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Date: 10/26/2021
This is the time of year I truly mourn for the passing of video stores and their libraries of films. It was so easy to find many classic movies, especially horror, in those aisles. Now, if you want to discover the roots of that genre, you have to search the streaming services.
I have to say, though, Peacock, the streaming service for NBC, has many of the films that have meant so much to me.
Yes, I realize there is a generational gap existing today. The classic Universal horror movies, for examples, which were stapes of TV when I was growing up, and their stars – Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi in particular – are trivia questions to too many people. Producer Val Lewton made a series of low-budget but amazing films in the mid-1940s at RKO that must be on any serious movie fan’s list. The great Hammer films starring Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee – may be more familiar to younger audiences as well as the films of Vincent Price.
I was surprised by just how much Peacock has and since the service is a free one – yes you will have to watch commercials – I thought a survey of what they offer and some recommendations is in order.
Now, older horror films such as these may not make you jump, but they are finely made movies with great performances and appropriately creepy atmosphere.
Although for whatever reason “Frankenstein” from 1931 is not offered on the service, “Bride of Frankenstein” from 1935 is offered and it is one of the best horror films ever made. It continues the story of Frankenstein and his creation (Boris Karloff) but in a dark and often funny way. Director James Whale made many fine movies, but perhaps this is his best.
However having written that, Whale’s adaptation of H.G. Wells’ “The Invisible Man” is also a treat, Claude Rains gives essentially a vocal performance but still is compelling and the special effect, revolutionary for 1933, still amaze.
“Son of Frankenstein” (1939) is a bit clunky at times, but watch it for Lugosi’s performance as Ygor. He steals the movie from Karloff and Basil Rathbone.
“The Mummy” from 1932 features Karloff as a reanimated ancient Egyptian priest trying to find the reincarnation of his lost love. The opening of the film when Karloff is awakened by the recitation of a spell is still quite creepy.
Peacock also has the semi-remake from 1940, “The Mummy’s Hand,” which launched a whole series of mummy movies from Universal. This is the best of that lot with Tom Tyler taking up the mantle of the doomed priest. It’s a fun B-movie.
“Dracula’s Daughter” from 1936 is well worth watching if nothing else for how the film dances around the Production Code and for its effort to craft a sequel without Lugosi.
Over on another free streaming service, Tubi, there are also some choice offerings. A great documentary called “Flesh and Blood: The Hammer Heritage of Horror” details the rise of the British studio that gave viewers new takes on vampires, werewolves and monsters. Known for its films starring Lee and Cushing, switch back to Peacock to watch Cushing in action and the vampire fighter Van Helsing in Hammer’s “Brides of Dracula (1962).
Tubi also has a fun Lee/Cushing vehicle that was not made at Hammer, but has much of the Hammer spirit, “Horror Express” from 1973. The two actors play rival scientists one of whom has discovered the body of what appears to the missing link in the evolutionary chain. Tubi also has several of the silliest and most fun horror films from the 1950s. Made by producer and director William Castle and starring Vincent Price both “The House on Haunted Hill” and “The Tingler” were designed to be presented with gimmicks in the theaters that at key points of each film would frighten audiences.
The movies work just fine without the gimmicks and their hammy approach to horror is a delight.
This Halloween try a classic or two. On these free services, you only have to risk 90 minutes or so and I think you’ll discover the charms of vintage horror.