7 Classic Monster Movies of the 1930s

Traditionally, Halloween is a bad night at the box office. Parties and trick-or-treat jaunts generally keep children away from movie houses. Some families attend alternative events like harvest festivals and fall carnivals.

Horror films are the only movies that really benefit from Halloween, and they are typically geared to teenagers and the college crowd. Classic movies are a good option for those outside these age groups and people who are turned off by modern day slasher films.

Classic monster movies from the 1930s are ideal for Halloween viewing. The old horror movies are filled with vampires, werewolves, monsters, mummies and other creatures from early folklore. These tame, enjoyable classics set the tone for monster movies to come.

This hub showcases seven classic monster movies of the 1930s. Universal Pictures pioneered the horror genre, and all but two movies are Universal films. Monster movies launched the careers of Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi, boosting the actors into stardom and the genre into public favor.

These seven movie treats are easy to locate. Find them online, at a movie rental store or your public library. Or buy them for your personal movie collection. Happy Halloween and enjoy the show!

In the cinematic classic Dracula, the undead Count Dracula of Transylvania heads to London to lease Carfax Abbey. There, he begins to prey on the virtuous Mina Seward, whose father oversees an insane asylum near Dracula's home.

Directed by Tod Browning, this 1931 film was the first legitimate movie version of the classic novel by Abraham "Bram" Stoker. It remains the definitive film version and set the tone for future vampire movies.

Dracula stars Bela Legosi in his most famous role, Helen Chandler and David Manners. Dwight Frye, Edward Van Sloan, Herbert Bunston, Frances Dade, Joan Standing and Charles K. Gerrard also appear in the film.

In 2000, the United States Library of Congress chose Dracula for preservation in the National Film Registry. The selection was based on the movie's cultural, aesthetic and historical significance.

Universal Pictures / February 12, 1931

Frankenstein, another 1931 film, is the ultimate monster movie. It is loosely based on the Frankenstein novel by Mary Shelley. The timeless tragedy centers on a mad scientist named Henry Frankenstein (Victor in the book) who creates a human body from secret parts.

The movie has a long censorship history: a monster torment scene, a close-up of an injection needle, a controversial child drowning, and the line, "Now I know what it feels like to be God!" Later film versions restored these scenes.

Directed by James Whale, Frankenstein features Colin Clive as Frankenstein and Boris Karloff as the Monster. Mae Clark, John Boles, Edward Van Sloan, Frederick Kerr, Dwight Frye, Lionel Belmore and Marilyn Harris also star in the film.

Frankenstein was inducted into the National Film Registry in 1991 for its contributions to American film heritage.

Universal Pictures / November 21, 1931

White Zombie is considered the first feature length zombie movie ever made. The 1932 film tells of a Haitian witch doctor who helps a young man lure the woman he loves from her fiance, by turning her into a mindless zombie.

Directed by Victor Halperin, White Zombie stars Bela Lugosi as the evil voodoo master. Madge Bellamy has the title role and John Harron plays her fiance, Neil Parker. Joseph Cawthorn plays the missionary who attempts to save the woman.

Many White Zombie actors found their fame in silent films: Robert Frazer, Brandon Hurst, George Burr Macannan, Frederick Peters, Annette Stone, Joe Printz, Dan Crimmins, Claude Morgan, John Fergusson and Velma Gressham.

United Artists / July 28, 1932

The Mummy is a 1932 monster movie. It was inspired by the 1922 discovery of the Tomb of Tutankhamun and the "curse of the pharaohs."

The story centers on a dead Egyptian priest who is resurrected during an archaeological dig. Disguised as a modern Egyptian, the mummy tries to reunite with his lost love, an ancient princess who is reincarnated as a beautiful young woman.

Karl Freund directed The Mummy. Boris Karloff stars as Imhotep, the resurrected priest, and Zita Johann plays his love interest. David Manners, Arthur Byron, Edward Van Sloan, Bramwell Fletcher, Noble Johnson, Kathyrn Byron, Leonard Mudie, James Crane and Henry Victor also appear in the film.

Universal Pictures / December 22, 1932

King Kong is a 1933 masterpiece. The legendary monster movie centers on a beautiful young woman and a colossal ape.

When a movie crew visits a tropical island for a film shoot, they discover the creature -- a giant ape-like beast with eyes on the film's leading lady. The woman's new love scours the jungle to rescue her, encountering various creatures along the way.

Notable for stop motion animation and original music, King Kong stars Fay Wray in the leading role. Robert Armstrong, Bruce Cabot, Frank Reicher, Sam Hardy, Noble Johnson, Steve Clemente and James Flavi also appear in the movie.

King Kong was chosen for preservation in the National Film Registry due to its contributions to American film.

RKO Radio Pictures - Warner Bros. / March 2, 1933

The Invisible Man, a 1933 monster movie, is based on an 1897 novella by H. G. Wells. The short book was originally serialized in a British publication called Pearson's Weekly.

The story tells of a scientist who discovers a way to become invisible. As his scientific formula alters his sanity, he terrorizes the countryside as an invisible killer.

Directed by James Whale, The Invisible Man stars Claude Rains in the title role. Gloria Stuart, William Harrigan, Henry Travers, Una O'Connor, Forrester Harvey, Holmes Herbert, E. E. Clive, Dudley Diggs, Harry Stubbs, Donald Stuart and Merle Tottenham also appear in the film.

Universal Pictures / November 13, 1933

The Bride of Frankenstein continues the story that Universal Pictures introduced in 1931. In the 1935 sequel, Frankenstein's monster looks for a mate.

When Henry Frankenstein abandons his plans to create life, a mad scientist named Dr. Pretorius goads him into constructing a mate for the Monster.

Boris Karloff and Colin Clive reprised their Frankenstein roles in The Bride of Frankenstein. Valerie Hobson, Ernest Thesiger, Elsa Lanchester, Gavin Gordon, Douglas Walton, Una O'Connor, E. E. Clive, Lucien Prival, O. P. Heggie, Dwight Frye, Reginald Barlowe, Mary Gordon and Anne Darling also appear in the film.

The Library of Congress added The Bride of Frankenstein to the National Film Registry in 1998.

Universal Pictures / April 22, 1935 (LA) and May 10, 1935 (NY)

• IMDb. (n.d.) Various film titles. The Internet Movie Database. Retrieved October 2, 2011.
• Kern, Matthew. (November 12, 2001) "A History of Horror Classics from Universal Pictures." Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina. Retrieved October 2, 2011.
• TCM. (n.d.) "Classic Horror: Mondays In October." Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved October 2, 2011.
• Wikipedia contributors. (October 2, 2011) "Universal Monsters." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved October 2, 2011.

Copyright © 2011. Annette R. Smith. All rights reserved.

Published: October 2, 2011 / Modified: December 15, 2012.

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