Universal Classic Monsters: Complete 30-Film Collection - Blu-ray Review

[Michael Scott]

Universal Classic Monsters: 30-Film Collection

Movie:
Video:
Audio:
Extras:
Final Score: ​

WARNING: THE SCORES ABOVE ARE A COMBINED SCORE FROM ALL THIRTY FILMS,

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Movie
Universal Studios is considered one of the most iconic studios of all times, and while they haven’t always had THE greatest success in the modern blocksbuster market compared to Disney/Marvel/Warner, they are still considered one of the largest historical studios in existence with one of the largest catalog title database in the world. Their monster movie films are what MADE them back in the 30s, 40s and 50s, and those classic monster movies are probably one of their biggest legacies. Movie makers and film critics/students alike have analyzed, psycho analyzed, and worshiped at he feet of the original Dracula, Frankenstein, Creature from the Black Lagoon flicks for decades, with many a thesis paper stemming from them. They are iconic classics that most fans have been begging to make the leap to Hi-Def ever since the format came out. There used to be the Essentials Collection back in 2012 which gave us a taste test of the vast library of films that Universal had, but fans were left wanting for another 6 years as Universal seemed reluctant to release any more.

Luckily 2014 was a hint of things to come as Universal released this same box set we see today, but only on DVD (and the same extra I might add). However, we monster movie fans were hoping for something more, only to be left hanging. Then comes along 2017 when we start seeing the Creature, Dracula, and Invisible Man Legacy collections come along, all of which contains the Blu-rays of that giant 2014 DVD box set. When they finally completed all 30 films in the legacy collections a few months ago I was CERTAIN we were going to get a big massive box set, and voila, it looks like I was right! This box set comes in with all of the legacy collections together in one giant chipboard box, as well as The Phantom of the Opera 1943 edition AND a nifty little booklet with info from each of the films.

It’s a bit tough to sit down and write reviews for EVERY ONE of the 30 movies, but needless to say this is a great box set. It includes most of the classic Dracula films, as well as the Creature flicks that made the rubber suited monster so popular. To flesh things out Universal even included the Abbot & Costello Meets movies as well, which are hilarious comedy foils to the old “serious” monster movies for sure (Abbot & Costello Meet Frankenstein is one of my favorites from their collaborations). While we have many a “lower quality” sequel to the original, the sequels to The Invisible Man, The Werewolf, Frankenstein and Dracula are all fun movies in their own rights. That being said, the originals are still the most iconic and even though they were in the Essentials collection from 2012 (ish), the inclusion of the sequels really does add a ton of enjoyment to the set. This is as about a complete collection of Universal monster movie as we can possibly hope to expect, and the amount of work that Universal did to create this set is pretty epic.

From all accounts Universal has gone back and given “from the ground up” restorations for each of the films, as these are their crown jewels o the catalog format and several of them were on the verge of being lost forever if something wasn’t done (Universal is looking forward to syndication rights, as well as future releases, not just this Blu-ray collection) and most of them actually got full on 4K resolution digital intermediates and scans in the process, upgrading them from the already great looking 2K scans of the Essentials Collection.

The quality may vary moderately from film to film, but this really is a collection that no classic horror fan wants to forego. Universal went all out in restorting these films and giving them snazzy legacy “collections”, as well as this massive box set for those who want it all in one fell swoop. Besides an encoding process error that I will discuss in more detail in the video score section of this review, the set is about as perfect as you can get.




Rated G for General Audiences




Video:

Down to the nitty gritty that we’re all here for. What do the films look like? Well, if you already had gotten the 2012 Essentials Collection then you have a really good idea what to expect. Universal has gone through and given a meticulous restoration to just about EVERY film in the series, with almost all of them being stunners. Films like She-Wolf of London and Werewolf of London (which are in pretty rough shape I might add, the only two films in the series to get a 2.5/5 and 3/5 rating for video) are the worst of the lot, but are really standouts to an outstanding series of encodes. Most of them hover in the 4.5/5 to 5/5, with a few like The Phantom of the Opera pulling in a solid 4/5 rating. These transfers are just JAW DROPPING for the most part. Deep inky black and white photography is gorgeous to behold, and the crisp details present on screen are a revelation.

Now, there is one flaw in this set and that is an ACTUAL flaw, not just a weak transfer. Revenge of the Creature was given a meticulous restoration by Universal (something they bragged about), but when the disc came out in the Creature Legacy Set a few months back, viewers were shocked to see the 3D presentation is in side by side 3D instead of “over/under” and the 2D playback was basically in 720p. Universal has conceded that this was an error in the publishing of the disc and is offering an exchange for the disc as of this month (the disc in this set is the same disc in the Creature Legacy set, so you would need to contact Universal for the replacement). You can contact Universal Studios for the free replacement disc by emailing them at USHEConsumerRelations@visionmediamgmt.com You can read the official Universal statement below

“Dear Consumer,

We apologize that you are having difficulty with your copy of Creature From the Black Lagoon: Complete Legacy Collection.

Universal Home Entertainment is offering replacement discs for Revenge of the Creature and Creature Walks Among Us, which are included with your collection. To receive replacement discs, please email the following information:

• Your shipping address
• Daytime telephone number
• A copy of your sales receipt OR a photo of the two discs and the packaging

Please sent the above requested information to the email address below:

USHEConsumerRelations@visionmediamgmt.com







Audio:

The audio quality naturally various for 30 films, but most of them are really within the 4.5/5 range, with a smattering of 4/5 and the mummy movie sequels being a bit lower at 3/5. All in all these are fantastic replications of the original source material and Universal has obviously gone through a LOT of restoration work to get these films sounding this good. The vocals are crisp and clean, and the dynamics of a 2.0 and/or Mono track is quite impressive. My old DVDs of some of these titles had a lot of hisses and scratches to them, and these tracks are shockingly clear. The vocals can be a bit thinner than what we’re used to with modern recording equipment, but this is more a factor in HOW they were recorded back in the 30s and 40s and 50s more than a knock on the track itself. The Mummy movies are noticeably worse than the others, but that is not a wild thing, as they’re not BAD by any stretch of the imagination. They just lack some of the punch and vibrancy that was present in the other films in the set.









Extras:

Dracula
• Audio Commentary
- With Film Historian David J. Skal
- With Steve Haberman, Screenwriter of Dracula: Dead and Loving It

Dracula (1931) Spanish Version
• Includes the option to play with an introduction by Lupita Tovar Kohner
• The Road to Dracula
• Lugosi: The Dark Prince
• Dracula: The Restoration
• Monster Tracks
• Dracula Archives
• Alternate Score by Philip Glass – Performed by the Kronos Quartet

Frankenstein
• Audio Commentary
- With Film Historian Rudy Behlme
- With Historian Sir Christopher Frayling
• The Frankenstein Files: How Hollywood Made a Monster
• Karloff: The Gentile Monster
• Monster Tracks
• Universal Horror
• Frankenstein Archives
• Boo! A Short Film
• Trailer Gallery (SD, 8:23) – Frankenstein, The Bride of Frankenstein, The Ghost of Frankenstein, Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man, House of Frankenstein
• 100 Years of Universal: Restoring the Classics

The Mummy
• Audio Commentary
- With Rick Baker, Scott Essman, Steve Haberman, Bob Burns and Brent Armstrong
- With Film Historian Paul M. Jensen
• Mummy Dearest: A Horror Tradition Unearthed
• He Who Made Monsters: The Life and Art of Jack Pierce
• Unraveling The Legacy of The Mummy
• The Mummy Archives (SD, 9:46)
• Trailer Gallery – The Mummy, The Mummy’s Hand, The Mummy’s Tomb, The Mummy’s Ghost, The Mummy’s Curse
• 100 Years of Universal: The Carl Laemmle Era

The Invisible Man
• Audio Commentary
- With Film Historian Rudy Behlmer
•Now You See Him: The Invisible Man Revealed
Production Photographs (SD, 4:30)
Trailer Gallery (SD, 3:47) – The Invisible Man Returns, Invisible Agent
100 Years of Universal: Unforgettable Characters

The Bride of Frankenstein
• Audio Commentary
- With Scott MacQueen
• She’s Alive! Creating The Bride of Frankenstein
• The Bride of Frankenstein Archive
• Trailer Gallery – Frankenstein, The Bride of Frankenstein, The Ghost of Frankenstein, House of Frankenstein
• 100 Years of Universal: Restoring the Classics

Werewolf of London
• Theatrical Trailer

Dracula’s Daughter
• Theatrical Trailer

Son of Frankenstein
• Nothing

The Mummy’s Hand
• Theatrical Trailer (SD, 1:35)

The Invisible Man Returns
• Nothing

The Invisible Woman
• Nothing

The Wolf Man
• Audio Commentary
- With Film Historian Tom Weaver
• Monster By Moonlight
• The Wolf Man: From Ancient Curse to Modern Myth
• Pure in Heart: The Life and Legacy of Lon Chaney, Jr.
• He Who Made Monsters: The Life and Art of Jack Pierce
• The Wolf Man Archives
• Trailer Gallery – Werewolf of London, The Wolf Man, Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man, House of Frankenstein, House of Dracula, She-Wolf of London
• 100 Years of Universal: The Lot

The Ghost of Frankenstein
• Theatrical Trailer

The Mummy’s Tomb
• Theatrical Trailer

Invisible Agent
• Theatrical Trailer

Phantom of the Opera
• Audio Commentary
• With Film Historian Scott MacQueen
• The Opera Ghost: A Phantom Unmasked
• Production Photographs
• Theatrical Trailer
• 100 Years of Universal: The Lot

Son of Dracula
• Theatrical Trailer

Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man
• Theatrical Trailer

House of Frankenstein
• Theatrical Trailer

The Mummy’s Ghost
• Theatrical Trailer

The Mummy’s Curse
• Theatrical Trailer

The Invisible Man’s Revenge
• Nothing

House of Dracula
• Theatrical Trailer

She-Wolf of London
• Theatrical Trailer

Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein
• Audio Commentary
- With Film Historian Gregory W. Mank
Abbott and Costello Meet the Monsters
• Theatrical Trailer
• 100 Years of Universal: The Lot
• 100 Years of Universal: Unforgettable Characters

Abbott and Costello Meet The Invisible Man
• Theatrical Trailer

Creature From the Black Lagoon
• Audio Commentary
- With Film Historian Tom Weaver
• 3D Version of the Film
• Back to the Black Lagoon
• Production Photographs
• Trailer Gallery – Creature From the Black Lagoon, Revenge of the Creature, The Creature Walks Among Us
• 100 Years of Universal: The Lot

Abbott and Costello Meet The Mummy
• Theatrical Trailer

Revenge of the Creature
• Audio Commentary
- With Actress Lori Nelson and Film Historians Tom Weaver and Bob Burns
• 3D Version of the film
• Theatrical Trailer

The Creature Walks Among Us
• Audio Commentary
- With Film Historians Tom Weaver and Bob Burns
• Theatrical Trailer

Final Score: ​

It’s been a long time coming, but FINALLY we get to have the classic monster movie canon films from Universal Studios all in one place. Sure, it DID come out on DVD in 2014 (with pretty much the same extras), but the Blu-ray community has had to deal with out dated transfers, the scraps of the “Essentials Collection” and high priced imports for nearly 8 years. With Universal releasing the “Legacy” collections of the various monsters over the last year and a half we all knew this was coming, and it’s finally here with a GREAT chipboard boxset, complete with individual monster collections inside and a neat little booklet to round it out. Audio and video are nearly all stunning (with few exceptions), and besides the issue with Revenge of the Creature (which can be remedied by emailing Universal at USHEConsumerRelations@visionmediamgmt.com) the set is about as perfect as you could hope for. Highly recommended.



Technical Specifications:

Starring: Lon Chaney Jr., Dwight Fry, Peter Cushing, Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Harry Stubbs, John Carradine, and many more
Directed by Various
Written by: Various
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1, 1.33:1, 1.37:1 AVC
Audio: English: DTS-HD MA 2.0, English DTS-HD MA Mono, French DTS 2.0
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish, Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish (varying per title)
Studio: Universal
Rated: G
Runtime:
Blu-ray Release Date: August 28th, 2018

Image

• Michael Scott
• May 11, 2017

Recommendation: Highly Recommended​

 

[tripplej]

Thanks for the review. Wow, nice to see this review. I have seen or remember seeing most of the movies in the list. Will have to get this one.

 

[Todd Anderson]

Wow. I’m uber curious about this one... but $400!?!? Seems like a buy only a true fan should be pursuing. Might require some outside-of-the-set flick exploration... I know I’ve seen some!

 

[Michael Scott]

Amazon pulled the listing for a little while it looks like. that $399 is for a third party seller. It goes in most stores (and on Amazon when they have it) for about $169.... but it was on sale for $99.99 a few weeks back

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/univer...-collection-blu-ray/34155444.p?skuId=34155444

 

[Todd Anderson]

Huge price difference! Is this another Amazon - movie house butting heads situation?

 

[Michael Scott]

I doubt it. I think just inventory lapse. they've had it for weeks on sale, it just vanished a day or so ago.

 

[Todd Anderson]

Ok. I'll keep my eyes peeled!