Scariest scene of all the Universal Monster Movies
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Grant_Gardner — 19 years ago(January 05, 2007 11:58 PM)
I also think the scene where the creature comes to life and gets that sinister smile and look in his eyes is pretty spooky.
Actually, I figured out whay he looks so scary at that moment, and why it is a "moment". In the original shoot, the monster was suppposed to be blind, at least to some degree. In that particular moment I believe he regains full sight for the first time. Scary! -
Harold_Robbins — 19 years ago(January 27, 2007 10:44 AM)
I'm watching this again and that opening sequence is a gem - the opening tracking shot featuring the graverobbers goes on for about 2 minutes or so, revealing the cemetery and its graves, finally coming to the Talbot mausoleumvery well done, considering that this was essentially a low-budget programmer affair.
"I don't use a pen: I write with a goose quill dipped in venom!"
W. Lydecker -
YankeeDood — 19 years ago(March 15, 2007 01:09 AM)
To me, the Wolfman is the scariest of all Universal Monsters. Frankenstein and the Mummy are too slow, Dracula is too handsome, the Invisible Man is too human and the Creature is too confined to water. But the Wolfman, yowsa! The image of him wandering around in misty darkness and peeking in windows scares the hell outta me. Brrr!
-L31 -
noveltylibrary — 19 years ago(March 15, 2007 07:35 AM)
That's funny, I always found the wolfman the least threateninghe seemed kinda cute lol. Most of the others freaked me out with Frankenstein at the top. There was something about the slowness that made it even freakier, like when you'd try to run in your nightmares but can't.
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gema6 — 10 years ago(March 12, 2016 10:26 PM)
Have you seen the low budget 70s movie "The Boy Who Cried Werewolf"?
If you don't like the idea of the werewolf wandering around and looking in windowsthen don't watch this movie. I recently saw it for the first time on Svengoolievery creepy! -
wallerworld — 18 years ago(April 20, 2007 12:26 AM)
Yes, the opening of FMTWM is one of the greatest scenes in Universal monster history. I rode through Disneyland's Haunted Mansion recently and was struck by the way the scene was recreated on the ride. I'm talking about the moment when you're moving down from the attic of the Haunted Mansion to the backyard cemetary (like the crane shot from FMTWM). You pass by the cemetary gate and there's a tall lanky guy there, shaking as he holds up a lantern to light the way. You almost expect him to say, "What d'ya think it'll look like, after so many years?"
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jquirk-1 — 18 years ago(May 13, 2007 07:58 PM)
I always thought the opening of the original "Frankenstein" in the cemetery was the scariest scene. The mourners crying, the grim reaper statue, Henry Frankenstein and Fritz hiding, the fat guy shoveling dirt in the grave, the thud of a rock hitting the casket, and then the grave robbers digging it back up again and the casket creaking as they pull it out of the ground, and the crazed look in Henry's face when he says it's waiting for a new life to begin. You guys are nuts - FMTWM doesn't come close to "Frankenstein."
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BoomerMovieFan — 18 years ago(August 02, 2007 08:50 PM)
I was just watching my DVD of F M T W M and the opening shot reminded me of an interview with a film historian I once saw. I can't remember who he was, but he said he considered the long, horizontal pan shot of the graveyard one of the greated establishing shots in the movies ever.
I agree with him and you. -
Bcubria — 18 years ago(September 11, 2007 12:17 PM)
Horror fans,
you guys need to check out this new horror movie host in Houston Texas. Count Pelicula, his website is www.countpelicula.com They show all of the great Universal classics and have an awesome blog where horror is discussed. Check it Out!!!!!!!!!! -
PussyCrusher_Principal — 13 years ago(October 11, 2012 05:06 PM)
Back to what the OP was saying: I would say that I find the original graveyard scene in Frankenstein to be creepier and probably scarier, but that's a nitpick. I love the opening scene of FMTWM too, and to take it a step further, there's nothing that can compare with the general atmosphere of all the non-color Universal horror filmsthey provide a certain feeling that only B & W can possess, not unlike film noir, but when you add in the monsters and the gothic European settings, and it's a mix that you can only experience with this relatively small number of films.
The atmosphere I speak of is something that even the later movies, for instance both "House Of"s have, which makes it difficult for me not to love them as well, even if I do agree, cinema-wise, there were diminishing returns the longer they continued making them. I only say this because I know some people really dislike the later films, but I still find they hold my interest.
"The things I do for love" Jaime Lannister -
TorontoJediMaster — 12 years ago(January 10, 2014 03:15 PM)
My mother told me that when she was a kid, she watched this movie on late night television with my aunt (her older sister). My aunt had seen it before. My mother hadn't.
In the opening scene where Talbot's hand reaches up and grabs the graverobber, my aunt sneakily grabbed my mother at the exact same instant, causing terror. LOL
I agree that the opening scene was one of the best in all of the Universal horror films. -
simeon_flake — 10 years ago(April 15, 2015 11:06 AM)
I'm in total agreement with most of youthere's just something about the atmosphere of most of these old Universal horrors that just can't be beatthe black and white adds tremendously to itI just don't know if that opening scene in the graveyard and Talbot crypt would have been as effective in color.
I would even say that the graveyard set from this movie was spooky even in the daylight scene when Dr. Mannering and the Inspector go there to investigate.
"Someone's broken into this vault. How long has it been since you were here sergeant?"
"Not for monthsno one's died in LLanwelly lately and no one comes here if he doesn't have to." -
realart — 10 years ago(July 18, 2015 11:47 PM)
Yes, the scariest and also most atmospheric scene in the Universal canon. I remember watching this on TV in the 50s and was near paralyzed with fear. Even now I get a chill watching it. Much to appreciate there!
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