I love watching the classic Universal horror movies. I'm ashamed to admit I didn't see all of them until recently but there is something so wonderful and pure about that era of horror. Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney, Claude Rains, etc. must all be celebrated for decades to come. Their work is truly extraordinary and unforgettable. In particular for this specific post, I have to single out Claude Rains. After seeing
The Invisible Man (1933) and
Phantom of the Opera (1943) almost back to back, you can't deny his brilliance, not that you can deny any of these gentlemen their remarkable achievements but I really enjoy Claude Rains's portrayal of both classic characters. I just hope such films and actors are not lost on future generations. Not long ago, I heard someone tell me their friend won't watch any films made before the year 2000. I can't believe that. I'm sure as that individual gets older, they will discover more and more movies from before their time (or at least I pray so) but still that statement shocks me. You'd be missing out on so many amazing films, and to think someone would consider the '80s too old is beyond depressing to me. If you have to label something "old" and I would much rather not, have the decency to go back to the 1920s when cinema was just beginning but even then you're ignoring almost all of the history of the world. Anyway, excuse my rant. I just love these films and hope others will always continue to embrace them. It'd be a dreary world without them.
