Monster Movie Marathon

    Since it is the month of October, and since I recently received four of the Legacy Collection sets of Universal monster movies for my birthday, I’ve decided to do a series of reviews on some of the classic monster films.
    As a child, I wasn’t always very fond of scary movies.  I didn’t watch very many, and most of those I did were comedies.  I loved Abbott and Costello, and their “Meet Frankenstein” film made an impression on me.  I liked my little Dracula, Frankenstein, and Wolf man toys that had come with the kid’s meals at one of the fast food places we’d been to.
    However, I still avoided horror movies as an adult.  But curiosity got to me and I decided to watch “The Wolf Man” and see what the hype was about.  I was glued to the screen (figuratively speaking :) )  Now, I’m a huge fan of the classic horror genre.
    What is it about these films that makes them so great, even after more than 50 years?  If I may be so bold as to venture an opinion on the subject, I think the following are two important reasons:
    Atmosphere:  The atmosphere in these old films is - to be perhaps somewhat cliché - so thick you could cut it with a knife (again, figuratively speaking).  Rather than focusing on tons of blood and guts and goriness, they used wonderfully eerie imagery that seemed to be enhanced by being shot in black and white.
    Excellent acting:  While excellent may not be an adjective to apply to all of the actors in these old films, I certainly think it applies to many.  Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Claude Rains, and Lon Chaney Jr. brought their respective monsters to life (or undeath, as the case may be) on the screen with menace, sometimes pathos, and charisma.  Their monsters could both attract and repel.
    Join me, if you will, as I revisit these captivating classics.  First up on the agenda - 1931’s “Dracula”.