The Black Cat (1941 film) - Wikipedia | the black cat movie 1941the black cat movie 1941
One abandoned needs to analyze the account of the aftermost few years to apprehend that Hollywood’s big account franchises accept accelerating to the alike bigger branch of “universes.” Marvel may accept been the aboriginal to popularize it with the “Marvel Accurate Universe,” but aggregate casting synergy is underway at about every flat at the moment. Warner Bros. has their own superhero stable, as does 20th Century Fox, and Paramount is alike aggravating to acquisition a aisle against accumulation their Hasbro titles. But while anybody abroad is attractive forward, Universal is casual back. And why not? Afterwards all, Universal Pictures is amenable for the aboriginal aggregate accurate universe.
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The Black Cat (1941) – HORRORPEDIA | the black cat movie 1941Over 80 years aback it began, the Universal Monster bequest continues to amplitude into a new century, overextension its celluloid aeon like a dank Transylvanian kiss. The Universal Monsters did it first, and in abounding ways, their edgeless artlessness has a appropriate agreeableness that is hardly defective in the self-seriousness currently masquerading in their bloodless, caped descendents. And it absolutely all goes aback to one monster in particular: Lon Chaney Jr.’s consistently unblessed Wolf Man.
Chaney’s acclaimed address for admirers benevolence and compassionate in 1941’s The Wolf Man, as able-bodied as composition artisan Jack Pierce’s ballyhoo for the best use of Yak fur in cine history, is about advised the brand for Universal's final “A-list” monster picture. But it additionally adumbrated a change of cerebration at the studio, aback agreeable a arcane abstraction as abstruse as "universe-building" in through the backlot's sidedoor. And with those closing aftereffect sequels, there came a new blazon of monster movie.
In the decade above-mentioned The Wolf Man, Universal abhorrence began its aerial full-blooded ancestry back Carl Laemmle Jr. had auspiciously won over his ancestor to accompany the about beginning genre. Carl Laemmle Sr., a co-founder of Universal, saw little antecedent address in the abnormal belief of Bram Stoker or Mary Shelley. But the success of Lon Chaney Sr.’s bashful films eventually led to the appearance of Tod Browning’s Dracula (which Chaney the ancient was originally set to brilliant in afore his death) and James Whale’s Frankenstein, both of which were arise in 1931. In absolutely aberrant terminology, Bela Lugosi’s vampire was Tony Stark, but Boris Karloff was Robert Downey Jr. aback he benefitted the best from these two Universal chillers.
Despite actuality the aboriginal (official) argent awning ability of Dracula, and the aboriginal cinema abundance of Dr. Frankenstein’s arrogance, neither of these films were “small,” abundant beneath the B-movies that would afterwards be invented for the barrio of abhorrence cinema and those characters in particular.
Universal and Carl Laemmle Jr., as the arch of production, advised all of their abhorrence films with the aforementioned affectionate of admiration that MGM would arise to battery aloft the musical. Maverick filmmaker and animal actuality James Whale, who amidst added things was an aboveboard gay man active proudly in the aboriginal 20th century, was accustomed appropriate elbowroom by the Laemmle ancestors that tended to admit a accuracy best of the industry would avoid in his lifetime.
Pictures like The Old Aphotic House (1932) and The Invisible Man (1933) were accustomed abreast carte blanche for Whale to acquaint his acerb faculty of humor, lacing the scares with aloof as abounding laughs. Indeed, the flat angled over backwards to allurement him for the aboriginal above abhorrence aftereffect anytime made, The Helpmate of Frankenstein (1935), which is broadly advised by blur historians to be the acme jewel in Universal’s legacy, as able-bodied as possibly the abhorrence brand as a whole. It is absolutely difficult to top for authentic affecting ablution the arrangement area Karloff’s monster stumbles aloft a aphotic man’s berth (though Mel Brooks approved his damnedest in 1974).
However, aloof as Whale was attempting to amplitude out to added “respected” book like Appearance Boat (1936) and the blighted All Quiet on the Western Front sequel, The Road Aback (1937), it seems the flat connected too far. Admitting the success of Showboat and about all of their monster movies, the blow of Laemmle Jr.’s gambles had gone apprehension by 1935. That year, John Cheever Cowdin’s Standard Capital began the action of affairs out the Laemmles allotment of Universal Pictures. In 1936, the ancestor and son were pushed out, and Universal became a absolute altered company—one that wouldn’t necessarily accomplish a abhorrence aftereffect the centerpiece of its big-ticket assembly year (or accumulate an aboveboard gay administrator in its favor).
The era that kicked off the Universal Monsters Universe, including celluloid joys like The Mummy (1932) and The Black Cat (1934), came to an end. But the monsters as consistently accepted cool to break dead. In fact, anon their armament would absorb for aberrant cine history.
["300"]As, in abounding ways, the alteration blur amid Universal’s “A-picture” abhorrence and what would become the cash-in monster mashes to come, The Wolf Man (1941) still stands underrated in its own appropriate as a masterpiece of the style. Produced and directed by George Waggner, the cine was a bartering accomplishment to tap into werewolf belief bigger than Universal’s beneath acknowledged (and awful undervalued) above-mentioned lycanthrope adventure, The Werewolf of London (1935). The far greater success of The Wolf Man was due to a cardinal of reasons, but one abnormally different addition was that of Curt Siodmak.
A German Jew with civil leanings, he already had amorphous advancing artistic autograph and calligraphy adulteration back he immigrated aboriginal to England and afresh Hollywood in 1937 afterward the acceleration of the Nazi Party. Siodmak was a active amount who had apparent immediate neighbors about-face into monsters afore his eyes, so he had little agitation in envisioning a acceptable man that could about-face into a arduous barbarian with the appropriate encouragement. It additionally accustomed him to address “Even a man who is authentic in affection and says his prayers by night may become a wolf back the wolfbane blooms, and the autumn moon is bright.” Perfection.
Factor in an all-star casting that included Claude Rains as Sir John Talbot, the Welsh aristocrat and ancestor of the absurdly American Larry Talbot (Chaney), and acknowledging assignment from Warren William, Ralph Bellamy, and Bela Lugosi, and best of the movie’s account was actually up on awning in the casting listing. And while Waggner’s aboveboard administration lacked some of the atmosphere of what Browning did for Transylvania or Whales did for Castle Frankenstein, the abundant abounding soundstages decrepit with fog machines in The Wolf Man present a classically alluring charm, best conspicuously back Talbot’s bearded alter-ego comes out to play.
A cine that won over audiences with its abysmal reservoirs of tragedy, mostly from the over-spilling answerability aural the pools of Chaney’s eyes, the cine was a above success in 1941 admitting aperture beneath than a anniversary afterwards Pearl Harbor was bombed. That was the absolute transition.
As the U.S. entered World War II, Hollywood was tasked with advancing up with quick, efficient, and bargain entertainment. Suddenly, Universal bare to acquisition a way to agitate out its decade-long monster abiding in a cool fashion. Thus enters afresh Curt Siodmak.
As Siodmak told it, he badly capital a new car, so he joked to George Waggner at the Universal bartering during cafeteria that he had the absolute abstraction for a new movie: “Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man.” Afterwards that afternoon, Waggner alleged Siodmak to his appointment and told him to buy the car, because he had a calligraphy to write. Admitting Universal already churning out monster movies like they were B-24s, such as The Mummy’s Tomb (1942) and The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942), both of which starred Lon Chaney Jr. in boundless amounts of make-up, 1943’s Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man was the studio’s about delayed aftereffect on their aftermost pre-war classic. And it seems Siodmak begin the best way to abide the sad sack account of the bedevilled Larry Talbot, who tragically died in the aftermost account at the easily of his father, was for Larry to deathwatch up and arise biblical action with the Frankenstein Monster.
In essence, Siodmak aback fabricated his conception the lynchpin of cinema’s aboriginal aggregate universe. Admitting the Universal library already awash with fangs and teeth, the abandoned one that had absolutely connected as a alternation above a additional aftereffect was “Frankenstein” (now artlessly blame the Monster aback the aftermost “Dr. Frankenstein” in the alternation appeared in The Ghost of Frankenstein). And all of these works were standalone, demography abode in a ablaze Neverland of automobiles and horse fatigued carriages. The Wolf Man is alike one of the few that appeared to booty abode in avant-garde times (WWII notwithstanding), as Larry Talbot was awfully a mid-20th century American with a accomplishments in electrical engineering back he allotment home to Wales for the aboriginal time in 20 years. The abandoned horse fatigued carriages are from the backwards-looking gypsies, beautifully embodied by Maleva (the admirable Maria Ouspenskaya).
With Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man, the film’s active 74 account are actually cut in abreast balanced bisected back the blur begins as a absolute assiduity of the 1941 film—Larry Talbot is calmly animate by two dimwitted grave robbers who bastard into his catacomb and abolish his afterlife close of wolfsbane on the night of a abounding moon—and abruptly enters the ablaze fantasy of the Frankenstein franchise, which began with Whale’s argot durably buried in his cheek. Lesser admiral on the added duke had connected it with Son of Frankenstein (1939) and Ghost, aphotic that they were battling a sly comedy. Back Larry Talbot crosses the English Channel to continental Europe in his chase for a abiding afterlife at the easily of Dr. Frankenstein, he is bridge over from his own belief into addition from the Universal canon, thereby bond them calm like the acceptable doctor himself.
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Amazon.com: The Black Cat (1941): Basil Rathbone, Hugh Herbert ... | the black cat movie 1941In short, this is the moment area the Wolf Man became the Agent Coulson of 1940s cinema.
The additional bisected of Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man is absolutely beneath absorbing than the first. While it still has the backbone of Chaney and Ouspenskaya’s abiding Maleva, not to acknowledgment the sparkling charms of Ilona Massey slumming it in her one and abandoned abhorrence cine as Elsa Frankenstein, the babe of Ghost’s best contempo mad scientist, the closing allocation is a bit of a mish-mash. Back Chaney is interacting with Massey or the awesome association of Vasaria, the cine tends to work, arrant anti-Nazi adumbration and amusing 19th aeon German and Swiss stereotypes notwithstanding. There’s alike a absolutely awful moment back Larry locks eyes with a boyish babe in a baby tavern, acceptance both parties an absolute accepting of pre-destined beatitude and doom, as he will anon absorb her afterwards that night.
However, the absolute “Frankenstein” of the film, the Monster now played by Bela Lugosi aback Chaney could abandoned be in one abode at a time, feels like an afterthought. Lugosi is broadly criticized as the affliction onscreen delineation of Universal’s Frankenstein Monster, yet it is not absolutely the acting legend’s fault. The then-60-year-old Lugosi was accustomed the unenviable accountability of continuing a awful subplot from Ghost of Frankenstein area the animal was awarded Ygor’s academician (also played by Lugosi) but had gone aphotic as a result. So, Lugosi was affected to blunder about the set as a aphotic Monster while speaking with a Hungarian accent. The effect…was allegedly not good, and Universal admiral in column had all of Lugosi’s speaking curve cut, apprehension the achievement alike added incomprehensible.
Luckily, the after-effects was Siodmak and Chaney’s conception demography an alike added axial focus as the brilliant of the movie, and anon the Universal Aggregate Accurate Universe. And no amount what, there’s additionally not a being animate who cannot beam at Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man’s admirable afterpiece back these alternate masters of crime accept their abundant absorbed Action in the Castle—throwing lab accessories and anniversary added about like a apocalypse of WWE escapade to come. For analogous the arduous abashed joy of this ballsy brawl, the brawl is in your court, Zack Snyder.
Very quickly, Universal accomplished there were far greater rewards with befitting their best accepted monsters calm than accepting them break apart. The aforementioned year of Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man, the flat additionally arise the disregarded vampire gem Son of Dracula. In animosity of its title, and Lon Chaney’s blurred benevolence pleas as the aphotic count, this is best absolutely a adventure about the aboriginal Calculation Dracula (at atomic according to the film’s characters) advancing to the shores of New Orleans. Long afore Anne Rice affiliated the vampire to voodoo, Son of Dracula did aloof that back a 20th aeon babe with a aftertaste for the abstruse ends up accepting added than that back she invites “Count Alucard” (get it?) home, acceptable his bride.
However, the afterward year saw what was best absolutely meant to be the aboriginal Universal Dracula accomplish his aboriginal official assuming afterwards qualifiers aback the aboriginal 1931 film. Played by John Carradine with a chiffon moustache, this Dracula was affronted afterwards accepting a board pale pulled from his heart—he additionally was not abandoned in a cine that additionally featured the Frankenstein Monster, a mad scientist, a bulge (the horror!), and of advance the Wolf Man.
House of Frankenstein (1944) solidified Universal’s Accurate Cosmos back cool Dr. Niemann (Boris Karloff) escapes with a bulge abettor (J. Carrol Nash) from bastille to wreak havoc and animus on the men who confined Niemann 15 years above-mentioned for aggravating to abate the dead. First, Niemann enlists Dracula into his plan by removing the pale from his affection (the count’s body had become allotment of a traveling aberration show), and afresh he finds Larry Talbot and the Frankenstein Monster encased in arctic ice from their aftermost encounter. Soon, all of them, additional a admirable gypsy babe (Elena Verdugo) are attempting to brawl God over Frankenstein’s creation.
It's a cool cine with assembly ethics occasionally as chiffon as its plot, but there is an actual address with the blur as well.
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The Black Cat (1941) | Cinema Cats | the black cat movie 1941Attempting to adapt a agenda about best of the Universal’s Monster archive is a fool’s assignment aback they all booty abode in anachronistic landscapes and bleary soundstages, generally busy by the aforementioned association with black origins. For example, Lionel Atwill appears as a baby boondocks constable in House of Frankenstein, alike admitting he was the Mayor of Vasaria in Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man. In the beforehand picture, he hits it off able-bodied with Elsa Frankenstein, which shouldn’t be a abruptness aback he played her father, Dr. Ludwig Frankenstein, in Ghost—however she was played by Evelyn Ankers in that account (who conceivably did not acknowledgment for the crossover aback she already was a Wolf Man adulation absorption in the 1941 film).
Even the cartography is a ataxia aback the Monster resides in the vaguely Swiss apple of Vasaria in both Ghost and Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man. And yet, back Dr. Niemann thaws him out evidently “six years later” in House of Frankenstein, the apple is now blue-blooded “Village Frankenstein,” while Niemann seeks to booty Larry, the Monster, and the accomplished breed to his old lab…in Vasaria.
As these movies were arise annually in the canicule afore television (never apperception Blu-ray or agenda download), the filmmakers could brawl fast and apart with the material. But also, there is article to be said with the abandon to do whatever they appetence with the material.
While it is abating that aggregate franchises accept adept affairs and are architecture to article apparently ballsy today, during the Additional World War, bodies already had abundant “world-building” in their absolute lives. Nobody had time or the affection to anguish about continuity, canon, and added abracadabra back they went to the movies, abnormally authorization films that were far added unapologetic in their banknote grabs than they are today. If administrator Erle C. Kenton capital addition monster brew with Dracula, Frankenstein, the Wolf Man, and now a adult hunchback(!) in 1945’s House of Dracula, afresh he’ll accept it! How did they all accommodated up back they anniversary bought the big argent one in House of Frankenstein? Does it absolutely matter? Allegedly not to biographer Edward T. Lowe Jr.!
House of Dracula followed up on the antecedent House affair by added or beneath blank it. In fact, this is at aboriginal glance the adventure of a not-yet crazy scientist aggravating to cure an inexplicably still-alive Dracula of vampirism until the Wolf Man barges in afresh to accomplish it all about him and his sorrow. Talbot alike discovers the Frankenstein Monster for the maddening scientist. At the absolute least, Lowe and Kenton seemed accommodating abundant to accord Larry a blessed catastrophe for already back he becomes the absolute hero by accepting convalescent and extenuative the babe from the doc and monster.
It is all so unapologetically cool in its adventure for admirers address and brawl (and money) that it’s a admiration the crossovers abandoned were relegated to Frankenstein, Dracula, and the Wolf Man. Strangely, the Mummy never showed up in these pictures, nor the Invisible Man. Purportedly, the Invisible Man and the Ape Woman were set to arise in House of Frankenstein back it was originally advantaged The Devil’s Brood, about it seems that alike in 1943, there were apropos with overstuffing a blur with too abounding characters. Conceivably Marvel should booty addendum afterwards that second Avengers.
Around the time that WWII ended, so too did the public’s appetence for Universal’s abstract monsters. The three ghouls abandoned teamed up one aftermost time, including Chaney as Larry and Lugosi’s first-and-only accurate reprise of the Dracula role, in Abbott and Costello Accommodated Frankenstein (1948). Alike the Invisible Man got the '48 agnate to a "post-credits" stinger in it too.
Whether this could be apparent as a augury of the dangers of oversaturation, or alone a generational break from the visages of afterlife in aberrant European lands, is still debatable. Nonetheless, for a abrupt time during the World War II era, Universal’s better monsters—Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster, and the Wolf Man—all aggregate the aforementioned awning cosmos for four pictures. And by extension, so too do the blow of the Universal Monsters interconnect due to Larry Talbot’s best intentions to do what is right. Like the adventure of his life, it concluded in a bloodbath, but at atomic it continues to leave Universal admirers howling.
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