Favorite Universal Icon

rhett · 10-18-2009, 07:22 PM

There have been eras of horror icons before, with Jason, Michael and Freddy in the eighties, and Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing in the fifties and sixties, but no era created more bona fide horror stars than Universal's monster era. With the recent release of KARLOFF & LUGOSI HORROR CLASSICS, it's time to pick your favorite icon from the bygone era.

eric_angelus · 10-18-2009, 07:45 PM

I am enjoying the Frankenstein Legacy Collection on this cold crappy fall day...so I gotta go with Karloff.

Harry Warden · 10-18-2009, 08:42 PM

Karloff - he was the best!!

Copyboy · 10-18-2009, 08:56 PM

God, I feel like such a Judas. I LOVE Karloff in everything from FRANKENSTEIN to MAD MONSTER PARTY? but this time around I went with Lon Chaney, Jr. Karloff may have been the best, but Chaney was the master at playing the tragic sad sack. Everytime this poor guy is on screen, I feel like he needs a big hug.

satans-sadists · 10-18-2009, 09:27 PM

Much as I enjoy Lugosi and Chaney Jr, my favorite is Boris Karloff. He had the most range as an actor from Frankenstein and The Mummy to his mad scientist pictures to Val Lewton productions (especially The Body Snatcher) to The Grinch to final films like Targets.

KamuiX · 10-18-2009, 10:48 PM

Shit! I meant to pick Karloff but somehow hit Lugosi. Whatever, it's not like that's a TERRIBLE choice, but Karloff is without question the best Universal horror icon, and one of the best character actors ever.

old-boo-radley · 10-18-2009, 11:12 PM

I voted Bela.

I wish Lugosi could have lived to see the major gothic revival of the sixties. Maybe he could have appeared in a bunch of movies with guys like Lee, Karloff, Cushing, Price, etc... for Hammer, Amicus or AIP. He'd have been really, really old, but it never stopped Karloff.

Workshed · 10-19-2009, 12:01 AM

Always

indrid13 · 10-19-2009, 12:04 AM

Lugosi..love his charisma.

Nailwraps · 10-19-2009, 12:13 AM

Boris Karloff, hands down!

othervoice1 · 10-19-2009, 12:31 AM

I went Lon Chaney Jr because of all the Universal monster movies the Wolfman was always my favorite and I really liked him in the part. IMO they are all great though.

DrHerbertWest · 10-19-2009, 04:41 AM

Bela is the greatest of all time for me. I really like Karloff and Chaney Jr but c'mon... DRACULA!

Erick H. · 10-19-2009, 05:29 AM

That's really a tough call.I'll go with Karloff but largely because he had a much wider range of roles than his contemporaries. Lugosi was typed as either a Dracula like character or mad scientist.Chaney Sr. was amazing but most of his films were really creepy melodramas,only a handful were true horror pics.Chaney Jr.was very endearing but was stuck in the era where Universal was largely making sequels,building on originals that Lon wasn't around for.Lanchester was iconic but her horror identification was more of a sidebar to her career as a great character actress.Raines was one of the greatest character actors EVER,but like Lanchester,horror was just a sidebar to his great career.Chapman (and Ricou Browning) made a great impression as the Gill Man (who gets my vote as Universal's coolest looking monster) but outside of the series he's not widely known for horror genre work.
Karloff had a great range,cast a great presence and was a class act.He had the good fortune to have been cast in a wider range of roles than Universal's other icons and he ran with it.Every actor on this list is worthy of high praise but Karloff is (I think) the most representative of the glory days of Universal Studios.

Anthropophagus · 10-19-2009, 05:32 AM

Karloff, with Chaney Jr. as a close second.

fattyjoe37 · 10-19-2009, 05:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by othervoice1

I went Lon Chaney Jr because of all the Universal monster movies the Wolfman was always my favorite and I really liked him in the part. IMO they are all great though.

Agree 100%

View Poll Results: Which is your favorite Universal horror icon?
Boris Karloff	39	52.70%
Bela Lugosi	19	25.68%
Lon Chaney	1	1.35%
Lon Chaney, Jr.	12	16.22%
Elsa Lanchester	0	0%
Claude Rains	2	2.70%
Ben Chapman	1	1.35%
Voters: 74. You may not vote on this poll

10-18-2009, 07:22 PM	#1
rhett Moderator Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Canada Posts: 8,875	Favorite Universal Icon There have been eras of horror icons before, with Jason, Michael and Freddy in the eighties, and Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing in the fifties and sixties, but no era created more bona fide horror stars than Universal's monster era. With the recent release of KARLOFF & LUGOSI HORROR CLASSICS, it's time to pick your favorite icon from the bygone era. __________________ "It's a good scream...it's a good scream..."

10-18-2009, 07:45 PM	#2
eric_angelus Testacular Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Framingham, MA Posts: 1,907	I am enjoying the Frankenstein Legacy Collection on this cold crappy fall day...so I gotta go with Karloff. __________________ "You gotta be quick...you gotta be quick with me...I'm from Erie, PA!" On Facebook The reason I'm in debt

10-18-2009, 10:48 PM	#6
KamuiX The Eighth Samurai Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 1,948	Shit! I meant to pick Karloff but somehow hit Lugosi. Whatever, it's not like that's a TERRIBLE choice, but Karloff is without question the best Universal horror icon, and one of the best character actors ever. __________________ Please visit my site...It's the future! Wii Friend Code: 8897-8584-2714-5768 // XBL & PS3 GamerTag: KamuiXZero

10-18-2009, 11:12 PM	#7
old-boo-radley They stay the same age... Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Saskatchewan Posts: 1,742	I voted Bela. I wish Lugosi could have lived to see the major gothic revival of the sixties. Maybe he could have appeared in a bunch of movies with guys like Lee, Karloff, Cushing, Price, etc... for Hammer, Amicus or AIP. He'd have been really, really old, but it never stopped Karloff. __________________ Oh, the Horror! Reviews - Theatrical, DVD and VHS horror reviews, interviews and lists! Now on Twitter! MoviesinaMinute.com - Concise, efficient film reviews spanning all genres for casual fans and aficionados alike. B.A.L.L.S. Academy - Your Alma mater for teen films, raunchy, low-brow comedies, sexploitation & coming of age dramas.

10-18-2009, 08:42 PM	#3
Harry Warden HackMaster Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Hermitage, Pennsylvania Posts: 1,277	Karloff - he was the best!!

10-18-2009, 08:56 PM	#4
Copyboy Maniac Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 896	God, I feel like such a Judas. I LOVE Karloff in everything from FRANKENSTEIN to MAD MONSTER PARTY? but this time around I went with Lon Chaney, Jr. Karloff may have been the best, but Chaney was the master at playing the tragic sad sack. Everytime this poor guy is on screen, I feel like he needs a big hug.

10-18-2009, 09:27 PM	#5
satans-sadists Humanitarian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 4,867	Much as I enjoy Lugosi and Chaney Jr, my favorite is Boris Karloff. He had the most range as an actor from Frankenstein and The Mummy to his mad scientist pictures to Val Lewton productions (especially The Body Snatcher) to The Grinch to final films like Targets.

10-19-2009, 12:01 AM	#8
Workshed Hear Our Satan Prayer Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Seattle Posts: 6,719	Always __________________ *Films watched in: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013

10-19-2009, 12:04 AM	#9
indrid13 Stalker Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: New York Posts: 428	Lugosi..love his charisma. __________________ "CATS OR DEATH!" My Blog My DVDs My other Blog

10-19-2009, 12:13 AM	#10
Nailwraps HackMaster Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 1,838	Boris Karloff, hands down!

10-19-2009, 12:31 AM	#11
othervoice1 HackMaster Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Indiana Posts: 3,386	I went Lon Chaney Jr because of all the Universal monster movies the Wolfman was always my favorite and I really liked him in the part. IMO they are all great though. __________________ 'Passion is the source of our finest moments. The joy of love... the clarity of hatred... and the ecstasy of grief.' Angel Passion

10-19-2009, 04:41 AM	#12
DrHerbertWest For Your Health Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Washington Posts: 4,007	Bela is the greatest of all time for me. I really like Karloff and Chaney Jr but c'mon... DRACULA! __________________ "Send more paramedics."

10-19-2009, 05:29 AM	#13
Erick H. HackMaster Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 7,438	That's really a tough call.I'll go with Karloff but largely because he had a much wider range of roles than his contemporaries. Lugosi was typed as either a Dracula like character or mad scientist.Chaney Sr. was amazing but most of his films were really creepy melodramas,only a handful were true horror pics.Chaney Jr.was very endearing but was stuck in the era where Universal was largely making sequels,building on originals that Lon wasn't around for.Lanchester was iconic but her horror identification was more of a sidebar to her career as a great character actress.Raines was one of the greatest character actors EVER,but like Lanchester,horror was just a sidebar to his great career.Chapman (and Ricou Browning) made a great impression as the Gill Man (who gets my vote as Universal's coolest looking monster) but outside of the series he's not widely known for horror genre work. Karloff had a great range,cast a great presence and was a class act.He had the good fortune to have been cast in a wider range of roles than Universal's other icons and he ran with it.Every actor on this list is worthy of high praise but Karloff is (I think) the most representative of the glory days of Universal Studios. Last edited by Erick H.; 10-19-2009 at 05:38 AM.

10-19-2009, 05:32 AM	#14
Anthropophagus Anthrosnuphalufugus Dad Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 3,224	Karloff, with Chaney Jr. as a close second.

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