Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection

This impressive set presents the Blu-ray debuts of eight of the most iconic Universal monster movies from the 1930s through the '50s in gorgeous high-def. Most are unassailable classics: Tod Browning's Dracula (1931), starring Bela Lugosi; Frankenstein (1931), The Mummy (1932), and The Bride of Frankenstein (1935), all featuring Boris Karloff, with James Whale directing the Frankenstein duo and Karl Freund helming The Mummy; The Invisible Man (1933), with Claude Rains getting top billing and Whale at the helm; and The Wolf Man (1941), with Chaney in the title role under director George Waggner. These were defining works for the first great age of horror flicks and are still beloved for their vivid characters and striking black-and-white gothic style. The remaining two entries—the Technicolor Phantom of the Opera (1943), with Rains directed by Arthur Lubin; and Jack Arnold's Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954), starring Richard Carlson—are not in the same top echelon, but are significant nonetheless. The package also includes two bonus films—the 1931 Spanish-language Dracula (which was shot on the same sets as the Lugosi version) and the 3D version of Creature from the Black Lagoon—as well as the excellent 1998 documentary Universal Horror, narrated by Kenneth Branagh. Extras include audio commentaries, behind-the-scenes and archival featurettes, short films, photo galleries, and more. Highly recommended. (S. Axmaker)