Rating: Summary: The Monster Collection Review: Yes, I do agree with other people writing reviews, that this collection is a super bargain. Plus I hope there is a vol. 2 with more classic movies such as the Invisible Man. I saw these in the store. I have these on tape from amc cable station, where they always tell you alittle about each film before it starts, I might still keep those tapes.
Rating: Summary: Great...and BEAUTIFUL...when you use spellcheck..... Review: While I agree with the sentiments of an earlier reviewer, the gross mispelling of a relatively simple word, makes one doubt the intelligence behind his comments....In any case, this package is deal....9 movies and 3 limited edition busts for $55 is a bargain...grab it! PS....the movie is much BETTER than the critics are making it out to be too!!!
Rating: Summary: True Classics! Review: I've noticed quite a few comments about the quality of these DVDs, mostly complaints. I feel just the opposite. This is exactly how I remember these films on Chiller Theater Saturday nights during the 60's. Sure they are scratchy and hissy, but they are over 70 years old! Thats part of their appeal! Had they remastered them in a Criterion way, it just wouldn't be the same. If you were as fascinated by these films as I was as a kid, you're sure to get a kick out of seeing them w/o commercial interuption, or some TV station self promo in the bottom corner of the screen. I watched Dracula last night and it was wonderful! Don't miss out on this set!
Rating: Summary: Excellent set Review: Absolutely bowled over by the packaging and contents for this set. Don't quite know how Universal have managed to deliver 14 movies and the other goodies at this price.Let's hope they do a Volume 2 for The Mummy, Invisible Man and Creature from the Black Lagoon. And on the subject of Van Helsing, Peter Cushing is the man, without a doubt!
Rating: Summary: Great Set!!!!! Review: Finally all of the classic monster movies have been put together in a great collection. The addition of the busts is a very nice touch. Since they are made by Sideshow, I knew the busts would be of high quality and they are a descent size too (it might have been nice if they were bigger, but the cost would unfortunately be dramatically higher). The one movie I feel was not necessary to include though is She-Wolf Of London. The special features are great as well, however I would have preferred Universal avoided the previews and mentions of the upcoming Van Helsing movie. Edward Van Sloan will forever be the best actor to play Van Helsing!!!! Van Sloan deserves more credit for his performance. And of course nobody can top Lugosi, Karloff, and Chaney as the monsters. This new film should prove all of this. One complaint is that universal should have included some of Lugosi's other vampire films; the box does advertise Lugosi as the main attraction of the set. Since sales seem very good for this set I hope Universal will produce another set with the Mummy, Invisible Man, and Creature From The Black Lagoon films (How the Creature ended up being seen as part of the "classic" monster group is beyond me, but it is fun to watch). All in all this is a great recommended set, get it while you can!!!
Rating: Summary: Buy it for the head busts, not for great quality DVDs. Review: The head busts have a great likeness to the classic monsters and are good items for avid monster movie collectors. However as far as quality DVDs are concerned, this is a step back for Universal. In some cases the picture and audio quality is worse than in the previous editions! Like in Dracula, no picture clean up has been done, and as far as audio is concerned, it hisses and it is noisier than before, and his groans at the end are missing! Why? They were there in the last DVD edition; and in the previous edition a section of music was missing during the opera scene! Couldn't they have gotten it right this time around? Why on the Frankenstein disk do they pause the end credits? That's just strange to me. Compression artifacts are visible on disks with more than one film. The Laserdisc and video versions released in the 1990s had better audio and picture quality (at least no audio was missing from Dracula). This is disappointing because the studio has done nothing to give us superb quality that these classic films DESERVE.
Rating: Summary: Finally, a decent boxed set of the "Big Three!" Review: Where do I start? The box itself is a delight for the eyes, the DVDs are of good quality, the resin-cast busts are sturdy and lifelike, and the movies are classics. This has been one of my better "deluxe" type editions that I have purchased, and I will keep it forever and watch all the discs many times over. Being a classic Unversal horror fan, this box was a godsend to me. I received all the materials in tip-top condition (my condolences to the one reviewer who had numerous problem with his item). The slipcases are sturdy and fun to examine. The extras, while available on the first printings of the movies, where nonetheless exciting and informative. I appreciated the inclusion of "House of Dracula" and "House of Frankenstein," two of my favorite spin-offs/sequels/"let's keep the franchise going" efforts. If you are into classic black and white, atmospheric horror films, and you don't mind spending a few bucks, this one is highly recommended. Now, what to do with the first-printing single DVDs? Keep them or sell them off?
Rating: Summary: PLEASE READ THIS.IT CAN SAVE YOU SOME AGGREVATION Review: I usually get a DVD give it a quick look then write a review.This time I viewed the whole package before submitting my review.When you get your set carefully remove the discs.Look at the holder behind it.If you see a little plastic protrusion gently scratch it away with your fingernail then wipe clean. I'm glad I caught this in time. I'm sure this would have scratched my set.And probably yours.My set plays perfectly.The bonus features are great.Werewolf of London, Dracula (spanish), Dracula's Daughter, She-Wolf of London,and Son of Dracula, I consider as bonus films, the rest are the meat and potatoes of the set.A few years ago I considered purchasing Dracula on VHS, but the only copy I could find was with the Phillip Glass score.After viewing the disc in all three presentations(No score,Glass,and commentary)I'm glad I left the VHS on the store shelf.There were some interestng motifs,but the constant music detracted from the mood of the film.The Wolf Man documentary confuses me a little.It states Lon Chaney jr. played the Frankenstein monster before playing the Wolf Man.I thought it was the other way around.Speaking of the Wolf Man.It would have made more sense to put House of Frankenstein and House of Dracula on THE WOLF MAN set.Larry Talbot and his moon howling alter ego was the central character with more screen time than Dracula(not played by Lugosi)or Frankenstein(not played by Karloff)but the Wolf Man is portrayed by Lon Chaney jr. Calling the monster Frankenstein should be as acceptable as calling Henry Ford's invention Fords,just as we do anyway.[The menu screens can be a little annoying at first.They all look excatly the same per each monster.So you get a lot of Play Other Disc or Flip Disc Over]. That,I would say is my only complaint. It's sort of like playing CONCENTRATION.The busts are really impressive.and the disc holders are charming and classy as they resemble small hard cover books. AND IT IS SUBTITLED, IN ENGLISH,SPANISH,AND FRENCH with the captions appearing below person speaking(as often as possible).MY SET HAS A PRISTINE PICTURE FOR EVERY FILM.BUY an APEX AD 1200.It's an inexpensive player that's played all my discs beautifully for over 2 years and is still going strong. I wrote a short review on THE HAMMER HORROR COLLECTION emphasising the simaltaneous release dates.It is conspicuously absent, but judging by the Amazon sales rank the longer review went to the winner.If you're into these films as you more than likely are since you've read this far.Buy this set.You'll be glad you did.If not, buy it as a gift for someone who is.They'll think the world of you.IF ONLY GODZILLA COULD GET A TREATMENT THIS SPECTACULAR.
Rating: Summary: poor product quality Review: After waiting two months for this item, imagine my disappointment that the Werewolf of London disk was full of pixalations and drop outs! I talked to my brother, who also got a set, & he said his Frankenstein disk wouldn't play. When he examined the disk, and said that it was full of deep scratches and looked like someone used it for a hocky puck. I read the reviews of others and it appears that Universal really goofed on this one. They also cut corners by making double sided disks, which are prone to damage. Amazon has promised to replace my set--but geez, how many sets do I have to sit and watch to find the bad disks? Quality control isn't my job. Universal has created an inferior product all dressed up in a fancy package. They should have saved some money on the slick packaging and painted busts and made a product wasn't defective and that you could actually watch all the way through. Buyer beware. It took all the fun out of it for me!
Rating: Summary: An essential addition to any DVD library Review: Even if, like myself, you purchased the original Universal Monster discs a few years ago, you still need to get this set. Mainly, of course, because it is the first time HOUSE OF DRACULA has been released on DVD. But beyond that, the package itself is a great way to condense so much material into only 6 discs. And the Sideshow busts have to be seen to be fully appreciated. Like the other licensed Universal products the company offers, the attention to detail in these polystone treasures is remarkable. If I have one minor quibble, it's that the way the films and features are laid out on the discs can be confusing. No matter which of the 3 sides of a particular collection (Frankenstein, Dracula or Wolfman) you pop in the player, the initial menu offers your choice of any of the 4 or 5 films. Unless you carefully examine the back of of the box for the contents, you'll find yourself having to put in another disc about 2/3 of the time. And die-hard Wolfman fans take note: The only thing missing from the set is the trailer for The Wolfman (which was available in the previous single-disc release). Well, that, and there is still no trailer for Son of Frankenstein. But these are minor points, when one considers what you are getting for the money. That's 14 undisputable classics of the Golden Age of horror (well...13, maybe. She-Wolf of London is, hands-down, the nadir of the studio's output of the period). You also get a wealth of first-rate documentaries and commentary tracks, some brief but informative interviews with VAN HELSING director Stephen Sommers, and did I mention that no monster fan can live without those lovingly-crafted busts? Order it now!!
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