The Monsters Are Coming in the Universal Classic Monsters: Complete 30-Film Collection

The fun of watching a “Monster” movie is knowing that you’re safe (it being a movie), yet getting sucked into the atmosphere and identifying with the basic human emotions of fear and flight. So watching monster movies at home, especially by yourself, only compounds the effect. Add the black and white view of films of the past and the lack of “modern” effects and you’ll be checking under the bed before it’s time to sleep. Especially if you’ve a big TV and the movies you’re watching are in one big Blu-ray box entitled Universal Classic Monsters: Complete 30-Film Collection

A little history before we lightly delve into the collection: Universal Studios was the king when it came to creating monster movies — they had all the big names like Frankenstein, the Wolfman, Dracula, you name it. These weren’t cheaply made shlock either: so okay the effects pale by today’s standards but they were pretty amazing and impressive for the time. Besides, the overall theme was to shock and awe and they did big time. So this collection comes in Blu-ray which highlights all the details, both good and ill, that make these films the classics that they are. Which of course are in their original format, being what we’d call “TV format” or square. Plus they’re digital monophonic (nicely though, subtitles are available, if desired). And being that they’re complete and not butchered for commercial inserts and late, late night throwaways on TV; they can be enjoyed in all their glory and gory. All 30 of them, which includes 3D because yeah that was there too.

So a quick rundown on the films says it all: theres all 6 of Bela Lugosi’s Dracula and if you want to imitate his accent when he says “Children of the Night,” go ahead but remember he was the first and set the precedent for those who came after; there’s all 6 of Boris Karloff’s Frankenstein — remembering that Karloff played the Frankenstein monster, it’s the creator who holds the name of Frankenstein. And of those 6, of course there’s the Bride of Frankenstein and we all know how poorly this romance turned out (and as an aside, Mel Brooks was able to get hold of the original Frankenstein making equipment who knows how many years later — meaning Universal was storing it, rather than throwing it out),

And who as a kid didn’t worry that The Mummy was going to show up under the bed? Yes the slow moving bundle of bandages is here too, and again 6 films in all so wrap yourself up and hit “Play” and when done, move on to The Wolf Man (howling his way through 7 films).

Follow all this up with The Invisible Man (6 films and for a bit of fun there’s the classic Abbot and Costello Meet The Invisible Man) and then Phantom of the Opera (no musical here, but plenty of screams). Creature from the Black Lagoon and its 3 films are also here and they blend in perfectly with the 1950’s Science Fiction explosion while still being very Monster-like. Plus it’s here you’ll find the 3D mentioned earlier.

All of these characters are well known and there’s been take-offs and satires and jokes made about each of them after the films came out and for years and years after. But don’t forget that without Universal deciding to go the Monster route, none of what came after, be it re-imaginings or comedic versions would have occurred.

Additional materials are of course included — from a collectible book to a series of featurettes (meaning smaller behind-the-scenes looks) on the actors to documentaries to photo galleries, even a Spanish edition of the Dracula film. This is the big boy when it comes to having a collection of monster films. And for the fan, the fan in making or just someone looking to be taken into the world of classic fear, here you go.

Universal Classic Monsters: Complete 30-Film Collection is a treasure trove to be enjoyed over and over, and especially whenever a touch of horror and a monster is needed. So make space in your library because the monsters are coming!