Evies Blog

Compare Prices on Universal Horror: Classic Movie Archive

I wish sets like Universal Fear Classic Movie Archive would not be specific to a chain (Best Occupy for this region) since the availability tends to be too tiny and after they sell out the prices become ridiculous (like The Classic Sci-fi Ultimate Collection another Best Prefer unique) . Of course, as soon as I saw this for sale I knew I needed to add it to my early scare collection. All of these are on DVD for the first time and the transfers scrutinize quite obedient. Several of these were made quite rapidly like “Man Made Monster” and “Dread Island” and a couple of these like “Captive Wild Woman” are not really anxiety (though nowhere arrive as abominable as the advertising on the “The Boris Karloff Collection” also on Universal), but fans of the 40’s monster/horror genre are going to want (need) this on their shelf. Now only if Universal had added some supplements.

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Black Cat (1941) : This movie is not a remake of the pleasant 1934 version nor bares resemblance to Poe’s short yarn. It does have two stars at that time with a fading Bela Lugosi (somewhat played against type so that is engaging) and Basil Rathbone (there is a nice dinky in-joke referencing him as Sherlock Holmes) . Neither is the lead though which would belong to future Academy Award winner Broderick Crawford who plays a character who wants to pick the estate. The residence of a heiress involving relatives over to discuss her will and subsequent death and subsequent trapping of the rest of the guests in the house (unpleasant weather) as they slowly procure killed off seems stereotypical of this genre which was similar to the “Cat and the Canary” films (1927 & 1939) . Gale Sondergaard who plays the maid here performs a similar role in the 1939 version (and other films) . The sail is a bit dumb and Hugh Herbert’s performance (he plays a house and antique appraiser who is completely oblivious to everything) was vaudevillian comedy arrangement overdone and reminds me of a more annoying Costello. If it was toned down it could have been advantageous. Murky Cat is an OK film with nice sets and sterling performances by the secondary character actors.

Man Made Monster (1941) : Director George Waggner was extraordinarily busy during 1940/1941 helping helm several cheap horror/suspense films like “Man Made Monster” until his masterpiece “The Wolf Man”. This film would also star the consummate commonplace common-man in Lon Chaney Jr. (aloof in his dad’s shadow at this point; though he would not be typecast in fear until “The Wolf Man”) who’s role in this film is analogous to that of the furred fanged fury. Chaney plays Dan McCormick an oafish congenial low-rent magician who survived an electrocution (and wreck) and is found by two scientists - one who wants to assist him and one who wants to exploit him (Lionel Atwill) . “Man Made Monster” is a decent film for an extremely uncouth budget and speedy shot (apparently three weeks according to IMDB) movie. You have to adore the glow that surrounds him as his powers grow. This movie seems more like a sci-fi film than fright though.

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Horror Island (1941) : Another George Waggner scare film of 1941 that was on a double bill of “Man Made Monster”. The film starts with Bill Martin (Dick Foran) as a down-on-luck entrepreneur who avoids bill collectors while trying to construct tall on his next crazy understanding. He happens on half a intention that might lead to cherish on an island he owns. He decides to originate his island/castle a tourist situation so he can execute money regardless if there is adore or not. The first bunch he takes all seems suspicious. Once they procure to the island it then takes from Agatha Cristie’s “And Then There Were None” (which was not that modern in the first state) . Not too distinguished moving in this film, but nothing horrific either. Some nice sets and situations, but everything feels rushed. This film has one of the most egregious examples of getting a crew member on film. As the cast enters the castle and the camera pans toward the inside, a grip titillating a portable light moves towards the left, gets his cord stuck on a table, points his light down and slowly moves out-of-screen after he has already hit the midpoint of the camera shot — unintended hilarity. This is partially because it had a 12-day shooting schedule and was released less than a month after production started.

Night Monster (1942) : The plot: Dr. Lynne Harper gets summoned to Ingston Mansion to befriend the daughter of the invalid owner (Kurt Ingston) Margaret Ingston who thinks she is going insane because of what she sees, the murders reach the house and the fact that the maid keeps cleaning up blood spots. Meanwhile three doctors have been invited also to gawk the improvement of Kurt who was left crippled because of an operation by the three (though it was not necessarily their fault) . Kurt has been using the abet of a fakir Agor Singh who is tapped into the spiritual power. Also visiting is Dick Baldwin (the protagonist) a writer who is friends with Kurt. Soon more killings happen in the household. Could it be the fakir, the butler Rolf (Bela Lugosi and we know the butler always does it, or does he), the misogynistic chauffer, the owner or the crazed daughter? Night Monster is an effectively directed film by Ford Beebee (director of the Bomba series and lots of sci-fi/horror `B’ films) that works well for most of the movie but fails at the very destroy. This is because it is distinct who the culprit is and the special effects are a bit of a let down too. However, there are enough suspects at the beginning to hold it interesting; though, there is the age passe quandary that when there are murders about it would be best to leave the house.

Captive Wild Woman (1943) : Dr. Sigmund Walters (Universal hammy fright stalwart John Carradine) is an endocrinologist who tampers with science and transforms a female ape to a human (played by Acquanetta, yes that is her name probably influence by the hair spray) with borrowed glands from other females. While the direction by Edward Dmytryk, who would later helm the proper Caine Mutiny (1954) is solid, and the acting is decent, the position is `b’ level entertainment that is ridiculous (typical Universal Scare film of the time) . There is a plethora of stock footage featuring a proper lion tamer that outdoes the rest of the action in this movie. I cannot have they made two sequels to this film (which I have not seen) : Jungle Woman (1944) with Acquanetta reprising her role and The Jungle Captive (1945) with Vicky Lane as the ape girl. Once again this proves that sequels are nothing modern.

This collection of five Universal films aren’t classics, but every one is fun, with top-notch production values. And effect that “The Sad Cat” is NOT the 1934 Lugosi/Karloff film, but a 1941 film with Lugosi, Basil Rathbone, Gale Sondergaard, Broderick Crawford, Anne Gwynne, and Hugh Herbert! If those names mean anything to you, you’ll really savor this state. Other actors include John Carradine, Lionel Atwill, Lon Chaney Jr, Evelyn Ankers, and many more. For $17 as a Best Remove unfamiliar, that’s only 3 1/2 bucks a movie. Report quality is pristine, and they’re even closed captioned. Hasten, because when they’ve sold out, that’s it.
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