Universal Monsters Series (1925-1956) Tribute Thread

[eabaker]

Dracula, Frankenstein and The Mummy are interesting in how they're essentially this transitional form between silent and sound films. The lack of music adds to the eeriness and the pacing and staging are almost at odds with now most modern audiences expect movies to be presented.

The Invisible Man and Bride of Frankenstein on the flipside feel surprisingly modern and are wildly entertaining - James Whale was definitely the master of these movies.

Have you seen Whale's The Old Dark House? From a purely visual standpoint, it's probably my favorite Universal horror film. Whale and his Frankenstein/Invisible Man cinematographer, Arthur Edeson, really created a stunning, palpably textured atmosphere and a collection of extremely bold, evocative images, sometimes experimental images.

[tbeasley]

I have not but I've been meaning to forever now.

[Tyrant_Lizard_King]

Ryan Gosling is developing and set to star in a new Wolfman reboot.

https://variety.com/2020/film/news/ryan ... 203426491/

[KManX89]

Ryan Gosling is developing and set to star in a new Wolfman reboot.

https://variety.com/2020/film/news/ryan ... 203426491/

Yup, and a new director is to be named pretty soon.

Whoever is named as director, here's hoping we get a better movie than the 2010 one. I'm still holding out hope for the Craven Cut.

[Xx_The_Masquerade_xX]

Ryan Gosling is developing and set to star in a new Wolfman reboot.

https://variety.com/2020/film/news/ryan ... 203426491/

I actually didn't like the Wolfman 2010 at all and I especially hate the last 20 minutes or so. So I am hopeful this will be better, Ryan Gosling is plus already.

[_JNavs_]

Ryan Gosling only does artsy movies, so this will hopefully be a slam-dunk.

Shout out to "Drive" and "Only God Forgives"

[Gigantis]

Ryan Gosling is developing and set to star in a new Wolfman reboot.

https://variety.com/2020/film/news/ryan ... 203426491/

I really hope they keep Tabolt looking like just a modernized version of the 30's version and not just a generic Werewolf, that be dumb.

Wonder what made them go for Wolfman first though. Yes i get that he's certainly one of the most famous Universal Monsters, but didn't they still have those Creature From the Black Lagoon and Hunchback of Notre Dame reboots being worked on?

[GojiDog]

Well they got Invisible Man right, so that's a step in the right direction.

Hopefully The Wolfman turns out well.

[Tyrant_Lizard_King]

Well apparently Gosling himself approached Universal. It was his pitch.

[gvamp]

Really excited for the Wolfman hopefully Creature from the Black Lagoon follows shortly after that. Maybe they can finally get The Dark Universe back on track.

[Vakanai]

Really excited for the Wolfman hopefully Creature from the Black Lagoon follows shortly after that. Maybe they can finally get The Dark Universe back on track.

Eh, Dark Universe was the shared universe concept, I don't think you can call this that. Haven't watched the new Invisible Man yet, did they market it as Dark Universe? If not, I think the Dark Universe is dead. Now they're just doing unconnected monster movies, which in my opinion is good.


Anyway, I love the Wolf Man and apparently was one of the rare few who liked the 2010 film. I think he should be easier to get right than Dracula or Frankenstein right now.

[Gigantis]

Haven't watched the new Invisible Man yet, did they market it as Dark Universe?

I haven't seen it yet but i have heard nothing that said it was marketing a new cinematic universe so i'm assuming they're just doing an anthology series.

[SoggyNoodles2016]

Haven't watched the new Invisible Man yet, did they market it as Dark Universe? If not, I think the Dark Universe is dead.

They did not and it is. Universal has other projects in the work but none of them are part of one cinematic universe yet (only thing close being some Monster Mash style movie called Dark Army by Paul Feige)

[Vakanai]

Haven't watched the new Invisible Man yet, did they market it as Dark Universe?

I haven't seen it yet but i have heard nothing that said it was marketing a new cinematic universe so i'm assuming they're just doing an anthology series.

Haven't watched the new Invisible Man yet, did they market it as Dark Universe? If not, I think the Dark Universe is dead.

They did not and it is. Universal has other projects in the work but none of them are part of one cinematic universe yet (only thing close being some Monster Mash style movie called Dark Army by Paul Feige)

So then we should all stop referring to these movies as the Dark Universe - that seems to be dead. And not the fun monstery kind of dead either, just dead dead.

[Terasawa]

To paraphrase Frankenstein’s monster, “it belongs dead.”

[Angilasman]

Well apparently Gosling himself approached Universal. It was his pitch.

Gosling directed a film a couple of years ago that was so weird and violent. Behind those movie star good looks he's got the makings of a great cult filmmaker! The Wolfman has long been one of my favorites, so I hope it turns out well!

The director of Jennifer's Body is still attached to their new Dracula, right? It almost feels weird to be excited about these. I love the classic Universal monsters to death, but none of their plans to revive the characters during my lifetime have struck me as very appealing. Happy to see the tide turning.

[Vakanai]

Well apparently Gosling himself approached Universal. It was his pitch.

Gosling directed a film a couple of years ago that was so weird and violent. Behind those movie star good looks he's got the makings of a great cult filmmaker! The Wolfman has long been one of my favorites, so I hope it turns out well!

What movie was it? I wasn't even aware he directs.

The director of Jennifer's Body is still attached to their new Dracula, right? It almost feels weird to be excited about these. I love the classic Universal monsters to death, but none of their plans to revive the characters during my lifetime have struck me as very appealing. Happy to see the tide turning.

I kind of get that. I love these characters too, they're iconic for a reason. There's something appealing, tragic, charismatic, substantial, and relatable behind them that makes them kind of ageless in a way. But a lot of modern attempts to bring them back have been missteps.

1. Van Helsing was a fun, dumb, turn off your brain popcorn movie monster mash, which I quite enjoyed, but there's nothing to it beyond that.

2. I thought the Wolf Man was well made, but lacked the charm and magic of the original - personally I think having Talbot come off so dour before the curse prevented the audience from connecting with him. Lon Chaney was such a lovable doofus before he was cursed.

3. Dracula Untold - Great if you want a superhero Dracula. But if you think "superhero Dracula" misses the point of Dracula, you aren't alone.

4. Victor Frankenstein - Interesting, and not bad, but I just don't think a Frankenstein prequel and Victor/Igor origin story was ever a draw.

5. I, Frankenstein - I still don't even know what this is. Gargoyles vs demons? In a Frankenstein movie? Why?

6. The Mummy - Some good bits here, loved the female mummy she was awesome, Jekyll/Hyde stole every scene he was in (of course, Russel Crowe). But it was more worried about starting up a Dark Universe than being a good movie, which doomed both the movie and the universe.

Then there was that Dracula tv show that tried to make him the good guy too...

Oh, and the Hotel Transylvania for the kids. The most successful Dracula/Universal Monsters franchise this millennium.


Castlevania seems to be good, does that count?

[Angilasman]

^ I love that Universal said no to Guillermo del Toro's idea for a Creature From the Black Lagoon reboot so Guillermo just took the seed of the concept and made it an original movie and won an Academy Award! I'd like to think that Universal might have learned their lesson and the studio at present would have said yes to Guillermo?

--- edit ---

Oh, and that Gosling directed film was called... (checks Wikipedia) Lost River.

[tbeasley]

Ryan Gosling is developing and set to star in a new Wolfman reboot.

https://variety.com/2020/film/news/ryan ... 203426491/

Yup, and a new director is to be named pretty soon.

Whoever is named as director, here's hoping we get a better movie than the 2010 one. I'm still holding out hope for the Craven Cut.

I think you're confusing The Wolfman (2010) with Cursed (2005).

The 2010 film has stuff to appreciate (the fine cast, Danny Elfman's score, Rick Baker's Oscar-winning makeup design, the period setting...) but I would never say it's more than the sum of its parts, unfortunately.

[KManX89]

Ryan Gosling is developing and set to star in a new Wolfman reboot.

https://variety.com/2020/film/news/ryan ... 203426491/

Yup, and a new director is to be named pretty soon.

Whoever is named as director, here's hoping we get a better movie than the 2010 one. I'm still holding out hope for the Craven Cut.

I think you're confusing The Wolfman (2010) with Cursed (2005).

The 2010 film has stuff to appreciate (the fine cast, Danny Elfman's score, Rick Baker's Oscar-winning makeup design, the period setting...) but I would never say it's more than the sum of its parts, unfortunately.

Oh, I'm aware of the two movies, that's why I named the Craven Cut because that was the version Wes Craven filmed before it was taken away from him, overhauled and butchered by the Weinsteins (they rewrote more than half the script after it was already (mostly) shot while much of what was left of Craven's footage was reshot).

Then again, werewolf movies are, in and of themselves pretty campy. There's only a handful you can say are actually worthwhile. The Howling, An American Werewolf in London and the first (few?) Underworld movie(s); other than that, yeah, it's pretty much a crapshoot, and one of these also throws vampires into the mix.

Then again, The Invisible Man does give a glimmer of hope for this one.