monster legacy

THE FLICKS: Universal seems to be suffering from a case of schizophrenia. Take the new release of Van Helsing, a methamphedamine-paced monster mash which goes out of it’s way to reject everything that made the classic films so wonderful. Even with all the pre-Memorial Day hype that made The Mummy such a success, director Stephen Sommer’s film died the quiet death so many soulless big-budget extravaganzas do, breaking $100 million mark on opening weekend and slipping quietly overseas to eek out a profit. Now premiering on DVD, the film still has no excuses. But it’s released concurrently with another wave of the Universal Monsters Legacy Collection, which makes for a Halloween trick and treat for fans. Do yourself a favor, skip the Hugh Jackman CGI flavor of the month adventure and pick up these packed to the gills sets featuring Creature from the Black Lagoon, The Invisible Man, and The Mummy. Originally released in 3D, The Creature is one of those rare features that succeeds even without its gimmicky theatrical effect. The Gill Man is a masterpiece of costume design, allowing him to effortlessly glide underneath his favorite victim (Julie Adams...a hottie even in B & W) or slash flesh with prehistoric vengeance. The set contains the first film, along with its two entertaining sequels Revenge of the Creature and The Creature Walks Among Us in which scientists turn our fishy friend into an air-breather! No one handled the horror icons better the director James Whale. His take on Frankenstein and The Bride are justifiably revered by directors even today. And with The Invisible Man, Whale again brings his unique blend of humor and horror to bear on the story of a scientist who goes mad after turning himself invisible. The introductory shot of a bandaged figure behind dark shades still inspires goosebumps and Claude Raines performance is amazing considering he must act mostly just by using his voice. Four other sequels are included in the set: The Invisible Man Returns (in which Vincent Price takes over as the transparent madman), The Invisible Woman, Invisible Agent and The Invisible Man’s Revenge. If you’re looking for continuity as far as the sequels go (something that was hit or miss in the monster series), then The Mummy fits the bill. Each film pretty much picks up from the last, starting with Boris Karloff as Ardath Bey, a villainous Egyptian out to punish those who raided his tomb and run off with his reincarnated lover. The subsequent films (The Mummy’s Hand, The Mummy’s Tomb, The Mummy’s Ghost, & The Mummy’s Curse) never quite replicate director Karl Freund’s shadowy photography and make you sit through quite a bit of “flashback footage,” padding the already short running time. THE FEATURES: Each set includes a whopping amount of extras, with horror historian David J. Skal leading us through retrospectives, production anecdotes, and the overall impact of the classic Universal horror icons. Skal can come across as a tad egotistical (indeed, most rabid horror fans will know much of this info already), but the interviews and recollections are priceless! The Creature from the Black Lagoon set also includes two running commentaries on the sequels, trailers and photographs. Historian Rudy Behlmer takes over the duties on The Invisible Man. While Paul Jensen does the same on The Mummy. FINAL SCORE: These are unprecedented DVD releases, both in terms of the films they contain, the special features, and the low, low pricepoint – around $20 per set. If there ever was a no-brainer “must buy,” this is it!