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Old 02-17-2008, 01:51 AM
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Human Monsters


Bride of Frankenstein (1935)



"This is a rare example of a sequel that equals or even outshines its parent movie. Colin Clive, Dwight Frye & Karloff return from Frankenstein, but its Elsa Lanchester as Mary Shelly/The Bride and Ernest Thesiger as the effete, decadent Dr. Pretorius that steal the show. Pretorius is the real monster of the story, blackmailing Dr. Frankenstein into helping him create a female mate for the creature.
This film is also more subversive than the original. Anti-religious references abound. Karloff did an amazing job reprising his role as The Creature, giving the monster a creditable voice. A near perfect horror film." - Neverending


Curse of Frankenstein (1957)



"One of my favorite Hammer films and certainly one of the best adaptations of Mary Shelley's novel (a loose adaptation for sure, but a good one), The Curse of Frankenstein relies mostly on one very powerful performance. Christopher Lee is just fine, and certainly memorable, as The Creature but the film focuses on the creator, rather than on the creation, so it is Peter Cushing that stands out. His Baron Frankenstein is not over the top, though the character is certainly obsessive and quite mad. He's also cold blooded, and not likable in the least, but he's fascinating to watch. That performance coupled with an ominous atmosphere makes this film a real treat for fans of Gothic horror." - Jenna26


Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1931)



"Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is one of the oldest and best portraits of dualism in the human psyche. What other stories try to do with elaborate Freudian chicanery, this story puts in your face. Thus, the actor portraying Henry Jekyll has an elaborate and special problem: directly portraying the dualism with no frills or artificial complexity attached. The diabolical smile of Fredric March's Hyde does this in ways that few other movie villains can do. He confronts you with the grin and the twisted face, you cannot help but see a force of raw evil. Great makeup, great acting, and a worthy heir to John Barrymore. March is to this day one of the true faces of horror." - Doc Faustus


Frankenstein (1931)




The Invisible Man (1933)




Honorable Mentions:

The Abominable Dr Phibes (1971)

"The centerpiece of this highly entertaining film is the florid performance of Vincent Price. He imparts such emotional depth to the role, despite a makeup that rendered his face immobile.
The plot involves Phibes, who is thought to be dead, seeking revenge on the people he considers responsible for his wife's death. He is murdering them one by one in deliciously gruesome manners based on the nine plagues of the bible. Can Phibes be stopped before he kills all his intended victims? Well, let's just say there IS a sequel.
The film is bouyed considerably by a script full of black humor and stylish direction by Robert Fuest, who had worked on television's The Avengers. The art direction also lent great atmosphere, creating a Rococco environment for Phibes that included an ornate pipe-organ and a bandstand of clockwork dummies that play tin pan alley songs (with vocals by masterful voice man Paul Frees impersonating stars of the 20s-30s). Add to that an atmospheric score by Basil Kirchin and you have perfection.
If it all sounds a bit delirious, it is - and that's what makes it such an outstanding film." - Neverending


The Phantom of the Opera (1925)
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Last edited by _____V_____; 04-12-2014 at 02:33 AM.
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