Must-Own Halloween Blu-Rays In 2012 – Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection + 1

A Halloween Blu-ray Collection from the Backwaters

If Creature from the Black Lagoon has any problem, it’s that is seems to be completely separated from the Universal Monster films in both theme and setting. We give it a pass because the Creature is more Lovecraftian than 19th century Gothic, making for one of the first truly modern pieces of horror ever put on screen. And the Creature is just as cool as anything Lovecraft ever conjured: He’s smart (bridging dams and sneak attacking hapless shipmates), he swims under water (in scenes that are still impressively realized and are sure to elicit a drool response on the Blu-ray format), and he has great taste in women (Julie Adams in a one-piece!). What’s not to love about The Creature on October 31st? If anything, he can party harder than any of his predecessors, and goes out with even more of a bang!

And that is the beauty of this collection. A great creature feature is always able to squeeze its way into a Halloween viewing session. Unless it’s the Christmas-loving Gremlins or when-animals-attack monsters like Jaws or King Kong, guys like the Creature, Frankenstein’s Monster, and Dracula always have a place at my pumpkin carving table. I mean, there’s a reason Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Elsa Lanchester, and Claude Rains pop up in stores every Halloween to hock beer, chips, candy, and cola to the masses. Their unique designs and personalities simply cannot be denied, even with all the modern CGI tomfoolery that’s popular today.

And now for something lighter…