A Reel Opinion: Ranking the Universal Classic Monster Films

When Spooky Season arrives, the first films to lurk off the shelf in this Blogger’s lair is the Universal Classic Monsters: Icons of Horror Collection, in 4K Blu-Ray. Why Blu when the films are available on streaming? Because 4K Blu looks better. And you can take that to your grave. 

 

Another advantage of this magnificent set is this is the definitive collection of eight (or nine) iconic monster films that have established the horror film genre; the films that Universal deems as their classics.  From the silent era through present day, these are the films that have set up every modern movie with vampires, werewolves, and creatures that go bump in the night. There is not a bad film in this collection, so Reel Speak’s Ranking of the Universal Classic Monster Films is more of a guide; perhaps a playlist order for a day-long marathon. Here’s how they rise: 

 

 

 

9. SPANISH DRACULA (1931)

The Bela Lugosi version of DRACULA may get all the attention, but tucked away on this box set is the Spanish version of the story. Shot on the same sets as the Lugosi version, this DRACULA was made to hit the Latin American market, using Spanish-speaking actors. The film has a better sense of urgency than the Lugosi film in places, but lead actor Carlos Villarias isn’t the best Dracula, nor is Pablo Rubio a serviceable Renfield. This is one of the odder, yet interesting films in the Universal collection. 

 

8. THE MUMMY (1932)

A dragging plot pulls this one back into the grave a little, but there is still much to admire in THE MUMMY. The great Boris Karloff, playing the ancient Egyptian mummy brought back to life, brings the dread with his performance, in the spoken word and physically. Karloff may only be in the famed bandages for one scene, but he makes the best of it, and director Karl Freund brings the chills in one, stunning closeup.  

 

 

7. THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1925)

The oldest of the collection and the only silent film. Lon Chaney plays the lead role of the deformed phantom who haunts the Paris Opera House in this adaptation of the 1910 novel. Chaney frightened the wits out of theatres in 1925 with his now-classic reveal, and the unmasking still works. Lavish sets and stunning visuals make this one feel younger than it is. 

 

6. THE WOLFMAN (1941)

Lon Chaney Jr. (son of Lon, see above), grows hair in places he never knew he had in this tale of human tragedy. Far from a happy ending, THE WOLFMAN has a gothic atmosphere that serves the film well and an aesthetic that would inspire thousands of later films. What makes it really growl is the family dynamic between father and son, with the father played by Claude Rains…just a year before his turn in CASABLANCA (1942). It works in making Chaney’s character feel alone even before he becomes cursed. 

 

5. CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON (1954)

By the 1950’s, horror stars such as Lugosi and Karloff were aging out, and their squad of monsters was reduced to comedy routines in Abbott and Costello films. But Universal went back to basics in this thriller about an amphibious creature terrorizing a team of scientists on the Amazon River. With stunning underwater footage, an astounding creature design, and good work in creating sympathy for the monster, BLACK LAGOON feels very modern and would create the fear of the depths that JAWS would capitalize on years later. 

 

4. THE INVISIBLE MAN (1933)

Jaw-dropping visual effects, impressive by even todays’ standards, highlight this blend of sci-fi and horror. Claude Rains, in his first major film role, plays the Invisible Man, who decides to use his ability to create a reign of terror. Rains chills to the bone, and at the time truly gave cinema something new; dazzling special effects in a serious tone. And a Reel Fact: the lovely Gloria Stuart, years before her fame in TITANIC (1997), plays the love interest. 

 

3. THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1935)

This sequel to FRANKENSTEIN from 1931 has its odd quirks to it; goofy tiny people running around and more than one hammy performance from the cast. But BRIDE is still as good as any modern horror flick. James Whale brings gothic beauty, philosophical depth, and legit scares into the film, and Boris Karloff once again brings heartbreaking humanity to the monster. Karloff is matched (and maybe even overshadowed), by Elsa Lanchester’s unforgettable, yet all too short turn as the Bride…one of the most iconic horror characters ever to see the big screen. 

 

2. DRACULA (1931)

Bela Lugosi sets the standard for every version of Bram Stoker’s vampire that would follow for the next 95 years. Haunting, atmospheric…with a touch of elegance…DRACULA has an un-nerving feel to it that still works today. Lugosi’s thick Hungarian accent rings in our ears, and Dwight Frye’s Renfield raises the goosebumps. And as an added bonus: the glorious Blu-Ray provides a version with an added score by Phillip Glass (the original had no music), which vastly improves the experience. 

 

1. FRANKENSTEIN (1931)

From the top of Boris Karloff’s flat head to his thick boots, from Dr. Frankenstein crying it’s alive to the hunchback servant, no other film has inspired legions of horror films like FRANKENSTEIN. And that’s all before mentioning the now-common horror elements such as castles, thunderstorms, grave-robbing, and angry mobs. Director James Whale accomplishes what most directors whiff on when making monster movies: creating sympathy for such monsters, showing them persecuted just for being different and not understanding simple things such as flowers tossed into a pond. It was ahead of its time in 1931, and its possible it still is.  

REEL SPEAK'S RANKING OF THE UNIVERSAL CLASSIC MONSTER FILMS 

1. FRANKENSTEIN
2. DRACULA
3. THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN
4. THE INVISIBLE MAN
5. THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON
6. THE WOLFMAN
7. THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA
8. THE MUMMY
9. SPANISH DRACULA 

A Reel Preview: The Year in Film 2026 - Episode X

October is the time for cinephiles to pull those frightening favorites off the shelves and welcome back spooky season. This month isn’t too packed with new horror releases, but it still has a lot to offer. Re-releases this month include ATONEMENT (20^th anniversary), DONNIE DARKO (25^TH anniversary), MOONLIGHT (10^thanniversary), and PAN’S LABYRINTH (20^th anniversary). Here’s what else is coming to the big screen for the next 31 days: 

 

 

DIGGER – Oscar-winning director Alejandro Inarritu (BIRDMAN, THE REVENANT), brings us this wacky black comedy where an oil tycoon (Tom Cruise), races to avert a global disaster that his company caused. The cast includes John Goodman, Riz Ahmed, Sandra Huller, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Jesse Plemons. 

 

 

VERITY – Anne Hathaway plays a best-selling erotic novelist who can’t finish a manuscript. Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett co-star. 

 

 

OTHER MOMMY – Jessica Chastain stars in this horror film where a supernatural entity takes on the appearance of a little girl’s mother. 

 

 

THE SOCIAL RECKONING – Acclaimed screenwriter Aaron Sorkin (A FEW GOOD MEN), sits in the director’s chair for this direct sequel to the acclaimed THE SOCIAL NETWORK from 2010. This time, Mark Zuckerberg (now played by Jeremy Strong), faces a whistleblower problem. The cast includes Jeremy Allen White, Mikey Madison, and Bill Burr. 

 

 

CRAWLERS – In this horror-thriller, an outbreak of venomous spiders terrorize residents in a quarantined apartment building. 

 

 

SENSE AND SENSIBILITY – Daisy Edgar-Jones stars in yet another adaptation of the famous Jane Austen novel. 

 

 

STREET FIGHTER – The third live-action film based on the popular video game fighting-franchise. 

 

 

WHALEFALL – Austin Abrams plays a deep-sea diver swallowed by a sperm whale in this true story adaptation. Josh Brolin co-stars. 

 

 

CLAYFACE – The (not so) famous Batman villain, Clayface, gets his own film and origin story. Tom Rhys Harries plays Clayface, an actor who is transformed into a being made of clay. Naomi Ackie co-stars. 

 

 

KLARA AND THE SUN – In the near future, an android companion (played by Jenna Ortega), tries to bond with a sick girl. Amy Adams co-stars. It is directed by Taika Waititi (JO JO RABBIT). 

 

 

YOU CAN SEE EVERYTHING – Acclaimed documentary filmmaker Nathan Fielder closely follows, and lives with disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes in her days before heading to prison. 

 

 

WICKER – In this fantasy comedy, a reclusive fisherwoman makes herself a husband out of wicker. The cast includes Oliva Colman, Alexander Skarsgard, Peter Dinklage, Elizabeth Debecki, and Richard E. Grant. 

 

 

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Next month, Reel Speak previews the massive month of November. 

A Reel Review: PRIMETIME

In the early 2000's, one show that had all of America talking was NBC's To Catch a Predator; a news-based, reality-style program that had investigative journalist Chris Hansen and law enforcement trapping pedophiles. It was a cultural lightning rod that had inner circles of journalism discussing the ethics behind it all and where the lines should be

drawn. That story comes to the big screen in PRIMETIME.

 

Journalist Chris Hansen (Robert Pattinson), and his producer Andie (Merritt Wever), recruit aspiring young actor Dan (Skyler Cisondo), to act as a decoy as they film pedophiles arriving at a sting house.

 

Directed by Lance Oppenheim, PRIMETIME follows the NBC crew using Dan's talents, as they bait and trap sexual predators. The stakes are high as Hansen has an opportunity to bring his show to a prime spot during the week, while he deals with personal issues at home. When the crew apparently baits a possible predator who is high up in government, tensions begin to run high.

 

It feels like it should be a great story in journalism, but PRIMETIME takes one too many left turns in spending too much time with Dan, the aspiring young actor who is a fish out of water in this ambush-journalism world. It is a common technique for filmmakers to use a newcomer as an audience surrogate to bring us into the cinematic world, but here it takes over too much. PRIMETIME feels like it is Dan's story more than Hansen's and the predators he is catching.

While the plot is unfocused, the filmmaking is excellent. The recreation of the stings that we have seen on TV is very well done, and the awkward moments are done so well that audiences will be squirming in their seats, At just 110 minutes the film is brisk and tight.

 

Robert Pattinson is excellent as Hansen, re-creating his unique voice and mannerisms perfectly. Skyler Gisondo steals the show, The rest of the cast, including Merritt Wever, Anna Ferris, Bokeem Woodbine, and Alex Winter...all excellent. 

 

PRIMETIME sticks somewhat close to its real-life roots, right down to the tragedy that ultimately ended the show. It's a banger of a climax, which then settles into a very weird, and out-of-place wrap-up. PRIMETIME has a lot of good stuff worthy of its name, but the unfocused plot keeps it from winning the top ratings.

 

BOTTOM LINE: Rent it

A Reel Legend: Gloria Stuart

This month's Reel Legend is Gloria Stuart.

 

Born in California on July 4, 1910, Gloria Stuart began acting onstage before signing with Universal Pictures in the early 1930's. She quickly became a leading lady of Pre-Code Hollywood, appearing in more than 40 films during the decade, including the horror films THE OLD DARK HOUSE (1932) with Boris Karloff, and the Universal Horror Classic THE INVISIBLE MAN (1933), along with HERE COMES THE NAVY (1934), with James Cagney, GOLD DIGGERS OF 1935 (1935), THE PRISONER OF SHARK ISLAND (1936), and two Shirley Temple films.

 

Stuart became dissatisfied with the studio system, and left acting in the 1940's. She devoted herself to painting and the visual arts, becoming an accomplished artist with her

work exhibited internationally. She gradually returned to acting in the 1970's and appeared in MY FAVORITE YEAR (1982), and WILDCATS (1986), with Goldie Hawn. Her likeness was used in the 1997 superhero film BATMAN & ROBIN, as the sister to Alfred. 

 

But her greatest role arrived in 1997, when at 86 years old, James Cameron cast her as the

100-year-old Rose in TITANIC. Her performance earned her a Screen Actors Guild Award and an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. At 87, she became the oldest person ever nominated for an acting Oscar at the time.

 

Gloria Stuart would pass away in 2010 at the (ironic), age of 100. 

 

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From her sharp humor and wit, piercing gaze and friendly face…Gloria Stuart was an elemental force in the massive success TITANIC would have; quite the feat in a film packed with cinematic forces. Her warmth and dignity gave the enormous spectacle a human heart, and on Oscar night there could not have been a soul who wasn’t rooting for her to win. 

 

Her legacy is unique; she is remembered both as a star of classic 1930’s Hollywood and as an artist who built a life outside of the movie business. TITANIC introduced her to a new generation and beyond over 40 years after she appeared with towering names such as James Cagney and Boris Karloff; taking ownership of one of cinema’s most memorable…and legendary comebacks. 

A Reel 75: ALICE IN WONDERLAND

“I’m late! I’m late, for a very important date!” 

This month marks the 75th anniversary of Walt Disney's ALICE IN WONDERLAND.

 

The ambitious adaptation of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass, ALICE IN WONDERLAND was the beloved tale of a young girl who falls down a rabbit hole and enters a fantastical, nonsensical world. Early production on ALICE started as far back as the 1930's, but things were delayed by WWIl and other Disney commitments. Work picked up again and accelerated through the 1940's, with a screenplay drawing on Carroll's books and a distinctive visual style based on concept art by Mary Blair. Kathryn Beaumont, who was 14 years old at the time, would be cast as the voice of Alice. She would be joined by Ed Wynn, Richard Haydn, Sterling Holloway, and Jerry Colonna.

 

ALICE IN WONDERLAND had its premiere in July of 1951 before going into wide release in September. Reviews were mixed and the film initially disappointed at the box office, although the score would be nominated for an Oscar. Its reputation would change over time as television broadcasts and theatrical re-issues introduced the film to new generations.

 

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ALICE IN WONDERLAND can be a bizarre, fever-dream of a film; with not much making sense and things shifting episodically with little to no connection. But the bizarre-ness of it is part of its charm, along with some colorful characters that would become Disney icons and memorable songs. Today ALICE IN WONDERLAND is regarded as one of Disney's most imaginative animated films, and an example of a studio pushing the boundaries of traditional storytelling.

 

“Curiosity often leads to trouble.”

 

A Reel Preview: The Year in Film 2026 - Episode IX

The Summer Movie Season of 2026 is over. September usually starts rolling in the awards hopefuls, although this year the first month of Award Season looks a little light…with only two possible films that we will still be talking about in February. The biggest release of this month is a re-release, with Marvel sending their epic AVENGERS: ENDGAME back into theatres for another go. Sub-titled ENCORE, this new edition promises new footage that will lead us into AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY in December. Other re-releases this month include Pixar’s CARS (20 years). Here’s what else is coming to the big screen in September: 

 

 

 

BY ANY MEANS – In this historical crime thriller, Mark Wahlberg plays a mafia hit man who teams up with the FBI to investigate the murders of civil rights leaders in 1966. 

 

 

THE FIX – Liam Neeson starts in this action film where a group of former CIA operatives enter Tehran to pull off a score. 

 

 

PRACTICAL MAGIC 2 – The sequel to the 1998 hit. Set 25 years after the events of the first film, the Owens family faces a new crisis when their history is uncovered. The cast includes Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Stockard Channing, Dianne West, Maisie Williams, Lee Pace, and Joey King. 

 

 

THE UPRISING – Famed action director Paul Greengrass (THE BOURNE SUPREMECY, CAPTAIN PHILLIPS), helms this historical epic about the rebellion against Richard II of England. Andrew Garfield leads the way. 

 

 

RESIDENT EVIL – The second reboot of the popular video game series. Zach Cregger, director of the acclaimed horror films BARBARIAN (2022), and WEAPONS (2025), directs. 

 

 

HEART OF THE BEAST – Brad Pitt plays a Special Forces officer stranded in the wilderness after a plane crash with only his combat dog with him. David Ayer (FURY, TRAINING DAY), directs. 

 

 

PRIMETIME – Robert Pattinson plays former NBC correspondent Chris Hansen in this thriller which follows the production of To Catch a Predator. 

 

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Next month, Reel Speak previews the month of October. 

 

 

 

Tim Curry 1946-2026

Actor Tim Curry has passed away at 80. 

Born in Cheshire, England in 1946, Timothy James Curry started his career on-stage, beginning with the West End production of the musical HAIR.  During that production he met actor and writer Richard O’Brien, who went on to write Curry’s role of Dr. Frank-n-Furter in the stage production of THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW (1973). The film adaptation would follow in 1975, which made Curry a household name and gave him a cult following. 

His film career would then be packed with memorable characters. He played Rooster Hannigan in the 1982 film version of ANNIE, the evil Darkness in Ridley Scott’s fantasy LEGEND (1985), and in that same year, one of his most famous roles: the butler Wadsworth in the comedy-mystery CLUE. 

As an established actor he would have memorable roles in THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER (1990), OSCAR (1991), HOME ALONE 2 (1992), LOADED WEAPON 1 (1993), THE THREE MUSKETEERS (1993), THE SHADOW (1994), CONGO (1995), MUPPET TREASURE ISLAND (1996), CHARLIE’S ANGELS (2000), and KINSEY (2004). On television he would terrorize audiences as Pennywise in the adaptation of Stephen King’s IT (1990). He would provide the voice for Chancellor Palpatine in STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS (2012-2014). 

His career would gain nominations for Tony Awards, Emmys, and the Laurence Olivier Award. 

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What does a killer clown, a scheming butler, a transvestite alien scientist, and a Russian submarine medical officer have in common? They were all brought to life on the big screen by Tim Curry. His legacy will be defined by extraordinary versatility, charisma, and an unmistakable presence. He could command comedy, horror, and drama with ease and brilliance, and every role unforgettable. 

For this Blogger, there will always be a laugh watching him in CLUE turn the shower on himself while looking for a doorknob to open, and sympathy for his RED OCTOBER doctor who had no idea of the storm he was in. Everything he did made an impression that lasts. 

A Reel Legend: Ray Harryhausen

This month’s Reel Legend is Ray Harryhausen. 

 

Perhaps the most influential and famous animator and special effects creator, Raymond Frederick Harryhausen was born in Los Angeles in 1920. He became fascinated with animation and filmmaking at an early age, inspired by the groundbreaking visual effects in KING KONG (1933), and THE LOST WORLD (1925). After studying art, anatomy, graphic arts and sculpture, he landed his first model-animation job, on a series of animated puppet films called PUPETOONS. 

 

After serving in WWII, he was hired as an assistant animator in his first major film, MIGHTY JOE YOUNG (1949). His first film where he was in complete charge of special effects was the monster horror film THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS (1953), which would be a box office hit. It was here where Harryhausen first used a technique he created called "Dynamation" which split the background and foreground of pre-shot live action footage into two separate images into which he would stop-motion a model or models, seemingly integrating the live-action with the models. 

 

He would establish himself further by his most famous films, JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS (1963), and THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD (1974), where he wowed and dazzled audiences with dinosaurs, skeletons, dragons, and creatures from mythology. His famous battle with sword-fighting skeletons remains a landmark in stop-motion, live-action filmmaking. 

 

His further films would include FIRST MEN IN THE MOON (1964), ONE MILLION YEARS B.C. (1966), SINBAD AND THE EYE OF THE TIGER (1977), and CLASH OF THE TITANS (1981). His accolades include the honorary Gordon E. Sawyer Academy Award, an honorary BAFTA, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Visual Effects Society. He passed away in 2013 at the age of 92. 

 

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This Blogger has fond memories of watching the SINBAD films on the Sunday Afternoon Matinee on WPIX with dad; being amazed at the creatures brought to life, and not even wondering how it was done because it was accepted as real. Today, there is a lot of talk around visual effects, specifically the issue of using practical effects or digital (CGI). This talk is more up front than ever this year, with THE ODYSSEY using some impressive practical techniques to amaze audiences and bring in the bucks. Whatever side anyone falls on, the debate would not be there without the work of Ray Harryhausen. His genius went beyond technical skill. His creatures had personality, emotion, and life-like movement that made audiences believe they existed in the live-action world. His films from 60 years ago can still dazzle, and without him, modern practical or CGI would not have a hill to fight over. 

 

His legacy is as enormous as the creatures and monsters he gave life to. He inspired generations of filmmakers and special effects artists, including Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, James Cameron, Guillermo del Toro, and Peter Jackson. He made the impossible feel real, and his monsters continue to live on in the movies they inspired. When Pixar’s MONSTER’S INC. (2001) named a five-star restaurant after him, it was a fitting tribute to a legendary, five-star monster-maker.

 

A Reel 25: THE OTHERS

“I am your daughter…”

This month marks the 25^th anniversary of THE OTHERS. 

 

THE OTHERS was a psychological and gothic horror film set in WWII 1945, where a woman and her two photosensitive children (cannot be exposed to light of any kind), begin to experience apparent supernatural happenings in their home after the arrival of new servants. 

 

The film was directed by acclaimed Chilean-Spanish director Alejandro Amenabar, who wrote the film, and composed the score. The cast was led by Nicole Kidman, and she was joined by Christopher Eccleston, Alakina Mann, James Bentley, Eric Sykes, Elaine Cassidy, and Keith Allen. Filming locations included Madrid and the Palacio de los Hornillos mansion in Spain. 

 

On release, THE OTHERS received excellent reviews and was a box office hit. At the Goya Awards (the Spanish equivalent of the Oscars, honoring Spanish films), it would clean house; winning Best Film and Director. Elsewhere, Kidman would be nominated for a BAFTA and a Golden Globe. 

 

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With a foreboding atmosphere, creepy lighting (sometimes only by candlelight), a career-best performance from Kidman, and a twist ending that makes us want to re-watch the film right away to spot the clues…THE OTHERS is one of the best horror films of this millennium. Amenabar creates a world of unsettling silence and isolation that creeps us out as much as it does fascinate. As a haunted house story, its clever ending (and premise), turns the old ghost stories on their heads, giving reasons for the haunting such as love and longing. A masterclass in horror, acting, and filmmaking. 

 

“This house is ours…”

A Reel Opinion: The Scholar vs. The Filmmaker

Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of THE ODYSSEY, the famed epic poem by Homer, has been the talk of the town. It has earned big box office, critical acclaim, and awards season favor. It has been praised, criticized, over-praised, and over-criticized by critics, scholars, keyboard warriors, and students of Homer’s works. 

 

One notable critic of Nolan’s film is Emily Wilson, whose 2017 translation was cited by Nolan as an inspiration for his film. Wilson, who is a professor of classical studies at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, recently reviewed the film and was not kind (you can read her comments HERE). While everyone has an entitled opinion, Wilson’s status as an expert in the field of Homer and her own work puts her in a unique position to fire arrows, but just like the Trojans at Troy, she overlooks her opposition. 

 

Let this Blogger preface the next paragraph by praising Wilson’s translation. It is an outstanding read, educational, easy to understand and follow, and the fact that it is done in an iambic parameter style is most-impressive. Wilson is an expert in her field, probably unmatched…but she did an adaptation of the work just like Nolan did. Wilson, as she writes in her introduction, made decisions in her translation for a better reading experience. She editorialized, edited, moved words around; just like a filmmaker does when they write their script, shoot their actors, and edit their films. Wilson and Nolan are in the same horse, both making adaptations of a work they admire. Her comments, while possibly valid, come off as a stance of “my adaptation is better than your adaptation”. Not to mention she’s biting the hand that feeds; copies of her book are reportedly flying off the shelves since the release of THE ODYSSEY. 

 

Emily Wilson knows a lot about Homer and The Odyssey. Probably more than anyone alive. But she seems to know little about filmmaking. Filmmakers make decisions for a great cinematic experience, just like a writer may do for a great book. This Blogger is in awe of Wilson’s work, and in Nolan’s. If there is ever a time where the two of them want to meet with swords drawn to settle their differences, I will gladly host in my back yard. Or maybe they are destined to sail their own ways. 

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Read Reel Speak’s review of THE ODYSSEY HERE

Read Reel Speak’s take on the importance of reading the book after the movie HERE