31 Days of Halloween (2022)

[Caldwin]

So I'm considering reading Frankenstein for the month of October. The last time I read it was in High School. Thing is, I honestly don't know what version it was.

Merry Shelly first published it in 1818. She published it again in 1831, only this one was heavily edited. It seems the 1831 is the most widely read while many scholars would say 1818 is truer to Shelly's true vision.

I have two copies, the paper back from High School (which has seen better days) and the Barns & Noble "leather" bound. I have no idea what versions these two are (though I suppose it might be in the publishing data in the front maybe)?

So question for you Frankenstein scholars out there. Should I:

1: Read whatever version I have (probably B&N version since it's in better shape).

2: Make sure to find an 1818 version.

3: Make sure to find an 1831 version.

4: Just watch the Boris Korloff movie. It's good enough.

 

[Caldwin]

Update, I was able to get a Kindle version with both versions for less than a dollar. But with only enough will to go through one version, I'd still like opinions.

Frankenstein Collected: The Collected Frankenstein Stories (Illustrated) - Kindle edition by Shelley, Mary. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Frankenstein Collected: The Collected Frankenstein Stories (Illustrated) - Kindle edition by Shelley, Mary. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading Frankenstein Collected: The Collected...

www.amazon.com

 

[MEDdMI]

I couldn't tell you which version is "better" or which one I read when I was young, but I still vote for the original version.

 

[Donocropolis]

Update, I was able to get a Kindle version with both versions for less than a dollar. But with only enough will to go through one version, I'd still like opinions.

Frankenstein Collected: The Collected Frankenstein Stories (Illustrated) - Kindle edition by Shelley, Mary. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Frankenstein Collected: The Collected Frankenstein Stories (Illustrated) - Kindle edition by Shelley, Mary. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading Frankenstein Collected: The Collected...

www.amazon.com

Just make sure you get the version with the edited ending:

 

[Caldwin]

I think you may have gotten an early/unreleased version. None of mine have that.

 

[Princess Viola]

Now I want to dig out my copy of Frankenstein to see what edition it's based on lmao.

 

[Caldwin]

If Elisabeth is Victors cousin, it's the original 1818. If she was an unrelated destitute child his mother adopted, its the 1831 version.

Most likely it's the 1831 version. That's the more common one.

 

[MEDdMI]

Saw this on Imgur.
31 Days of Horror (A List of Horror Films to Get you Through October)

https://imgur.com/a/fdMnT0j

 

[Fero McPigletron]

I was looking at the same list! Lifeforce, Splinter, House, Housebound, Meander, Spine of the Night, I used up a couple of hours looking them up.

 

[Caldwin]

I'm getting a Universal Classic Monsters collection coming from Amazon. It should be here tonight. It includes: Dracula, Mummy, Frankenstein, Invisible Man, Creature From the Black Lagoon, Phantom of the Opera, Bride of Frankenstein and Wolfman.

Part of me wants to watch Frankenstein first. Part of me wants to save it until after I'm done reading the book. I may just watch Mummy first since I've only ever seen the Brandon Fraiser version and would really love to see the original.

I'm kinda disappointed it didn't include Hunchback of Notre Dame. I've never seen any version of that. I may just have to hunt that one down.

 

[Princess Viola]

Yeah IIRC Universal doesn't include their 1923 adaption of The Hunchback of Notre Dame in their Universal Monsters franchise.

Of course if you do want to see that specific adaption, it's been public domain since the 1950s, you can straight up watch it on the Wikipedia article for the film.

 

[Sean Whitmore]

Yay, happy to see this thread resurrected.

Now I want to dig out my copy of Frankenstein to see what edition it's based on lmao.

I did the same, except my copy's on Audible and the information they provide is usually crap. Thankfully, someone in the review section identified it as "not the 1818 version".

I'm getting a Universal Classic Monsters collection coming from Amazon. It should be here tonight. It includes: Dracula, Mummy, Frankenstein, Invisible Man, Creature From the Black Lagoon, Phantom of the Opera, Bride of Frankenstein and Wolfman.

Part of me wants to watch Frankenstein first. Part of me wants to save it until after I'm done reading the book. I may just watch Mummy first since I've only ever seen the Brandon Fraiser version and would really love to see the original.

Hopefully that's the big set with all the sequels. Each series (except Phantom) has at least one really good sequel, and even all the subsequent, lesser sequels have their moments that make them enjoyable. I watch them all the time, never regretted a movie purchase less.

 

[Caldwin]

I don't know about this set. I guess I'll find out tonight. I do have a Wolfman set that came out about the time of Van Helsing. It included Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man, Werewolf of London and She-Wolf of London.

This is an 8-disk set with 8 movies though. So I'm not holding out too much hope for exteas.

As for Hunchback,, I found an upload on YouTube. It's also free to stream on Amazon Prime. It was actually really easy to find versions to watch for free.

 

[Caldwin]

It doesn't have any of the bonus movies like the WolfMan edition I told you about, though it does have: the Spanish version of Dracula and a 3D version of Creature From the Black Lagoon.

This is the collection if it helps any.

This is my other copy of Wolfman. Even with the new collection being on Blu Ray instead of DVD, I'm sure I'll keep this if for no other reason than because of the other included movies.

I'm pretty sure I still have the DVD somewhere, unless I sold it to Disc Replay or something.

Inshould look into getting a Blu Ray of this. It's been a while since I've seen this. I'll have to make it a point to watch it again once I'm done with the other classics.

 

[Princess Viola]

Here's my confession: I have legitimately not seen any of the Universal Monsters movies.

They got a few of them like Dracula, Frankenstein, etc. streaming for free on Tubi though, I'll probably watch them this month. I mean they're free so no money being spent here.

 

[Caldwin]

Here's the thing. I enjoy them because they're classics and because of the cultural impact they've had over the years. But I feel like I should warn any newcomer about some things.

1. It would take less time for me to tell you what Frankenstein and Dracula have in common with the books than what they do differentl. Dracula's a bit closer to the book, but to say that they "take liberties" is a vast understatemen.

2. You're talking about 30's/40's visual effects as well as sensibilities. What they found horrifying is actually rather humorous these days.

3. The Hays Code is in full effect. This kinda goes with the whole sensibilities mentioned before. But...yeah.

All that said, I do still find these movies fun to watch. I do have a love for classic cinema and these are classics for a reason. Just...go in with an open mind I guess is what I'm saying.

 

[Caldwin]

Okay, here's a question for anyone who wants to answer. The package for Leonardo specifically says "Hunchback." Now given that description, first thought would go to Quasimodo. Here's the thing though. The accessories include a brain in a jar and some shovels. The overall design seems to depict a grave robber, which of course brings me to Igor (also typically depicted as a hunchback).

So, show of hands, looking at Leonardo (see page 5 for a glamour shot), who here sees Quasimodo and who sees Igor? And why in the world didn't they specify?

 

[Princess Viola]

I see Igor and, looking up that figure on various websites, all the descriptions even specifically say that it is Igor (or rather Ygor), so why they didn't say 'Leonardo as Ygor' is confusing. Can't be copyright issues because I'm pretty sure you can't copyright either 'The Hunchback' or 'Igor'.

Here's the thing. I enjoy them because they're classics and because of the cultural impact they've had over the years. But I feel like I should warn any newcomer about some things.

1. It would take less time for me to tell you what Frankenstein and Dracula have in common with the books than what they do differentl. Dracula's a bit closer to the book, but to say that they "take liberties" is a vast understatemen.

2. You're talking about 30's/40's visual effects as well as sensibilities. What they found horrifying is actually rather humorous these days.

3. The Hays Code is in full effect. This kinda goes with the whole sensibilities mentioned before. But...yeah.

All that said, I do still find these movies fun to watch. I do have a love for classic cinema and these are classics for a reason. Just...go in with an open mind I guess is what I'm saying.

Aye, I'm not going in with these movies expecting them to be scary from a modern perspective, but they are classics and I should still watch them because I'm a fan of old cinema and horror.

 

[Sean Whitmore]

Between Ygor, Fritz, and Daniel (J. Carrol Naish's character in House of Frankenstein), I kinda feel like Universal just thinks of the very concept of a hunchback as one of the monsters in their stable. Not the most sensitive way to look at it, but, y'know...*gestures broadly in the direction of Hollywood*

 

[ChessPieceFace]

I made a Spotify playlist last year that some of you might enjoy. It includes most of the songs you'd likely require for a Halloween party playlist, probably one or two you've never heard before, and no Monster Mash.

Halloween Spookersonics

Playlist · 700LittleRecords · 43 items · 2 saves

open.spotify.com