Fine Stories and Other Wordy Tidbits
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)”
As you probably know, the story of a disfigured musical genius who lurks beneath the Paris Opera House and becomes enamoured with the chorus girl he's training was not invented in the 80s by Andrew Lloyd Webber. While the musical is by far the most famous adaptation of Gaston Leroux's 1910 novel, it certainly wasn't … Continue reading Horror Is Universal: “The Phantom of the Opera (1925)”
It's getting to be that special time of year again: summer is turning to fall (in theory if not in weather), and preparations for the festivities we associate with that season are underway. And by that, I mean it's time to get spooky up in here. There is a certain subsection of the Internet in … Continue reading New Series! HORROR IS UNIVERSAL
NOTE: Because this film is a new release and because it's best experienced without much prior info, I will be keeping this article free of spoilers as much as possible. As a writer and storyteller, I have mad respect for Jordan Peele. After doing five years' worth of brilliant and hilarious sketch comedy, where do … Continue reading Film Review: “Us”
