How I Learned To Love Being Scared - Page 3

I was allowed another double fix of frights next. Both The Raven (1935) and The Black Cat (1934) teamed Karloff and Lugosi in adaptations of Edgar Allen Poe stories. Of course, at the time, I had no idea who Poe was, I was just pleased to be reunited with my heroes. While neither film provided the creatures I had become used to from Universal, both kept me glued to my seat.

Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man (1943) made up for the lack of monsters the week before, as it teamed Frankenstein’s creation with Larry Talbot, aka The Wolf Man. Bela got to try on the monster’s platform heels, but couldn’t compete with Lon Chaney reprising his greatest role. Once again, this sad, lonely man, cursed through no fault of his own to become a werewolf, moved me.

House of Frankenstein (1944) added Dracula to the mix -- three monsters for the price of one! It also acted as my introduction to another horror great; John Carradine was a taller, thinner, more debonair Dracula. Karloff returned to the series, but sadly, not as the monster; that part went to Glenn Strange, whose performance was somewhat lacking in comparison. Chaney, though, was as good as ever. I really cared about poor Larry and his plight kept me enthralled.

Chronologically, next week was a step backward with Son of Dracula (1943). Chaney got to play another of the monster greats and was surprisingly good as Dracula. This one was as much a mystery as a horror movie, but still good fun.

The final film of the year was also the finale of the Universal series (not counting Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein). In House of Dracula (1945), Strange’s monster was once again overshadowed by Carradine’s Dracula and Chaney’s Wolf Man, but they were so good it hardly mattered.

The following year, my three favourite horror stars (at least, they were then) returned. Lugosi made two appearances; Murders in the Rue Morgue (1933) and White Zombie (1932) both provided the requisite thrills and chills. Karloff appeared in the lacklustre Voodoo Island (1957) and Chaney in the equally disappointing Man Made Monster (1940), but the year’s highlights were two '50s SF classics.

Them! (1954) and The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957) were an obvious pairing as both dealt with the perils of radiation. The threat of giant irradiated ants was the theme of Them! but it wasn’t the insects themselves but the sound they made that was the creepiest thing about the film. James Whitmore and James Arness were the intrepid heroes.

The Incredible Shrinking Man had a similar theme, but in reverse, and this time, it wasn’t bugs, it was man who felt the effects. The special effects are amazing and the showdown with the spider may have something to do with my fear of the little buggers; it still creeps me out today. Grant Williams' central performance is what carries the film along and it’s aided no end by Richard Matheson’s excellent script from his source novel. The closing monologue gives the film the feeling of a mini (or should that be micro?) epic. Director Jack Arnold also made The Creature from the Black Lagoon, Revenge of the Creature, and his own giant insect (okay, arachnid) movie, Tarantula. He also made the excellent Audie Murphy western No Name on the Bullet, but this is his finest hour.

Article Author: Ian Woolstencroft

Ian Woolstencroft was brought up on a diet of John Wayne movies and Marvel Comics and still has a passion for both. Now as a blogcritic he finally understands what Spider-Man’s Uncle Ben meant when he said ‘With great power comes great responsibility.’ …

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