6 Modern Versions of the Classic Universal Monsters Worth Watching
Few franchises can boast the same level of impact on popular culture as the Universal Monsters. From popularizing the idea of a shared cinematic universe to introducing several generations to classic horror literature, we’re still feeling the effects of these early horror blockbusters nearly a century later. That’s why it makes sense that so many filmmakers have attempted to leave their own mark on these iconic stories about monster-hunting heroes and misunderstood creatures.
One of the most interesting trends among these frequent narrative re-imaginings has to be the one where filmmakers attempt to update vintage frights to the modern day. And in honor of storytellers proving that a good monster can still be scary in any time period, we’ve decided to come up with a list highlighting six modernized versions of the Universal Monsters!
For the purposes of this list, we’ll be defining a “Universal Monster” as any movie monster obviously inspired by Universal’s classic run of iconic creature features. We’ll also be stretching the definition of “modern,” as some of these films were released over two decades ago. That being said, don’t forget to comment below with your own updated favorites if there’s a particularly memorable example that you also think deserves some love.
With that out of the way, onto the list…
6. Hollow Man (2000)
Despite not even sharing a name with H.G. Wells’ classic novella, Paul Verhoeven’s Hollow Man remains the most faithful adaptation of The Invisible Man since the original 1933 film. The plot may have been heavily altered in order to turn this into a more contemporary tale of mad science in the new millennium, but Kevin Bacon’s slow descent into madness and the curse-like nature of his condition are much closer to the intent of the source material than even Leigh Whannell’s remake.
It also helps that the film boasts several legitimately scary sequences, with Bacon’s deranged performance and voicework (as well as a surprisingly freaky encounter with an invisible Gorilla) making this a highly effective horror film that does the character justice despite a certain overreliance on primitive CGI.
5. Dracula 2000 (2000)
It would be easy to fill this spot with a more popular vampire flick like Renfield, but the fact is that we all need a little bit of schlock in our lives every now and then, and Patrick Lussier’s Hammer-Horror-inspired Nu-Metal horror flick Dracula 2000 delivers this in spades.
Starring Gerard Butler as the titular Count, Dracula 2000 tells the story of a group of thieves who unwittingly revive the hibernating vampire after stealing his coffin from the Van Helsing family vault and bringing it to the United States. What follows is a sexually charged thriller where a newly awakened Dracula wanders the streets of New Orleans in search of new recruits for his vampiric army.
Believe me when I say that this is a lot more fun than it sounds – especially when the film reveals the reasoning behind Dracula’s hatred of Christian iconography.
4. The Frankenstein Theory (2013)
As a longtime fan of low budget Found Footage movies, I have no problem with diving into the streaming bargain bin in order to find the occasional hidden gem. That’s how I came across Andrew Weiner’s unfairly maligned The Frankenstein Theory, an ambitious little mockumentary that dares to imagine a world where Mary Shelley’s seminal novel might have been based on a true story.
While Weiner’s film suffers from a handful of awkward performances and questionable production value, the unusual format coupled with the clever use of practical monster effects make this one of the most entertaining Found Footage romps of the 2010s. In fact, if you ask me, the flick’s poor reception has a lot more to do with genre over-saturation than its actual quality.
3. Blackout (2023)
Larry Fessenden has been hard at work creating his own shared cinematic universe inspired by the Universal Monsters, so it was hard to narrow down a single one of his films to include on this list. However, while both Habit and Deranged are excellent deconstructions of their monstrous inspirations, I feel like Blackout – Fessenden’s take on a modern-day Wolf Man – hasn’t received the same amount of love due to its unconventional presentation.
A surprisingly mellow story about a struggling artist harboring a dark secret, Blackout focuses more on the human cost of living with a terrible curse (or at least being convinced that this is the case) than actually doubling down on familiar creature feature tropes. It may not be for everyone, but this is definitely one of the most original werewolf movies that I’ve seen in a long time.
2. Monster Brawl (2011)
The Universal Monsters have a lot more in common with professional wrestling than you might initially think. From over-the-top backstories to super-powered confrontations between good and evil, it makes sense that a filmmaker would one day decide to combine both of these ideas into a bonkers premise for a feature film. Case in point: Jesse Thomas Cooke’s oddball wrestling film, Monster Brawl.
Presented as a real wrestling event where eight monsters must battle to the death in a hyper-violent tournament, this is a must-watch for wrestling fans who wish that the ring was populated by inhuman fighters. While the writing here won’t win any awards, there’s so much love on display here for both the sport and the monsters that it’s hard to resist the flick’s low budget charms.
1. Frankenstein (2015)
A legend among horror fans due to his work on Candyman and Paperhouse, English filmmaker Bernard Rose is the rare director that treats his genre work just as seriously as his historical dramas. That’s why it’s no surprise that Rose’s urban reimagining of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is just as emotionally devastating as it is horrific.
Updating the story to be more about the monster than the scientists who created him, this deeply tragic fable is worth watching whether you’re a fan of the source material or just looking to enjoy a star-studded genre flick featuring the likes of Danny Huston, Carrie-Anne Moss and even the late, great Tony Todd.
The post 6 Modern Versions of the Classic Universal Monsters Worth Watching appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.