#1,156. Man-Made Monster (1941)

Directed By: George Waggner

Starring: Lionel Atwill, Lon Chaney Jr., Anne Nagel





Tag line: "The most amazing monster the world has ever known "

Trivia: The film was shot in three weeks and was the cheapest film made by Universal in 1941






A little-known Universal horror film from 1941, Man-Made Monster features Lon Chaney Jr. months before he became a star with The Wolf Man, as well as a deliciously evil turn by Lionel Atwill, playing a mad scientist bent on controlling the world.

We open on a rainy night. A bus, racing down a wet stretch of road, is unable to navigate a tricky turn and skids into an electrical tower, resulting in a fiery crash. The only survivor of the accident is Dan McCormick (Chaney Jr.), aka “Dynamo Dan, the Electric Man”, who performs tricks at a local carnival by pretending to “absorb” electricity. To try and determine why he survived the accident, Dr. Lawrence (Samuel Hinds) invites Dan to his laboratory, where he conducts experiments to see if Dan is truly immune to electricity. Also interested in Dan is Dr. Lawrence’s somewhat disturbed partner, Dr. Rigas (Atwill), who believes he can harness the power of electricity to control a human being, in essence turning anyone he treats into a mindless servant. But when Dr. Rigas’ “treatments” lead to tragedy, it’s Dan who’s thrown into jail, accused of a murder he committed against his will.

Despite the fact he’s the “monster” of the title, we can’t help but feel sorry for Dan, who Chaney Jr. portrays as a likable guy caught up in something he doesn’t understand. Yet as good as Chaney is, Man-Made Monster belongs to Atwill, who relishes the role of the nearly-mad Dr. Rigas. During the course of his experiments, Rigas “feeds” Dan high doses of electricity, increasing his strength, but only temporarily (Dan’s power fades when the electrical current surging inside him has run its course). Hoping to make the effect more permanent, Rigas boosts the dosage, filling Dan “to capacity”, as he writes in his journal. This large amount of electricity is what turns Dan into a dangerous creature, making him incredibly strong while, at the same time, taking away his free will. Dan McCormick may, in fact, be a monster, but Atwill’s Dr. Rigas is clearly the film’s most monstrous character.

A strong combination of sci-fi and horror with some pretty cool special-effects [Dan “lights up” whenever he’s fed electricity], Man-Made Monster is one of Universal horror’s best-kept secrets.

#1,071. Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)

Directed By: Charles Barton

Starring: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Lon Chaney Jr.




Tag line: "Jeepers! The creepers are after Bud and Lou!"

Trivia: Originally the Mummy was to be included in the cast of monsters, but that idea was eventually dropped







If I was to compile a list of my favorite horror comedies, It would probably include a few older movies (like Herschell Gordon Lewis’ Two Thousand Maniacs!), a handful of newer ones (Shaun of the Dead and the underrated Doghouse), and, of course, Evil Dead 2, Return of the Living Dead, and Re-Animator (I couldn’t possibly leave those off). 

As with all lists, the tricky part is trying to rank the movies. But one thing is certain: 1948’s Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, a damn funny film that simultaneously pays tribute to the Universal monster movies of the ‘30s and ‘40s, would be right up near the top!

Baggage clerks Chick (Bud Abbott) and Wilbur (Lou Costello) find themselves in over their heads when they deliver a couple of crates to a wax museum. Instead of wax dummies, these crates contain the bodies of Count Dracula (Bela Lugosi) and Frankenstein’s Monster (Glenn Strange), who have come to America to find the Monster a new brain. 

To assist in this quest, Dracula teams up with beautiful scientist Sandra Mornay (Lenore Aubert), who is tasked with seducing Wilbur; apparently, his “simple” brain makes him the perfect donor. 

Things take an even darker turn when Larry Talbot (Lon Chaney, Jr.) - aka The Wolfman - suddenly turns up. Hoping to stop Dracula from carrying out his evil plan, Talbot instead transforms into a werewolf whenever there’s a full moon, leaving poor Chick and Wilbur with yet another monster to worry about!

With all due respect to Buck Privates and their “Who’s on First” routine, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein is the funniest thing that Bud Abbott and Lou Costello ever did. With Abbott playing the straight man, Lou is haunted by creaking coffins, moving candles, and a collection of monsters that are forever sneaking up on him. The comedy routines the duo concocted are hilarious, and when it comes to milking laughs out of a tense situation, few have done it as well as Lou Costello (the scene where he’s standing beside a coffin reading the Legend of Dracula, only to be interrupted by Dracula himself, is hysterical). 

What’s more, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein is also a nifty continuation of the great Universal horror films, with Lon Chaney Jr. and Bela Lugosi playing the roles that made them famous (Glenn Strange, who portrayed the monster in 1944’s House of Frankenstein, joins in as well). I loved how none of these actors were out to get laughs; from start to finish, Lugosi, Chaney and company approached the movie as if they were in a straight-up horror film.

Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein does, on occasion, satirize the classic Universal monster movies, but never once does it mock them. This, combined with some truly funny moments provided by its two stars, has earned it an eternal spot on my all-time favorite horror comedies list.

#925. Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)

Directed By: Jack Arnold

Starring: Richard Carlson, Julie Adams, Richard Denning



Tag line: "Centuries of passion pent up in his savage heart!"

Trivia: The physical appearance of the Creature was modeled after a likeness of the Oscar, the figurine awarded annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences






Creature from the Black Lagoon is both a throwback to the early days of horror, providing Universal Studios with yet another iconic monster to add to its collection, and a fine example of the science fiction genre, which would come into its own in the '50s.

During an expedition to the Amazon, Dr. Carl Maia (Antonio Moreno) uncovers an amazing fossil - a skeletal hand with webbed fingers - that he brings with him to a Marine Laboratory for further examination. His good friend, Ichthyologist Dr. David Reed (Richard Carlson), is fascinated by the discovery, and persuades his sponsor, Dr. Mark Williams (Richard Denning), to fund a second expedition to the site so that they can find the rest of the skeleton. 

Joined by Reed’s girlfriend, Kay Lawrence (Julie Adams), the team eventually makes its way to an area of the Amazon known as the Black Lagoon, which, unbeknownst to them, is home to an amphibious creature - part man and part fish - that isn't exactly happy to see them. 

Things get even more dangerous when the creature spots Kay, and falls instantly in love with her!

Directed by Jack Arnold, Creature from the Black Lagoon relates a harrowing tale of man’s intrusion into the natural world. Much like the giant ape in King Kong, we end up feeling sorry for the Creature (the locals nicknamed him the “Gill-Man”), and we want Reed and the others to leave him in peace (many of the Creature’s so-called acts of terror are retaliatory in nature; his initial attack is the result of a glass bottle being thrown at him). 

Yet the fact that we sympathize with the monster doesn’t make him any less frightening. The sequence where the Creature spies on Kay while she's swimming - matching her speed and, at times, gliding only a few feet below her - is incredibly suspenseful, as is the scene where the monster is captured (its gasps for air while trying to escape from its cage sent a chill up my spine). 

Two separate performers played the Gill-Man: Olympic swimming champion Ricou Browning handled the underwater scenes, while actor Ben Chapman donned the suit on dry land. Through their combined efforts, one of the cinema’s best-known monsters was brought convincingly to life. 

Along with its renowned title character, Creature from the Black Lagoon also boasts stunning underwater photography, a number of inspired set pieces (the monster’s subterranean lair is wonderfully realized), and, in Julie Adams, one of the most alluring actresses ever to appear in a Universal horror picture.

Originally shot in 3-D, Creature from the Black Lagoon is equal parts jungle adventure and monster movie, with a dash of Beauty and the Beast thrown in for good measure. 

It is also one of the greatest horror films ever made.

#81. Horror of Dracula (1958) - Hammer Horror Movies

Directed By: Terence Fisher

Starring: Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Michael Gough




Tag line: "Who Will Be His Bride Tonight?"

Trivia:  Christopher Lee has only thirteen lines in this film

Horror of Dracula was Hammer Studio’s take on the world’s most famous creature of the night, Count Dracula. The title of this film was changed in the United States (in its native England, it was simply Dracula) to avoid confusion with Universal's classic 1931 Bela Lugosi film, which was still playing theatrically in select areas across the country. 

But after watching Hammer's take on the story, I admit that I don't quite get it. I mean, I understand Universal's trademark concerns, but the fact remains that any confusion between the two movies would have been unlikely. The regulations governing film production at the time prevented 1931’s Dracula from spilling a single drop of blood on-screen. In Horror of Dracula, the red stuff spatters all over the place in the opening credits!

Jonathan Harker (John Van Eyssen) travels to a remote region of Eastern Europe to do battle with the evil Count Dracula (Christopher Lee). But he never returns. 

Back in London, Harker’s good friend Dr. Van Helsing (Peter Cushing) informs Arthur Holmwood (Michael Gough), the brother of Harker’s fiancé Lucy (Carol Marsh), that Harker has died abroad, and will not be returning to marry his sister. 

Yet the story doesn't end there. When Lucy falls seriously ill, suffering from a strange case of anemia, all signs point to the fact that Count Dracula has made his way to London. Will the Count continue to build his army of the undead in England, or can Van Helsing end Dracula’s reign of terror once and for all?

Lee, like Lugosi before him, was born to play the infamous Count, successfully conveying Dracula’s sophistication as well as his savagery. We see both in the film's opening sequence, when Harker arrives at Dracula’s castle. During this initial meeting, the Count is ever so polite, and acts more like a butler than the Lord of the Undead. He even carries Harker’s luggage to his room. 

The next time we see Dracula, however, will be under more intense circumstances. That first night, after being lured out of his room by one of the Count’s wives (Valerie Gaunt), Harker finds himself cornered, and seconds away from receiving a bite on the neck. Suddenly, Dracula bursts into the room. With blood dripping from his teeth and wild, bloodshot eyes, The Count battles his deranged wife, quickly subduing her and carrying her off to another part of the castle.

Only two scenes in, and Horror of Dracula has set everything in motion, including Christopher Lee's performance - one for the ages - as Count Dracula.

#2,144. The Black Castle (1952)

Directed By: Nathan Juran

Starring: Richard Greene, Boris Karloff, Stephen McNally


AKA: In Sweden the film was released as The Castle of Dread

Trivia: The film was made in the United States but premiered in Sweden








A horror movie with two of the genre’s biggest and brightest relegated to supporting roles? Sounds kinda fishy to me. But the truth of the matter is that 1952’s The Black Castle, a film with both Boris Karloff and Lon Chaney Jr., has great atmosphere and a solid story to boot, and doesn’t need star power to carry it through.

Set in the 19th century, The Black Castle stars Richard Greene as Sir Ronald Burton, a former military commander who travels to Austria in search of his two missing comrades. They were last seen at the estate of Count Von Bruno (Stephen McNally), a former adversary who, it turns out, is seeking revenge against the trio of British officers who defeated his forces in Africa (Burton’s friends were two of them, and Burton himself is the third). Using the assumed name “Richard Beckett”, Burton scores an invite to the Baron’s estate, and once there begins looking for clues as to what might have happened to his old pals.

But Instead of uncovering evidence, Burton falls in love with the Baron’s long-suffering wife Elga (Rita Corday), who has grown to despise her husband. Avoiding both the Baron’s mute assistant Gargon (Chaney) and the mysterious Dr. Messien (Karloff), Burton tries to smuggle Elga out of the castle, only to find that escaping the Baron’s clutches is easier said than done.

The Black Castle impressed me right off the bat with its dark, ominous set pieces (the opening scene takes place in a crypt), and reminded me of the classic Universal horror movies of the ‘30s and ‘40s (to add to its overall creepiness, the sequence is narrated by a character who may or may not be already dead). Then, once the film got rolling, I was drawn in by its story of intrigue and revenge, thanks in large part to the performances of Greene (quite good as the hero) and McNally (who seemed to be having the time of his life portraying the sinister Baron).

As for its horror royalty, Karloff fares a little better than Chaney (at least Dr. Messien was given a few lines of dialogue; the mute Gargan grunts his way through most of the picture). Not that it matters, though, because even without Karloff and Chaney, The Black Castle is a winner.

#884. Nightmares in Red, White and Blue (2009)

Directed By: Andrew Monument

Starring: Lance Henriksen, Larry Cohen, Joe Dante




Tag line: "The Evolution of the American Horror Film"

Trivia: Among the festivals that featured this movie were The Irish Film Institute Horrorthon and the Another Hole in the Head Film Festival







Narrated by Lance Henriksen, Nightmares in Red, White and Blue is a comprehensive documentary on the history of American horror films, starting as far back as 1912, when Thomas Edison produced the very first adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, all the way to the 2000s, when pictures such as Saw and Hostel helped define the genre for a new generation of fans. With clips from some 100 movies, as well as interviews featuring many of horror’s most influential personalities, like Roger Corman, Joe Dante and George Romero, Nightmares in Red, White and Blue leads us on a whirlwind tour of a century of American horror films, and the role our changing society had in determining what it was that scared us over the years.

The film’s initial focus takes us back to my favorite era, the Universal monsters of the ‘30s and ‘40s, a period sandwiched between two World Wars (which proved every bit as horrific as anything the cinema had to offer). Nightmares in Red, White and Blue then walks us through the remainder of the 20th century, one step at a time, from the nuclear fears that gripped the ‘50s, displayed in movies like Them! and The Day The World Ended, to terrors from outer space (Invaders from Mars, Invasion of the Body Snatchers). The ‘60s saw yet another shift in the genre, launched at the start of the decade with Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, and the introduction of gore by way of Herschel Gordon Lewis' Blood Feast. The late ‘60s and ‘70s reflected the horrors of Vietnam, in both mainstream Hollywood (Rosemary’s Baby, The Exorcist, Jaws) and the growing Independent scene (Night of the Living Dead, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Last House on the Left). A large chunk of Nightmares in Red, White and Blue is dedicated to the ‘80s, arguably the genre’s most prodigious era, including the slasher phenomenon (Halloween, Friday the 13th), the works of Stephen King (The Shining, Christine, Cujo) and the decade’s re-imagining of the classic monsters (The Howling, The Lost Boys). Serial killers seemed all the rage in the ‘90s (Silence of the Lambs, Candyman, Se7en), while the new millennium was steered by the tragedy of 9/11, an event which changed the country’s perception of the world and, with it, the movies that gave us nightmares, from torture (the Saw series) to remakes that upped the level of violence (2003’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, 2004’s Dawn of the Dead). Nightmares in Red, White and Blue covers all this, and a whole lot more besides.

You would think the history of American horror movies offered enough material to fill an entire miniseries, yet, somehow, this documentary does the genre justice in only 96 minutes. If you’re a fan of horror, Nightmares in Red, White and Blue is one film you can’t afford to miss.

#1,430. Horror Island (1941)

Directed By: George Waggner

Starring: Dick Foran, Leo Carrillo, Peggy Moran




Line from the movie: "Don't be frightened, folks. It's just Morgan's ghost. He resents our coming here"

Trivia: Universal released this film on March 28, 1941, only 25 days after shooting began (on March 3rd)







On the run from his creditors, ship’s captain Bill Martin (Dick Foran) is desperately searching for a get-rich-quick scheme to solve his financial woes. Enter Tobias Clump (Leo Carrillo), a peg-legged sailor who’s found a treasure map, one suggesting there’s buried treasure on Morgan’s Island, a small parcel of land Martin owns. With his faithful sidekick, Stuff Oliver (Fuzzy Knight), in tow, Martin drags Tobias to the office of Professor Quinley (Hubart Cavanaugh), an expert at topography, to determine if the map is genuine. Alas, the Professor tells the trio the map is a forgery, but that doesn’t prevent Martin from trying to cash in by launching his very own “Treasure Hunt” business, charging people $50 to search for riches on Morgan’s Island while, at the same time, giving them a tour of what he claims is an authentic haunted mansion. Several people sign up for the adventure, including socialite Wendy Creighton (Peggy Moran); Martin’s cousin George (John Eldredge); and a variety of others, all hoping to find a treasure that will make them wealthy beyond their wildest dreams. But to the group’s dismay, a mysterious cloaked figure, known only as “The Phantom” (Foy Van Dolsen), has also come to Morgan’s Island, and is willing to do whatever it takes to frighten them away.

Despite the fact it has the word “horror” in its title, and features a house that’s supposedly haunted, Horror Island is a much better mystery than it is a fright flick. The first night Martin and the others are on the island, one of the guests, a gangster named Rod (Ralf Harolde), is gunned down, presumably by the Phantom. But then, several scenes later, something happens that causes you to wonder if it really was the Phantom who committed this heinous crime, or someone else entirety. Horror Island even tosses a few plot twists into the mix, just to keep you on your toes (the final reveal took me completely by surprise).

So even if it isn't a very good horror film, Horror Island is nonetheless a fun mystery / thriller that will have you guessing to the end.

#810. The Mummy's Tomb (1942)

Directed By: Harold Young

Starring: Dick Foran, John Hubbard, Elyse Knox





Tag line: "Eyes That Crawl With Madness! Hands That Creep Like Cobras!"

Trivia: This was the 1st of 3 appearances Lon Chaney Jr. would make as the Mummy





The third entry in Universal’s Mummy series, The Mummy’s Tomb is a direct sequel to The Mummy’s Hand (which itself was a remake of the 1932 classic). We know this because the movie opens with a 10+ minute “flashback” featuring key moments from The Mummy’s Hand, a clear sign the filmmakers didn’t put much thought into this installment.

An Egyptian High Priest (Turhan Bey) travels to America to exact his revenge on the Banning family, notably Stephen Banning (Dick Foran), for desecrating the tomb of Princess Ananka several decades earlier. To assist him, he brings the mummy of Kharis (Lon Cahney Jr.), the sworn protector of the Princess, along. Yet things get a bit complicated when the High Priest falls in love with Isobel (Elyse Knox), the fiancé of Banning’s son, John (John Hubbard). Sending Kharis to kidnap Isobel, the High Priest intends to make her his bride, not only in this life, but the afterlife as well.

As I already mentioned, a little over 10 minutes Of The Mummy’s Tomb is dedicated to showing us scenes from The Mummy’s Hand, and though these sequences are entertaining (Hand was, after all, a good film), this “blast from the past” takes up a large portion of the movie’s overall running time (which clocks in at just about an hour long). And while The Mummy’s Tomb is notable for introducing Lon Chaney Jr. to the role he’d play twice more in the years to come, The Mummy’s Tomb , as a whole, is flat, and not even a late appearance by a torch-wielding crowd of vigilantes, something of a staple in Universal’s horror canon, is enough to save the film from mediocrity.

Followed in 1944 by both The Mummy’s Ghost (which also featured horror legend John Carradine) and The Mummy’s Curse, The Mummy’s Tomb is, by far, the weakest in what is otherwise a solid series of films.

#221. The Mummy (1932)

DVD Synopsis: Boris Karloff’s legendary performance has become a landmark in the annals of screen history. As the mummy, Im-Ho-Tep, he is accidentally revived after 3,700 years by a team of British archaeologists. It is revealed in a flashback that he was a high priest, embalmed alive for trying to revive the vestal virgin whom he loved, after she had been sacrificed. Alive again, he sets out to find his lost love.

What was it about Boris Karloff that had directors thinking of the walking dead? Karloff rose to stardom in the early 1930’s by playing Frankenstein’s Monster, a creature constructed from the body parts of deceased criminals. In 1932’s The Mummy, the great actor returns to the realm of the dead as the mummy Imhotep, an Egyptian High Priest who, after 3700 years, rises from his grave. Just imagine what Karloff might have brought to Romero’s Night of the Living Dead.  It’s enough to stagger the imagination!

The year is 1921, and British Archaeologist Sir Joseph Whemple (Arthur Byron) has just uncovered the mummy Imhotep, an ancient Egyptian high priest condemned to death 3700 years earlier for sacrilege against the Gods. When Sir Joseph’s assistant reads aloud from a forbidden scroll, the mummy (Boris Karloff) is brought back to life, and promptly disappears into the vast Egyptian desert. Ten years later, Sir Joseph returns to Egypt to assist his son, Frank (David Manners), who is also an archaeologist. Searching for a discovery to rival his father’s, Frank jumps at an opportunity presented by a mysterious stranger named Ardath Bay, who promises to lead the young man to the hidden tomb of an ancient princess. As it turns out, this princess is the lost love of the mummy Imhotep, and Ardeth Bay is none other than Imhotep himself! Once his princess is unearthed, Imhotep will stop at nothing to ensure that she is also resurrected, to join him once again in the world of the living.

Like many of Universal’s horror films of the 30’s and 40’s, the success of The Mummy comes down to the performance of its star. Boris Karloff was an actor who, even when playing a creature, generated a level of sympathy for his characters. In Frankenstein, he was a monster, but only because others saw him as one; in truth, his monstrous behavior was a direct result of the actions of those around him, who both feared his creature and hunted him like an animal. In The Mummy, Karloff's High Priest Imhotep murders several people, and tries to kill even more, yet we learn that he is doing so for love. A well-staged flashback shows us exactly what happened to poor Imhotep all those centuries ago; how he sacrificed not only his life, but also his very soul, for the love of a woman. Even when playing the villain, Karloff finds a trace of humanity in the role, making it impossible to condemn him entirely. 

As with many of these old horror movies (such as the original versions of Dracula and Frankenstein), The Mummy has obviously aged, and is no longer as frightening as it might have been to it's contemporary 1930's audience. And yet this film still have something to offer us. If you go in expecting chills and screams, you'll walk away disappointed, but, if you instead sit back and take in the atmosphere, the style, and the performance of its stars, you’ll find The Mummy to be a genuinely entertaining experience.

#747. The Wolf Man (1941)

Directed By: George Waggner

Starring: Lon Chaney Jr., Claude Rains, Warren William




Tag line: "His hideous howl a dirge of death!"

Trivia: Despite Universal's apprehensions over the public's appetite for horror movies following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the film became one of the studio's top grossers in 1942

"Even a man who is pure in heart, and says his prayers by night; 

May become a wolf when the wolfsbane blooms and the autumn moon is bright".

Larry Talbot (Lon Chaney Jr.) has just returned home to his family’s estate in Wales, where he is reunited with his father, Sir John (Claude Rains). 

While out walking one evening with antiques dealer Gwen Conliffe (Evelyn Ankers), Talbot comes across a young lady (Fay Helm) being savagely mauled by a wolf. He intervenes and kills the creature, but not before it bites him on the chest. 

Yet the story doesn’t end there, for according to a local gypsy named Maleva (Maria Ouspenskaya), the wolf Larry destroyed was, in reality, her son Bela (Bela Lugosi), who had transformed into a werewolf. And because the creature bit him, Talbot, too, is now cursed, and will spend the rest of his moonlit nights roaming the countryside as a wolf. 

Naturally, Talbot doesn’t believe such nonsense, but quickly changes his tune the very next evening, when he transforms into a werewolf and goes on the prowl in search of human blood.

Along with Chaney’s compassionate turn as the tortured victim of a werewolf’s bite, The Wolf Man features a number of fine actors in key roles. Claude Rains, who had played a Universal “monster” of his own in 1933’s The Invisible Man, is solid as Sir John Talbot, while the werewolf that bit Larry (when in mortal form, anyway) was none other than Dracula himself, Mr. Bela Lugosi. 

Yet the supporting character that makes the biggest impression in The Wolf Man is the gypsy, Maleva, as portrayed by Maria Ouspenskaya. Maleva is the only one who knows what’s happening, and does what she can to help Talbot and - eventually - Sir John. Ms. Ouspenskaya would reprise the role two years later, in Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man, and it’s a pity she didn’t get to play the part more often.

Though it focuses more on character development than actual horror (Talbot’s “transformations”, the work of make-up artist extraordinaire Jack Pierce, are magnificent though usually brief, and the scenes depicting his attacks are restrained), The Wolf Man has its share of chilling moments. By utilizing darkness and shadows so effectively throughout, director George Waggner and his team ensure that we not only sympathize with Larry Talbot, but fear him as well. 

In the pantheon of Universal Studios’ classic monsters, the wolf man was a bit of a late arrival; by the time Chaney's beast hit the screen in December of 1941, we had already met Frankenstein, his Bride, and the Son!

Yet this tardiness did nothing to diminish the character’s reputation, and thanks to the wonderful work of its cast, The Wolf Man would take its rightful place as one of the cinema’s most cherished monster films.

#565. The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) - Hammer Horror Movies

Directed By: Terence Fisher

Starring: Peter Cushing, Hazel Court, Robert Urquhart




Tag line: "Not recommended for people of nervous disposition"

Trivia:  For many years this held the distinction of being the most profitable film to be produced in England by a British studio

This is the movie that started it all. The first in Hammer's long line of horror films, The Curse of Frankenstein kicked off a cinematic love affair between studio and genre that would last the better part of two decades. 

While in a prison cell awaiting execution, a frantic Victor Frankenstein (Peter Cushing) tells a priest (Alex Gallier) what it was that brought him to this lowly state, how he ignored the warnings of his good friend and teacher Paul Krempe (Robert Urquhart) and assembled a man from body parts he had harvested from the dead. Victor even somehow managed to bring this new “man” of his (played  by Christopher Lee) to life! 

Frankenstein's ultimate objective was to construct the perfect human being, possessing both physical strength and a genius's intellect. He resorted to drastic measures to see this dream become a reality, at one point even murdering the aging Professor Bernstein (Paul Hardtmuth) to gain access to his superior brain. 

When Frankenstein's behavior became erratic, Paul tried to convince Elizabeth (Hazel Court), Victor's fiance, to flee the castle for her own safety. But the moment Victor's “creation” sprung to life, it was too late to save any of them from the horror the good doctor had unleashed on the world. 

Though not as iconic as the monster played by Boris Karloff in the 1931 classic, Christopher Lee's creature in The Curse of Frankenstein was more faithful to what Mary Shelley, the author of the original novel, had in mind. In her book, she described the monster as having “yellow skin” and hair that was “black and flowing”, which matches Lee's look in this film. But unlike its Universal counterpart, The Curse of Frankenstein isn't so much about the creation as it is the creator. 

Cushing shines as Victor Frankenstein, a man whose desire to create life has become an obsession. He argues with Paul over the moral dilemma of harvesting body parts from the dead, which Victor feels is perfectly acceptable, considering the scientific advances his “experiments” will bring about. In one scene, after the two have stolen the body of a freshly-hanged criminal, Paul points out that birds have already eaten away the man's face and eyes. Casually, Victor grabs a knife, and when a shocked Paul asks what he's doing, he replies he is going to cut the cadaver's head off. “ It’s no use to me anyway”, Victor says, removing the head and dropping it into a vat of acid. Victor’s unwavering dedication to the task at hand is apparent, and he won't allow anything - not decency or even the law - to distract him from his work. 

Boris Karloff's performance, coupled with Jack Pierce's makeup, made Universal's Frankenstein a movie that will forever be linked to its monster. In Hammer's The Curse of Frankenstein, it's the scientist who takes center stage. Lee, Urquhart, Court, and director Terence Fisher were all in top form, but The Curse of Frankenstein was - and is - the Peter Cushing show, and the great actor was more than up to the task.

#205. The Raven (1935)

DVD Synopsis: Inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's short story, this horror masterpiece features Bela Lugosi as Dr. Vollin, who has a fetish for instruments of torture. After saving the life of a beautiful young girl, the doctor becomes infatuated with her. When he teams with an escaped killer (Boris Karloff) who needs a new identity, the doctor gets more than he bargained for. Revenge, obsession, and manipulation blend together in this wicked Lugosi classic.

In 1934, Universal Studios teamed two of its hottest stars, Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi, in The Black Cat, a film “inspired” by one of Edgar Allan Poe's most renowned short stories. Despite the controversy stirred up by that film (it was banned in many areas), The Black Cat was a box-office smash, and went on to be the studio's biggest money-maker of the year. So, it was only a matter of time before audiences would once again be treated to a pairing of these two renowned thespians of horror. 

Which brings us to The Raven. 

When Jean Thatcher (Irene Ware), the daughter of a wealthy Judge (Samuel S. Hinds), is badly injured in a car crash, a plea for help goes out to retired surgeon, Dr. Richard Vollin (Bela Lugosi). Vollin, a self-proclaimed Edgar Allan Poe aficionado, is at first reluctant to come out of retirement, but eventually does agree to operate. Not only does Vollin save Jean, he falls madly in love with her in the process.  Vollin becomes obsessed with possessing Jean, even though she's engaged to be married to Dr. Jerry Halden (Lester Matthews), and makes plans to kidnap the girl and keep her by his side forever. To this end, he enlists the help of Edmond Bateman (Boris Karloff), an escaped prisoner whose come to the doctor seeking plastic surgery to alter his face. Though he initially refuses to help the good doctor in his evil scheme, Vollin ensures Bateman's assistance by turning the poor man into a deformed monster, promising to restore his looks once Jean is finally his prisoner. 

Lugosi is clearly the star of The Raven, and he is given one hell of an introductory scene. When we first meet Vollin, he's sitting behind a desk, a large shadow of a Raven filling the wall next to him.  As the camera pulls back to reveal the entire room, Vollin is reciting lines from Poe's The Raven for a visitor, and let me tell you, you've not heard Poe until you've heard him recited by Bela Lugosi! As The Raven progresses, we come to learn that Vollin is both a gifted surgeon and an obsessed madman, one who will stop at nothing to possess what he desires. Vollin is the film's heavy, and Lugosi pulls out all the stops in ensuring we despise his character completely. It's yet another fine performance by the always flamboyant actor. 

As Bateman, Karloff is as much a victim of the good doctor as he is a patient. Seeking only to have his face altered, Vollin instead turns Bateman into a hideous creature (the film's best scene is when Bateman realizes what Vollin has done, and starts shooting out the mirrors in disgust). The part of Bateman resembles yet another Karloff role, that of the monster in 1931's Frankenstein. Like the creature in that film, Bateman is a man who simply wanted to fit in, yet his very presence is terrifying to all who encounter him. Throughout The Raven, we both sympathize with Bateman's plight and pity him his sad existence. 

There are a few scenes in The Raven that simply don't work. In particular, there's a sequence in which Jean, who is a professional dancer, performs a dance number as a fellow actor recites lines from Poe's The Raven. Meant as a tribute to the doctor who saved her life, I instead found the whole thing silly, almost to the point of being laughable. Such moments aside, however, The Raven is yet another fine entry in Universal's stable of horror films, as well as a top-notch vehicle for two of the genre's most time-honored performers.


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#441. Island of Lost Souls (1932)

Directed By: Erle C. Kenton

Starring: Charles Laughton, Bela Lugosi, Richard Arlen



Tag line: "TERROR! Stalked the Brush-Choked Island...Where Men Who Were Animals Sought the Girl Who Was All-Human!"

Trivia:  This was Charles Laughton's first starring role in a U.S. film

Based on H.G. Wells' The Island of Dr. Moreau, Island of Lost Souls is a fascinating motion picture, released at a time when the horror genre was taking Hollywood by storm. While it is similar in some ways to the classic Universal monster movies of this era, Island of Lost Souls still manages to stand apart from the rest. 

Edward Parker (Richard Arlen) is the only survivor of a shipwreck. Rescued by a passing freighter, Parker eventually angers the ship's captain (Paul Hurst), who, instead of taking him to the nearest port, drops Parker off on a remote South Seas island, where the mysterious scientist Dr. Moreau (Charles Laughton) resides. 

Moreau is not alone, however; also on the island are a race of beasts the scientist himself created in his laboratory. Chief among them is the lovely Lota (Kathleen Burke), also known as the Panther woman. Hoping to prove Lota is as "human" as any other female, Moreau attempts to lure Parker into mating with her. But his horrified guest will have none of it, and instead tries to escape the island so he can return home and marry his fiancee (Leila Hyams). 

Like Universal's Dracula and Frankenstein, both of which debuted the previous year, Island of Lost Souls weaves a tale of humanoid monsters. But where the creatures were the primary source of chaos and horror in the two earlier films, in Island of Lost Souls, they are the victims. One key scene has Parker rushing in to Moreau's lab to investigate a blood-curdling scream. Upon entering, he finds Moreau and his assistant, Montgomery (Arthur Hohl), hard at work dissecting one of the creatures as it lies, fully conscious, on a table. Controlled, manipulated, and even tortured in the name of science, the various beasts of the island prove more sympathetic than their obviously mad landlord, a man who believes himself a God, and has, to that end, created an entire race of beings to worship and fear him. 

In Frankenstein, Colin Clive's Victor Frankenstein also compares himself to the Almighty (“Now I know what it's like to BE God”, he shouts when his monster first springs to life), yet his was little more than an enthusiastic reaction to a thrilling  moment. Frankenstein soon learns the error of his ways, and regrets his 'experiment', dispelling all notions of divinity he may have once harbored. Moreau is another matter altogether. Standing on a hill overlooking the creatures' village, he smiles as one of them, played by Bela Lugosi, praises him. “His is the hand that heals”, Lugosi shouts, and as he does, Moreau raises his arms, drunk on the adoration sent his way. 

Charles Laughton is devilishly sinister as Moreau, a man who takes pure delight in his work, whether it be teaching Lota how to act more human or cutting open one of his 'creations' in the lab (a room the beasts refer to as the 'House of Pain'). Showing no remorse for the destruction he has caused, Laughton's Moreau is a loathsome individual, and the actor's performance, combined with an incredibly dark story of science run amok, helped transform Island of Lost Souls into one of the most shocking horror films to emerge from of the 1930s.

#2,407. 24 x 36: A Movie About Movie Posters (2016)

Directed By: Kevin Burke

Starring: Paul Ainsworth, Dave Alexander, Andrea Alvin



Line from the film: "The first connection you would have with a movie is seeing the poster"

Trivia: Among those interviewed in the movie is director Joe Dante







You’ve seen them hanging in the lobbies of your favorite movie palaces, and if you’re a film buff, odds are you own a few yourself. Movie posters have become much more than simple advertisements; nowadays, many are considered works of art. And as we see in director Kevin Burke’s 2016 documentary 24 x 36: A Movie about Movie Posters, they’re also a multi-million dollar industry.

Beginning with the history of the modern movie poster (including its roots in lithography), 24 x 36 then takes us from the early days of the Universal horror films (some, such as Dracula and Bride of Frankenstein, boasted dozens of different poster variations) through to the ‘80s, when those artists who conceived the cinema’s most iconic posters did so anonymously. In fact, it wasn’t until watching this documentary that I realized the same guy (John Alvin) designed the posters for both Blazing Saddles and E.T. 

The inventive style of the ‘80s gave way to a more basic approach in the ‘90s and early 2000’s, when a studio’s marketing division determined the look and feel of a movie’s poster. But with the so-called “mondo” movement in full swing, an array of independent artists, all film buffs themselves, are designing posters more stylish than anything coming out of Hollywood (Some are so impressive that collectors are willing to pay hundreds, if not thousands of dollars just to own one).

In essence, 24 x 36 is two documentaries in one. The first half is dedicated to the past, focusing on such artists as Bob Peak (Apocalypse Now, Star Trek The Motion Picture) and Richard Amsel (The Sting, Flash Gordon, Raiders of the Lost Ark), most of whom didn’t get the credit they deserved (Roger Kastel, who designed the poster for 1975’s Jaws, sent his original sketches to Universal, and never saw them again). This opening section of 24 x 36 was incredibly informative, and I enjoyed learning more about some of my favorite posters.

Equally as engrossing is the film’s second half, which explores the modern phenomenon of indie posters, from “alternative” renderings of the classics (I was especially fond of Gary Pullin’s design for Street Trash) to straight-up collectibles, created by film fans for film fans. This indie movement has become so popular that even Hollywood has taken notice; in what is one of the documentary's best scenes, we sit in on a “focus group” in which participants are asked to choose between two posters: a generic studio rendering (showing mostly the actors’ faces), and a more artistic take on the same movie (the “artsy” one definitely had a few ardent supporters).

More than an eye-opening documentary, 24 x 36 has also inspired me to start collecting again (I’ve purchased some 200 posters over the years, but none since 2007). And if you love movies, it will undoubtedly have the same effect on you.

#2,986. Abigail (2024) - Films of the 2020s

 

The opening few seconds of the 2024 horror / comedy Abigail had me grinning from ear-to-ear. Already aware going in that it was a vampire flick (the trailer made sure to spoil that little surprise), I got a bit giddy when Tchaikovsky’s "Swan Lake" started playing over images of a child ballerina, dancing her little heart out on-stage. "Swan Lake" was, of course, the very music that kicked off 1931’s Dracula, the classic Universal vampire film and the movie that practically spawned the horror genre in America. That cool homage was enough to convince me directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett are horror fans like the rest of us, and I figured that, for the next 110 minutes, I was in good hands.

And then Abigail proceeded to exceed my expectations and blow me away!

The young ballerina is our title character, Abigail (Alisha Weir). She doesn’t know it yet, but she is being stalked by a team of kidnappers, a group of criminals and outcasts each with their own specific skillset. The goal: kidnap young Abigail and hold her in a remote mansion hideaway until her rich daddy coughs up a $50 million ransom.

For security reasons, the kidnappers do not know each other’s names. Instead, their employer, Lambert (Giancarlo Esposito), assigns them aliases inspired by the Rat Pack. Frank (Dan Stevens) is the unappointed leader of the group, mostly because his pissed-off demeanor intimidates the others. Joey (Melissa Barrera) obviously has some medical training, and is there to watch over Abigail. Sammy (Kathryn Newton) is a computer hacker who does it for kicks, while the dim-witted Peter (Kevin Durand) is the muscle. Rounding out the team are Dean (Angus Cloud), the stoner who is also a hell of a getaway driver, and Rickles (Will Callett), the ex-military weapons expert.

The kidnapping goes off without a hitch. Abigail is tied up and tucked away in one of the mansion’s upstairs bedrooms. Frightened and confused, the young girl is comforted by Joey, and a bond forms between them. As for the others, they have nothing to do but wait for Lambert to return in 24 hours with their share of the ransom money, and spend their time enjoying the amenities of their luxurious hide-out.

It isn’t long, though, before the criminals realize they are not alone, and that someone… or something… is stalking them. As the hours drag on, the odds that any of these criminals will survive the ordeal grow longer and longer.

As mentioned above, the trailer spoiled the fact that Abigail, which opens as a crime / thriller, transforms into a vampire film at some point (much like the trailer for Robert Rodriguez’s From Dusk Till Dawn ruined a similar twist in that film). Now, for those of you who have not seen the trailer, I will reveal nothing more. But for those who have watched the trailer and not the movie, rest easy. Abigail features additional twists and turns, each as surprising as the last.

The primary reason these surprises work is the film’s superior cast. Melissa Barrera, Dan Stevens, and the others do a masterful job bringing this diverse set of kidnappers to life. Their various interactions are at the core of this film, from the camaraderie that builds between some (Sammy and Peter flirt a little early on, which develops into mutual trust and genuine affection once things get real) to the antagonism that blossoms amongst others (Frank and Joey engage in a battle of wills that only intensifies with each new scene).

When all is said and done, however, the finest performance in Abigail is given by Abigail herself, Alisha Weir. Her range is phenomenal, and she is convincing as both a frightened child and a bad-ass in complete control. Ms. Weir steals every scene in Abigail. And that is no exaggeration. Every… damn… scene! I would go so far as to rank her turn as Abigail up there with Hailee Steinfeld’s Mattie Ross in 2010’s True Grit as one of the greatest child performances ever captured on film. There are many reasons to watch Abigail, and Alisha Weir is at the top of that list.

What else does Abigail have going in its favor? Well, it’s a horror / comedy that works on both levels, with copious amounts of blood spewed in every direction (though enhanced digitally, the majority of the gore scenes were done practically, and it shows) and plenty of laughs (often times, the funniest moments are the ones featuring graphic violence). Abigail proved an incredibly entertaining motion picture, and if you have not yet seen it, you should absolutely treat yourself and watch it right now!
Rating: 9.5 out of 10

#1,016. Werewolf of London (1935)

Directed By: Stuart Walker

Starring: Henry Hull, Warner Oland, Valerie Hobson




Tag line: "Beware! Terror strikes in the night!"

Trivia:  Although they play husband and wife in this film Henry Hull was actually 27 years older than Valerie Hobson







Released six years before Universal's classic The Wolf Man, Werewolf of London marked the first ever appearance of a werewolf in a Hollywood film. But as this movie clearly demonstrates, being "first" doesn't always translate to being the "best".

Botanist Dr. Wilfred Glendon (Henry Hull) is searching for a rare orchid known as the Mariphasa, which blooms only in the moonlight. It's in Tibet that he finally locates the flower, yet not before he's attacked by a wolf and bitten on the arm. Once back in England, Glendon receives a visit from the mysterious Dr. Yogami (Warner Oland), who tells Glendon the creature that attacked him was, in fact, a werewolf, meaning he is now destined to become one. Sure enough, during the next full moon, Glendon transforms into a werewolf and prowls the streets of London, searching for victims. According to Yogami, only the Mariphasa flower can cure him of this terrible curse. But the one Glendon brought back from Tibet has a limited supply of the antidote, and somebody else wants it as well.

Werewolf of London features a monster that's more "man" than "wolf", with Glendon maintaining many of his human characteristics after the transformation (save the fangs and some hair on his face and hands). Still, the film's make-up, which came courtesy of Jack Pierce (who also created the look of Chaney's Wolf Man) isn't the problem; the real issue with Werewolf of London is its lead character. As played by Henry Hull, Dr. Glendon is far too dull to evoke any sympathy from an audience. A man so wrapped up in his work that he ignores his wife, Lisa (Valerie Hobson), Glendon comes across as something of a twit, which makes it hard to care what happens to him.

Like most Universal horror films of the 1930's, the various set pieces in Werewolf of London are impressive (the opening sequence in Tibet looks great). But as a monster movie, it definitely falls short of the mark.

#1,112. Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon (1942)

Directed By: Roy William Neill

Starring: Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Lionel Atwill






Trivia: This was the second Sherlock Holmes feature to be produced at Universal Studios








Whenever I think of Sherlock Holmes, the uber-intelligent private eye made popular by writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in a series of 19th century novels, the image that immediately pops into my head is that of actor Basil Rathbone, all decked out in tweed and smoking a pipe. It might have something to do with the fact that he played the famous detective fourteen times, starting with The Hound of the Baskervilles in 1939 and ending with 1946’s Dressed to Kill, but I think there’s more to it than that. Sure, he always looked the part, yet Rathbone’s take on the character also helped define how Holmes would be portrayed in movies and on TV for many years to come.

To keep the Nazis from obtaining his formula for a secret weapon, Sherlock Holmes (Rathbone) goes undercover to smuggle noted physicist Dr. Franz Tobel (William Post Jr.) out of Vienna. His mission is a success, but, unfortunately, England proves every bit as dangerous for the good doctor, who is promptly kidnapped by that criminal mastermind, Dr. James Moriarty (Lionel Atwill). To aid the British war effort, Holmes engages in a battle of wits against his chief rival, doing everything he can to retrieve Dr. Tobel and keep his research from falling into the wrong hands.

When we first see Sherlock Holmes in The Secret Weapon, he’s disguised as an elderly book salesman, trying to throw a pair of Gestapo agents off Tobel’s trail. Before long, though, he's back to his old self, brilliantly deducing clues and, in the process, getting under people’s skin. The always reliable Lionel Atwill, who a few years earlier teamed with Rathbone in the underrated Universal horror film The Son if Frankenstein, makes for a fine Morairty, the one man capable of out-witting the great Sherlock Holmes, and Nigel Bruce is serviceable, if somewhat ineffective, as Watson, Holmes’ sometimes-bumbling sidekick. Then, of course, we have the great man himself. Marking his 4th appearance as the character, Rathbone was already quite familiar with Holmes, resulting in a very confident performance. Always quick and to the point, he often lays his opinions out as bluntly as possible. When Watson is first introduced to their guest, he asks if it’s the same Franz Tobel who won a recent award for physics. A slightly irritated Holmes replies, rather sharply, “My dear Watson, there is only one Dr. Tobel”. Of course, Holmes saves his best quips for Moriarty. During their first encounter, when Moriarty pulls a gun on him, a clearly disappointed Holmes says, “Oh, come now. This is not the Moriarty, the master criminal I once knew. A dock rat could do as much”. There’s plenty of intrigue in The Secret Weapon, and even a little action, but it’s Holmes’s sharp tongue that makes the film such a treat.

Sherlock Holmes has experienced a revival of sorts in recent years. Aside from the two big-budgeted Guy Ritchie films, Sherlock Holmes (2009) and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011), both starring the versatile Robert Downey Jr., there’s been not one, but two television series featuring the cocky detective: The BBC’s brilliant Sherlock, with Benedict Cumberbatch as Holmes and Martin Freeman as Watson; and Elementary, a U.S. show produced for network TV (which, to be honest, I haven’t seen). Yet even these 21st century attempts to update the character owe a little something to Rathbone. Combining intelligence with a brashness that bordered on egomania, Basil Rathbone set the standard by which all future Sherlock Holmes’ would be measured, and his influence on the character is just as strong today as it ever was.

#191. The Ghoul (1933)

DVD Synopsis: On his deathbed, famed Egyptologist Professor Morlant (Karloff) instructs his assistant to bury him with an ancient jewel he believes will grant him eternal life. But soon after he’s entombed, the sacred treasure is ripped from his hand by a mysterious grave robber. Now, filled with fury, Morlant rises from his crypt as a grotesquely decaying mummy determined to avenge the theft...and destroy everything in his path!

Released in 1933, The Ghoul was the first British horror film of the sound era, and to make it an especially memorable one, the producers brought in a fellow countryman of theirs, one who had recently risen to superstar status in Hollywood, to serve as the film's star. The countryman of whom I speak is none other than “The Monster” himself, Mr. Boris Karloff! 

Karloff plays Professor Moriant, a dying man who is obsessed with all things Egyptian. Knowing the end is near, Moriant spends a large amount of money on an Egyptian jewel known as The Eternal Light, which he believes will allow him to rise from his grave when the moon is full. He orders his servant, Laing (Ernst Thesiger), to bury the jewel with him, and warns of dire consequences if his wishes are not carried out. Moriant dies shortly after, and is buried in a lavish tomb decked out with Egyptian artifacts, but Laing, who believes his master had gone insane, keeps the priceless jewel and hides it away. Unbeknownst to him, there are others who also want the Eternal Light, and will stop at nothing to possess it. But when the first full moon rises, Laing and all the others experience the surprise of their lives. 

With The Ghoul, director T. Hayes Hunter and his cameraman, Gunther Krampf, went to great lengths to capture the look and feel of Universal's recent string of horror successes (Both Dracula and Frankenstein had been released 2 years earlier). The set pieces are both lavish and large (Moriant's house, where most of the film takes place, seems incredibly huge), not to mention dimly lit, so as to strengthen the film's supernatural aura. I was also impressed with how the filmmakers utilized music in key scenes; "Siegfried's Funeral March" from Wagner's Gotterdammerung plays as Moriant's body is being placed in his tomb, and is used sporadically throughout the movie from that moment on. It is a somber piece, and fits the story quite nicely. 

Karloff was not particularly fond of The Ghoul (for decades, The Ghoul was considered a "lost" film, with no prints or negatives known to be in existence. Upon hearing this, Karloff stated that he hoped it stayed lost forever), and in all honestly, I can't understand why. While his role was admittedly less than demanding (Moriant has very few lines), the legendary actor still made the best of it, creeping through dark hallways and corridors, and scaring the living hell out of everyone he meets. His performance, in conjuncture with the film's impressive use of music, space and shadows, transforms The Ghoul from what otherwise might have been a standard horror film into something truly noteworthy.


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