The original *Frankenstein *is a great movie. I like the original *Dracula * as well, even though it does slow down in the middle of the movie.
Just watched Dracula’s Daughter today. Wow, this was a fun movie. I thought it was on the Logo network as it had major lesbian overtones in it.
Bride of Frankenstein is better than the original Frankenstein. The Frankenstein monster seems to actually be more of a person.
Let’s see, what else have I watched? Ghost of Frankenstein. I remember this one from the old late night horror movies that were shown on broadcast tv. I also like this movie. Frankenstein gets his brain replaced. A fun movie, although we’re getting into B movie territory.
The original version of The Mummy. It isn’t what you’d expect. There isn’t really a mummy in the movie. The first part of the movie is great. But, once the movie gets going, the mummy spends most of his time not as a mummy. Still, it isn’t a bad movie. I’m looking forward to seeing the rest of them. I’ve read that most of them have the typical mummy in bandages monster.
You’re forgetting The Wolf Man and The Creature from the Black Lagoon (somewhat forgotten, but deserving of a place in the pantheon), as well as the Lon Chaney silent film monsters.
Netflix sent me House of Frankenstein, but it got messed up in the mail. It got sent back the same day. I’ve read mixed reviews but I’ll give it a shot.
*The Invisible Man * is next on my list. I really like how so many of these dvds have 2 movies on them.
I don’t remember seeing the Wolf Man. I’ll probably check that out as well.
The only silent horror movie I’ve seen was Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. I didn’t care for it as much as the first 2 sound versions.
The young lady love interest in The Invisible Man = the old lady in Titanic, Gloria Stuart.
The Wolf Man is fantastic. You have Chaney Jr in his best role. (Yes, I’m counting Lenny in Of Mice and Men. Larry Talbot is complex, deep and tormented. Lenny is Lenny.) You have some Claude Rains, a wee bit of Bela Lugosi, and of course, the legendary Maria Ouspenskia!
As for silent horror, you must see Nosferatu and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.
Return of the Creature was also good. But ,I think it was in 3 they put him in a suit. What was the name of the boat that captured him?
The mummy was a precursor of the zombie movies. A slow and dangerous monster that just keeps on coming.
You need to watch the Spanish-language Dracula. Much better movie in every way, except for one thing: The actor who plays Drac can’t hold a candle to Lugosi.
My dream is that someday some clever editor will paste together the two films, substituting Lugosi into the Spanish film. That would be the definitive Dracula.
*The Invisible Man *is great for the peerless voice of Claude Rains. But yes, *The Wolf Man *is outstanding. The interiors of the Talbot home are so beautifully lit and photographed you’ll wonder why black-and-white cinematography ever went out of style.
When I was a wee lad I watched all of these - and even the campy ones with Abbot and Costello in. I had glow-in-the-dark models of The Wolfman and Dracula.
My favorite of all of those is the peerless* Bride of Frankenstein*. But a close second, not to be missed, by the same director, is the hilarious The Old Dark House. It’s the original car-breaks-down-go-to-creepy-old-mansion-for-help movie, and yes the door of the Old Dark House is opened, on this dark and stormy night, by a grunting butler played by Boris Karloff. Whale clearly did it as some kind of twisted horror comedy. Please add it to your list!
Also, check out the three titles directed by John Brahm for Fox. The Undying Monster is closest in tone to the Universal films, but Hangover Square is something of a Victorian-Noir masterpiece.
You mention the most excellent “Bride” along with “The Old Dark House” and you don’t mention the real star of both- Ernest Theisiger?
Btw, TODH also has Gloria Stuart. I saw these both along with Gold Diggers of 1935 at the L.A. Egyptian Theatre where she came to speak at a film festival for her a few years back.
Wait, wrong. Thesiger hast the funny little “Devil Dolls” in Bride; it’s Lionel Barrymore who’s the star of Devil Doll. And he does most of the movie in drag! Also, not to be missed.
I just started the Spanish Dracula tonight. Didn’t have time to finish it, left off after the boat arrives in London. Excellent movie. I’ll finish it tomorrow.
I recently watched the Frankenstein, Dracula, Mummy and Creature From The Black Lagoon box sets. Would have watched the Wolfman but my rental place didn’t have it.
