THE MUMMY: The cool thing about the mummy is that when he is coming after you, you are usually being chased through a pyramid with lots of twists and turns, and you can't escape. I can't put my finger on it, but for some reason, a 3000 year old decaying corpse chasing after you is pretty terrifying. However, even for somebody like me who loves and whose first introduction to horror were those classic Universal movies, the Mummy movies move pretty slow. I guess the pace has to match the speed the title character can move.
DRACULA: He will hypnotize you and drink your blood. He has an awesome cape and lives in a creepy, dusty old castle. He is basically everything you want in a classic monster. Bela Lugosi can never be replaced, and delivers a great performance in the movie. Even though Dracula does take his time killing people, he is a great, classic monster who deserves his (pardon the pun) undying legacy.
THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON (or Gill-Man, for you purists): Not only does he look awesome, in real life, that is a darn good suit. The one thing I always loved about the Gill-man was that, like a crocodile, once he got a hold of you, you are more than likely dead. He has superhuman strength and stares at chicks from afar. He's either a classic monster, or a high-school boy. The first one was awesome, but I am nostalgic for the sequel, Revenge of the Creature. Not so much for the third one. But a cool look and a lethal quality definitely earns him his classic legacy.
FRANKENSTEIN'S MONSTER: Victor Frankenstein was the CREATOR, not the actual monster. Even in the sequels the characters refer to it as "the monster," so I'm calling it what it is. Frankenstein's monster is what every great Universal monster is: sympathetic. But he has just the most classic look. The flat head, the bolts in the neck; better than any CGI crap they come up with today. Boris Karloff was and forever will be Frankenstein's Monster. They've tried remaking him, but that first phase of Universal films that ended with Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein will always be the Frankenstein for me.
THE WOLFMAN: Here is my favorite. Larry Talbot, bitten by a werewolf, is now a werewolf himself. He doesn't want to kill, but he can't help it. With every full moon, he becomes the coolest monster ever: the Wolfman. Once he has set his sights on you, you're dead. It's not like the Gill-man or Frankenstein's monster where you can grab a club or a torch and fend him off. Nope, the Wolfman will tear your throat out. He is arguably the most sympathetic monster, along with Frankenstein's Monster. Even though he is featured in many films, the Wolfman only appeared in one solo film. After that he appeared in team up movies. I would have loved to have seen him a few more solo flicks. I didn't mind the remake, I like that they kept it in the old days and kept that awesome Universal monster look. The creepy, foggy forests, the old Victorian style buildings, I love it. But Lon Chaney Junior owns that role and can never be replaced.
What are your favorite classic monsters? Sound off below, and let me know!
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