Universal Monsters

For the older generations of movie goers, the monster movies coming from Universal Studios were the best thing around. Although they were not really a product of my generation, (except for their availability on television back in the day when there were only three TV stations) I have a great appreciation for many of them and continue to watch them periodically.

"Frankenstein" (1931) James Whale directed Frankenstein and placed in the role of a monster, Boris Karloff (billed only as "KARLOFF"). No stranger to film making, he had been a supporting player (over 70 films, as early as 1916) but this movie, and Universal Studios, made him the man who's name would be synonymous with the Frankenstein Monster. If asked to name persons that have performed the role many could name a few, some may name one or two, but EVERYONE could name Karloff.

"Bride of Frankenstein" (1934) James Whale returned to the director's chair to finish the saga of Frankenstein. Karloff returned for the last time as the monster, and again in "Son of Frankenstein" but would bow out for the three more times that Universal would write the monster into a monster movie script.

"Dracula" (1931) Tod Browning directed Bela Lugosi. Again, the old movies somehow manage to insert a face into a character that will never be forgotten. It's not blood, gore or special effects that make this movie. Christopher Lee may have been the scariest, Frank Langella was more stylish, Gary Oldman provided the animal magnetism but it was Lugosi's thick Romanian accent and hypnotic delivery that make it unforgettable. While Browning's direction of Lugosi may have produced the best portrayal, the best production of Dracula in 1931 may well go to the Spanish Language version, directed by George Melford. Often filming at night and able to view daily shootings, the production team was able to make many changes that dramatically stand out. Although Carlos Villarias's Dracula is inferior by leaps and bounds, the overall visual affects compensated for lack of a star of Lugosi's intensity. If you have not had the opportunity to see it and appreciate the Browning film, you owe it to yourself to seek it out.

The Wolf Man (1941) directed by George Waggner, stars Lon Chaney, Jr as Lawrence Talbot. While he was the son of "the Man of a Thousand Faces", who made an extraordinary career of creating extensive make-up devices, it was Jack Pierce who was responsible for the wolf man that would be the best ever for decades. It would take a lot of special effects and technology to knock it out of it's ranking. I have just learned that this is slated for a remake to be released in 2010.

Universal would also introduce viewers, to the Mummy, the Invisible Man and the Creature From The Black Lagoon. While Universal was an innovator in the field of monster movies of their time, they finally saturated the market producing inferior sequels and allowed their characters to be included in comedy spoofs that finally made them the object of laughs rather than screams.