Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection

I'm not one to rush out and buy the newest Criterion release or upgrade my DVDs to new special edition Blu-rays (that would be Craig's department), but when I got wind of a Universal "Classic Monsters" Blu-ray collection, I FREAKED OUT. So many of my beloved old horror films are on VHS, taped off Turner Classic Movies back when I was in high school. Needless to say, the quality is far from great.  So while I have the willpower to pass on a lot of the flashy new releases, I was very excited to get my paws on this collection.

This is what happiness looks like to a classic horror obsessed 26-year-old woman.

The set includes this nifty booklet and a collection of 8 films.

The booklet is visually very cool, with little spotlights on the actors and the people behind the camera that made these films so special. As far as the quality of the films, I've watched The Mummy and The Invisible Man so far and both looked and sounded amazing. I hear Dracula looks incredible, so I'm looking forward to that (I watch the film every year on October 20th, as that's Bela Lugosi's birthday) (I knooow). I can't wait to dive into all of the bonus features, too! It's loaded with them! I wish they had included the Lon Chaney silent version of The Phantom of the Opera, but I haven't seen the Claude Rains version so I can't complain just yet. All in all, if you're a classic horror fan, I highly recommend treating yourself to this!

Don't forget the popcorn!