Thunder booms, lightning cracks, and a scientist turned madman regenerates life from a reconfigured corpse. “It’s aliiiiiiive!” Frankenstein (Colin Clive) staggers in near-disbelief as the hand of his Monster (Boris Karloff) flickers, confirming that he, the scientist, has indeed harnessed a power previously reserved for God. This moment of blaspheme on screen cemented a genre, giving birth not only to a monster (or two), but sparked countless imaginations and curiosities veering towards the grave… and grotesque.
Following the commercial success of Frankenstein (James Whale, 1931), itself commissioned after the surprise box office boon of Dracula (Tod Browning & Karl Freund, 1931), Universal Pictures continued on its hot streak in horror well into the 1950s, with a string of monsters, ghouls, and an occasional shrieking bride or daughter along the way. For this series, leading up to Halloween 2023, we’ve selected five from the early days of Universal Horror, all the better to spook and scare you on the big screen.
See all 5 for $60 with our “Universal Horror” ticket bundle, available only at the Quad box office.