Universal Horror (1998) (TV)

Universal's beginnings, 14 August 2017

Universal Horror is a look back at how Universal got started in the horror movie business. The film includes a heavy dose of very welcome film clips and some interviews with experts on the subject, famous fans, and a few stars that actually worked at Universal in the 30s. Having been a fan of Universal horror films for about 45 years, I was already familiar with most of the information presented in the movie. However, I did learn a thing or two and find some bits interesting. There's also a lot of information presented on non-Universal horror. There are big chunks dedicated to German films, silent films, and King Kong. I appreciate this. Universal didn't exist in a vacuum and drew its early inspirations from a variety of sources. I'm glad these inspirations were given screen time.

A few things that stuck out to me: 1. The Cat and the Canary (1927) – I'm a bit surprised how much time this non-Universal movie was given, but it looks great. I've seen the 1939 film, the 1979 film, and others inspired by this movie, but not the 1927 film – something I intend to take care of shortly. 2. The clips of the Universal films look fantastic. It's easy to forget how good these movies look, even though they were made 80+ years ago. I also enjoyed the comparisons to German expressionist films of the 20s. Very enlightening. 3. Fay Wray – I was a bit shocked to see an extended interview with Fay Wray as she never appeared in a Universal horror. Her recollections of filmmaking in the 30s is a highlight of the movie. She was a real looker back in her day. 4. Finally, I was a bit surprised that the Universal history presented in the film ended prior to The Creature from the Black Lagoon. I know it came out way past Universal's heyday, but it was just as about as important and impressive a film for its time as Dracula, Frankenstein, and Co were for theirs.

As with all documentaries, I rate them based on two criteria – was it effective and was it entertaining. Effective – somewhat. If you're a longtime fan of Universal like I am, there's not a lot of new ground covered here. If you're new to these films, however, it would probably be hugely informative. I'll give it a 7/10 for effectiveness. Entertaining – I always enjoy seeing clips from these old films. Here, they've cherry-picked the very best scenes. It's a lot of fun. I'll also give it a 7/10 for entertainment value. So, it should come as no surprise that I've rated Universal Horror an overall 7/10.

7/10