Rating: 
Summary: True to the Legacy
Review: This "review" is in response to one placed here earlier which was entitled "Slightly Flawed, but a good collection nonetheless". I understand this individual has an issue with this installment of the Legacy Collection due to the fact it does not contain Renfield's screaming and Dracula's extended groans upon his death. He also stated that he wishes to receive a formal response from Universal as to why this is so.
Due to the umbrella title that the film was released under, "The Legacy Collection", I would expect every movie offered in the set to be presented as they were shown to audiences when they were originally released in theatres. In Webster's dictionary Legacy is defined as "something received from an ancestor or predecessor or from the past". Well, to present these films today, as they were offered to our ancestors who originally experienced these films in the past, the screams and groans were not there. This is why I prefer this version to the DVD release of 2001. For those of you who still insist on revising history, there are many avenues for you to acquire a copy of the Classic Monster Collection DVD. By the way, yes I know the picture quality of the 2001 DVD is seen by many to be superior. However, from the comparison I have seen at shillpages.com it isn't really that big of a deal.
Incidentally, with this in mind, I have all six installments of The Legacy Collection and it is a realization of something I have waited over 20 years for. The only thing I think keeps this entire collection from being perfect in my opinion is that the first two movies of The Creature series do not remain true to the Legacy left behind by those films. I understand that you could never achieve the same results for 3-D on a TV screen as you can at the theatre, but to offer it in at least some capacity which attempted to loosely resemble the original theatrical experience would have been appreciated.
Rating:
Summary: Terrific House!
Review: "House of Dracula" is a surprisingly sinister shocker from Universal right before it shut down it's B movie unit--and promptly fired all of its legendary cast and crew, including Evelyn Ankers, Fay Helm, Lon Chaney, David Bruce, etc. The whole movie is beautifully lit and photographed. The story is like an eerie dream, with everyone gliding around in a trance-like state. Martha O'Driscoll is wonderful as the nurse who falls in love with Chaney--the Wolfman. Her hushed voice and her playing of the Rachmoninoff Concerto are the highlights. Especially good is Onslow Stevens as the classical "mad" doctor. Since this is a fantasy movie, don't be surprised when all the monsters conveniently gather in the old mansion: John Carradine, as Dracula (good and chilling, but he still ain't Lugosi); Chaney as the Wolfman and Glenn Strange as the Frankenstein monster.There's even a female hunchback(Jane Adams) thrown in. Best scene: when the hunchback opens the door to the laboratory to check on the doctor and he has changed into a crazed, glittering eyed monster. His shadow, backlit onthe wall, races towards hers. Beautiful and dreamy and with terrific, expressionistic sets, this among the last of the Universal shockers. Enjoy it, buy it!
Rating: 
Summary: SUBSTANDARD TRANSFER OF ORIGINAL RUINS COLLECTION!
Review: "Dracula" is the film version of a Transylvanian count who must suck the blood of innocents in order to survive. He sleeps by day, terrorizes by night and keeps a crew of virgin wives as his slaves in the darkened recesses of his haunted castle. The subsequent films in this collection are a mixed bag of B-pictures; the best probably being "Dracula's Daughter" because it at least attempts to pick up where the original nightmare left off. The last two films (Son and House of) are truly laughable. But the real revelation in this collection is the Spanish version of the original film. Produced simultaneously with the original film, it is an improvment in both camera techniques and visual special effects than the Lugosi version. One pines for such originality elsewhere in this collection.
THE TRANSFER: In a word, DISAPPOINTING!!! No attempt has been made to clean up the age related artifacts that riddle the print of the 1931 film so extensively that they make it a painful viewing experience. Scratches, chips and tears appear repeatedly. Contrast and black levels are so unbalanced that fine detail is not even an issue - (personally, I'd be happy to see any detail at all.) The subsequent films in this collection are spared such massive deterioration, presumably because they did not get as much play time over the years and as a result have been better preserved. Also, the original film suffers from intense film grain and considerable aliasing and edge enhancement artifacts which, of course, add to the distraction of your viewing experience. The audio on the original is so full of hissing and popping that some of the dialogue is rendered incoherent. Other films in the collection fair slightly to considerably better.
EXTRAS: As with the Frankenstein box set, extras include two succinctly produced featurettes on the making of the film, as well as theatrical trailers and audio commentaries.
BOTTOM LINE: I cannot in good faith recommend this box set, even to die hard "Dracula" fans, because the original film - the only one in which Lugosi appears - has been rendered in such poor condition on DVD. A genuine disappointment!
Rating: 
Summary: If only it had Bela Lugosi
Review: (...)The film suffered from John Carradine's presence, but seeing the innocent, sympathetic Talbot cured made up for that.
Rating: 
Summary: Campy Count Classics!
Review: Disc One is great...the chilling Lugosi classic, a documentary, commentary tracks...beautifully packaged bonus features for horror buffs.Disc Two, however...a real disappointment. Full of glitches which made the viewing experience maddening. Hopefully your copy won't be similarly damaged. What's all the fuss about the Spanish version? Give me Dwight and Bela ANY day! The Universal sequels aren't much fun, either. DRACULA's DAUGHTER is dreck! Illogical yawner. SON OF DRACULA and HOUSE OF DRACULA, while neither could be called spooky in the least, still manage to capture the nostalgic feel of Saturday matinees. Lon Chaney and John Carradine are both laughable casting choices, but the flying bats...misty marshes...and hunchbacked assistants make for fun viewing.
Rating:
Summary: has come back with a vengance of horror!!!!
Review: Finally, all classic 5 Dracula films finally come to DVD in this amazing collection. These films inspired dozens of directors and producers to bring you a new taste in horror. Bela Lugosi was truly the best Dracula ever. He has been scaring people for more than 70 years! If you are a true horror film classic kind of person, you definitely need to buy this mega collection. This collection includes Dracula (bela lugosi film) the Spanish version of the film (some people say it is better than the Bela Lugosi version) Dracula's daughter (made in 1936) son of Dracula (made in 1943) and house of Dracula (made in 1945). This is a must get collection for a spooky night. I have looked through the features and this is what I thought. Well, there is a behind the scenes look at the production of the film hosted by the director of "Van Helsing" Stephen Sommers. This behind the scenes look shows behind the scenes of Van helsing of how this film helps the production. Interviews by classic film historians, and big fans of the film.
Note: This isn't a behind the scenes look at Dracula, it is a behind the scenes look at Van Helsing, and it shows how this film influenced the Van Helsing in production. There's about 6 minutes and 30 seconds of this. Then there's a road to Dracula. A 30 minute behind the scenes look of the production of Dracula. This includes interviews by film historians, fans of the films, and of course Bela Lugosi's son. This is an interesting documentary on this film, this gave information I never new! I also discovered the trailer for all 5 films. I can't believe they still have them. You'd figure they would have thrown them out already. Overall this is a must get collection for true horror fans. If you love horror movies, go back to the origin of the new age horror films. A must buy!
Rating:
Summary: Bela And Company Are Back!
Review: Finally, DRACULA is put into a serious collection! Here we have not only the original classic DRACULA (w/ the incomparable Bela Lugosi), but four more toothy vampire thrillers! DRACULA concerns the Transylvanian Count and his trip to his new digs, where he quickly takes a big bite out of his neighbors. Can Von Helsing stop this evil undead plague, or will Dracula win the night? DRACULA- THE SPANISH VERSION was filmed simultaniously with Bela's feature. It is quite good on it's own merit, with actors that took pride in their work. Some things are different in nuance as well as some actual (subtle) changes to the props, dialogue, action, etc. It's fun to watch! DRACULA'S DAUGHTER is about a woman who seeks the aid of a psychiatrist in dealing with her vampirism. Can a supernatural curse be broken by scientific / psychological means? Hmmm. SON OF DRACULA has Lon Chaney jr. as the returning nosferatu. Posing as Count Alucard, he terrorizes the countryside! HOUSE OF DRACULA has Lon jr. back as the wolfman, looking for a cure for his canine affliction. John Carradine is along for the ride as Count Dracula (w/ a snappy moustache). Frankenstein's monster doesn't get much screen time, just sort of lumbering around aimlessly. Not a bad monster bash though! This collection is superb and should be bought before Universal re-seals their rusty old vaults once more...
Rating:
Summary: 5 Stars for the Film, 4 Stars for the set
Review: For fans of old horror films, this collection is a must have. Whenever one thinks of Dracula, usually the first image that comes to mind is the image of Bela Lugosi with the slicked back black hair with the pointy widow's peak - along with the traditional black cape and high collar. Even if one has never actually seen his film, people still somehow see Bela Lugosi's portrayal of Dracula in their minds. That's how much this particular Dracula has been ingrained into our culture.
So finally, we get this film on DVD along with all the rest of the 1930's and 1940s Universal Dracula films including the Spanish version of Dracula in this nice Legacy collection. Actually in 1999, the restored uncensored Bela Lugosi version was released on DVD. With this Legacy collection, however, you do NOT get the restored uncensored version. So if you can find an out of print copy of the 1999 release, buy it because this new Legacy collection only has the original 1931 censored release. The uncensored version features Renfield screaming when Dracula chokes him at the end, as well as many more "death groans" from Dracula when Van Helsing drives the steak through his heart. This set does not have those features, so beware.
Aside from this flaw, this Legacy Collection is fantastic. And it's the first time "House of Dracula" (sequel to "House of Frankenstein") has been released to DVD. All the films have been digitally restored (although "Dracula" doesn't look as good as the rest because it's an older film). This set also features an optional new musical score by Phillip Glass for "Dracula" (1931), which was also on the 1999 release. In my personal opinion, however, the score takes away from the eerie feel of the film. I always thought the silence of the original made it more creepy. This new score has music running all the way through the film, and I feel it's too intense. Remember, silence is golden.
So if you're a fan of horror and Dracula, purchase this set. But make sure to find the 1999 restored uncensored release of "Dracula" and buy it as well since it's not available on this set.
Rating:
Summary: Not sure where they got the title
Review: For this Universal Studio film, all the elements of a classic monster movie are here. Similar to "House of Frankenstein," several of the monsters make an appearance. Wolf Man, Dracula, and Frankenstein's Monster are joined by a mad scientist and a hunchbacked assistant. Unlike the aforementioned film, there is no scene that pits them against each other. Dr. Edelman is a scientist out to help his fellow man. In an attempt to get close to the doctor's assistant, Count Dracula asks for help in curing his vampirism. While this is going on, Lawrence Talbot (Lon Chaney, Jr.'s Wolf Man character) approaches the doctor for help in curing his lycanthropy. Frankenstein's Monsters if found (still alive, but very weak) in the caves underneath the castle. Without going into the plot or the ending too much, I will say that none of the monsters ever interact with each other or fight. The whole time watching, I was waiting for some grand fight scene, but alas it never happens. The ending seems kind of quick and leaves you wondering why Universal made the movie. If you collect the old Universal monster movies, then you can't help but buy the movie and watch. I would not watch this as your first foray into the genre or the collection.
Rating:
Summary: Slightly Flawed, but a good collection nonetheless
Review: Having all these Dracula films in one place is a treat. The Spanish version is indeed well worth seeing (even if you need English subtitles to follow along!).
The flaw lies in the fact that the stand-alone version of Dracula, packaged as "The Restored Version" (with the Phillip Glass soundtrack and the Spanish version as bonuses) does indeed include audio of Renfield screaming as he is killed, as well as the extended groans of Dracula when Van Helsing (the marvelous Edward Van Sloan) destroys him. This audio is missing from the Legacy Collection, and thus mimics previously released versions such as the older VHS. Was this an oversight by the mastering techs of Universal, or did they seriously believe that 2004 audiences would find it excessively morbid (we're dealing with an undead creature who mind controls others and kills many, isn't that more distasteful than hearing the result of characters' destructions)? What's even more curious is that the commentary version (with David Skal)of the film is the same one from the restored version; therefore in this one you CAN hear Renfield's screams and the Count's extended groans (in fact Skal calls attention to the extended groans). I still await a formal response from Universal as to the omission of the restored version onto the Legacy collection.
Some may overly enjoy the Phillip Glass soundtrack, and while I find it interesting, I also find it rather busy and prefer to watch the Lugosi version with the original soundtrack.
The bonus films are all excellent. Dracula's Daughter picks up where the Lugosi version leaves off, minus the characters of Jonathon Harker and Mina Seward (the lovely Helen Chandler who met a rather sad end in the final years of her life). All that's left is Van Helsing (again Edward Van Sloan) who must defend himself as the destroyer of a centuries old vampire, rather than the murderer of a Hungarian count. Another dark, atmospheric film in the series and a lasting perfomance by the count's female counterpart.
Many later Universal horror films tend to get trite in comparison to the originals (the Kharis "Mummy" series pales when compared to Karloff's Imhotep), but Chaney does a fine job as Count Alucard (a rather silly name that is so easily revealed to be Dracula spelled backwards). Story lines are distorted from the original (Dracula was destroyed in Whitby in the 1930s, but is reported as having been destroyed in the 19th century), and while Alucard is Dracula, we don't know if he is the original or a son, or just another vampire du jour.
As is the case with Carradine as another Dracula in House of Dracula, but now we are treated to a "best of" horror fest. Dracula, the Wolf Man, and the Frankenstein monster in one film, what more can we ask?
The prints look excellent and are well worth owning. A true vampire devotee should seek out the prior Dracula DVD as well, however; the Renfield and Dracula screams are worth the effort.
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