Favorite classic horror movies

[Blackthorn]

Of the classics, my favorites are Dracula with Bela Lugosi, and The Mummy, with Boris Karloff. Anything after 1960 is, to me, too modern to be considered a classic.

 

[John in Covina]

The Fearless Vampire Slayers is pretty funny.

 

[Miss Moonlight]

Anything after 1960 is, to me, too modern to be considered a classic.

Same here. Actually, technically speaking, a classic film is one made during the studio system era. I don't think most people think of it, but I do.

Current favorite classic horror... still The Uninvited, 1944 For comedy, I love Ghost Breakers w/Bob Hope and Paulette Goddard, 1940. And of course Isle of the Dead with Boris Karloff 1945.

But I'm a big fan of all Val Lewton movies as well as Universal Monsters.

 

[bunnyb.gal]

The Fearless Vampire Slayers is pretty funny.

I love when the Jewish vampire busts out laughing when a cross gets held up to him, "You've got the wrong vampire!"

 

[ThesFlishThngs]

The classics are always classic and a delight to watch; one of my favorite oldies is "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" - those wonderful wonky shadows! Otherwise, I have to admit to adoring Vincent Price, and having the fondest, cozy childhood memories of Dr. Phibes. I'll always watch those films when I come across them.. Along with "Theatre of Blood".

 

[Espee]

I saw Karloff's "Frankenstein" at the Old Town Music Hall in El Segundo, and it drew a good crowd but quite a few were giggling at the "scariest parts."

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Wonder where you could find a vintage pair of asphalt spreader boots like Karloff wore in the Frankenstein movies?

 

[Zombie_61]

I saw Karloff's "Frankenstein" at the Old Town Music Hall in El Segundo, and it drew a good crowd but quite a few were giggling at the "scariest parts."

I've had the good fortune to see all three of the Frankenstein films starring Karloff on the big screen at one time or another, as well as several other classic horror films. As nice as it is to have the dvds and a big-screen television, there's nothing like seeing them in a theater the way they were intended to be seen!

At one of the screenings of Frankenstein I attended years ago, Mae Clark and Vincent Price made an appearance to discuss their professional and personal relationships with Mr. Karloff. After the panel and screening I was fortunate enough to meet and speak with Mr. Price in the lobby (briefly). He was one of the most charismatic people I've ever met and, even in a crowded theater lobby filled with fans, he had a manner about him that made you feel as though you were the only person in the room with him.

 

[Benzadmiral]

"Bride of Frankenstein" -- has anyone mentioned that? It's actually more science-fiction than horror; see the little homunculi that Dr. Pretorius displays in their canisters. It also features humor that really works, unlike some of the funny bits in other horror films of the period.

"Son of Frankenstein" I re-watched a few years ago, and found it slow, aside from how much of it Mel Brooks lifted for "Young Frankenstein."

"The Wolf Man" is probably my second favorite of the period. It seems short today; it needs a subplot of some kind. But the pathos of it, the setting, the "werewolf lore" (most of which was made up by scripter Curt Siodmak) all make it a classic.

Lugosi as Dracula seems stagy and a little phony to us today. But his king vampire really seems inhuman, in contrast to the charming loverboys of Frank Langella and other more recent films. When Dracula faces Van Helsing and Lugosi intones, "Come . . . here!", it goes right to your hindbrain and you want to get up and move toward the screen.

 

[Historyteach24]

House on haunted Hill with Vincent Price
Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein
The original Frankenstein
Dracula
Any of Price's Poe stories made into movies they are low budget but I love them

 

[Benzadmiral]

Someone mentioned "Curse of the Demon" -- dynamite stuff from an M.R. James story.

It's not technically horror, I guess, but the original "The Wicker Man" is haunting, esp. Britt Ekland's dance to that hypnotic music. Edward Woodward was so good, I thought when I first saw the film that he was a Scots actor!

As for the AIP Poe adaptations, all I can remember is a fun one, "The Raven," with Vincent Price and Peter Lorre as sorcerers locked in a duel with Boris Karloff as an evil magician. Script by my man Richard Matheson -- who knew better than anybody how to put the tension screws to an audience. (Best examples: his TV "Trilogy of Terror," with Karen Black, and "Duel," with Dennis Weaver.)

 

[Historyteach24]

I love the Raven, Price also starred in Fall of the House of Usher and The Masque of the Red Death

 

[Feraud]

The Fly ('58 version) does a nice job of building curiosity and tension throughout the film until the big reveal.
Considering the actor playing Andre Delambre spends a good portion of the film with his face covered he did a great job of communicating the anguish, fear, and stress of the transformation.
Helene's uncovering of Andre's face is a great moment in horror films.

 

[Blackjack]

The 41 Wolf Man hands down which came out I believe the week after Pearl Harbor was bombed. Surprisingly the movie still did well at the box office and still plays well today due in part to Universals "what time are we in here" feel to a lot of their horror films of the day. Still my favorite, oh and for you Uninvited fams I believe it is due to be released on DVD May 5th of this year. YAY!

 

[Blackjack]

Wonder where you could find a vintage pair of asphalt spreader boots like Karloff wore in the Frankenstein movies?

Talk to Bob Burns, he owns the ones Glenn Strange wore in many of the "Frankenstein" films of the 40's. He also owns the original wolf man cane prop.

 

[Feraud]

oh and for you Uninvited fams I believe it is due to be released on DVD May 5th of this year. YAY!

Great news!

 

[Black Dahlia]

I'm going to have to think really hard about this, because I love so many classic horror flicks! I adore Vincent Price, Peter Cushing, Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff.....

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[Black Dahlia]

The Fly ('58 version) does a nice job of building curiosity and tension throughout the film until the big reveal.
Considering the actor playing Andre Delambre spends a good portion of the film with his face covered he did a great job of communicating the anguish, fear, and stress of the transformation.
Helene's uncovering of Andre's face is a great moment in horror films.

I love the original version of The Fly and luckily got to see it on the big screen. If I ever have a cat I'm going to call it Dandilo (poor kitty)
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[Blackjack]

I can never decide which Universal horror movies I enjoy more. The early (Golden era) 1928-40 or silver era 40's more campy films. The earlier ones definatly have the creaky creepy factor going for them but are a little slow moving and stagey. The war era films have much more humor and are sillier but there's still something about them I really love.