Just in time for all those horror-movie marathons this October! The Universal Classic Monsters Icons of Horror Collection lacks the all-encompassing number of films from the Blu-ray set released a few years ago, but the 4k is simply stunning, and well worth consideration, even if you own the 30-film collection.
“From the era of silent movies through present day, Universal Pictures has been regarded as the home of the monsters. Universal Classic Monsters Icons of Horror Collection showcases 4 of the most iconic monsters in motion picture history including Dracula, Frankenstein, The Invisible Man and The Wolf Man. Starring Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney Jr. and Claude Rains in the roles that they made famous, these original films set the standard for a new horror genre with revolutionary makeup, mood-altering cinematography and groundbreaking special effects.”
Three years ago, Universal released one of the most comprehensive movie collections ever to be released on Blu-ray, consisting of 30 films, spanning decades, including all the films of their classic ‘monsters’. Now, Universal has released this 4k set that includes four of the classic monster films, featuring Dracula, Frankenstein, The Invisible Man and The Wolf Man.
While this set lacks the size of the previous Blu-ray release, that doesn’t mean it’s any less impressive. It’s understandable that some of the lesser-known sequels and less popular monsters might not make the cut to undergo the UHD transfer process. Still, these may be some of the oldest films to ever undergo the transfer into 4k, and that alone had me interested in checking out this set.
Dracula:
“The original classic starring Bela Lugosi is the signature adaptation of Bram Stoker’s story that defined the iconic look and frightening character of the famed vampire.”
Bela Lugosi’s portrayal of Dracula is nothing less than inspiring. His performance set the groundwork for everything our society thinks of when they think of vampires. His dedication to the character of which he was very proud of lasted his entire career, and he would go on to star in many other films in the Universal Monster Universe.
Special Features
The extras are located on the 4k disc and Blu-ray disc that’s included.
- Dracula (1931) Spanish Version with Introduction by Lupita Tovar Kohner
- The Road to Dracula
- Lugosi: The Dark Prince
- Dracula: The Restoration
- Monster Tracks
- Dracula Archives
- Alternate Score by Philip Glass Performed by The Kronos Quartet
- Feature Commentary by Film Historian David J. Skal
- Feature Commentary by Steve Haberman, Screenwriter of Dracula: Dead and Loving It
- Trailer Gallery
Frankenstein:
“An unforgettable masterpiece, Boris Karloff stars as the screen’s most tragic and iconic monster in what many consider to be the greatest horror film ever made.”
Boris Karloff will always be my favorite Frankenstein’s Monster. He brought a commitment every monster he portrayed, but I think he embodied this classic monster the best. Watching the evolution of the monster, especially in just the first two films, is remarkable.
Special Features
- The Frankenstein Files: How Hollywood Made a Monster Documentary
- Karloff: The Gentle Monster
- Monster Tracks
- Universal Horror
- Frankenstein Archives
- Boo!: A Short Film
- Feature Commentary with Film Historian Rudy Behlmer
- Feature Commentary with Historian Sir Christopher Frayling
- 100 Years of Universal: Restoring the Classics
- Trailer Gallery
The Invisible Man:
“Claude Rains stars in the signature adaptation of H.G. Wells’ story about a doctor who discovers a serum that makes him invisible and is also slowly driving him insane.”
I’ve always been fascinated with The Invisible Man since I originally saw the film. Claude Rains is simply stunning as Dr. Jack Griffin with that iconic voice that is so pronounced. I was also always fascinated, albeit kind of morbidly, that the Invisible Man holds the record for the highest death toll out of any of these monsters featured.
Special Features
- Now You See Him: The Invisible Man Revealed!
- Feature Commentary with Film Historian Rudy Behlmer
- Production Photographs
- 100 Years of Universal: Unforgettable Characters
- Trailer Gallery
The Wolf Man:
“Featuring a heartbreaking performance by Lon Chaney Jr., this story of a cursed man who transforms into a deadly werewolf has not only become a masterpiece of the horror genre, but of all time.”
I have always loved the first classic film that had such a great cast, including Bela Lugosi and Claude Rains. This is another film that has inspired countless incarnations of the Werewolf and its extensive lore. It’s always great to go back to the basics and enjoy one of the classics!
Special Features
- Monster by Moonlight Documentary
- The Wolf Man: From Ancient Curse to Modern Myth
- Pure in Heart: The Life and Legacy of Lon Chaney Jr.
- He Who Made Monsters: The Life and Art of Jack Pierce
- The Wolf Man Archives
- Feature Commentary with Film Historian Tom Weaver
- 100 Years of Universal: The Lot
- Trailer Gallery
Technical Specifications
All the films in the set are presented in 2160p Ultra High-Definition 1.33:1 featuring HDR10. Being black and white, and consisting of some of the oldest films ever presented in 4k, the main improvement you’ll see is how much sharper the image is than its Blu-ray counterpart. Grain is very heavy in all the films, gradually getting better as the age of the film improves. At 90 years old, it’s absolutely astonishing how good these films look, despite the heavy grain and obvious age of the source material.
The audio is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio Mono 2.0. These look to be the same as the previous Blu-ray release, though masterfully remastered using elements from several different sources to ensure the best possible sound quality. The scores sound wonderful, especially on Dracula, which adds so much to the atmosphere and overall feel of the film.
The set comes in a book-like sleeve, housed in a thick carboard sleeve. The book contains poster images for all the films, with the 4k and Blu-ray on each side, with the Extras listed as well. The book is beautifully made, however, I do really loathe the carboard slips the discs are located in, where it’s impossible to get them out without forcefully grabbing the top and bottom of the disc, creating smudges on the data side.
If you’re like me, who has the 30-film Classic Monsters Collection from Universal released a few years ago and wondering if it’s worth it to grab this set as well, it all comes down to how big of a fan you are of these original monster films. As far as the technical side goes, you can’t get any better than this unless you time-travel to 1931 and watch it being filmed in person. It’s a perfect month for its release, and you can’t get any better than these four classic monster films!
