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They are United States greatest. Where are they?! The Frankenstein Monster, The Wolfman, Dracula, The invisible Man, Creature from the Black Lagoon, The Mummy, Dr. Jackal & Mr. Hyde. They just can't put them away in one false movie.

waiiit, I don't really understand this thread

I'm having difficulty understanding what point he tries to make as well...
Maybe he's just referring to the movies that have been made around these monsters (by universal studio's perhaps??) while not paying the proper respect to the real stories.

Oh by the way, United states greatest? Let's see: Mary Shelley (author of Frankenstein), Robert Louis Stevenson (Jekyll & Hyde) - both English.
Bram Stoker (Dracula) - Irish
The Mummy: based on archeologist's and Egyptian superstitions.
The wolfman: based on old European folklore.

The US only put them to the screen

When he said "United States' greatest", I figure he means the movies.

He may be complaining about Van Helsing? At least that's what I was thinking of when he said, "They just can't put them away in one false movie." Even though only four of the above mentioned are in the movie.

I......................don't see the logic in this, Jim.

Had something like that in mind as well. And there is nothing named 'universal monsters' on it's way to cinema. Weird

Is so sad they will remain in B&W. Hey, that Pandemoniac looks cool.

Thanks, bless photoshop
There have been some good movies around the classic horrormonsters after the black&white scene, but sadly also many many crappy ones.
Still, Jekyll & Hyde was filmed decently in the 80's (can't remember the name of that flick) and there's Bram Stokers Dracula which was very entertaining, just as some of the later werewolf movies like 'An American werewolf in London' and 'Dog Soldiers'. I personally liked the Frankenstein with Robert DeNiro as well.

Karloff is the original FM an has the perfect face and Glenn, weird isn't it..he has the body. If we combine face&body we get the real deal. Helsing took the van and he's gone. On the other limb CGI is under development and gives me the hope. They are the dark superheroes in the neutral zone.

Wolf is considered something of a remake of The Wolf Man. It's quite good, very different from The Wolf Man, but has a lot of the same elements, such as the pendant that prevents the change.

Loved that movie too, paid proper attention to the changing itself on a mental level. And the ever impressive Nickelson played his role very well

I am big fan of these monster movies, they are a huge and influential part of the history of horror.

Its a little strange that most of these horror archetypes originated in europe, I wonder why that is. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Most of them are based on superstition, folklore, religion and scientific or psychological discoveries. All of those have a long and varied history in Europe. This combined with the human desire for (scary) stories led to the adaption of those fears and monsters in stories written for entertainment.
Makes alot of sense, as most of them (or the possibility of them existing/being created) were truly believed in at some time in history their legends have became very detailed, the perfect foundation for stories.

Now they look totally different because they think it's better, I don't agree. The wolfman is half animal half man, this one is all animal and Logan took part-time. The monster is a laundry machine. Dracula is a pirate. Mr. Hyde gained size and weight.

Originally posted by redcaped
Now they look totally different because they think it's better, I don't agree. The wolfman is half animal half man, this one is all animal and Logan took part-time. The monster is a laundry machine. Dracula is a pirate. Mr. Hyde gained size and weight.

What exactly are you trying to say..? I'm a little lostdontgetit

He's talking about how the original monsters are (wrongfully) displayed in the recent movies, like van Helsing and such. And he's right, now a days there is too much exaggerated focus on the physical appearance of the monsters in a attempt to make them scary, instead of displaying their thoughts, mentality and motivations. Which are far more frightening but apparently not appealing enough for Hollywood as they think they can lure enough of an audience with mere visual effects.

true, you do have a point.

Thank you boys and girls. What would I do without you.

Originally posted by Wolfie
When he said "United States' greatest", I figure he means the movies.

He may be complaining about Van Helsing? At least that's what I was thinking of when he said, "They just can't put them away in one false movie." Even though only four of the above mentioned are in the movie.



Van Helsing was a waste of my time and money. Horrible movie. What a flop.

$ame here. I could get my favorite french fries at Burger King that day instead.

Interesting: I had heard recently that a lot of the "folklore" we grew up with regarding werewolves--being bitten by a werewolf makes you one; silver bullets will kill one; scratched by wolfbane; etc--are not folklore at all, were not handed down generation to generation in Europe. Rather, they were mostly invented by George Waggner, the guy who directed the original Wolfman movie with Lon Chaney Jr in 1941. Go figger.

That's the part that originated the movie style werewolf. The original legend had it's origin in the misinterpretations and lack of knowledge concerning physical and mental deceases, in a age filled with superstition.
The early werewolf tales cover a person sacrificing his humanity in exchange for power, mostly in a desire to avenge some vile act. Strangely, the same story appeared in Asia, among the Indians and in Europe before any of those nations ever came in contact with each-other.
In all cases, the werewolf is a being of great power, but remains mortal, and can be killed by 'ordinary mesuares'. Piercing it's heart or brain with any object or decapitation would do.
There are writings about reversing the 'curse' and returning the werewolf to it's human self, but just about as strange and complicated as the whole progress of becoming a werewolf.
As for me, just a legend that had to many tongues filling in details over the ages, while it was just a case of misinterpretation from the start

Being bitten by a werewolf came before The Wolf Man I believe. The silver bullet and the full moon (if I remember correctly) were made up by the director of The Wolf Man. Of all of the Universal monsters, in my experience it seems the Wolf Man is respected the least but I respect it the most for that reason (among others).

It's interesting the different ways old legends told that you can turn into a werewolf. You could do a ritual while wearing a wolf's skin, you can drink the water from a wolf's footprint in the dirt, there were many. Bitten by a werewolf is the only one adapted into movies though.

My idea comes from the movies not novels. We appreciate movies a lot better than books. First impression got me, that was it. Also I'm a bit lazy rolling my eyes so much whzzzz-dizzy, word by word, better image by image. One smile is a 1000 words.

Originally posted by redcaped
My idea comes from the movies not novels. We appreciate movies a lot better than books. First impression got me, that was it. Also I'm a bit lazy rolling my eyes so much whzzzz-dizzy, word by word, better image by image. One smile is a 1000 words.

but a lot of movies come from really good novels

That's most appreciated.

you know it

I'm reading Interview with the Vampire right now, and its even better than the movie so far!

I had a terrible morning Lizzy

Wolfman half man half wolf pure heart all wolf nothing much left in their hearts. I love female vampires because some may suck blood from men on the other neck, you know, shoulders/neck/head. I can't wait for Underworld Evolution.

Yep, it's so sad when a vampire takes the life from someone we care. That neck looks sad, always looking down unless there's entertaining.

And getting so excited or mad we have the tendency of spitting, sometimes it is blood if we are in a fight with a monster.

Dracula 1931 - hun hun hun hun hun....hun hun hun hun hunnn. White man. He's gone mad!

In my opinion I think Bela Lugosi should have vampire teeth. A new actor just like him. Why penguin? He's a count not a villager.

damn, your weird redcaped. You like talking to yourself?

On a horror forum anything is possible.