Three Of The Earliest Monsters In Movies And The Books They Came From

Believe it or not, most of the monsters that made the modern horror movies what we have all come to love actually did not get there start in the movies... Yeah, it is true! As a matter of fact, I would say that some of the earliest monsters from the movies, actually got their starts in the imaginations of Victorian era authors like, 'Bram Stoker', or , 'Mary Shelley'!

And so I thought that you guys might enjoy this list of: Three Of The Earliest Monsters In Movies And The Books They Came From!

At number 3: Mr. Hyde.

In 1988, Anthony Perkins did a great job portraying Jack The Ripper as being Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde!

Now for most of you out there, you probably know Mr. Hyde from the role that some actor had... And if you are a big enough fan, you might have even seen Anthony Perkins (Psycho) play the role later in life! But before Anthony Perkins and the multitudes of actors that came before and after had the chance to play the role, the character was one of the central figures in the Robert Louis Stevenson novel: The Strange Case Of Doctor Jekyll And Mr. Hyde (1886)!

A truly horrific classic that has helped shape the world of the horror movie!

At number 2: Frankenstein's Monster.

Boris Karloff as, 'Frankenstein's Monster' in probably the most famous big screen adaption of Mary Shelley's novel!

A slightly more used figure in the world of the horror movie, the first time though Frankenstein's monster came to life was not in James Whale's classic movie but in the pages of the novel that had originally been written by Mary Shelley!

The book that the universal classic was made from!

At number 1: Orlok/Dracula.

Believe it or not, before any of these Dracula's came about, Dracula was first seen in the pages of Bram Stoker's original novel!

Most people tend to forget this, but, 'Dracula' was not the first, 'Dracula' movie to come out... No, no, you see, Bram Stoker's estate would not give them the rights to make the movie, so some inventive German Filmmaker decided to try to change just enough of the story so that they could make it... Thus, before Dracula there was Orlok... But before there was Orlok, there was Dracula in literary form!

The Terror (1963) - Movie Review

[caption id="attachment_330" align="alignright" width="220"] Official Score = 2 1/2 Devils[/caption]

There are very few artists in this world that can be said to be synonymous with the type of genre, or type of art that they do, more then Roger Corman (Queen Of Blood)…

Now I know there are a lot people who have come since Corman first started this, but the truth is, is that Roger Corman is the very embodiment of B Movies! I mean this guy has literally done hundreds of movie that would have never made it in the main stream… But you know what? The reason that they would not have made it in the main stream in all honesty is because no one can do what he does, like Roger Corman does… in some ways using the same elements that make up the mainstream?

What do I mean by this? Well simply put, this guy helped get some of Hollywood’s biggest names their start… or help them further careers, I mean here is just a small number of some of the amazing talent that this guy has worked with:

1. Ron Howard

2. Sylvester Stallone

3. Jack Nicholson

4. Robert De Niro

5. Boris Karloff

And that is just to name a few! Now you might be thinking, that If he had worked with such amazing A list talent that he must be an A Lister himself right? Well considering his legend he is more than an A-Lister, because in a way, Roger Corman helped sort of, ‘Mentor’ a lot of the Hollywood A-List of the 70s – 90s!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500"] B Movie Legend, 'Roger Corman' with horror movie legend, 'Vincent Price'![/caption]

But the truth is, is that Roger Corman has made his career out of making awesome movies, that people who are fans of the Hollywood A list type of movie, would consider it to be a B Movie, and I just so happen to catch one of his awesome B movies in the form of, The Terror (1963)!

Written by: Jack Hill (Foxy Brown), Leo Gordon (Attack Of The Giant Leeches) & Directed by: Roger Corman. Starring Jack Nicholson (Batman), Boris Karloff (The Crimson Cult), Sandra Knight (Thunder Road), Dick Miller (The Terminator), Dorothy Neumann (The Ten Commandments) and Jonathan Haze (The Little Shop Of Horrors).

You see, this movie tells the story of a young French Lieutenant by the name of, ‘Andre’ (Nicholson) a soldier in Napoleon's Army, a soldier low on morale, and lost from his regiment, who one day while he was nearing the end of his ropes and lost in the middle of nowhere, somewhere in Germany, ends up coming upon a woman who nearly kills him…

After this occurs, Andre is taken in by a weird old woman and her mute servant… Now searching for the woman that nearly killed him, Andre questions the woman (only to find that the woman is trying to make him believe that there is no woman… But later on, the old woman’s servant, ‘Gustav’ sends Andre to the Castle of the Baron Von Leppe!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="600"] The woman of this lowly Lieutenant's dreams may end up proving to be the woman of his nightmares![/caption]

Once he gets there though Andre is greeted by the kindly (but insane) old Baron Von Leppe (Karloff) and Von Leppe’s assistant. Now at this point Andre has forced his way in to the Baron’s home to stay for a while and will ultimately start an investigation in to the girl’s disappearance that will lead Andre, the Baron, and everyone around them in to a world that non of them will ever forget!

In the end, I found this movie is definitely worth a watch, and you might find this movie worth it as well!

http://youtu.be/N2YRo6dskac

The Ape (1940) - Movie Review

[caption id="attachment_330" align="alignright" width="220"] Official Score = 2 1/2 Devils[/caption]

Boris Karloff… Man that guy was something! What with having along with other legends like, Lon Chaney (The Phantom Of The Opera), and later his son, ‘Lon Chaney Jr.’ (The Wolf Man), Vincent Price (The Pit And The Pendulum), and Bela Lugosi (Dracula), would go on to blaze the trail that would make horror movies the amazingly scary good time that they are!

And you know what? I still haven’t seen his most famous movie… That movie of course being, Frankenstein (1931)… A situation that I do intend to remedy I assure you!

But either way, the fact of the matter is, is that as of late I have only in the past several months have gotten in to his work… And you know what? I have to say that I really like his work! I mean rather he is playing the mobster, ‘Gaffney’ in Howard Hawks 'Scarface', or playing the wheelchair bound, ‘Professor Marsh’ in, The Crimson Cult (1968), Boris Karloff (besides generally being a majorly talented actor) also cut a very intimidating figure, (which I personally think worked for a lot of the roles that he did!)

Now unfortunately Boris Karloff passed away in 1969, but rather you are a horror movie fan, b movie fan, or are just a fan of the classic golden oldies, then I think you might find that his body of work has stood to the test of time, and will continue to do so… I mean hey… He is Boris freakin Karloff man! And you know what? I think that largely his participation in, The Ape (1940) is what made this movie so incredibly awesome!

Written by: Adam Shirk (House Of Mystery), Curt Siodmak (The Invisible Man Returns), Richard Carroll (Back From Eternity) & Directed by: William Nigh (Black Dragons). Starring: Boris Karloff (The Crimson Cult), Maris Wixson (White Pongo), Gene O’Donnell (The Devil Bat), Dorothy Vaughn (Black Legion), Gertrude Hoffman (Not As A Stranger), Henry Hall (The Ape Man) & Selmer Jackson (The Grapes Of Wrath).

[caption id="attachment_505" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The initial Ape as he makes it to Dr. Bernard Adrian's place![/caption]

The Ape tells the story of a small town Doctor by the name of Doctor Bernard Adrian (Karloff) who is not thought of very well in the town and thus is a recluse whom with his assistant, ‘Jane’ (Hoffman) are using un-orthodox methods to try and create a cure for, ‘Polio’ and to help cure one of his only patients in the town!

His opportunity though comes in the form of a group of men who end up bringing in a heavily injured Circus employee! You see this employee had been harassing one of the Apes in the show who ends up really hurting the man and escaping (while essentially burning down the circus…)

You see Dr. Adrian does ultimately end up finding that cure when he decides to take out some of the spinal fluid from the patient that the group of guys brought in for him to try and save… (of course taking the fluid ultimately ends up killing the Circus Performer…)

After this occurs, the Ape does end up making his way to the Doctor’s home… Where this mad scientist ends up forming a plan that will lead to the polio cure that he so desperately wants, while the, ‘Ape’ is the one terrorizing the town and killing people!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="325"] The woman that Dr. Adrian hopes to cure![/caption]

The truth is, is that this movie is a heck of a lot of fun, and if you like those kind of classic black and white films, then I think you might like this one as well!

http://youtu.be/Pk_Ps4q4DZU

The Crimson Cult (1968) - Movie Review

[caption id="attachment_325" align="alignright" width="263"] Official Score = 3 Devils[/caption]

Unfortunately it is tragic that the mainstream movie studios generally (not always, but generally) tend to over look the extremely talented men and women who have made their way in the world thanks to the wonderful world of horror movies!

Like I mentioned though, that is not always the case… And is most certainly not the case with actor Christopher Lee (Dracula Has Risen From The Grave)!

Christopher Lee… I mean what can I say about this man that hasn't already been said? Whether he is a fallen Jedi (as is his role as Count Dooku in the Star Wars prequel movies,) or as the fallen wizard in the, ‘Lord Of The Rings’ movies, Christopher Lee has always brought that deep voice, and an old school professionalism that he brought to the craft that hasn't really been seen since the trailblazers of horror, (like Vincent Price (Theatre Of Blood), Bela Lugosi (Dracula), and Boris Karloff (Frankenstein) were around!

And speaking of Boris Karloff…

One of types of movies that I have found out recently that I have really enjoyed is those old school horror movies that have one or more horror movie legends starring in them, (such as is the case with Christopher Lee and Boris Karloff in, The Crimson Cult (1968)).

Written by: Mervyn Haisman (Doctor Who), Henry Lincoln (The Saint) and Directed by: Vernon Sewell (Ghost Ship). Starring Boris Karloff, Christopher Lee, Mark Eden (Séance On A Wet Afternoon), Barbara Steele (The Pit And The Pendulum), Michael Gough (Batman) and Virginia Wetherell (Bram Stoker’s Dracula).

The Crimson Cult tells the story of how an antique dealer by the name of Robert Manning (Eden) gets a strange message from his brother (who happens to be on an antique buying venture in a small country village by the name of, Graymarsh.) Now Graymarsh does have some significance to Robert as it turns out that Graymarsh is Robert and his brother’s home town!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Robert Manning (Mark Eden) and Eve (Virginia Wetherell) in, 'The Crimson Cult' (1968)[/caption]

So Robert heads to his home town, a town where most of the townspeople seem to be partying as they prepare to celebrate the day when the townsfolk centuries before hand, had burned a witch by the name of Lavina Morley (Steele) at the stake!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="360"] Lavinia Morley (Barbara Steele) as she is working on one of her demonic spells![/caption]

But one of Lavina’s descendants, by the name of, J.D. Morley (Lee) has another date that he is using to worship his fallen ancestor, and this actually involves Robert!

So as Robert begins his investigation in to his brother’s disappearance in earnest, Robert Manning will find out a secret about his family and the connections to the Morley family that Robert never would have expected!

Now besides that fact that it is pretty awesome that actor, ‘Michael Gough’ would go on to play, ‘Alfred’ in pretty much all of the Batman movies, (from Michael Keaton’s time as Batman, all the way through to the time George Clooney played the role of the caped crusader), I also have to admit that it is pretty awesome to see what I believe to be the inspiration for the movie, ‘The Wicker Man’ (1973) in this movie as well!

As a side note, this was Boris Karloff's last movie...

Anyway folks, if your looking for a fun one to enjoy, you might try this one, it is a good one!

http://youtu.be/r6PI13Tus8U