Top five Universal monsters
August 1st, 2008
I love the Universal monster movies, I have always loved sitting up late in the night with a cup of hot coffee and watching the old black and white movies flickering. Whilst there aren’t a huge amount to choose from I thought I might lend my hand to ranking them in my personal preferences.
When I have the time I really want to sit down and draw each of these (who am I kidding? I don’t have any time!?).
- The Creature from the Black Lagoon - OK I love me some Gill-man, I don’t know what it is. The creature himself looks so impressive, certainly more monsterous than Frankenstein and Dracula. The underwater sequences in that suit must have been a nightmare to film. No remake as of yet though I believe that one is on the horizon. Plenty of sequels though that I have to admit I’ve yet to watch. Like all of the other monsters he does look pretty awesome in The Monster Squad.
- Dracula - Dracula is one half of your big two (the other of course being Frankenstein). Lugosi as the Count is mesmerising and even more impressive if the story that he didn’t speak English and learnt the script phonetically is true (I’ve since learnt that this is indeed an urban legend of sorts). I’m told that the Spanish language version that was shot at the same time on the same sets (after hours that is) with different actors is quite good too and one of the few surviving examples of this practice. Dracula has been remade or featured in so many movies that it’s hard to judge them as an overview, it can certainly be said that the Hammer Horror versions are all top notch.
- Frankenstein - So interesting on so many levels, the original vision of this character will always be the most enduring to me. There is so much anger, sadness, evil, innocence and confusion inside that creature. When it throws that little girl into the river thinking that she will float like the pretty flowers is a scene that has always stuck with me. Subsequent versions have failed to impress me (unless we’re talking Monster Squad).
- The Metaluna Mutant - For some reason I didn’t think that the mutant from This Island Earth was in fact a Universal monster, some would argue and I’m probably amongst them that it falls more in the science fiction realm than the horror but I’m going to include it anyway. It actually bumped poor Wolfman probably because I see the bug eyed mutant as such an iconic image of 50s scifi, not that Wolfman is a slouch when it comes to icons.
- The Invisible Man - Again Wolfman came very close to being traded for this spot but the Invisible Man hung on. I have a lot of memories tied up in the character and his story appeals to me slightly more. Claude Rains brought so much to the role as the character becomes more and more frustrated and mad as he tries to reverse the invisibility. It’s one of those wonderful tragic endings that the only way to be released is through death. The less said about the Chevy Chase version the better.
Apart from Wolfman the other notable absentee is the Mummy. I dunno he is a close one after the Wolfman. The Phantom of the Opera does not however even come close. He just doesn’t do it for me. Could it be the musical that kind of ruined it for me? Yeah probably. Was the Hunchback a Universal character? I have vague recollections that it was a foreign film?
Actually the Bride of Frankenstein should be up there too.
So what do you guys think? Do these guys stand the test of time? Anyone left out? Who are your favourites?
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Categories: Top five | Tags: creature from the black lagoon, dracula, frankenstein, Friday top five, gill man, invisible man, lugosi, Metaluna Mutant, Movies, This Island Earth, Top five, universal monsters
“The less said about the Chevy Chase version the better. ” Agreed, though it’s still better than The Hollow Man!
The Charles Laughton Hunchback was RKO… great film though. Makes me sob every time I see it.
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A very good list. I don’t éxactly know what you mean by universal monsters..but Godzilla is, although not really a monster with a human character..a big monster.
Arjans last blog post..You’re as beautiful as a foot
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Old Godzilla movies were definitely my favourite when I was a kid.
Sams last blog post..This is my Brother
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Hi Arjan - Universal monsters refer to the series of horror films that the film company Universal Pictures released during/around the 50s.
So Godzilla is not invited to the party
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I didn’t mention Hollow Man for a reason
Errrg it’s yucky even thinking about it.
Yeah Hunchback is a brilliant film, surprisingly moving.
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They all sound good to me. I’m no expert in the ‘Universal Moster’ genre, but I’m suprised zombies didn’t get a mention. I would have thought Zombies were a standard monster that movie makers could have a lot of fun with.
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Actually Ian I don’t know if Universal did a Zombie film. Old school zombies are cool, I don’t go in for these fast moving ones.
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I thought the Metaluna mutant was so cool when I saw it as a kid, I dropped my interoseter…
(not sure about the spelling there, and not sure I care - I think I just found my nerd limit)
and I always thought the creature was cool. What really made it cool was that incredible claw (particularly in one creepy “through-the-porthole” sequence)
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John - the claws are something I must admit I always found particularly impressive, it’s a very cool costume indeed.
The mutant’s claws are quite awesome now that I think about it but neither match that drawing you in thing that Lugosi did with his hands.
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