Horror has been a staple of the film industry since the beginning, with some of the oldest movies in history belonging to the genre. If there is one constant at the movie theater, it’s that folks like to be scared. Although Halloween is over, there’s still plenty of great horror flicks out there, including some of Universal’s famous monster movies that viewers can soon enjoy for free.
NBCUniversal has partnered with Fear: The Home Of Horror, a Youtube channel dedicated to the scariest scenes from the big screen, to present seven of the studio’s classic horror movies for free.
Check out the full list of films and premiers here:
January 15, 2021 (2pm CST)Dracula (1931), The Mummy (1932)January 16, 2021 (2pm CST)Frankenstein (1931), Bride Of Frankenstein (1935)January 17, 2021 (2pm CST)The Invisible Man (1933), The Wolf Man (1941), Abbott And Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)
Initially reported by NME, each film will be viewable for a week after the premiere. The films will also be available for purchase at a discounted price, which is great news for longtime fans looking for a digital copy to own.
The list includes horror tent poles such as The Invisible Man (1933), which was recently rebooted by Leigh Whannell, produced by Blumhouse and starred Elisabeth Moss. If you were a fan of the recent reboot, which some consider one of the best horror films of 2020, then this is the perfect opportunity to check out the original iteration.
The Invisible Man has influenced cinema outside of the horror genre as well. Noah Baumbach's Marriage Story features a Charlie Barber, played by Adam Driver, dressing up as the iconic Invisible Man for Halloween.
Viewers also have the opportunity to treat themselves to the iconic Dracula starring horror legend Bela Lugosi. The film follows Count Dracula as he preys upon townsfolk in London, and is the first sound film featuring the famous vampire. Dracula is so influential that it’s been inducted into the National Film Registry, alongside some impressive company.
In fact, almost all of these films have influenced modern-day cinema in some regard, whether it’s a direct reboot or homage. Brendan Fraser’s 1999 hit The Mummy follows almost the exact same plot as the 1932 iteration (with less CGI, of course). The Wolf Man saw a remake in 2010, starring Benicio del Toro, and is due for another reboot with Ryan Gosling attached to star.
Now, if you’ve made it this far and you aren’t sold on the old school horror yet, there’s still the hilarious Abbott And Costello Meet Frankenstein, which features Dracula, Frankenstein's monster and The Wolf Man (all played by their original actors, I might add). The film follows Abbot and Costello as they run into the gang of classic Universal monsters and the hijinks that ensue.
Any self-respecting horror fan owes it to themselves to watch these influential films, not to mention they are free! Whether it's your first time with the classics or you're revisiting an old favorite, you can watch these classic Universal monster films at the Fear: The Home of Horror youtube channel starting January 15th. For those of you who are looking for newer horror film fare be sure to check our list of upcoming horror movies, which features the major horror flicks coming to theaters (fingers crossed) in 2021.
