Fine Stories and Other Wordy Tidbits
Okay, how do I ease you guys into this...? I haven't done an exact tally on how many views each article in this series has, but I have noticed that people seem to keep coming back to my article on Werewolf of London. I couldn't tell you why. Perhaps it's because it's a more obscure … Continue reading Horror Is Universal: “The Mummy’s Hand” (1940)
First of all, I'd like to begin this new article by giving a big shout-out to my new team of staff writers. They worked very hard to help me bring you this new piece, and their diligence is much appreciated. So give 'em a big hand! Elsa, Boris, Orlok (our transfer from Germany) and Griffin … Continue reading Horror Is Universal: “The Invisible Man Returns” (1940)
After our cheerful little trip through the land of German Expressionism, we're back in familiar territory and ready to move forward. Today's film is the first in what we're going to call the second part of Universal Horror's Classic Era, which as you may recall lasts from about 1930 to 1960. Why are there multiple … Continue reading Horror Is Universal: “Son of Frankenstein” (1939)
Again with the vampires! Since the sequel to Frankenstein turned out so well, it was only natural for Universal to also make a follow-up to their other monster hit from 1931. You may notice a similarity to Bride right off the bat -- namely, the premise of a female counterpart to the original film's antagonist. … Continue reading Horror Is Universal: “Dracula’s Daughter” (1936)
Let's start by establishing one thing right off the bat: no, this is not The Wolf Man. That comes later. And it's definitely not that other werewolf movie with "London" in the title. That comes way later and would also probably be five minutes long by Hays Code standards. If it somehow didn't make the … Continue reading Horror Is Universal: “Werewolf of London” (1935)
"To a new world of gods and monsters!" By 1935, Universal had been making horror films for about ten years. Their world of gods and monsters wasn't terribly new in that respect. What was new, however, was the experiment they were about to undertake. Up to this point, Universal's horror films had all been standalone … Continue reading Horror Is Universal: “Bride of Frankenstein” (1935)
Imagine there's a person sitting right behind you, watching your every move, that you can't see. You might not be able to prove it to a third party, or even to yourself. But you know that person is there, and that person knows that you know and is relishing every moment of your discomfort. They … Continue reading Horror Is Universal: “The Invisible Man” (1933)
This article, like today's movie itself, is going to be a little...complicated. I've seen this movie before, and when I decided to begin this series, I knew what I wanted to talk about when I got to The Mummy. Then I actually rewatched it. And while I believe the points I originally wanted to make … Continue reading Horror Is Universal: “The Mummy” (1932)
Our last installment of this series was a big one: we covered Universal's first proper horror film and met the first of our Canonical Six, as well as the first of the great actors made famous by Universal Horror. Now it's time to meet both another great actor and another member of the Six. Possibly … Continue reading Horror Is Universal: “Frankenstein” (1931)
When we're talking about horror film history, there are several years that stand out as important milestones in the evolution of the genre. 1978 and 1979 are both contenders, with the former giving us Halloween and the latter giving us Alien, to name just two classics. 1981 can't be overlooked with its groundbreaking werewolf double … Continue reading Horror Is Universal: “Dracula (1931)”
