Universal Classic Monsters are coming to 4K in October

Posted on August 3, 2021 by Justin Sluss

Amazon Commissions Earned

There will officially be a “Universal Classic Monsters: Icons of Horror Collection“ coming to 4K UHD Blu-ray on October 5th via Universal Studios Home Entertainment. This set comes just in time for Halloween. Four of the most iconic of the Universal Classic Monsters will be making their debut to 4K, with two celebrating their film’s 90th anniversaries and one celebrating its 80th anniversary. The films included in this set are as follows:

“Dracula” (1931) 90th Anniversary
“Frankenstein” (1931) 90th Anniversary
“The Invisible Man” (1933)
“The Wolf Man” (1941) 80th Anniversary

This set will come in a collectible boxed booklet form (as pictured below) with a page for each film in both the 4K and Blu-ray versions on each side.

Each of the four films will be presented in 2160p 4K resolution in the 1.33:1 (full frame) aspect ratio with HDR10 form of high dynamic range and (presumably Mono) DTS-HD Master Audio lossless sound mixes. This set will come in the form of a “combo pack” meaning that each film will get its Blu-ray Disc counterpart (in 1080p HD) and digital code (copies) of each will be included as well.

UPDATE: You can now find the 4K UHD Blu-ray set available for preorder over at Amazon.

The bonus materials here appear to include the identical extras found on the Blu-ray Disc releases of each film, as featured in the previous “Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection” Blu-ray set. Those can get rather lengthy, so I’ll be detailing them below, after the break, and also after the official announcement issued earlier today.

PRESS RELEASE:

UNIVERSAL CLASSIC MONSTERS

ICONS OF HORROR COLLECTION

CELEBRATE NINE DECADES OF YOUR FAVORITE MONSTERS ON 4K FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME IN COLLECTIBLE PACKAGING

AVAILABLE ON 4K, BLU-RAY™ AND DIGITAL ON OCTOBER 5, 2021

FROM UNIVERSAL PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT

SYNOPSIS: From the era of silent movies through present day, Universal Pictures has been regarded as the home of the monsters. Universal Classic Monsters Icons of Horror Collection showcases four of the most iconic monsters in motion picture history including Dracula, Frankenstein, The Invisible Man and The Wolf Man. Starring Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney Jr. and Claude Rains in the roles that they made famous, these original films set the standard for a new horror genre with revolutionary makeup, mood-altering cinematography and groundbreaking special effects.

CLASSIC MONSTER FILMS INCLUDED:

Dracula (90^th Anniversary)
Frankenstein (90^th Anniversary)
The Invisible Man
The Wolf Man (80^th Anniversary)

HOURS OF BONUS CONTENT, INCLUDING:

The Road to Dracula
The Frankenstein Files: How Hollywood Made a Monster
Karloff: The Gentle Monster
Monster by Moonlight
The Wolf Man: From Ancient Curse to Modern Myth
Now Your See Him: The Invisible Man Revealed

Universal Classic Monsters Icons of Horror Collection will be available on 4K, Blu-ray™ and Digital.

4K Ultra HD is the ultimate movie watching experience. 4K Ultra HD features the combination of 4K resolution for four times sharper picture than HD, the color brilliance of High Dynamic Range (HDR) with immersive audio delivering a multidimensional sound experience.
Blu-ray^™ unleashes the power of your HDTV and is the best way to watch movies at home, featuring 6X the picture resolution of DVD, exclusive extras and theater-quality surround sound.
Digital lets fans watch movies anywhere on their favorite devices. Users can instantly stream or download.
The Movies Anywhere Digital App simplifies and enhances the digital movie collection and viewing experience by allowing consumers to access their favorite digital movies in one place when purchased or redeemed through participating digital retailers. Consumers can also redeem digital copy codes found in eligible Blu-ray^TM and DVD disc packages from participating studios and stream or download them through Movies Anywhere. Movies Anywhere is available only in the United States.

DRACULA FILMMAKERS:

Actors: Bela Lugosi (Count Dracula), David Manners (John Harker), Edward Van Sloan (Prof. Abraham Van Helsing), Helen Chandler (Mina Harker), Dwight Frye (Renfield), Frances Dade (Lucy Weston)

Director: Tod Browning

Producer: Carl Laemmle, Jr., Tod Browning

Screenplay: Garrett Fort

Based on the Work(s) of: Bram Stoker, Hamilton Deane, John L. Balderston

FRANKENSTEIN FILMMAKERS:

Actors: Boris Karloff (The Monster), Colin Clive (Dr. Henry Frankenstein), John Boles (Victor Moritz), Mae Clarke (Elizabeth), Edward Van Sloan (Dr. Waldman), Dwight Frye (Fritz), Frederic Kerr (Baron Frankenstein)

Director: James Whale

Producer: Carl Laemmle, Jr.

Screenplay: Garrett Fort, Francis Edwards Faragoh

Based on the Work(s) of: Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, Peggy Webling, John L. Balderston

THE INVISIBLE MAN FILMMAKERS:

Actors: Claude Rains (Jack Griffin / The Invisible Man), Gloria Stuart (Flora Cranley), William Harrigan (Dr. Arthur Kemp), Dudley Digges (Chief Detective), Una O’Connor (Jenny Hall), Henry Travers (Dr. Cranley), Forrester Harvey (Herbert Hall)

Director: James Whale

Producer: Carl Laemmle, Jr.

Screenplay: R.C. Sherriff

Based on the Work(s) of: H.G. Wells

THE WOLF MAN FILMMAKERS:

Actors: Lon Chaney, Jr. (The Wolf Man / Larry Talbot), Bela Lugosi (Bela), Claude Rains (Sir John Talbot), Warren William (Dr. Lloyd), Ralph Bellamy (Col. Montford), Patric Knowles (Frank Andrews), Maria Ouspenskaya (Maleva), Evelyn Ankers (Gwen Conliffe)

Director: George Waggner

Producer: George Waggner

Screenplay: Curt Siodmak

Bonus Materials:

“Dracula” (1931) Bonus Materials:

Dracula (1931) Spanish Version with Introduction by Lupita Tovar Kohner
The Road to Dracula
Lugosi: The Dark Prince
Dracula: The Restoration
Monster Tracks
Dracula Archives
Alternate Score by Philip Glass performed by The Kronos Quartet
Feature Commentary by Film Historian David J. Skal
Feature Commentary by Steve Haberman, Screenwriter of Dracula: Dead and Loving It
Trailer Gallery

“Frankenstein” (1931) Bonus Materials: