Help support the Mego Museum
Help support the Mego Museum

Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Extensions of the Universal Horror Brand

Collapse
X
 
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • Falstaff13
    Persistent Member
    • May 28, 2008
    • 1251

    Extensions of the Universal Horror Brand

    I recently caught The Monster Squad, watching it for the first time since the 1980s. Since it was clearly using the brand of the Universal monsters, including having Gill-man in the mix, do others count it as "part" of Universal Horror? For that matter, what about Tales of Frankenstein, the Hammer/Columbia co-produced TV pilot, since it uses the Jack Pierce-trademarked makeup? Or Hammer's The Evil of Frankenstein, since it also had the rights to use the Pierce makeup?
    Hugh H. Davis

    Wanted: Legends of the West (Empire & Excel) and other western historically-based figures. Send me an offer.
    Also interested in figures based on literary characters.
  • enyawd72
    Maker of Monsters!
    • Oct 1, 2009
    • 7904

    #2
    It's a pretty fuzzy area for sure...technically even the Munsters actually ARE the Universal monsters, although "reformed" and trying to be good citizens.
    The Creature from the Black Lagoon even makes an appearance as Uncle Gilbert.

    Comment

    • Earth 2 Chris
      Verbose Member
      • Mar 7, 2004
      • 32498

      #3
      Evil of Frankenstein is indeed some strange hybrid of classic Universal and Hammer. It doesn't fit the fairly tight continuity of the previous Hammer Frankenstein films at all, and incorporates a lot of elements from the Universal Frankenstein films, as well as that design (although executed poorly).

      You could add Van Helsing to that mix, as the first "modern" attempt at reviving the Universal Monsters as a whole. So much potential...

      Chris
      sigpic

      Comment

      • Falstaff13
        Persistent Member
        • May 28, 2008
        • 1251

        #4
        I even wondered about the 1997 TV-movie version of House of Frankenstein (with Adrian Pasdar), as it was being set up as an updating of the concept. I agree about The Munsters and forgot Gill-Man was a relative.
        Hugh H. Davis

        Wanted: Legends of the West (Empire & Excel) and other western historically-based figures. Send me an offer.
        Also interested in figures based on literary characters.

        Comment

        • enyawd72
          Maker of Monsters!
          • Oct 1, 2009
          • 7904

          #5
          Originally posted by Earth 2 Chris
          Evil of Frankenstein is indeed some strange hybrid of classic Universal and Hammer. It doesn't fit the fairly tight continuity of the previous Hammer Frankenstein films at all, and incorporates a lot of elements from the Universal Frankenstein films, as well as that design (although executed poorly).

          You could add Van Helsing to that mix, as the first "modern" attempt at reviving the Universal Monsters as a whole. So much potential...

          Chris
          I was never really onboard for Universal's shared monster universe. I think the monsters work best as individual characters. The monster rally films of the 40's were considered a major step down from the originals...they were a last ditch effort hastily cobbled together to make a quick buck, not the grand culmination of some carefully planned story arc. I'm not sure why Universal now thinks that should be their end goal just because it worked for the MCU.

          They can still build a film franchise without having all the films interconnected.

          Comment

          • PNGwynne
            Master of Fowl Play
            • Jun 5, 2008
            • 19444

            #6
            Originally posted by enyawd72
            It's a pretty fuzzy area for sure...technically even the Munsters actually ARE the Universal monsters, although "reformed" and trying to be good citizens.
            The Creature from the Black Lagoon even makes an appearance as Uncle Gilbert.
            And phantom Uncle Erik in one of the Munsters TV movies.
            WANTED: Dick Grayson SI trousers; gray AJ Mustang horse; vintage RC Batman (Bruce Wayne) head; minty Wolfman tights; mint Black Knight sword; minty Launcelot boots; Lion Rock (pale) Dracula & Mummy heads; Lion Rock Franky squared boots; Wayne Foundation blue furniture; Flash Gordon/Ming (10") unbroken holsters; CHiPs gloved arms; POTA T2 tan body; CTVT/vintage Friar Tuck robes, BBP TZ Burgess Meredith glasses.

            Comment

            • Earth 2 Chris
              Verbose Member
              • Mar 7, 2004
              • 32498

              #7
              I was never really onboard for Universal's shared monster universe. I think the monsters work best as individual characters. The monster rally films of the 40's were considered a major step down from the originals...they were a last ditch effort hastily cobbled together to make a quick buck, not the grand culmination of some carefully planned story arc. I'm not sure why Universal now thinks that should be their end goal just because it worked for the MCU.

              They can still build a film franchise without having all the films interconnected.
              I agree the rally movies were a step down in quality for the most part, but I just love Larry Talbot being the linchpin of the universe. I enjoy that aspect so much I can overlook the wrong-headed brain-swapping not-even-science-at-all directions the films go in at times. Plus, the end result of A&C Meets Frankenstein is just sublime.

              Chris
              sigpic

              Comment

              • enyawd72
                Maker of Monsters!
                • Oct 1, 2009
                • 7904

                #8
                Originally posted by Earth 2 Chris
                I agree the rally movies were a step down in quality for the most part, but I just love Larry Talbot being the linchpin of the universe. I enjoy that aspect so much I can overlook the wrong-headed brain-swapping not-even-science-at-all directions the films go in at times. Plus, the end result of A&C Meets Frankenstein is just sublime.

                Chris
                I've always been torn on A&C Meet Frankenstein...I loved it as a kid, but now I think it's kind of sad to see the monsters in their last outing being the butt of jokes.

                Comment

                • PNGwynne
                  Master of Fowl Play
                  • Jun 5, 2008
                  • 19444

                  #9
                  I don't really enjoy the monster rally flms, but I do like A&C Meet Frankenstein. It's not a perfect film, but the monsters are treated pretty respectfully and the humor comes from the cowardly and dimwitted "boys" reacting to a sinister situation. I don't find that the monsters are the "butts" of jokes, even though the film itself is self-referential to the conventions of its own "Uni Monster" genre.

                  Compared to the "House of..." films, it's a hell of a send-off and I love seeing (admittedly diminished) Lugosi again.

                  "Monster Squad" (The film) I like a lot, it has a good set-up and Regehr is one of my favorite Draculas.
                  WANTED: Dick Grayson SI trousers; gray AJ Mustang horse; vintage RC Batman (Bruce Wayne) head; minty Wolfman tights; mint Black Knight sword; minty Launcelot boots; Lion Rock (pale) Dracula & Mummy heads; Lion Rock Franky squared boots; Wayne Foundation blue furniture; Flash Gordon/Ming (10") unbroken holsters; CHiPs gloved arms; POTA T2 tan body; CTVT/vintage Friar Tuck robes, BBP TZ Burgess Meredith glasses.

                  Comment

                  • Treadwell
                    Museum Super Collector
                    • Dec 31, 2018
                    • 160

                    #10
                    Even the early Universals were very soft on continuity. Only about three movies in there's suddenly a daughter of Dr. Frankenstein who says she grew up in the castle, even though the original film establishes that he only recently took possession to house his lab. Just to name one thing

                    Comment

                    • Megotastrophe
                      Permanent Member
                      • Jun 29, 2018
                      • 2693

                      #11
                      who says the Fronkenshteens only had one castle?

                      Comment

                      • Earth 2 Chris
                        Verbose Member
                        • Mar 7, 2004
                        • 32498

                        #12
                        I don't really enjoy the monster rally flms, but I do like A&C Meet Frankenstein. It's not a perfect film, but the monsters are treated pretty respectfully and the humor comes from the cowardly and dimwitted "boys" reacting to a sinister situation. I don't find that the monsters are the "butts" of jokes, even though the film itself is self-referential to the conventions of its own "Uni Monster" genre.

                        Compared to the "House of..." films, it's a hell of a send-off and I love seeing (admittedly diminished) Lugosi again.

                        "Monster Squad" (The film) I like a lot, it has a good set-up and Regehr is one of my favorite Draculas.
                        Pretty much agree on everything you said there! I will say I actually liked Dracula in A&C quite a bit. He was the "evil mastermind", or "monster leader" if you will, that Dracula has been portrayed as in other media ever since, including the Monster Squad.

                        And yes, Regher is one of my favorite Dracs, equal parts suave Lugosi and animalistic Christopher Lee, with his own sardonic dark humor added in. "Meeting adjourned."

                        Chris
                        sigpic

                        Comment

                        • Falstaff13
                          Persistent Member
                          • May 28, 2008
                          • 1251

                          #13
                          No arguments here that you don't need "monster rally" films to have success. Hammer proved that, as they never crossed the different series and had very durable franchises. (The series technically crossed through the cameos of Lee as Dracula and Cushing as Baron Frankenstein in One More Time, sequel to Salt & Pepper.)

                          That said, I've never had a problem with the Universal films, and I'm sure it's because they were always there from my standpoint. I remember watching them weekly on Sunday afternoons on a local station, and going from the single monster films to the team ups was something I looked forward to. Continuity was always loose, and even within the series the films don't necessarily connect (the first two Invisible Man films are directly connected, and Price appearing in Returns fits the cameo in A&C Meet Frankenstein, but beyond a few lines that are also contradicted in Invisible Woman, the rest of that series is only tied by the invisibility concept), but that might have just not been an issue for 6-7 year old me.

                          For what it's worth, Universal used the Jack Pierce make up in Hellzapoppin' long before Abbott & Costello were making their comedies, and that cameo (with stuntman Dale Van Sickel as the monster) to me ties the Olsen & Johnson film into the mix (plus its sequel, Crazy House, brings in Rathbone & Bruce as Holmes & Watson). I'm just not sure what to do with Evil of Frankenstein. It looks like a not so great copy of the Universal films more than feeling like a Hammer film.
                          Hugh H. Davis

                          Wanted: Legends of the West (Empire & Excel) and other western historically-based figures. Send me an offer.
                          Also interested in figures based on literary characters.

                          Comment

                          • Megotastrophe
                            Permanent Member
                            • Jun 29, 2018
                            • 2693

                            #14
                            Idk, I just saw Evil of Frankenstein the other day on Sven and that makeup is no closer to the Universal makeup than the Groovie Ghoulies was. Seriously it looks like they used papier mache on a brown paper bag as the base for the mask. Rubber Halloween masks look better than that mess. I understand they only had 3 dollars in the budget for the makeup but that was soooo bad.

                            Comment

                            • hedrap
                              Permanent Member
                              • Feb 10, 2009
                              • 4825

                              #15
                              I can't watch Evil of Frank. It's like Godzilla '98. I end up thinking more about how/why it went so wrong.

                              A&C Meet Frank is better than the House movies because A&C decided to write a story. House of Frank starts off with amazing premise, but turns into this weird chapter series as it's sequenced like a serial. I don't blame the producers as production at that time was built around studio churn.

                              You could do a Monsterverse today, but it would have to built around the protagonist. Universal thinks they tried it with Van Helsing, when that was just more steampunk garbage.

                              Nicholson's Wolf had the perfect tone and look for a modern Monsterverse. If you haven't seen that in a while, watch it again. It's a fantastic blend of Larry Talbot and Curse of the Werewolf.

                              I think the next Invisible Man will be interesting at minimum. I have a feeling it's going to cover a lot of the same ground as Hollow Man, though.

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              😀
                              🥰
                              🤢
                              😎
                              😡
                              👍
                              👎