10 Universal Monster Movies That Hammer Perfectly ReEnvisioned

10 Universal Monster Movies That Hammer Perfectly Re-Envisioned

Brought to audiences by England’s Hammer Film Productions, classic Universal characters, like Dracula and Frankenstein, saw new interpretations.

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In the 1930s, Universal Studios was synonymous with the monster movie genre. With hits like Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy, and The Wolf Man, audiences everywhere we’re thrilled by these iconic faces of terror. However, the ’50s ushered in a new wave of monster cinema, one that dripped with blood, violence, and gratuitous cleavage. Enter the age of Hammer Horror.

Brought to audiences by England’s Hammer Film Productions, classic characters, like Dracula and Frankenstein, saw reinterpretations unlike their American counterparts. And while the films ranged from cheesy to chilling, there’s no denying the appeal that these full-color versions had to horror hounds everywhere.

10 The Mummy’s Shroud

The Mummy’s Shroud isn’t exactly what one would call an ideal remake, but if the viewer is in the market for a tried-and-true late-night monster movie, this one checks all the boxes. The story and performances are over-the-top and ridiculous, but the mummy himself is both memorable and unique compared to Karloff’s version.

The plots are almost identical. A team of explorers unearths an ancient tomb they shouldn’t be in, an undead mummy comes back to life and causes mayhem, rinse and repeat for more sequels.

9 Blood From the Mummy’s Tomb

On the other hand, the Hammer series did try something original for Blood From the Mummy’s Tomb. Instead of their mummy being an undead mass of bones and bandages, theirs was a reanimated and reincarnated royal played by Valerie Leon.

A very loose adaptation of Bram Stoker’s The Jewel of the Seven Stars, this film saw its mummy come back from the dead in search of power and vengeance. While not exactly the most terrifying entry, it does change up the formula for entertainment’s sake.

8 Frankenstein And The Monster From Hell

Unlike Universal, Hammer put Dr. Frankenstein in the lead role, making him an anti-hero instead of a misguided scientist. This film sees doctor Frankenstein working as a medic in a prison, using inmates for his fiendish experiments. He creates the monster with a body of a homicidal maniac and the brain of a brilliant scholar.

That all being said, Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell is by no means a perfect adaptation, but it’s probably the most entertaining of them all.

7 The Horror of Frankenstein

The Horror of Frankenstein was essentially Hammer’s reboot of the character and creature. Attempting to take at least some inspiration from the novel, the film shows Frankenstein as a young man in medical school secretly working to reanimate life.

Ralph Bates gives a phenomenal interpretation of Victor Frankenstein himself, but it’s David Prowse’s musclebound monster that steals the show. It jumps through a lot of the same hoops as the Universal version, but it does stand out compared to other interpretations.

6 Curse Of Frankenstein

Curse of Frankenstein was Hammer’s first foray into the halls of horror, and a reimagining of the maker and his monster was a pretty safe choice. This film not only launched the name of Hammer into the forefront of the genre, but it also kickstarted the horror careers of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee.

With Lee as the Creature and Cushing as Victor Frankenstein (a role he would inhabit for years), the reimagining of Universal’s classic breathed new life into the old monster movie, an entire industry built on the man-versus-monster motif.

5 The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll / Jekyll’s Inferno

When one thinks of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, they often think of a handsome man of medicine transforming into a vile creature of the night. This adaptation takes that narrative and turns it around, making Hyde a dashing and debonair socialite and Jekyll a quiet and introverted scientist.

But where Jekyll is reserved and gentle, Hyde is a sadistic and murderous madman. This film helped push the idea of a beautiful monster, a motif the studio would use again in other productions. Nevertheless, it’s an interesting take on the tale.

4 The Phantom Of The Opera

No one will ever top Universal’s Phantom, but Herbert Lom’s interpretation of the tragic musician does offer something very few versions even attempt. It casts the titular opera ghost, not as the misunderstood monster, but as a tortured musician wrongfully burned and mangled by tragedy who becomes the hero in the end.

While it strays far away from the novel and both Universal adaptations, Hammer’s Phantom paints the character in a different light, making him more sympathetic but arguably more interesting as well.

3 Curse Of The Werewolf

Though bearing only a slight resemblance to the original Wolf Man, Curse of the Werewolf was a large stepping stone for lycanthropes everywhere, being the first werewolf movie shot in color. Giving it a little Spanish fire also helps provide a more distinct personality as well.

While it lacks Lon Chaney Jr.’s famous furry face, it takes a lot from his original interpretation. Apart from his full form, the gradual transformation and Oliver Reed’s physical convulsions definitely resemble Chaney’s iconic performance.

2 The Mummy

Boris Karloff’s Imhotep will forever be one of his most famous roles, as well as one of the most beloved interpretations of the Mummy. With that in mind, Imhotep is nothing compared to Christopher Lee’s Kharis seen in the Hammer films.

Invulnerable to gunfire, blunt trauma, and brute force, this nightmare in bandages is possibly one of the most powerful creatures on the list. Kharis is a mindless, soulless killing machine who could give Jason a run for his money, making him an opposite yet perfect pairing to the 1932 original.

1 The Horror Of Dracula

Bela Lugosi established the role of Count Dracula, but Christopher Lee perfected it. Hammer’s remake of the Universal Classic shifted Dracula from a suave and mysterious entity of the shadows to a full-on monster. Thanks to Lee’s frightening performance, Hammer produced a total of seven films featuring the count.

The Horror of Dracula was a direct remake of the Universal version, but with more of a focus on action and gore than the Lugosi interpretation. It follows a similar arc, but with undoubtedly more character and spectacle than the original.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/best-universal-monsters-movies-hammer-reinvented-dracula-frankenstein/

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