Universal Monsters

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Universal Horror DVD cover showing horror characters as depicted by Universal Studios. Elsa Lanchester from Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Claude Rains from The Invisible Man (1933), Bela Lugosi from Dracula (1931), Claude Rains from Phantom of the Opera (1943), "The Creature" from Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954), Boris Karloff from Frankenstein (1931), Lon Chaney Jr. from The Wolf Man (1941) and Boris Karloff from The Mummy (1932)

Universal Monsters are part of a fictional universe created by Universal Studios in a number of famous horror films. It started with the 1925 film version of The Phantom of the Opera, and continued to encompass such movies as Dracula, Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, The Wolf Man, and Creature from the Black Lagoon.

[edit] Monsters

• The Phantom of the Opera
• Dracula
• Frankenstein's monster
• Fritz the Hunchback
• The Mummy (Imhotep)
• The Invisible Man (Dr. Jack Griffin)
• The Bride of Frankenstein
• Ygor the Hunchback / Igor the Hunchback
• The Wolf Man (Lawrence Talbot)
• The Invisible Man Returns (Geoffrey Radcliffe)
• Creature from the Black Lagoon (Gill Man)

[edit] Merchandising

Long after the films were made, even well after their premiere broadcasting on U.S. television, many knicknacks were offered for sale with the features of these characters on them. Universal particularly held to the copyrighting of their depiction of Frankenstein's monster.

The first significant merchandising of these characters was the 1961 introduction of the plastic model kit of Frankensein's monster by the now-defunct Aurora company. In the next few years there followed models of Dracula, the Wolf Man, the Mummy, the Phantom of the Opera, and the Creature from the Black Lagoon before the series switched to generic or characters from other firms, though there was a Bride of Frankenstein model in 1965. These hollow statues were quite popular among American boys, it being well before there were any "action figurines" (dolls for boys) at all.

Later, fully assembled figurines and caricatures were offered by Universal more directly.

Universal Monsters, such as the Creature from the Black Lagoon, Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster, The Hunchback, The Metaluna Mutant, the Bride of Frankenstein, and the Mummy, in the game Monsterville.

In 1999, ten videos were released of the most famous films.

• The Black Cat
• The Bride of Frankenstein
• The Creature from the Black Lagoon
• Dracula
• Frankenstein
• The Invisible Man
• The Mummy
• Phantom of the Opera
• The Raven
• The Wolf Man

In England, The Black Cat, The Mummy and The Raven were rated 15 and the rest PG. This contradicts all The Bride of Frankenstein DVD ratings that are 15. Dracula, Frankenstein, The Invisible Man, The Phantom of the Opera and The Wolf Man were digitally remastered.

[edit] See also

• Minor characters in Universal Monsters
• Haunted Hollywood
• Monster Force
• Universal Horror

[edit] External links

• Classic Universal Monsters
• Universal Monster Army Yahoo Group
• Universal Monsters Trading Cards

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