The Classic Sci-Fi Ultimate Collection: While I wouldn't exactly call it an "Ultimate Collection," I would say that it is a fairly decent set as far as a collection of lesser Universal horror movies can go. For this release, I will start the review and add entries as each movie is reviewed.

One peculiar thing to note is that this was a Best Buy exclusive. It seems strange to make a set like this exclusive but then, I suppose that these films are not what you'd call the greatest films ever made. They were made with a budget and use a hefty dose of stock footage and Henry Mancini composed stock music. Of course In my opinion one of the best features of these films was the use of Universal's talent in such B-stars as John Agar and Leo G. Carroll as well as others who would make their memorable marks on television like Hugh Beaumont, Hank Patterson and Raymond Baily. The plots are usually simple and most often feature a cool scientist or doctor, a cute girl, some old men and a monster. You can't really ask for much more in a film, can you?

Now, on to the movies!

Tarantula: Universal's forays into the giant bug genre may not have been the first, but they did produce some of the better ones. Tarantula is a story of a bug who got a hefty dose of a radioactive serum that was somehow meant to help the world's food supply. Of course it makes a big problem in the form of a giant spider which attacks the locals.

All in all, a decent B monster film.

By the way, if the leader of the jet squadron looks and sounds familiar, it's because it's a young Clint Eastwood before Rawhide made him a star.

The Mole People: Here's another classic film from Universal pictures that I have known about for years yet had only seen via its appearance on Mystery Science Theater. While the film technically "stars" John Agar he is dull and boring. Hugh Beaumont (TV's Ward Cleaver) is much more entertaining to watch, if only for all the Leave it to Beaver jokes you can make.

The Mole People is decent but nothing really all that great.

The Incredible Shrinking Man: See the Review I posted during my 31 Days of Film.

The Monolith Monsters: See the Review I posted during my 31 Days of Film.

Monster on the Campus: Wow! An ancient fish is found whose blood can somehow make man reverse the evolution process and become a monster. With all the phony science (evolution et. all) we get a guy in a rubber mask who kills, a giant puppet dragonfly and Troy Donahue! Total cheese that deserves to be forgotten.

Originally posted: 10/25. Updated: 10/29

Labels: Classics, sci-fi