Universal Classic Monsters

Universal Classic Monsters (also known as Universal Monsters and Universal Studios Monsters) is a media franchise based on a series of horror films primarily produced by Universal Pictures from the 1930s to the 1950s.

While the early films such as Dracula (1931) were created as stand-alone films based on known novels, the success of that film led to further adaptations such as Frankenstein (1931). The film was made with plans to have its characters potentially reappearing in sequels for Universal. The studio would create further horror film characters such as The Wolf Man in the next two decades. The studio made their first transmedia properties in the 1940s and 1950s with the films Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943), House of Frankenstein (1944) and Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948), which united several characters together.

Following screenings of the films on television in the 1950s, several household products and toys were made based on the likeness of the Universal characters starting appearing in the 1960s. In the 1990s, it became priority for Universal to promote their back catalogue with packaging that presented the film as a series. This led to releasing VHS editions of their older horror film properties between 1991 and 1995 as a themed-line. These releases were the first time the characters were officially marketed together as the "Classic Monster" banner. These released of the line was followed by new films based singular monsters such as Stephen Sommers' The Mummy (1999) and others featuring various Universal monster characters, such as Van Helsing (2004).

Steve Jones of USA Today described Universal's most famous monsters as "pop culture icons", specifically Dracula, Frankenstein, the Mummy, and the Wolf Man.

History
Universal's early horror films were adaptations of work from familiar authors and texts to give their films a prestige appeal. These included Dracula (1931), whose success led to the production of other works such as Frankenstein (1931). Frankenstein's ending was changed by studio head Carl Laemmle Jr., who wanted Universal to be able deploy key characters from the film into subsequent Universal productions. Following the release of other Universal films such as The Mummy (1932) and Bride of Frankenstein (1935) there was a dry spell of horror films. Universal only returned to the style following a successful theatrical re-release of Dracula and Frankenstein which led to new works starting with Son of Frankenstein (1939). Universal would only introduce a few new monsters in the 1940s, with the most famous being Lon Chaney Jr. as The Wolf Man. The decade had Universal's horror output include many remakes and sequels, with films often directly reusing old sets, footage, and narratives to replicate moments in their earlier horror productions.

Universal's first transmedia properties were from the 1940s and 1950s with the films Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943), House of Frankenstein (1944) and Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948). In these films, the monsters from the studio's earlier films "team up" against various characters. Author Megan De Bruin-Molé suggested that the Universal Classic Monsters films exist as a loose mash-up, which allowed for Dracula to exist and be watched separately from Frankenstein but allowed their characters to be systemically and consistently brought together and developed in other films and media. These productions made were often crossovers and sequels, such as Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943), House of Frankenstein and several occurrences in comedy films of Abbott and Costello meeting the monster starting with Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein and ending with Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy (1955). De Bruin-Molé wrote that this approach from Universal was for commercial marketing terms, as it would establish the company as the "real" home of horror and that their films contain a world where potentially all monsters may dwell. The sole new monster movies Universal produced in the 1950s were the Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) and The Mummy (1959) which was co-produced with the British Hammer Film Productions.

Towards the 1960s the Universal monsters grew beyond film and became more consistently transmedial. Initially, this began in 1957 when Universal struck a ten-year television deal with Screen Gems to distribute 52 of their own titles. These television screenings and the films being included on Mel Jass' Mel's Matinee Movie (1958-1979) would also prove to be popular, with the director Stephen Sommers, director of The Mummy (1999) stating that his introduction to the series was on Jass's program. Universal became part of Music Corporation of America (MCA) in 1962. By 1964, Universal Studios tours would eventually include appearances from Frankenstein's monster. Several products based on the characters from Universal's film series were released, ranging from plastic model kits, Halloween masks, figures, plush dolls, toys, drinking glasses, coloring books and postage stamps. While some of these objects bare similarity to the actors who portray them, others are more generic interpretations. Other mediums featured the Universal monsters in tandem, such as Bobby "Boris" Pickett's 1962 popular song "Monster Mash" and the television series The Munsters (1964) which was based on the Universal characters likeness.

In 1990, Universal was part of a merger between Matsushita, now known as Panasonic, and several other corporations. Between 1991 and 1995, Universal released VHS home video editions from their catalogue of horror films. This was the first time these films were packed together as "Classic Monster" line with a newly designed logo. Prior to this home video series, the Universal films that featured multiple monsters were called "Super-Shocker[s]" or "monster rallies". Louis Feola was the head of Worldwide Home Video for Universal Studios said the most important thing was the packaging of their sales, and that it "probably our single biggest priority and has been for a number of years", and that it was key to make the series of films "look like a line". He added in a 1999 interview that creating the series was to "reinvigorate and re-market" the Universal catalog, specifically with their series of Dracula, Frankenstein, The Invisible Man, The Phantom of the Opera, The Wolf Man, and The Mummy.

The 1990s also saw a trend in the merchandising of Universal Monsters material as part of a trend for the decade of recycling and reinventing old material from the past. This led to the release of Sommer's The Mummy and a "monster rally"-styled film with Van Helsing (2004). Merchandizing of the characters in formats such as clothing and board games has continued into the 21st century. The franchise will be featured in the Dark Universe portion of Universal's upcoming Orlando theme park, Epic Universe.

Films
The columns show the subsequent home video releases.

Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics released comic adaptions of several of the films, featuring four one-shots and one collected edition, in 1993 and in 2006, respectively.

Skybound Entertainment
Skybound Entertainment, an Image Comics company, is recently publishing a new series of Universal Monsters comic books.