( Read more... )

Lon Chaney Jr. takes his turn as Count Dracula, traveling under the assumed name of Count Alucard, which maybe isn't the most ironclad alias. Drac is up to his old tricks, but this time in the American South, seducing women in white dresses away from their fiancées and draining the blood from the necks of his victims. Alucard arrives on a train ( Read more... )