Coverage of the Universal horror classic The Wolf Man (1941) including the emergence of its star Lon Chaney Jr. This article also covers the second wave of Universal horror releases and the timing of this particular release, five days after the attack upon Pearl Harbor. Previously published in Classic Movie Monthly #2.
Dracula, Frankenstein 1938 Reissues Revive Universal Horror
How Universal horror died in 1936, only to return after a Beverly Hills exhibitor paired Dracula and Frankenstein reissues at his theater in August 1938.
Man Made Monster (1941) Introduces Lon Chaney Jr to Universal Horror
Universal casts Lon Chaney Jr in his first horror role, the exciting 59-minute thriller Man Made Monster starring Lionel Atwill as the man, and Chaney Jr as the monster. Includes a look at Chaney Jr’s career to date, and Atwill’s career thereafter.
The Cat Creeps (1930) – Universal’s (Mostly) Lost Dark House
A look at lost Universal horror film The Cat Creeps (1930) starring Helen Twelvetrees. Contemporary reaction. Piecing the lost film together from Boo! and various versions of The Cat and the Canary.
Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932), Universal Horror With Bela Lugosi
Universal’s 1932 horror adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s Murders in the Rue Morgue made quite a few changes, the best of which was inclusion of Dr. Mirakle, the villain played by Bela Lugosi. Lugosi covered extensively, plus comparisons of the story to the film, and an overall positive appraisal of the movie as it was made. Except for the ape.
The Mad Doctor of Market Street (1942), Universal Horror With Lionel Atwill
An early B movie from director Joseph H. Lewis, The Mad Doctor of Market Street (1942) is a minor Universal horror entry highlighted by horror icon Lionel Atwill’s performance.
Lon Chaney, Jr. in Dead Man’s Eyes (1944) – An Inner Sanctum Mystery
Lon Chaney, Jr. stars in Dead Man’s Eyes, an Inner Sanctum Mystery from Universal in 1944. Posted for the Chaney Blogathon. Article also includes a separate section about mysterious co-star Acquanetta.
Secret of the Blue Room (1933) With Lionel Atwill and Gloria Stuart
Secret of the Blue Room (1933) may not be Universal horror, but it’s a strong murder mystery that acquired the tinge as part of the late ’50s Shock Theater package on television. Here’s a bit about what it was and what it wasn’t.
Dracula (1931) – Bela Lugosi and the Dark, Still Chilling
Matching the Universal horror classic Dracula (1931) starring Bela Lugosi against non-genre films of 1931 and turning perceived weaknesses into strengths.
Dwight Frye’s Last Laugh – Before and Beyond Dracula and Frankenstein
Dwight Frye is legendary for his roles in the Universal horror classics Dracula and Frankenstein. The 1997 biography Dwight Frye’s Last Laugh chronicles the actor’s fast rise to surprising heights and even quicker fall.
