Fine Stories and Other Wordy Tidbits
Well, if it isn't our old bloodsucking buddy back for another round! Cinema's favorite vampire has had a pretty decent track record in Universal Horror so far. The 1931 Dracula was a triumph of tension and eerie atmosphere, and the Spanish-language version built on that already-strong foundation to make something even better. Dracula's Daughter managed … Continue reading Horror Is Universal: “Son of Dracula” (1943)
The cinematic showdown has been around since time immemorial. We've had Batman v Superman. Freddy vs Jason. Godzilla vs King Kong/Mothra/King Ghidorah/etc. Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny...okay, not that one. But you get the idea. One badass fights another badass, with (hopefully) awesome results. And then we have today's film, Frankenstein Meets the Wolf … Continue reading Horror Is Universal: “Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man” (1943)
Unwatchable. It's a hefty word, or at least it's supposed to be. In today's digital word, we're more likely to see it tossed around as shorthand for "something I personally didn't like." But what does it really mean? When is a film really, truly unwatchable? The problem is that "unwatchable" can mean a few different … Continue reading Horror Is Universal: “The Mummy’s Tomb” (1942)
When I first pressed Play on this movie, I really had no idea what to expect. Son of Frankenstein had been a decent, if not perfect, conclusion to the story begun in the 1931 film, and after three movies, the most interesting story possibilities for the Frankensteins and the Creature had already been played out. … Continue reading Horror Is Universal: “The Ghost of Frankenstein” (1942)
NOTE: Today's film and some of the clips in this article include the use of pejorative language toward Romani people, which may be offensive to some readers. While my analysis does make note of the film's terminology, I have attempted to use appropriate terminology whenever possible. Even a man who is pure in heart And … Continue reading Horror Is Universal: “The Wolf Man” (1941)
