NaturalMystic79

Sometimes the older films have a very atmospheric, eerie quality about them which goes above and beyond the special effects and excess blood of newer mainstreamed films. I've read some reviews on the Monster Collection (Frankenstein, Dracula and Wolf Man), and have decided to blindly buy the whole thing come Tuesday for $60. Considering you get so many movies, good A/V considering the age of the films, and those cool heads how can one pass it up? Anyone else going to blind buy this, what looks to be, a fantastic set?

Sessa17

These are some of the greatest movies (especially genre) ever filmed, so I don't see how any true movie fan could have never have seen these movies. But for the few that haven't, unless they are completely close minded to anything old, these movies should all be mandatory buys. As a blind buy though, I think it's pretty dumb to get the box set unless it's as cheap as each movie individually.

NaturalMystic79

So what I'm doing is pretty dumb?

Sessa17

Maybe not dumb, but a bit odd I must say. I don't know the price difference b/w the collection & the individual releases, so the dumb scale depends on that. My point was just that, these movies are literally some of the biggest hallmark, benchmark, most classic movies ever filmed, so for a movie fan to not have seen, them, I don't know how big a movie fan one must be. And why would one want some busts, of characters based on a movie, they have never even seen? If it's just b/c one thinks the characters look cool, then why haven't they seen the movie yet. Then, I must question, if someone has never seen these movies before, then there is a good chance they don't like old movies, & if it doesn't have a modern feel, they may think it's boring or cheezy or what have you, so why would one buy an entire box set of movies they have never even seen before? I'm just rambling now, bottom line is, if a person isn't so jaded by modern MTV-style movie making, I cannot possibly see how a person could not love everything about these movies, so as long as your not one of those people, yes, the movies are a very good blind buy, the box set, however, I think is only for a huge fan.

NaturalMystic79

The box set is $60 and that's for 14 movies. Sounds like a good deal to me. I've heard nothing but good things about these films. At first I was just going to get Frankenstein collection but I read a review about the Dracula one and it sounded good as well. I figure if I'm planning on buying both I might as well get the whole shabang. Plus I have interest in this genre and would love to experience the films that have been lauded as "the biggest hallmark, benchmark, most classic movies ever filmed." How could statements like this not peak my curiousity? Then again, $60 is quite a plunge for one to make blindly. Something I'll have to think about.

starving dvder

I love horror movies and just started to see the old classic flicks for the first time. I am going to be buying it blind. It may be a dumb idea, but what the hell.

ceeece

I think the individual releases will be retailing for $19.99 each. So $60 for the box is a great deal considering you also get the Sideshow busts.

NaturalMystic79

Cool! Glad to see I'm not the only blind buyer here.

chente

Hmm, I thought there were 15 movies in the collection but it appears that there are only 4 of the Wolfman pics. Anyway, I've seen half of the movies;

Dracula
Dracula (Spanish)
Frankenstein
Bride of Frankenstein
House of Frankenstein
Wolfman
Frankenstein meets the Wolfman

Can't wait to see the rest of them.

NaturalMystic79

Cool, what was your opinion on them? They sound very exciting, and I bet they are great to watch during Halloween!

stinkeye

For today's fan they're pretty melodramatic and slow in pace. For others they're atmospheric and a great nostalgic trip. It depends on your tastes, but there are some good, some great films (some of the sequels are pretty campy and suffer from some miscasting) in this collection. Some of the historical bonus materials are pretty in depth if that's your bag. And for the price you really can't beat it if you have any interest in the genre at all.

Mondo Kane

I'm so psyched to see the Spanish version of Dracula. The "Universal Horror" documentary showed some footage of it comparing scenes with that and the Lugosi version. And from what I saw, the Spanish version looked superior.

The Universal monster movies were my first love in cinema and I'm not hesitating one bit to pick this set up.

xfilekr

I'm goin' in blind Too!!!

NaturalMystic79

Tomorrow will be an expensive but fun DVD buying day. I'm also getting two others discs, along with the Monster Legacy Collection.

Skull

Buying it tomorrow and can't wait to watch them for the first time. It'll be expensive but hopefully well worth it.

unclehulot

Mine rang up at a Houston area Best Buy for $54.99, $5 less than their ad from Sunday!

A word of warning, the Wolf Man set seems to be getting jostled in transit -- I read about this on a post somewhere, checked in the parking lot, and yikes, disc 2 was scratched to hell! Went in to exchange, and the 2nd copy had the same problem -- finally got one of the individual copies that didn't sound like it had a loose disc, and that was fine!

By the way, the reports of a different sound restoration on Frankenstein are true, and I prefer this new version to the horribly overfiltered sound of the previous DVD. It's not really much noisier, but it's a hell of alot more natural and gives much more detail on the non-dialogue elements.

Bride of Frankenstein is also an improvement, with the mis-framing of the previous issue corrected, and seemingly less of that foggy artifacting of the noisy parts of the picture.

In sum, go by the thing now!!

NaturalMystic79

Good call, these gift box sets seem notorious for loose discs. Luckily while at Best Buy I turned the set upside down and noticed there were a couple discs loose. I went ahead and swapped it for another one. When I got home I opened up the box set (which is beautiful, by the way), and checked ALL the discs and they are flawless. I can't wait to watch them this week/weekend.

chente

It is hard to be too objective about them as I grew up watching them. I absolutely love them. The first two Frankenstein films are particularly good. I also prefer the spanish version of Dracula to the english one, Lupita Tovar is a cutie. I also remember really liking Frankenstein meets the Wolfman but it has been ages since I've seen that one.

I can't wait for other monster sets to be released. I especially like Creature from the Black Lagoon and the first Mummy movie is really good too.

Scott Connors

Well, I have $50 Funcash at CH, and I think I know where it's all going. ;-) I already have the previous boxed set plus the GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN/SON OF FRANKENSTEIN double-header, but the way I look at it is that if one disc now gets scratched, at least I have a backup! _That's_ how much I love these films! It's worth it to me just for DRACULA'S DAUGHTER and FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLFMAN.
I agree that the Spanish DRACULA is in many ways superior to the Tod Browning version, although Bela is still the man to beat when it comes to portraying the Count. I wish that the director of the Spanish film could have directed the English version (either that, or Browning had let Karl Freund lose like he did with that great opening shot in the crypt of the castle).
Best,
Scott

starving dvder

I bought mine and will be watching them soon. No loose discs either.

Living Dead

All of the Best Buys near me sold out of all of their sets by an hour after opening. I honestly didn't think I was going to have to be at the store at the crack of dawn to get one, but it looks like I was wrong.

fsubruce

My local Best Buy only had two sets left when I picked mine up at 11:15 yesterday morning. Glad I picked mine up before the lunch crowd made it in.

The Escapist

If you're even toying with the idea of buying the set, do it. You won't be sorry. Mine arrived today from Amazon, and I'm delighted with it. 14 films plus some dandy extras (that I saw and heard on the previous DVDs of some of the titles), and the busts in a big ole gift box? How can anyone who likes horror movies even hesitate? I've seen all these films before, but they bear repeated viewing. The only downside is what to tell my wife when she comes home and sees that big ole gift box -- it's not the money as much as the space, y'know...

cseyer

I was ecstatic to find mine had arrived from Amazon yesterday. I dont think I have seen all of the movies included so it was somewhat of a blind buy but I know I will enjoy them. And the set is just REALLY nice. I havent watched anything yet but the only negative was a chinsy "Made in Mexico" label stuck on the back of each DVD, it peeled off easily enough.

Me007gold

damnit! you guys arnt making this any easier for me. i want this set so bad, but iam out of cash!!!!!