Frankenstein

     James Whale's masterpiece, "Frankenstein" is so iconic that even though alot of people haven't actually watched it, they instantly know who it is anyway.  This is my personal favorite of the Universal Monsters, thanks in large part to Boris Karloff's fantastic performance as the misunderstood monster.  "Frankenstein" became the most successful and sequelized- it's second only to "Dracula" as the most portrayed character in movie history.  "Frankenstein" is fascinating on all accounts.  Boris Karloff gives the performance of a lifetime as Dr. Victor Frankenstein's dead creation brought to life.  Colin Clive deliriously plays the insane Dr. Frankenstein, and Dwight Frye plays his faithful hunchback assistant, Fritz. 

     Mixed with tons of Gothic atmosphere and Whale's superb direction, you have one of the most influential and eternal horror movies of all time. I can't imagine how audiences in 1931 reacted sitting in a darkened theater watching the scenes of grave robbing and re-animated corpses unfold before their eyes.  I'm sure it was quite shocking.  This is the definitive version of the "Frankenstein" tale- no disrespect to Mary Shelley, but Whale's film version, with the makeup by Jack Pierce and Kenneth Strickfaden's fabulous electrical equipment and effects, became firmly entrenched in popular culture and influenced all other "Frankenstein" incarnations that followed.

     Watching "Frankenstein" today is awe-inspiring.  I think sometimes we take for granted these early movie monsters and what made them so memorable in the first place.  They're like Ronald McDonald or Big Bird.  We know them so well that it sometimes isn't even necessary to view the films because we're raised from such an early age with these characters in our lives. We already know the story of Frankenstein, without reading the book or seeing the movie.  We know he's stitched together with spare parts of other corpses and brought to life by mad Dr. Frankenstein.  Kids just somehow know and accept this knowledge.  It's really kind of strange. I myself had collected the Aurora Model Kits of all the Universal Monsters by the time I was ten or so, and loved them dearly.  I wish I still had them actually... 

     Go anywhere in the world and mention Dracula or Frankenstein or The Wolf Man and people will know exactly who you're talking about.  So I think it's necessary sometimes to go back and experience these early movie monsters and appreciate them for what they are.  I still firmly have my attention span intact, therefore I absolutely adore classic movies.  In fact, I probably watch more older movies than newer ones.  I completely understand and respect why "Frankenstein" is considered such an important and iconic movie. I own the fantastic Legacy Collection DVD's, and curling up with these guys are like a warm blanket.  And "Frankenstein" is my personal favorite.  In 1991, "Frankenstein" was selected for preservation in the United States Film Registry.  "Frankenstein" ranked #27 on Bravo's Scariest Movie Moments.

The Bride Of Frankenstein

     Often considered even better than the original "Frankenstein", James Whales' follow-up to his monster 1931 hit is nothing if not fascinating.  "The Bride of Frankenstein" opens with  Percy Shelley and Lord Byron praising Mary Shelley on her frightening "Frankenstein" story, and Mary informing them to pull up a chair because the story's not over.  We flash back to the ending of the original "Frankenstein" with the angry villagers gathering around the remains of the burning windmill.  It's a brilliant way to start the movie.

     Karloff as the Monster speaks for the first time in "Bride", yet Lanchester almost steals the show and creates one of the most iconic characters in movie history as the Bride.  Although only on-screen as the Bride for maybe two minutes at the climax,  she is completely riveting- her darting, almost bird-like movements are incredible.  Colin Clive returns as the mad Dr. Frankenstein, and the creation of the Bride rivals that of the original monster in "Frankenstein".   Ernest Thesinger also steals the show as the eccentric and fully mad Dr. Pretorious, who coaxes the retired Victor Frankenstein back into his evildoings to create a mate for the Monster.

     The movie boasts a wicked sense of black humor, almost spoofing the original at times.  But it works here, and it works well. It's a mish-mash of sexual innuendo, Gothic horror,  and religious imagery. "The Bride of Frankenstein" is considered not only one of the greatest horror movies of all time, but one of the greatest movies, period.  James Whale had a much bigger budget on "Bride", and it shows.  The lavish sets, lighting, and special effects are something to behold, especially in 1935.  It's a masterpiece, and one that's every bit as entertaining as the original "Frankenstein".  Fans continue to argue which is the better film, and I say hogwash. I consider them both to be basically one long movie, as that's how they should be viewed.

Alien

"In space no one can hear you scream."

     The crew of the spaceship Nostromo are on their way back to Earth when they pick up a distress signal on an unknown planet.   Stopping to investigate the suspected SOS, they instead find an extremely lethal alien life form that boards their ship. One by one, the crew members fall victim to the terrifying monster.

     One of the greatest monster movies ever, Ridley Scott's "Alien" completely gets under your skin.  The way he shot this movie, combined with H.R. Giger's unbelievable designs, create a claustrophobic, tension filled nightmare.  It's amazing that even though this movie is over 20 years old, it really hasn't dated much. It's still as bleak and futuristic today as it was upon its release in 1979. The atmosphere on this movie is simply amazing. Claustrophobia reigns supreme here- but the film offers so much more. Everything about this movie is amazing- acting, directing, set design, music- pure movie-making perfection. Scott's deliberately slow pacing and editing create an overwhelming sense of fear and dread.   The opening titles perfectly set the tone and mood of this movie.  The audience instantly knows what it's in store for. We know something horrible is going to happen, we just don't know when.  And by the time things do get really scary, we're already sucked in. Jerry Goldsmith's score also greatly enhances the terror here- the movie simply wouldn't have worked near as well without it.

         Almost set up like a classic slasher movie in outerspace, we soon find the crewmembers being knocked off one by one until the final showdown between Ripley and the Alien.  But ALIEN is certainly not your standard "Hollywood" horror movie.  There are no moments of comic relief.  No messages of hope. It refuses to give the audience breaks in the growing tension. And the characters don't suddenly lose all sanity for the sake of a death scene. Everything in ALIEN unfolds just as it would in real life. For some, it's hard to get into a movie like this.

      Sigourney Weaver created one of the most successful characters in movie history with her Ripley. She owns this movie-I simply can't imagine any other actress playing her character.  And she proved that a female character could carry a type of movie usually reserved for males. But the praise doesn't just go to Sigourney- the entire cast deserve full credit here.  The Alien itself is one of the greatest monsters in movie history, a truly original and terrifying creation, and the film was inducted into the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress for film preservation.  Oh, and the trailer is hands down one of the greatest horror movie (or any movie...) trailers I've ever seen- if I were sitting in a theater and saw this, I would have to see this movie immediately. A film that never gets old and it always entertaining.