Generation after generation falls in love with classic universal monsters. Bringing horror to the forefront of Hollywood, it’s no exaggeration to say that these movies changed hollywood forever. For many, these are the first horror movies we experience and we revisit them throughout our lives.
The following list is ten of the best universal monster movies. Although the 2020s The invisible Man the movie made the top ten and is well worth your time to check it out, it’s not included as this list is for all those pre-1950s gender changers.
Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein (1948)
A film that Quentin Tarantino said was one of the most influential films of his career. The secret to creating the perfect horror-comedy is to blend the two genres in a way that they complement rather than detract from each other. Many have tried and failed, but this entry remains a gold star for the subgenre.
Two of the best films to mix horror and comedy would be diabolical death and Tucker and Dale vs. Evil.long before these, Abbott and Costello meet Frankensteinhas become a major inspiration for horror comedy in the future and can be rented on YouTube, Google Play, Amazon Prime, Apple TV and Vudu.
The werewolf (1941)
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The werewolf would be the inspiration for just about every werewolf movie to come after him. Lon Chaney Jr.. puts on an outstanding performance as any troubled man facing the werewolf’s curse.
The Wolfman is a character seen many times in movies and films. Even the character of The Incredible Hulkis the story of a good man who gets caught in a horrible situation and loses control. The werewolf can be rented on YouTube, Google Play, Amazon Prime, Apple TV and Vudu.
The Phantom of the Opera (1925)
The werewolf was the tortured man. The Phantom of the Opera is the tortured lover. He wants the woman he loves, but he can’t have her because she’s a monster.
Lon Chaney Jr.. in another superb monstrous performance but this time as a ghost, a recluse madly in love with Christine Daae (Marie Philbin) an artist at the Opera. The Phantom of the Opera can be streamed for free on Plex and Crackle or Sling TV, Amazon Prime, and Paramount with a subscription.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923)
Which makes The Hunchback of Norte Dame The particularity is that it is a first horror film that transcends the genre. Horror movies that transcend genre are horror movies that show the monster as the most human of them all.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame does a nice job of showing exactly that. The film is about a hunchback who is deeply in love with a beautiful woman named Esmeralda (Patsy Ruth Miller). It’s a fantastic but sad love story, with an excellent performance by Lon Chaney like Quasimodo. The Hunchback of Notre Dame can be streamed for free on Pluto TV or The Roku Channel, Sling TV, Amazon Prime and Philo with a subscription.
Dracula (1931)
The Bela Lugosi version of Dracula is widely considered the most popular and recognizable version of the Dracula character, even though the film was made in 1931. There have been many versions since, but it’s hard to name a more iconic vampire.
Dracula is a horror film about the upper class preying on the lower class and features an excellent performance by Bela Lugosi as Count Dracula. Dracula can be rented on YouTube, Google Play, Amazon Prime, Apple TV and Vudu.
The invisible Man (1933)
The invisible Man wondered if people would be moral if they were invisible? According to the film, the answer is no, and there would likely be plenty of emotional and mental fallout along the way.
The classic The invisible Man The film mixes sci-fi and horror to create something that remains chilling all these years later. Much of the success of this version of the Invisible Man comes from the wonderful performance of Claude Raines as Doctor Jack Griffin. The invisible Man can be rented on YouTube, Google Play, Amazon Prime, Apple TV and Vudu.
Son of Frankenstein (1939)
Son of Frankenstein has been by Boris Karloff last performance as Frankenstein. Bela Lugosi is also in Son of Frankenstein like Igor. It may not be the best among Karloff’s Frankenstein movies, but it definitely is always worth a visit.
Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff have made eight films together, and they’re all great fun to revisit. Son of Frankenstein can be rented on YouTube, Google Play, Amazon Prime, Apple TV and Vudu.
Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Many people consider Bride of Frankenstein the best Frankenstein film. It was a film ahead of its time with its themes of homosexuality, necrophilia and blasphemy.
Bride of Frankenstein has aged remarkably well and, like many others on this list, poses questions that remain relevant today. Bride of Frankenstein can be rented on YouTube, Google Play, Amazon Prime, Apple TV and Vudu.
Dracula (1931)
No, not the Bela Lugosi Dracula movie, but the Carlos Villarias a. Who is Carlos Villarias? Carlos Villarias was in the Spanish version of Dracula shot the same year and on the same sets as the English version.
Many critics agree that the Spaniards Dracula The movie is better than the Bela Lugosi movie but maintain that Bela Lugosi was a better Dracula. The only way to know for sure is to watch the movie and decide which movie is better. Dracula can be viewed on The Criterion Channel.
Frankenstein (1931)
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It’s no big surprise that Frankenstein would take first place. It’s easily one of the most influential horror novels ever written and touches on topics that are still vital today.
Frankenstein asking questions like, will science ever replace God? What is the responsibility of science? Questions that still arise in our modern world as technology advances in movies like Ex-Machina and the jurassic park movies. Frankenstein can be rented on YouTube, Google Play, Amazon Prime, Apple TV and Vudu.
