The Universal Comeback

Monsters born in the Golden Age of Universal Pictures get a new breath of life with Leigh Whannell’s new film

IT’S ALIVE! Director Leigh Whannell (“Saw,” “Upgrade”) has already been praised with multiple reviews for his latest film’s fresh take on a classic story. “The Invisible Man,” a remake of the 1933 film of the same name, was released on February 28th. The original film was a part of the classic Universal Pictures monster brigade, which featured several legends in horror, including Frankenstein’s Monster and Count Dracula.

Recent attempts have been made to revive the quintessential monster universe (“Dracula Untold, “The Wolfman”) but Whannell’s film is the first of those films projected to do well critically and in the box office. But why try so hard to reanimate the dead? Unlike Victor Frankenstein, it’s out of love, respect and paying homage to the birth of the horror industry. The classic monster movies deserve their time in the spotlight, even if it must come almost 100 years too late.

The Invisible Man (1933)

Based on the classic H.G. Wells novel of the same name, “The Invisible Man” follows scientist Jack Griffin as he works to reverse an experiment that has left him invisible. But the chemicals have made his mind warped and twisted, leading him down a path of madness, death and destruction.

Why You Should Watch It: James Whale was one of the only openly gay directors during his career as a filmmaker (1930-1941). This was essentially unheard of at the time and his bravery and solidarity in his sexuality were partially responsible for a movie being made about his last days. Whale was a groundbreaking director with a vision for the macabre. The film itself has also been hailed for its achievements in visual effects. Claude Rains (the actor portraying Dr. Griffin) was applauded for his vocal skills, as his character was either unseen or bandaged for the entirety of the run time. Overall, it’s one of the more critically acclaimed of the monster universe.

The Mummy (1932)

Director: Karl Freund

Starring: Boris Karloff, Zita Johann, David Manners

Is there a remake? Two loosely based remakes are “The Mummy” (dir. Stephen Sommers, 1999) and “The Mummy” (dir. Alex Kurtzman, 2017)

British archeologists uncover the mummified remains of the Egyptian prince Imhotep and one of the men reads from the ominous Scroll of Thoth found in his tomb. The mummified royal rises, causing the man who read the words to go mad. Ten years later, Imhotep returns, enamored by a woman who looks like the reincarnation of his long lost love.

Why You Should Watch It: Boris Karloff is an absolute legend. His reputation eventually led to him simply being credited as “Karloff.” The man needed no introduction. In addition to the incredible talent, the film does some really astonishing stuff with makeup and costumes, especially considering the time period. The scene in which Imhotep crumples back into his mummified state would be impressive even if it were done today. Even though the film revolves around British archeologists, the titular character is a person of color. (Karloff was of South Asian ancestry.) Yes, the film about Egypt is mostly whitewashed but sometimes you have to celebrate the wins no matter how small they may seem.

The Wolfman (1941)

Director: George Waggner

Starring: Lon Chaney Jr., Béla Lugosi, Evelyn Ankers

Is there a remake? A convoluted answer: a direct remake is “The Wolfman” (dir. Joe Johnston, 2010) but it has inspired many other werewolf films including “An American Werewolf in London” (dir. John Landis, 1981), “The Howling” (dir. Joe Dante, 1981) and “Wolf” (dir. Mike Nichols, 1994)

Following the death of his brother, Larry Talbot returns to his hometown of Llanwelly, Wales, to mourn and reconcile with his father. Talbot soon becomes smitten with one of the women in the town and while taking her out for a stroll, he kills a wolf that is attacking another man. Terror and mystery ensue when Larry finds out that the animal he killed was no mere wolf and the bite he’d received during the scuffle will have much more dire consequences than he could have ever expected.

Why You Should Watch It: Werewolves are one of the best monster species in the horror genre. They’re grisly, terrifying and have many tropes already living about what they are and how to kill them. They’re as legendary as Dracula (arguably). To make it even better, this film features the wild fun of werewolves and the Dracula. (Béla Lugosi stars as Bela, one of the Roma people sharing fortunes with Larry.) It’s the best of both worlds. Lon Chaney Jr. had horror in his blood; his father was the iconic Lon Chaney, who played The Phantom in “The Phantom of the Opera,” Quasimodo in “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” and the Hypnotist in “London After Midnight.” It’s wonderful to see the legacy live on.

The only thing harder than the transformation scene to sit through is the unflattering representation of the Romany people. It’s a very dated film and it’s important to recognize the problematic representation.

Dracula (1931)

Director: Tod Browning

Starring: Béla Lugosi, Helen Chandler, David Manners

Is there a remake? The closest to a direct remake is “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” (dir. Francis Ford Coppola, 1992); both films drew from Bram Stoker’s original novel.

After hypnotizing a British soldier to be his slave, the darkly charming Count Dracula makes his way to Carfax Abbey in London. Once settled in his new home, Dracula terrorizes the town. He has his eyes set on Mina, leading her friends and family to battle this force of darkness in order to save her soul.

Why You Should Watch It: Bram Stoker’s renowned novel has been the source of nightmares for centuries. The only thing possibly more famous than the subject material is the man who brought the count to life. Béla Lugosi was essentially unheard of when he was offered the role of a lifetime. It jump started his career, leading to his roles in multiple  horror films including “The Black Cat” “The Raven” and “Son of Frankenstein.” Dracula is the king of horror and this film was the first kingdom he ruled on the big screen.

Frankenstein (1931)

Director: James Whale

Starring: Boris Karloff, Colin Clive, Mae Clark

Is there a remake? There have been lots of renditions/inspirations but the most direct remake is “Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein” (dir. Kenneth Branagh, 1994)

Based on the esteemed novel by Mary Shelley, this film follows a power-hungry scientist looking to use his own godly powers to create life. Despite warnings from his loved ones and colleagues, Dr. Victor Frankenstein brings a creature to life. The creature is innocent and childlike but society refuses to accept the “monster” they’ve deemed horrendous.

Why You Should Watch It: Mary Shelley birthed the legend of Frankenstein’s Monster whilst at a lake house with two of the most prominent male writers of her time (Percy Shelley and Lord Byron). Although her immortal tale has problematic elements, Shelley persevered against her male counterparts and won the writing competition they held between them. To me, she was a strong woman and writer in a time when women were supposed to be seen and not heard. Even today, her stories are resounding around the globe. In addition to the source material, the film is another by our dear friend Mr. Whale and Boris Karloff got his big break in horror with this film. Plus, both Frankenstein and the Creature are quite a bit more likable than they were portrayed in the novel. Overall, it’s a wonderful ode to Shelley and the dark world of horror.

Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

Director: James Whale

Starring: Boris Karloff, Colin Clive, Elsa Lanchester

Is there a remake? Not really; the closest adaptation was “The Bride” (dir. Franc Roddam, 1985)

Following the events of “Frankenstein” (1931), Dr. Frankenstein is recovering from his injuries as his Creature aimlessly wanders the land, longing for a friend. Dr. Frankenstein’s old mentor, Dr. Pretorius, returns to the disgraced Frankenstein and urges him to continue his experiments. The Creature finds his way back to his creator and gives him an opportunity to create again; he wants a mate.

Why You Should Watch It: In my opinion, I’ve saved the best for last. Of all of Whale’s films, this one is by far the closest to my heart. The Bride is arguably one of the most iconic movie characters ever and Elsa Lanchester is absolutely stunning. The only downside to this film is the fact that the Bride only has about five minutes of screen time, if that. But it’s fun, beautiful, innovative and features a glimpse of Lanchester as Mary Shelley herself! It checks a lot of boxes for me and, hopefully, it will for you, too.

Unfortunately, none of these films are available for free on any online platform (at least that I’m aware of). But you can rent them on YouTube, Google Play or iTunes anytime. There is also a bundle you can buy that contains all of the movies on this list!

Also be sure to catch Leigh Whannell’s “The Invisible Man,” now in theaters!