You know, you really do the consumer a great service with these informative and (very) entertaining dissection of these DVDs. After watching these, the buyer should know exactly what they are getting -- kudos!
Awesome review mate, I have to of the sets the Wolfman and Frankenstein but your sets look way better, we are lucky that they don't contain any flipper discs.
I would often watch these movies late at night in bed. I would fall asleep to the ambient sounds of the main menu. The menu soundscape is different for each volume, but I like one for the _Dracula_ collection the best. Wind blows through the mountains. There’s a soft flutter of bats. In the distance, thunder rolls over the Carpathians. There’s a single scream in the distance, far, far away. It wasn't loud, though it was eerie. The whole ambience had an eerie calm that would play softly all night as the menu refreshed itself.
This was such an incredible collection. I was obsessed with this series as a kid, staying up to watch them at 11:30pm or so when I was 8. I picked up five of the six sets as they came out, all at about $40 each. I didn't have much interest in the Invisible Man set, so I initially passed on it. I found it last year at WalMart for only $8.99, so I grabbed it.
I highly recommend that you pick up the more recent Legacy Edition of The Wolf Man that came out back in February when the remake hit theatres because it has a nearly 100 minute documentary on Universal Horrors that is absolutely amazing
Also, I thought Glass' score to Dracula was superb. I can't watch the film without it now (the 5.1 surround of the Kronos Quartet strings is eerily beautiful).
Are you familiar with this awesome book that came out in the 70s called “It’s Alive”, about the Universal Frankenstein movies? Great book. I saw it in high school back in the late 80s. Seen it for sale om Ebay for $50 USD.
I'm not familiar with that one, but dang that sounds awesome and now I want it! The Frankenstein movies are my favorites of the Universal Monsters movies.
The anniversary Dracula has the uncensored audio of Dracula screaming when he is killed, also some of Renfield's screams. Whereas the Legacy leaves in the censors made in the 1940s, which might be seen as a reason to get that particular copy.
well the seinfeld dvd's are a big improvement from the original way it was on tv, but i sold my individual boxset's to get the complete series in one boxset, but i wasnt sure if it would be a waist of time, because if it came out on bluray i would want it on that instead, i guess ill wait a bit longer just incase it does.
The 75th Anniversary had pretty much the same special features, the only exception is that they have a documentary about the history of Universal's horror films
Just saw that Amazon is selling a double feature disc containing Frankenstein and Bride. The box is in the style of the Legacy set, with the same photo of Karloff and another of Elsa Lanchester. Already have the Legacy set, so I don’t need this. But it goes to show you how popular both movies are, and that most people that are not really fans of the entire Frankenstein series would just want those two movies in one set.
Well to be fair, I think that's pretty common knowledge that the first two are considered the best of the series and are easily the most popular. When they released their 8-movie set, those were the only two Frankenstein movies included. And they've both been re-released more than any of the other sequels on every format ever. Same with the first movies in all the other respective Universal Monsters series'. The Legacy sets are for those of us who want the whole series, the other releases are for those who just want the "best" ones or a representation of each part of the franchise. There's an audience and a market for both.
Just ordered The Wolf Man standalone blu ray that features the original 1941 poster on the cover. I already have the blu rays of Frankenstein Legacy and stanalone Dracula with 1931 poster on the cover.
Just got this set only watched the 1st Dracula movie so far but I found it so suspenseful will be interesting to see how the 2 score for the movie differ
@Zaranyzerak Universal wise Lugosi's other famous roles were as Ygor (Son and Ghost of Frankenstein) the third Monster (Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man despite being in poor health) Bela the Gypsie/Original Werewolf (the Wolf Man) and the Poe Films. He did play Dracula more then twice if you count the times he played the part on stage. In the end I do pitty Lugosi, he ended what should've been a brilliant stage and hollywood career reduced to z-grade shlock roles
@Zaranyzerak They'd be perfect if it wasn't for the double sided DVD, I know it was to keep costs down but it was a plane bad idea, I've lost count of how many movies I've had to replace because they were on Double Sided DVDs and one or both sides were scratched. At least Universal put some padding in the newer sets to protect the double sided DVD a little better
I'm wondering why Universal never bothered to film a series of Dracula films with Bela Lugosi? The first was/is such a hit and Bela was born to play Count Dracula! I realize Van Helsing drove a stake through Dracula's chest in the 1931 film but Vampire's are cunning and tricky. They could have written in a believable way for the Count to come back centuries later.
They should do sets for the Phantom of the Opera, The Poe Series, The Jungle Woman Series, The Science Fiction Years, The Silent Films, and the Abbott and Costello Films
Poe films are in the Bela Lugosi Collection. Most of their Sci-Fi was released in two volumes, and their Abbott and Costello Meet the Monsters films have a set.
all of those monster movies seen The Phantom of the Opera in the set in the monster movie box set which only had a DVD version and not the Blu-ray version of the set I was just wondering which version of The Phantom of the Opera
I got the classic collection DVD boxset last Christmas and I was wondering if I could ask your opinion on this. Which do you think is the better DVD set, the Classic Collection or the Legacy Collection. I picked the classic collection because I like the poster style DVD covers and I once had some of the same movies on VHS of the same pack (sort of nostalgic to me.) People say the Legacy collection is better because of the features and the cases. No big deal, I just wanted to hear your opinion
Did you have problems with any movies from these sets not working? I want to buy them but a lot of amazon reviewers are saying that these have a manufacturing problem and as a result some don't work.
Did any of those Van Helsing tickets get cashed in or what? I once had the Dracula set which I bought, and later sold on ebay and of course the Van Helsing ticket was included.
The one thing aboout the Legacy Collection that I despise beyond belief is that they're box sets with one single sided and one double sided DVD (I had Dracula Frankenstien and Creature, I now have to buy a new Frankenstien because I was watching it on a portable DVD Player and my cat walked over the top and scratched the double sided DVD beyond repair)
My "Dracula's Daughter" wont play, for some reason. I hate when that happens. Disk is fine, no scratches, but just won't play one particular movie. These are probably some of my favorite dvds ever released tho. Almost too good to be true if your a fan of the Universal Monsters. Have you watched all the Mummy sequels? Please tell me you have, I find it hilarious how each movie has the same beginning, pretty much, and have noone else to laugh about it with. Can't believe they got away with that!
Another cool review but , with being a brit (32) I always remember sitting up with my dad watching the old 70s horror movies, i think i was about 10 or 11 the first ones i saw, my dad was fairly liberal about such things, being an ex solider he knew there were worse things a young kid could be doing :) neways!! i always remember Christopher Lee as being the ultimate dracula along with Peter Cushing being the quintessential Prof. Van Helsing, did these movies get much release over there?
why don't they have all the movies in the collection The Wolfman collection for example I have the Wolfman complete Legacy Collection and it has all 7 movies The Wolfman Frankenstein meets The Wolfman House of Frankenstein House of Dracula Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein Werewolf of London and she wolf of London
That's just how they divided them up in the original Legacy Collections. There was no overlap or duplication of movies, if you want all the crossovers you needed the Dracula, Frankenstein and Wolf Man sets.
Excluding a boost in quality perhaps, these sets are superior to the recent releases. Great as the movies are, I don't need three copies of Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein, House of Dracula, and House of Frankenstein, nor two copies of Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man. The A&C films have their own "Meet the Monsters" set, which also includes Abbott & Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde. Best thing about these sets is that if the Monster's name was in the title, it was included in that critter's set. Only upgrade that's essentially the same is the Creature from the Black Lagoon set. Long story short, these have my money. ;)
Quick! Build a time machine so you can go see VAN HELSING for FREE... 3 TIMES!!! Best. Use. Of a Time Machine. Ever. Van Helsing was an interesting idea... but all of the CGI kinda ruined it.
You know, you really do the consumer a great service with these informative and (very) entertaining dissection of these DVDs. After watching these, the buyer should know exactly what they are getting -- kudos!
Glad I'm not the only one who hates double sided DVD's
Awesome review mate, I have to of the sets the Wolfman and Frankenstein but your sets look way better, we are lucky that they don't contain any flipper discs.
I looked everywhere for the invisible man...couldn't find him anywhere.
I would often watch these movies late at night in bed. I would fall asleep to the ambient sounds of the main menu. The menu soundscape is different for each volume, but I like one for the _Dracula_ collection the best. Wind blows through the mountains. There’s a soft flutter of bats. In the distance, thunder rolls over the Carpathians. There’s a single scream in the distance, far, far away. It wasn't loud, though it was eerie. The whole ambience had an eerie calm that would play softly all night as the menu refreshed itself.
Yes! And here I thought I was the only one who enjoyed a nice ambient menu like that.
This was such an incredible collection. I was obsessed with this series as a kid, staying up to watch them at 11:30pm or so when I was 8. I picked up five of the six sets as they came out, all at about $40 each. I didn't have much interest in the Invisible Man set, so I initially passed on it. I found it last year at WalMart for only $8.99, so I grabbed it.
I still own my copy of this awesome box set. It is STILL my most cherished piece of physical media that I own.
Really great Reviews dude. I am just now getting around to picking up these Legacy collection. Picked up the Dracula and Wolfman sets.
I highly recommend that you pick up the more recent Legacy Edition of The Wolf Man that came out back in February when the remake hit theatres because it has a nearly 100 minute documentary on Universal Horrors that is absolutely amazing
Also, I thought Glass' score to Dracula was superb. I can't watch the film without it now (the 5.1 surround of the Kronos Quartet strings is eerily beautiful).
Are you familiar with this awesome book that came out in the 70s called “It’s Alive”, about the Universal Frankenstein movies? Great book. I saw it in high school back in the late 80s. Seen it for sale om Ebay for $50 USD.
I'm not familiar with that one, but dang that sounds awesome and now I want it! The Frankenstein movies are my favorites of the Universal Monsters movies.
It was awesome as I remember. Saw a few yesterday for 25 bucks. I may get one.
The book is from 1981, btw.
Nice! I'll be sure to keep an eye out for it. Maybe take a skim the next time I'm in the local used bookstores and see if they have it.
Christopher Lee was a great dracula. And oh my Peter Cushing as Van Helsing, the best.
The anniversary Dracula has the uncensored audio of Dracula screaming when he is killed, also some of Renfield's screams. Whereas the Legacy leaves in the censors made in the 1940s, which might be seen as a reason to get that particular copy.
well the seinfeld dvd's are a big improvement from the original way it was on tv, but i sold my individual boxset's to get the complete series in one boxset, but i wasnt sure if it would be a waist of time, because if it came out on bluray i would want it on that instead, i guess ill wait a bit longer just incase it does.
The 75th Anniversary had pretty much the same special features, the only exception is that they have a documentary about the history of Universal's horror films
nice video! i enjoyed your review very much, i always wanted to pick these up!
Just saw that Amazon is selling a double feature disc containing Frankenstein and Bride. The box is in the style of the Legacy set, with the same photo of Karloff and another of Elsa Lanchester. Already have the Legacy set, so I don’t need this. But it goes to show you how popular both movies are, and that most people that are not really fans of the entire Frankenstein series would just want those two movies in one set.
Well to be fair, I think that's pretty common knowledge that the first two are considered the best of the series and are easily the most popular. When they released their 8-movie set, those were the only two Frankenstein movies included. And they've both been re-released more than any of the other sequels on every format ever. Same with the first movies in all the other respective Universal Monsters series'. The Legacy sets are for those of us who want the whole series, the other releases are for those who just want the "best" ones or a representation of each part of the franchise. There's an audience and a market for both.
Just ordered The Wolf Man standalone blu ray that features the original 1941 poster on the cover. I already have the blu rays of Frankenstein Legacy and stanalone Dracula with 1931 poster on the cover.
Nice! I like that those editions used the original poster art.
Just got this set only watched the 1st Dracula movie so far but I found it so suspenseful will be interesting to see how the 2 score for the movie differ
Well, one has a score, and the other...doesn't.
@Zaranyzerak
Universal wise Lugosi's other famous roles were as Ygor (Son and Ghost of Frankenstein) the third Monster (Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man despite being in poor health) Bela the Gypsie/Original Werewolf (the Wolf Man) and the Poe Films. He did play Dracula more then twice if you count the times he played the part on stage. In the end I do pitty Lugosi, he ended what should've been a brilliant stage and hollywood career reduced to z-grade shlock roles
@Zaranyzerak
They'd be perfect if it wasn't for the double sided DVD, I know it was to keep costs down but it was a plane bad idea, I've lost count of how many movies I've had to replace because they were on Double Sided DVDs and one or both sides were scratched. At least Universal put some padding in the newer sets to protect the double sided DVD a little better
cool t-shirt homer playing tony montana in scar face
I'm wondering why Universal never bothered to film a series of Dracula films with Bela Lugosi? The first was/is such a hit and Bela was born to play Count Dracula! I realize Van Helsing drove a stake through Dracula's chest in the 1931 film but Vampire's are cunning and tricky. They could have written in a believable way for the Count to come back centuries later.
Just ordered my copy of the blu ray, but I haven't read anywhere if it will be the censored or uncensored version.
They should do sets for the Phantom of the Opera, The Poe Series, The Jungle Woman Series, The Science Fiction Years, The Silent Films, and the Abbott and Costello Films
Poe films are in the Bela Lugosi Collection. Most of their Sci-Fi was released in two volumes, and their Abbott and Costello Meet the Monsters films have a set.
all of those monster movies seen The Phantom of the Opera in the set in the monster movie box set which only had a DVD version and not the Blu-ray version of the set I was just wondering which version of The Phantom of the Opera
1943 color remake, with Claude Rains.
I got the classic collection DVD boxset last Christmas and I was wondering if I could ask your opinion on this. Which do you think is the better DVD set, the Classic Collection or the Legacy Collection.
I picked the classic collection because I like the poster style DVD covers and I once had some of the same movies on VHS of the same pack (sort of nostalgic to me.) People say the Legacy collection is better because of the features and the cases.
No big deal, I just wanted to hear your opinion
Did you have problems with any movies from these sets not working? I want to buy them but a lot of amazon reviewers are saying that these have a manufacturing problem and as a result some don't work.
excellent reviews buddy and video! 5 stars!!! i so want to get these
@Zaranyzerak
What was the problem skipping or was it defective?
i have the first 2 sets, next i plan to get the invisable man collection
Did any of those Van Helsing tickets get cashed in or what? I once had the Dracula set which I bought, and later sold on ebay and of course the Van Helsing ticket was included.
The anniversary covers look so damn cool T_T
i have the creature from the black lagoon legacy collection it has three films but is awesome
@Zaranyzerak have you reviewed the last three yet?
do you know if the red dwarf series will be relaesed on blu ray??? or seinfeld
because i want to get those ones but people are saying they have problems
The one thing aboout the Legacy Collection that I despise beyond belief is that they're box sets with one single sided and one double sided DVD (I had Dracula Frankenstien and Creature, I now have to buy a new Frankenstien because I was watching it on a portable DVD Player and my cat walked over the top and scratched the double sided DVD beyond repair)
what about the creature from the black lagoon my favorite?!
Hi,there! Can you name the authors of the couple of books you were showing? Greetings from Sweden!
i might buy the uk version do the region 1 dvds have problems
Very interesting video !
My "Dracula's Daughter" wont play, for some reason. I hate when that happens. Disk is fine, no scratches, but just won't play one particular movie. These are probably some of my favorite dvds ever released tho. Almost too good to be true if your a fan of the Universal Monsters. Have you watched all the Mummy sequels? Please tell me you have, I find it hilarious how each movie has the same beginning, pretty much, and have noone else to laugh about it with. Can't believe they got away with that!
Another cool review but , with being a brit (32) I always remember sitting up with my dad watching the old 70s horror movies, i think i was about 10 or 11 the first ones i saw, my dad was fairly liberal about such things, being an ex solider he knew there were worse things a young kid could be doing :) neways!! i always remember Christopher Lee as being the ultimate dracula along with Peter Cushing being the quintessential Prof. Van Helsing, did these movies get much release over there?
thanks
Fair enough.
why don't they have all the movies in the collection The Wolfman collection for example I have the Wolfman complete Legacy Collection and it has all 7 movies The Wolfman Frankenstein meets The Wolfman House of Frankenstein House of Dracula Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein Werewolf of London and she wolf of London
That's just how they divided them up in the original Legacy Collections. There was no overlap or duplication of movies, if you want all the crossovers you needed the Dracula, Frankenstein and Wolf Man sets.
Excluding a boost in quality perhaps, these sets are superior to the recent releases. Great as the movies are, I don't need three copies of Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein, House of Dracula, and House of Frankenstein, nor two copies of Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man. The A&C films have their own "Meet the Monsters" set, which also includes Abbott & Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde. Best thing about these sets is that if the Monster's name was in the title, it was included in that critter's set. Only upgrade that's essentially the same is the Creature from the Black Lagoon set.
Long story short, these have my money. ;)
.........................so there ya go.
No bela played dracula (or at least a vampire) more then 2 times.
Dracula three times, unofficially, as Armand Tesla, in Return of the Vampire. Fake vampire in Mark of the Vampire.
Quick! Build a time machine so you can go see VAN HELSING for FREE... 3 TIMES!!! Best. Use. Of a Time Machine. Ever. Van Helsing was an interesting idea... but all of the CGI kinda ruined it.
Hi,there! Can you name the authors of the couple of books you were showing? Greetings from Sweden!