Universal Horror classics
Here is a list of Universal classic horror films, prefaced by release date and current (9/19/10) IMDB rating. Source: Wikipedia.
1923 7.4 The Hunchback of Notre Dame
1925 7.7 The Phantom of the Opera
1927 7.3 The Cat and the Canary
1928 7.9 The Man Who Laughs
1929 7.3 The Last Warning
1929 6.8 The Last Performance
1930 7.0 The Cat Creeps
1931 7.7 Dracula
1931 7.0 Dracula (Spanish version)
1931 8.1 Frankenstein
1932 7.4 The Mummy
1932 6.3 Murders in the Rue Morgue
1932 7.4 The Old Dark House
1933 7.8 The Invisible Man
1934 7.3 The Black Cat
1935 7.0 The Raven
1935 6.4 Werewolf of London
1935 8.0 Bride of Frankenstein
1936 6.4 Dracula's Daughter
1936 6.6 The Invisible Ray
1939 7.1 Son of Frankenstein
1939 6.8 Tower of London
1940 6.3 Black Friday
1940 6.4 The Invisible Man Returns
1940 6.1 The Invisible Woman
1940 6.0 The Mummy's Hand
1941 7.4 The Wolf Man
1941 6.1 The Black Cat
1942 5.9 The Ghost of Frankenstein
1942 5.9 Invisible Agent
1942 5.3 The Mummy's Tomb
1943 6.4 Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man
1943 6.6 Phantom of the Opera
1943 6.1 Son of Dracula
1943 5.7 The Mad Ghoul
1944 5.3 The Climax
1944 6.0 House of Frankenstein
1944 5.4 The Invisible Man's Revenge
1944 5.3 The Mummy's Ghost
1944 5.3 The Mummy's Curse
1945 5.7 House of Dracula
1946 5.1 She-Wolf of London
1948 7.5 Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein
1951 6.7 Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man
1953 6.3 Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
1955 6.2 Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy
1954 6.9 Creature from the Black Lagoon
1955 5.0 Revenge of the Creature
1955 5.7 This Island Earth
1956 5.5 The Creature Walks Among Us
1956 4.0 The Mole People
What I notice about the IMDB ratings is a marked downward trend over time. The sequel films rarely have ratings comparable to the originals. The downward trend is interrupted by breakout successes in films in which Universal introduced a popular new character--such as in THE INVISIBLE MAN (1933), THE WOLF MAN (1941), or CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON (1954)--or a new concept, as in ABBOT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN (1948). The cream of the crop are FRANKENSTEIN (1931) and BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1935), which earn very impressive scores of 8.1 and 8.0. As a basis for comparison, 8.1 is the same score IMDB raters give to THE PRINCESS BRIDE (1987) and GOOD WILL HUNTING (1997). The average for the entire film series is 6.49, which compares favorably to the average for the FRIDAY THE 13TH series (4.98), the NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET series (5.54), and barely edges out the SAW series (at 6.45). The average rating of the first 26 films, from 1925-1940, is 7.06, while the average of the final 25 films is only 5.89 (still enough to beat Jason and Freddy, but now behind Jigsaw).
1923 7.4 The Hunchback of Notre Dame
1925 7.7 The Phantom of the Opera
1927 7.3 The Cat and the Canary
1928 7.9 The Man Who Laughs
1929 7.3 The Last Warning
1929 6.8 The Last Performance
1930 7.0 The Cat Creeps
1931 7.7 Dracula
1931 7.0 Dracula (Spanish version)
1931 8.1 Frankenstein
1932 7.4 The Mummy
1932 6.3 Murders in the Rue Morgue
1932 7.4 The Old Dark House
1933 7.8 The Invisible Man
1934 7.3 The Black Cat
1935 7.0 The Raven
1935 6.4 Werewolf of London
1935 8.0 Bride of Frankenstein
1936 6.4 Dracula's Daughter
1936 6.6 The Invisible Ray
1939 7.1 Son of Frankenstein
1939 6.8 Tower of London
1940 6.3 Black Friday
1940 6.4 The Invisible Man Returns
1940 6.1 The Invisible Woman
1940 6.0 The Mummy's Hand
1941 7.4 The Wolf Man
1941 6.1 The Black Cat
1942 5.9 The Ghost of Frankenstein
1942 5.9 Invisible Agent
1942 5.3 The Mummy's Tomb
1943 6.4 Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man
1943 6.6 Phantom of the Opera
1943 6.1 Son of Dracula
1943 5.7 The Mad Ghoul
1944 5.3 The Climax
1944 6.0 House of Frankenstein
1944 5.4 The Invisible Man's Revenge
1944 5.3 The Mummy's Ghost
1944 5.3 The Mummy's Curse
1945 5.7 House of Dracula
1946 5.1 She-Wolf of London
1948 7.5 Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein
1951 6.7 Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man
1953 6.3 Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
1955 6.2 Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy
1954 6.9 Creature from the Black Lagoon
1955 5.0 Revenge of the Creature
1955 5.7 This Island Earth
1956 5.5 The Creature Walks Among Us
1956 4.0 The Mole People
What I notice about the IMDB ratings is a marked downward trend over time. The sequel films rarely have ratings comparable to the originals. The downward trend is interrupted by breakout successes in films in which Universal introduced a popular new character--such as in THE INVISIBLE MAN (1933), THE WOLF MAN (1941), or CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON (1954)--or a new concept, as in ABBOT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN (1948). The cream of the crop are FRANKENSTEIN (1931) and BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1935), which earn very impressive scores of 8.1 and 8.0. As a basis for comparison, 8.1 is the same score IMDB raters give to THE PRINCESS BRIDE (1987) and GOOD WILL HUNTING (1997). The average for the entire film series is 6.49, which compares favorably to the average for the FRIDAY THE 13TH series (4.98), the NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET series (5.54), and barely edges out the SAW series (at 6.45). The average rating of the first 26 films, from 1925-1940, is 7.06, while the average of the final 25 films is only 5.89 (still enough to beat Jason and Freddy, but now behind Jigsaw).