Universal has previously upgraded its eight base monster movies to 4K in two separate sets. Now together in one set, the seven black and white films boast strong shadows in 4K and the one color film adds bright colors to contrast its deep shadows.
The two Frankenstein films illuminate the castle laboratory when the good doctor raises his creatures up to the sky in lightning storms. For all the atmosphere in that lab, it’s the bright outdoor town festival, woods and meadow that shines. The makeup holds up in exponentially more detail than it was ever designed for, though you can see the wrinkles in some of the backdrop curtains.
Dracula also has a castle full of shadows, and the aftermath of the Demeter shipwreck is all shown in shadow. Shadows also abound when Dracula visits the opera in the VIP box.
The Invisible Man begins in a crisp snowbound bar and lodging room. The visual effects hold up as he peels bandages off and strips out of his clothes. Floating matchbooks and cigarettes are seamless.
The Wolfman features lots of pure shadows in the woods at night. His hairy silhouette traipses through and also the tree trunks become black pillars.
The Mummy captures the epic archeological dig in black and white and on soundstage sets.
Creature from the Black Lagoon is the best looking film in the set, probably because it’s the most recent in the ‘50s. The slick scales and moonlit water are stunning.
Phantom of the Opera is the only Universal monster movie in color and it is glorious technicolor. The bright red opera costumes pop, but the film still boasts shadows up in the rafters and tunnels below. The chandelier glows as it falls on the audience.
Each disc is also full of DVD era extras which are substantial, some even feature length. Frankenstein includes a short film called Boo which shows they had a sense of humor about these films even before Abbott And Costello met them.
But the newest element is the book that contains the eight 4K UHD discs in the back. It’s essentially a coffee table book on the Universal Monsters with an outline of the series and pages devoted to these eight films, their stars and their filmmakers. It may be basic information but it’s fun to flip through and hold.