Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection Blu-ray
DigiPack / Dracula / Drácula / Frankenstein / Bride of Frankenstein / The Wolf Man / The Mummy / The Invisible Man / Phantom of the Opera / Creature from the Black Lagoon 3D / Blu-ray 3D + Blu-rayUniversal Studios | 1931-1954 | 9 Movies | 644 min | Not rated | Oct 02, 2012
Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection
(1931-1954)
Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection Blu-ray delivers great video and superb audio in this excellent Blu-ray release
A Collection of the Classic Monsters that started it all! Dracula ( plus Spanish version ), Frankenstein, The Bride of Frankenstein, The Mummy, Wolfman, The Phantom of the Opera, The Invisible Man, Creature from the Black Lagoon ( plus a 3D version ). All remastered with loads of extras!
Universal Studios | 1931 | 104 min | Rated G | Region A (B, C untested) | No Release Date
Spanish language version of the legendary vampire staking his claim on a British estate in search of new blood filmed in the same sets at night as Bela Lugosi's Dracula with a different cast and crew.
Universal Studios | 1935 | 75 min | Not rated | Region A (B, C untested) | No Release Date
An acclaimed sequel to the original Frankenstein, the legendary monster now longs for a mate of his own, as the overly ambitious Dr. Frankenstein creates the bride. Bride of Frankenstein ranks as one of the finest films not only...
Universal Studios | 1943 | 93 min | Not rated | Region A (B, C untested) | Jun 04, 2013
Pit violinist Claudin hopelessly loves rising operatic soprano Christine Dubois (as do baritone Anatole and police inspector Raoul) and secretly aids her career. But Claudin loses both his touch and his job, murders a rascally...
Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray
Universal Studios | 1954 | 79 min | Not rated | Region A (B, C untested) | Jun 04, 2013
In the early 1950s, a scientific expedition into the Amazon recovers a strange fossilized claw that could be a missing link between creatures that swim in the seas and those that walk on land. Once the fossil is examined, a...
Take a moment and imagine what modern horror would be without Universal Pictures. Without founder Carl Laemmle and his vision for the future of cinema, or his son Carl Laemmle Jr., who inherited the keys to the studio kingdom in 1928, when talkies were rapidly displacing silent films and promising groundbreaking new strides in moviemaking and the movie-going experience. Without early horror pioneers like Tod Browning, James Whale, Karl Freund, George Waggner or Jack Arnold. Without iconic creature actors Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Claude Rains, Lon Chaney, Jr., Elsa Lanchester or Ben Chapman. Without Dracula, the indispensable 1931 classic that left a more lasting mark on vampire movies and lore than any other vampire film before or after (save Nosferatu). Or Frankenstein, which pushed boundaries, shocked audiences and has been received with overwhelming enthusiasm ever since. The Mummy, bold in its atmosphere and unforgettable in its tragic romance. The Invisible Man, which features some of the most astonishing special effects and perhaps one of the most unnerving depictions of mounting madness of the era. The Bride of Frankenstein, a complex, wickedly funny, altogether unpredictable sequel that in many regards surpasses its predecessor. The Wolf Man, a once-chilling character drama that examines the frailty of man and the beast within. Phantom of the Opera, though more a twisted love story than a traditional horror picture, a film that nevertheless caused some theaters to stock smelling salts in in the event that a moviegoer fainted upon the removal of the Phantom's mask. Or Creature from the Black Lagoon, which frightened audiences above the water and below with a scaly monster unlike any they had seen before. Needless to say, modern horror, and really the genre in whole, would be completely different than what we know.
The 8-disc Universal Classic Monsters: Essential Collection box set features all eight films; nine when you include Drácula, a Spanish-language version of Dracula that was shot simultaneously to the Lugosi picture, albeit with an entirely different cast. For the purposes of this review, I'll be highlighting the video and audio scores for each individual disc, discussing the set's packaging, and outlining the special features included. More thorough and detailed reviews of each disc can be found by visiting each title's individual listing:
The Universal Classic Monsters: Essential Collection comes packaged in an understated but handsome box set (measuring 7" h x 5¾" w x 1¼" d) with a sturdy outer sleeve that houses a tome-like DigiPak (with one page devoted to each film) and a copy of "The Original House of Horror," a 48-page booklet. The discs themselves slide inside of each DigiPak page -- something that will be a sticking point for some since you have to grasp the edge of a disc to remove it from its snug hideaway -- but I didn't encounter any problems. Yes, individual disc hubs would have been preferred to the Alien and Star Wars-style page sleeves. It isn't a deal breaker by any means, though, and any irritation had faded the moment I slid the first disc into my Blu-ray player.
Disc 1: Dracula and Drácula
Dracula: The Restoration (HD, 9 minutes): "The whole point of the process is to not let the viewer know we were here." This look at the restoration of the movie from its original nitrate film and audio elements is an essential one. Every catalog release -- every single one -- should merit a featurette of this sort, if only to demonstrate how challenging restorations are approached and what techniques are employed to preserve, restore or remaster individual films. It needn't be long, just as informative and layman-friendly as this one.
Drácula (1931) Spanish Version (HD, 103 minutes): Lupita Tovar Kohner provides an introduction (SD, 4 minutes) to the Spanish version of the film, which features a different cast rather than a simple dub, and was shot simultaneously with the English-language version.
Audio Commentaries: Two audio commentaries are included: a traditional production overview with film historian David J. Skal, who reads from prepared notes, and author and Dracula: Dead and Loving It screenwriter Steve Haberman, who also reads his entire commentary. Both are worth listening to, if only for the sheer value of the information provided, but both are dry, wooden experiences more akin to book-on-tape film essays than engaging audio commentaries.
Alternate Score Track (HD, 74 minutes): Philip Glass and the Kronos Quartet provide an alternate (and highly effective) music track for the film, which is ironically more of what modern filmfans might expect from the largely scoreless classic movie. Purists may balk, but it's a fun marriage of the new and the old; the only downside being that it's presented via a 192kbps Dolby Digital stereo mix.
The Road to Dracula (SD, 35 minutes): Carla Laemmle (niece to Universal founder Carl Laemmle) hosts this trip back in time and behind the scenes of Dracula, complete with interviews with film historians, modern filmmakers, and other notable horror notables, as well as clips from a number of films it influenced.
Lugosi: The Dark Prince (SD, 36 minutes): An in-depth look at the life, career and vampiric contribution of Bela Lugosi, the intense, magnetic actor who defined the horror star of the early 1930s.
Dracula Archives (SD, 9 minutes): Movie posters, campaign art, production stills and other images.
Trailer Gallery (SD, 6 minutes): Dracula, Dracula's Daughter, Son of Dracula and House of Dracula.
Monster Tracks (HD): A standard trivia track rounds out the package.
Disc 2: Frankenstein
The Frankenstein Files: How Hollywood Made a Monster (SD, 45 minutes): Film historian David J. Skal hosts this lengthy look back at Mary Shelley's original book, the development and departures of James Whale's classic 1931 adaptation, the influence the film has had on cinema, and more.
Karloff: The Gentle Monster (SD, 38 minutes): With an ability "to lure them inside," Boris Karloff carved out a unique, hard-working Hollywood life and career, and injected something into the horror movie that pushed the fledgling genre well into the modern-monster age.
Universal Horror (SD, 95 minutes): Filmmaker and part-time narrator Kenneth Branagh guides horror fans on a journey through Universal's horror canon, touching on all of the movies included in the Classic Monsters collection, and some that are not.
Audio Commentaries: Film historian Rudy Behlmer reads from a prepared essay throughout the duration of the movie, while historian Sir Christopher Frayling, while obviously relying on notes of his own, breaks free of his prepared materials to forge a more conversational commentary. There's value in the first, but there's value, a more fascinating dissection and an effortlessness to the second.
100 Years of Universal: Restoring the Classics (HD, 9 minutes): Rather than a Frankenstein-centric restoration featurette, like the one that accompanies Dracula, this is a general catch-all. It's appreciated, but not nearly as revealing.
Boo!: A Short Film (SD, 10 minutes): A 1932 parody short from writer/director Albert DeMond.
Frankenstein Archives (SD, 9 minutes): Movie posters, campaign art, production stills and other images.
Trailer Gallery (SD, 8 minutes): Frankenstein, The Bride of Frankenstein, The Ghost of Frankenstein, Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man and House of Frankenstein.
Monster Tracks (HD): A standard trivia track rounds out the package.
Disc 3: The Mummy
Mummy Dearest: A Horror Tradition Unearthed (SD, 30 minutes): Another Horror Classic documentary, ported from the previously released Mummy DVD. This one looks at the then-timely appeal of the film, its unique spin on the monster movie, its production and reception, and Boris Karloff's performance as a more sympathetic creature than audiences were used to.
He Who Made Monsters: The Life and Art of Jack Pierce (SD, 25 minutes): Oft-overlooked makeup master Jack Pierce was responsible for creating the look of Universal's early lineup of monsters; characters whose appearances would go on to become as iconic as the films in which they were featured.
Audio Commentaries: Two commentaries are available. Celebrated makeup artist Rick Baker, filmmaker Scott Essman, screenwriter and film historian Steve Haberman, collector Bob Burns and sculpture studio owner Brent Armstrong sit down together for the first, with Haberman dominating the discussion (and providing the most information about the production) and Baker showing up later in the track. The second is a solo track with film historian Paul M. Jensen, who reads prepared notes that amount to a dense Mummy essay.
100 Years of Universal: The Carl Laemmle Era (HD, 9 minutes): Universal founder Carl Laemmle and his vision for the future of cinema. A century later, that vision still resonates.
Unraveling the Legacy of The Mummy (SD, 8 minutes): Meet the men who gave the Mummy life.
The Mummy Archives (SD, 10 minutes): Movie posters, campaign art, production stills and other images.
Trailer Gallery (SD, 6 minutes): The Mummy, The Mummy's Hand, The Mummy's Tomb, The Mummy's Ghost and The Mummy's Curse.
Disc 4: The Invisible Man
Now You See Him: The Invisible Man Revealed (SD, 35 minutes): The Invisible Man is put under the microscope in this Rudy Behlmer-hosted documentary pulled from the previously released DVD. Behlmer and other film historians and guests (actor Ian McKellen among them) weigh in on the movie and its production (tidbits include H.G. Wells' insistence that Universal stick to his book more than the studio had with Island of Lost Souls), as well as its themes, characters, performances, frights, practical effects and, of course, the monster of a man at the heart of the tale.
Audio Commentary: Another Behlmer commentary, another undeniable thorough but unmistakably stocky reading of a pre-written, 71-minute film essay. With so much information to share, it's no wonder Behlmer jotted it all down ahead of time. It's just a shame he reads verbatim rather than referring to notes. Some freedom would make for a more passionate, personable commentary.
100 Years of Universal: Unforgettable Characters (HD, 8 minutes): A who's who of Universal's most recognizable, in some cases immortal characters. And not just classic horror characters either.
Production Photographs (SD, 5 minutes): Movie posters, campaign art, production stills and other images.
Trailer Gallery (SD, 4 minutes): The Invisible Man Returns and Invisible Agent.
Disc 5: The Bride of Frankenstein
She's Alive! Creating the Bride of Frankenstein (SD, 39 minutes): Howling and Gremlins filmmaker Joe Dante hosts this Bride of Frankenstein postmortem, which analyzes the complexities of the film, the ultimatum-driven casting of Elsa Lanchester, the return of Boris Karloff, the rise of Dr. Pretorious, the manner in which director James Whale approached the sequel, the makeup and production design, the groundbreaking emergence of a female horror icon, and essentially everything a fan could want to know about the beloved Frankenstein followup.
Audio Commentary: Film historian Scott MacQueen gets a lot of mileage out of the essay he reads aloud, dry as his delivery may be. Pauses are frequent but MacQueen unravels the mysteries and nuances of the film, its horror and comedy, its unique place among early horror classics, and much, much more.
100 Years of Universal: Restoring the Classics (HD, 9 minutes): Rather than a Bride of Frankenstein-centric restoration featurette, like the one that accompanies Dracula, this is a general catch-all. It's appreciated, but not nearly as revealing.
The Bride of Frankenstein Archive (SD, 13 minutes): Movie posters, campaign art, production stills and other images.
Trailer Gallery (SD, 7 minutes): Frankenstein, The Bride of Frankenstein, The Ghost of Frankenstein and House of Frankenstein.
Disc 6: The Wolf Man
Monster by Moonlight (SD, 33 minutes): An American Werewolf in London director John Landis hosts this extensive retrospective with an initially cheesy charm that thankfully doesn't interfere with the proceedings. The history, development, production and sequels of The Wolf Man are examined at length, both the movies that inspired it and its impact on horror cinema are detailed, and every fan, no matter how well versed in Wolf Man lore and legend, will come away having learned something about the film that will enrich their next viewing.
Pure in Heart: The Life and Legacy of Lon Chaney, Jr. (SD, 37 minutes): The life and career of Wolf Man actor Lon Chaney, Jr., the son of a silent film star who went on to play multiple beasts in the Universal monster pantheon. This is a fascinating documentary, though, more so than the usual bio piece. Tragedy, obstacles, tribulation and bittersweet success dot his days as a child, teen and, eventually, a struggling actor. How has his story not been adapted for the big screen?
He Who Made Monsters: The Art and Life of Jack Pierce (SD, 25 minutes): Oft-overlooked makeup master Jack Pierce was responsible for creating the look of Universal's early lineup of monsters; characters whose appearances would go on to become as iconic as the films in which they were featured.
Audio Commentary: Film historian Tom Weaver departs part from the commentary pack, relying on notes but not always reading them outloud. It allows a bit of humor and personal asides to creep in, as well as Weaver's enthusiasm for the film and era, and that makes all the difference. The film is still given the historian's full attention and the particulars of its production and behind-the-scenes drama are still brought to light, but his is a breezier, more entertaining commentary than many of the tracks in the Universal Classic Monsters set.
From Ancient Curse to Modern Myth (SD, 10 minutes): Breaking down The Wolf Man and its appeal.
100 Years of Universal: The Lot (HD, 9 minutes): The Universal backlot in all its glory.
The Wolf Man Archives (SD, 7 minutes): Movie posters, campaign art, production stills and other images.
Trailer Gallery (SD, 9 minutes): Werewolf of London, The Wolf Man, Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man, House of Frankenstein, House of Dracula and She-Wolf of London.
Disc 7: Phantom of the Opera
The Opera Ghost: A Phantom Unmasked (SD, 51 minutes): Film historian Scott MacQueen hosts this glimpse behind the curtain of Phantom of the Opera, several film adaptations and incarnations of the Phantom introduced over the years (chief among them the 1925 silent era version), the troubled early screenings of the 1943 version, its eventual success and, along the way, the particulars of its development, casting, production, and legacy
Audio Commentary: MacQueen sits down to record a solo commentary as well, even though, comprehensive as it is, his overview of the film amounts to a by-the-numbers reading of a series of notes. Listening to the track certainly isn't a waste of time, mind you. It just would have been more involving if delivered with less rigidity.
100 Years of Universal: The Lot (HD, 9 minutes): The Universal backlot in all its glory.
Production Photographs (SD, 6 minutes): Movie posters, campaign art, production stills and other images.
Theatrical Trailer (SD, 2 minutes)
Disc 8: Creature from the Black Lagoon
Back to the Black Lagoon (SD, 40 minutes): Film historian David J. Skal hosts, the Gill Man rampages, and Creature from the Black Lagoon is dissected, from its inspirations to its development, scripting, production, special effects, makeup and more.
Audio Commentary: The last of the Essentials commentaries passes the mic to film historian Tom Weaver, who reads from pre-prepared notes and breaks free from his script to interject additional comments, observations and Creature factoids. Weaver does a fine job of painting a full, complete picture of the path to the Black Lagoon, as well as its shoot, release, sequels and legacy.
100 Years of Universal: The Lot (HD, 9 minutes): The Universal backlot in all its glory.
Production Photographs (SD, 11 minutes): Movie posters, campaign art, production stills and other images.
Trailer Gallery (SD, 7 minutes): Creature from the Black Lagoon, Revenge of the Creature and The Creature Walks Among Us.
The Universal Classic Monsters: Essential Collection isn't perfect. Not every film is a tried and true classic, debate will rage about horror greats that were left behind, not every video presentation or DTS-HD Master Audio Mono mix is ideal, and the majority of the special features have been ported over from the previously released DVDs. Even so, the Essential Collection is a Blu-ray essential. Universal has put considerable effort into restoring and revitalizing each film, and while there's room to nitpick, it's hard to focus on little flaws when the whole of the package is so good. If you have any love for Golden Age horror classics, add this one to your cart or wish list post haste.
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