Universal Studios Home Entertainment has announced and detailed the individual Blu-ray releases of four classic horror movies originally available as part of the Universal Classic Monsters Essentials Collection box set: Dracula (1931), Frankenstein (1931), The Bride of Frankenstein (1935) and The Wolf Man (1941). All four iconic horror titles, which Universal has dubbed Wave 2, street on September 17th.
(Wave 1 of Universal's Classic Monster movies included The Mummy (1932), The Invisible Man (1933), Phantom of the Opera (1943) and Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954), and arrived earlier this year.)
Synopsis: The original Dracula, starring Bela Lugosi, launched the Hollywood horror genre and defined the iconic look and frightening character of the famed vampire. Towering ominously among the shadows of the Carpathian Mountains, Castle Dracula strikes fear in the hearts of the Transylvanian villagers below. After a naive real estate agent succumbs to the will of Count Dracula, the two head to London where the vampire hopes to stroll among respectable society by day and search for potential victims by night. The inspiration for hundreds of subsequent remakes and adaptations, this classic film directed by Tod Browning, is the signature adaptation of Bram Stoker's story with its eerie passion, shadowy atmosphere and thrilling cinematography.
The Blu-ray edition of Dracula features a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono track and the following extras:
Drácula (1931) - Spanish Version: Introduction by Lupita Tovar Kohner
Feature Commentary with Film Historian David J. Skal
Feature Commentary with Steve Haberman, Screenwriter of Dracula: Dead and Loving It
Alternate Score by Philip Glass - Performed by the Kronos Quartet
Synopsis: An unforgettable masterpiece, the original Frankenstein stars Boris Karloff as the screen's most tragic and iconic monster in what many consider to be the greatest horror film ever made. Tampering with life and death, Dr. Frankenstein (Colin Clive) pieces together salvaged body parts to bring a human monster to life. The mad scientist's dreams are shattered by his creation's violent rage as the monster awakens to a world in which he is unwelcome. Featuring groundbreaking makeup by Jack Pierce, director James Whale's adaptation of Mary Shelley's masterpiece novel blends themes of horror, isolation and compassion, and remains one of the most shocking movies of all time.
The Blu-ray edition of Frankenstein features a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono track and the following extras:
Feature Commentary with Film Historian Rudy Behlmer
Feature Commentary with Historian Sir Christopher Frayling
The Frankenstein Files: How Hollywood Made a Monster
Synopsis: In one of the most popular horror films of all time, The Bride of Frankenstein, Boris Karloff reprises his role as the silver screen's most misunderstood monster who now longs for a mate. Continuing exactly where the original left off, the critically acclaimed sequel introduces Dr. Pretorius (Ernest Thesiger) as a deranged scientist who forces Dr. Frankenstein (Colin Clive) to help him create a companion for the monster. Once again directed by James Whale and adapted from Mary Shelley's classic novel, the sequel features outstanding makeup and special effects, instantly making the Bride of Frankenstein (Elsa Lanchester).
The Blu-ray edition of The Bride of Frankenstein features a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono track and the following extras:
Synopsis: "Even a man who is pure in heart and says his prayers by night may become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms and the autumn moon is bright". In 1941, The Wolf Man introduced the world to a new Universal movie monster and the mythology of the werewolf was redefined forever. Featuring a heartbreaking performance by Lon Chaney Jr. and groundbreaking make-up by Jack Pierce, this story of a cursed man who transforms into a deadly werewolf when the moon is full has become a masterpiece of the horror genre.
The Blu-ray edition of The Wolf Man features a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono track and the following extras:
Feature Commentary with Film Historian Tom Weaver
Monster by Moonlight
The Wolf Man: From Ancient Curse to Modern Myth
Pure in Heart: The Life and Legacy of Lon Chaney, Jr.
He Who Made Monsters: The Life and Art of Jack Pierce