The Top Ten Universal Horror Films Not Yet on DVD

1) Island of Lost Souls
Their best classic horror film yet to be released on DVD. Universal now owns it, but it was actually made by Paramount, which may explain the delay. But how long can you wait to release a pre-code monsterfest (does any picture of this era have more monsters?) starring the great actor/ham Charles Laughton and Bela Lugosi, the biggest cult horror star of all?

2) Man Made Monster
The model Universal "B" pic of the '40s. A solid plot, good cast (Lon Chaney, Jr. and Lionel Atwill) And a darned good monster. Scared the pants off me as an adolescent.

3) Night Monster
Haven't seen it, but it's got a good rep and a great cast, including Lugosi.

4-6) Captive Wild Woman/Jungle Woman/Jungle Captive
The only Universal Monster movie series yet to make it to DVD. Only the first one seems to be okay, but there are a lot of cult actors in the series, like Aquanetta (in the first two) and Rondo Hatton (in the third).

7) The Mad Ghoul
Universal's one and only zombie flick. Creepy, involving, and well played especially by Zucco as the villain. Only debit: the zombie actor is lacking.

8) The Monster and the Girl
A Paramount oddity. Social melodrama starts as a prostitution trial drama (heavily censored, but gets its message across), then turns into a monster movie when the brain of the heroine's brother winds up in a gorilla that stalks the men who abused her. I usually hate brain transplants and apes - they're hallmarkks of cheap horror - but this one pulls it off.

9) The Black Cat (1941)
No relation to the 1934 classic, this one's a haunted house type mystery with another good cast, including Lugosi.

10) Murders in the Zoo
I was going to make this "House of Horrors," but this Paramount thriller is a lot more fun. Lionel Atwill is a jealous husband who uses his menagerie of vicious beasts to eliminate anyone who eyes his wife. Too much comedy relief, but very pre-code brutal too.