| DVD Roundup October 2004
 Happy Halloween, with
Universal Monster Movies
In the 1930s and ’40s, Universal
Studios had a stable of movie stars that included vampires, werewolves, and mad
scientists. When I was a boy, these films formed the backbone of a local
Saturday-afternoon TV show called Creature Features. Many rainy Saturday afternoons
were spent watching these magical black-and-white movies starring things that go bump in
the night. I’m pleased that, with the release of Universal’s two-disc Legacy
editions of Dracula, The Wolf Man, and Frankenstein, I can now return
to these magical worlds.
The presentations of the monsters in these films have
become iconic. Bela Lugosi’s penetrating eyes and voice, Boris Karloff’s stiff
stumbling, and Lon Chaney, Jr.’s hunched prowling are definitive characteristics of
Dracula, Frankenstein’s monster, and the Wolf Man. All later representations of these
characters must, in one way or another, respond and pay homage to these classic
portrayals. We should also not forget or fail to appreciate the important role played by a
behind-the-scenes member of the Universal productions, makeup artist Jack Pierce, who was
responsible for the makeup for all Universal’s monsters. Whether the subtle makeup
used on Lugosi for Count Dracula or the yak hair and rubber nose used for the Wolf Man,
Pierce’s ability to bring to life these creatures of the night was crucial to these
films.
Dracula
Dracula (1931) tells the story of the Transylvanian
vampire’s trip to England in search of new blood, only to be confronted by his
nemesis, Dr. Van Helsing (Edward Van Sloan). Second only to Lugosi’s Dracula is
Dwight Frye’s portrayal of Renfield, a man made insane by Dracula, in a most
memorable performance. Universal’s Dracula DVD collection includes five films: Dracula
(1931, ****), Dracula (1931, ****, the Spanish-language version), Dracula’s
Daughter (1936, ***), Son of Dracula (1943, ***), and House of Dracula (1946,
***½). Dracula includes a new 5.1-channel soundtrack with a score by contemporary
composer Philip Glass, and there’s a commentary by David J. Skal, a film historian
and author of The Horror Show: A Cultural History of Horror (Faber & Faber,
revised edition, 2001).
The Spanish-language Dracula was made at the same
time and on the same sets as the English version, but with a different cast, directed by
George Melford. It’s 30 minutes longer than the English version, and a real treat.
There’s an introduction by one of the actors, Lupita Tovar (she played Eva, the
Spanish counterpart to Helen Chandler’s Mina), who discusses the making of the film.
I missed Lugosi’s Dracula, but the Spanish version has some terrific scenes -- I
found it more creepy and cinematic than the English partly because of a greater use of
moving cameras. I was annoyed that the only English subtitles for the Spanish version are
the captions for the hearing-impaired -- not only is the dialogue translated, but sound
effects are also displayed; when the wolves howl, it says "[howling]" on the
screen.
The other three titles are standard B movies, but they are
all enjoyable. House of Dracula includes appearances from the other Universal
monsters. Additional extras include trailers for all of the films, a poster and photo
gallery, and a documentary, The Road to Dracula, hosted by Carla Laemmle, who
played a small role in Dracula. (She is the niece of Carl Laemmle, founder of
Universal Pictures.) The documentary is informative and includes comments from Clive
Barker, David J. Skal, and others.
Frankenstein
Based on Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein
(1931, ****) tells the story of Baron von Frankenstein’s attempt to create life by
building a human body from spare parts. His attempt goes horribly awry, perhaps because of
his use of a criminal’s brain, and the creature must deal with the inhabitants of the
local village. The excellent Bride of Frankenstein (1935, ****½) is included in
the DVD collection, as are Son of Frankenstein (1939, ***), Ghost of
Frankenstein (1942, ***), and House of Frankenstein (1944, ***½). Frankenstein
has a commentary track by Rudy Behlmer, and Bride has a commentary track from Scott
MacQueen.
Documentaries are also included: The Frankenstein Files:
How Hollywood Made a Monster, hosted by David J. Skal; and She’s Alive! hosted
by Joe Dante. At close to an hour each, these are truly informative documentaries,
not the puff pieces that seem to accompany many DVD releases of contemporary films. We are
given an overview of the history of the Frankenstein story, from Mary Shelley
through stage productions and the Universal films, as well as a detailed look at the
Universal movies. There are also trailers, as well as poster and photo galleries. A
strange extra is the short film Boo!, a one-reeler that uses clips from horror
films, such as Frankenstein and F.W. Murnau’s Nosferatu, with a bizarre
voiceover that tries too hard to be funny. It would have been nice to have more
information about this strange piece’s origins and intended audience.
The Wolf Man
I had not seen The Wolf Man (1941, ****½) in many
years, and was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Unlike Dracula and Frankenstein,
The Wolf Man is a classic heroic tragedy. Curt Siodmak, the writer, said the
affinity with Greek tragedy was unintentional, but it is present. Larry Talbot (Lon
Chaney, Jr.) is a good, innocent man who returns home to his father (Claude Rains) after
his brother’s death, only to become a werewolf after being bitten by one (played by
Bela Lugosi!). Chaney, perfect as Talbot, portrays a man with whom we can sympathize. We
want him to be saved and cured, not hunted and destroyed. Film historian Tom Weaver
provides a commentary track.
The other films in this collection are The Werewolf of
London (1935, **½), The She-Wolf of London (1946, **½), and Frankenstein
Meets the Wolf Man (1943, ***). The London films do not have as great stories
as the original, but monster fans should enjoy a night with them. Frankenstein Meets
the Wolf Man transported me back to those Saturday afternoons of my youth when, after
watching these films, my friends and I would play out the roles of our favorite monsters.
There is also a documentary, Madness by Moonlight, hosted by John Landis
(the director of An American Werewolf in London), that provides a comprehensive
examination of the mythology of lycanthropy and the history of Universal’s werewolf
movies.
Conclusion
These collections rank as some of the best-produced DVD
sets I’ve seen. The movies are plentiful, the extras worthwhile, and the enjoyment
immeasurable. The packaging is a step above the standard DVD snap-case; each set comes in
a case that resembles a small hardcover book in a slipcase. My one complaint is that,
because Universal released these sets in conjunction with Van Helsing, each
includes a featurette with Van Helsing’s director Stephen Sommers that ties
these classic films to the modern one. While these featurettes are easy enough to ignore,
their presence seems more advertisement than tribute. But they are minor blemishes on
otherwise outstanding collections that contain so much material that you’d better
start your Halloween celebration with them two weeks before October 31.
As I write this, Universal has announced three new Legacy
collections: The Mummy (1932), The Invisible Man (1933), and The Creature
from the Black Lagoon (1954). The lists of their films and features suggest that they,
too, will make worthy additions to a classic monster-movie library.
…Eric Hetherington
erich@hometheatersound.com |
