The Universal Pictures Blogathon - The Monster Bash

Velcome, dear readers, velcome.....now that some of our guests have arrived, please let me escort you to the ballroom where we have special entertainment provided for this evening  - a monster bash! 

Hours of horrible music will be performed by Betty Bones and her Band who will keep you rattling and rolling till you shake your fears away. 

Perhaps if you find them too hollow, you may desire to rest. My brides will be more than happy to escort you to your coffin....ahem, your guest room. Such sweet creatures, do you not think so? 

 

Or perhaps I could induce you to have a bite with me, a special cocktail before the music starts.....it's harmless, I assure you! Peter's eyes always behave this way when he is giddy. 

 

Ah! I see you do not recognize some of the monsters assembled here, please let me introduce my friends. First, I am sure you know Mr. Mummy....

 

The Scroll of Troth awakened the wrapped up remains of this mummy and he has not been put to rest since. A bad case of insomnia I am afraid. Ask the Classic Film and TV Cafe, who covers four reincarnations of this wrinkly fellow in his splendid article Universal's Mummy Movies of the 1940s. 

 

If you would like to know more about his birth, let me guide you towards Old Hollywood Films who wraps up his life's history in her article The Mummy ( 1932 ). 

A truly horrifying creature is The Phantom of the Opera. This poor devil got acid applied to his face and it altered his spirit as well. Silentology exposes the man behind the mask in her excellent post on the 1925 film about him.

 

When the autumn moon is bright, Caftan Woman celebrates that rare holiday, Werewolf of London Day. Vaht a dear woman! In this post she shares some comments about my hairy friend, the Werewolf of London ( 1935 ) and his origins. He is a most sane creature at times, just be so good as to keep your distance when the moon is out. 

 

The good doctor, Dr. Henry Frankenstein, never was satisfied with natural birth and decided he could improve the process. The monster was born one stormy night and frankly, he grew to become quite a level-headed young man. But even a man-made monster can get lonely, and so the doctor created a mate for his masterpiece. This enchanting creature had a most lovely name - Bride. A Shroud of Thoughts tells us why the 1935 film about her is often considered better than the original Frankenstein. 

 

 

Once Upon a Screen then begins to debate whether Son of Frankenstein ( 1939 ) is not better than both films in her entertaining review of the above. 

 

 

I was most pleased to find that I have been proclaimed one of the great Universal monsters! Although I hardly consider myself a monster. I am a gentleman and always have been....until I get thirsty. Nevertheless I found Classic Movie Hub's article about my very first picture for Universal - Dracula ( 1931 ) - to be most entertaining.

 

 

My children have also been stars of Universal pictures. My daughter was first asked to appear in Dracula's Daughter ( 1936 ) and then my son decided to join the acting business less than a decade later and the studio gave him star billing as well in Son of Dracula ( 1943 ). Both films are given the spotlight treatment by The Midnite Drive-In.

 

 

Us monsters love a good party and we were tickled pink to appear with Abbott and Costello in one of their best comedies - Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein ( 1948 ). Another Old Movie Blog tells us why this film is a scream.

 

 

Eventually ve all had guest appearances in the Abbott and Costello films...the Invisible Man, the Mummy, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde....Outspoken and Freckled tells us about each one of these A&C encounters in her article - Abbott and Costello Meet the Universal Monsters.

And who can forget the great gillman? One of life's misunderstood creatures! Wide Screen World conducts An Interview with the Creature, who shares insights into his life and his films. The Creature claims that we do not keep in touch anymore....but I tell him how difficult it is to see him when I visit the swamp at night. I vish it wasn't so murky! 

 

There are other monsters in this world .....

 

 

Man can become a monster when evil takes over his soul. Speakeasy demonstrates how this happened to the Duke of Gloucester in Tower of London ( 1939 ).

 

 

Then the David Bruce Appreciation Society explains how The Mad Ghoul ( 1943 ) became a ghoul and why the film about him is best enjoyed as a perverse coming-of-age melodrama. How delectable! 

 

There are monsters from out of this world too.....

 

These monsters could not fit into the doorway but Speakeasy tells us what makes The Monolith Monsters ( 1957 ) such rocking good villains, even though they are not the swiftest creatures.

 

 

And lastly, Movie Fanfare introduces us to Metalunan Mutants, those handsome creatures from outer space. They too had a motion picture made about their arrival on our planet, This Island Earth ( 1955 ).

We hope you will enjoy tonight's monster bash! 

 

To view yesterday's guest list click here. To view the Halloween line-up check out this post.