Monster Madness: The Golden Age of the Horror Film

Monster Mania: The Golden Age of the Horror Film (2014)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

This documentary, as the title suggests, talks about the "Golden Age" of the horror film, which of course was the 1930s and 40s. This documentary takes a look at the various Universal horror movies that were made during this period as well as a few others like DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE, THE BODY SNATCHER and ISLAND OF LOST SOULS.

If you're a fan of monster movies then you're probably like me and want to watch anything on the subject. There are many great documentaries out there like UNIVERAL HORRORS and the countless special features that Universal made for their monster movies. With that said, I'm sure monster fans will want to watch this one but it's really not all that impressive. We do get interviews with Gregory Mank and Aaron Christensen as well as archival interviews with the likes of Sara Karloff and Robert Wise but we've heard these stories countless times and nothing new is really done here. We gets clips from various trailers shown but more often than not the trailers are played more than any spoken information. The film also bounces around quite a bit. One moment they're discussing THE BLACK CAT and then they flashback to THE MUMMY. Certain sequels are covered but not others. HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN kicks off the monster mash but they overlook FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLF MAN.

Again, if you're a monster nut like me this is worth watching. If you're new to the genre you might want to start elsewhere.

MONSTER MADNESS: THE GOLDEN AGE OF THE HORROR FILM tracks the beginning / history of horror movies, along with the birth of Universal Studios under Carl Laemmle Sr.

Starting off with the silent films of the 1920's, such as PHANTOM OF THE OPERA and THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME with Lon Chaney Sr., it takes us through the 1930's and DRACULA, FRANKENSTEIN, BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN, THE MUMMY, THE BLACK CAT, etc., with Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff.

Peter Lorre, Frederick March, and Charles Laughton are also discussed.

Horror / Sci-fi special effects are mentioned, including those used in A TRIP TO THE MOON, METROPOLIS, and KING KONG.

Next, the monster movie sequels get their due.

The 1940's bring the decline of Universal, and the rise of Val Lewton with RKO Pictures, with his classics, like THE BODY SNATCHER (with Karloff and Lugosi).

Meanwhile, Universal put out their "monster rally" films, featuring all of their big name creatures together, battling it out. This is epitomized by the Abbot And Costello monster comedies of the period.

While not exhaustive, this is a thoughtful, entertaining documentary. It's the first in the series. Highly recommended for fans of the genre...

If you are new to classic horror films, brushing up on some facts, or a hardcore fanatic of the horror classics then you should enjoy this documentary. Lots of history that helps to explain the history and reasons behind some these films as well as some stories of the actors and directors involved. Those who are new to the classic horror films might want watch a few of the beloved classic horror films to develop a deeper interest and appreciation of this particular documentary.

Beautifully and brilliantly put together film documentary to give us deeper insight to these awesome classic films.

I found this documentary simply wonderful - thrilling and exciting in it's own way. Well worth watching.

9/10

This was a documentary that I found while searching on Tubi. This is one that I watched while working, treating it like a podcast and if something was especially interesting, I would watch. What intrigued me to see this was that it is something interesting I'm doing with Journey with a Cinephile. I've been watching films dating back 100 years so this helped frame things a bit more.

Something that I didn't know ahead of coming into watching this was the history of Universal and how it became a company. I did know that horror films were their niche which helped them grow into what they are today. The monsters from that era set them apart with the success of The Phantom of the Opera, Dracula and Frankenstein. It was also interesting to hear from Sara Karloff, Carla Laemmle and Bela Lugosi Jr., since their respective family members aren't alive to share experiences.

What also works here is showing different clips or interviews from the era. There are also experts that share their knowledge, which since I'm working my way through these movies and covering them on the podcast, it is just added information that deepens my appreciation. This is quite informative, whether you are a novice just getting into the classics or someone who grew up with these titles, just wanting to know even more.

This is well made, I found it entertaining and it flew by, which is all you can ask for when watching a documentary.

My Rating: 7.5 out of 10.