The Wolf Man - The Legacy Collection (The Wolf Man / Werewolf of London / Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man / She-Wolf of London)

The Wolf Man is a horror classic and it gets the Legacy treatment by including three other horror oldies, one of which interestingly predates the Wolf Man.
I can see that I am not the only reviewer that recieved a scratched disc so perhaps this is a good place to recommend the buyer beware a bit for shipping of this product. I wasn't that concerned because in my case it was disc 2 that was scratched and the main feature, The Wolf Man was fine. (I can live without watching the mom from Lassie and Lost in Space in She-Wolf of London I guess).
These Legacy Collections include the sequels, but honestly most of the sequels to the classic monster movies aren't that great. The Wolf Man is the main attraction and it is a very good classic monster movie, inspiring many imitators (of which Cat People is very notable and a classic in its own right. It is not a Universal film and hence not in this package).
Now let me take a moment to explain my opinion on these old horror movies. The ones made in the thirties (the original Dracula and Frankenstein) are regarded as classics as well but I always found them a bit disappointing. They were made in that awkward phase when "talkies" were still being perfected and their audio and staging are pretty lame in my opinion. Plus you have people in 1930s fashions and 1930s character types in what ought to be victorian era gothic tales, not to mention hokey touches like rubber bats on strings and cobwebs everywhere. German expressionism mixed with the unmistakable 1930s atmosphere just didn't work for me.
The Wolf Man, happily, was made in 1941. And 40s cinema has a polish and skill that I admire compared to the 30s (no rubber bats on strings in The Wolf Man). Plus the Wolf Man doesn't even pretend to be based on a classic of gothic literature, so I'm okay with it. Such is my prejudice against Dracula and Frankenstein.
I like the way Lon Cheney Jr. starts out as a very confident man who is good mechanically and not very shy when it comes to hitting on the girl. As he has to contend with things beyond his understanding (or control) it makes him even more sympathetic to see him break down and appeal to his father (the always excellent Claude Rains) for help.
The music, acting, and staging are all very good.
I would have to say that next to Creature from the Black Lagoon, it is my favorite of the Universal Horror films I have seen so far.

George Waggner's hirsute chiller mounts a tragic tale of fate, obsession, and man's baser instincts--and features one of the most startling transformations ever concocted for film. The younger Chaney had avoided monster roles for years, but created his most memorable screen persona when he finally donned a snout and yak hair. With makeup genius Jack Pierce and a cast of top-notch talent on hand--including Bela Lugosi, Evelyn Ankers, and Ralph Bellamy--the Universal team created an iconic picture that has inspired countless re-visionings. But avoid the sequels: the original "Wolf Man" is the only version worth feasting on.

Wonderful classic featuring Lon Chaney Jr and Bela Lugosi. Chaney's sympathetic performance as the doomed Lawrence Talbot is one of the most recognized performances in the horror industry's genre.

Every family would do well to add this group of movies to their own collection, especially if you are a fan of Lon Chaney. The acting and special effects of this period are very well-done, even by today's standards...

Truly a wonderful package set of horror with "The Wolf Man" as Lon Chaney Jr. at his best and a true classic movie that will be remember for ages to come. Get this set for not only for "The Wolf Man" movie, but, for the other movies that come with it as well, which, are truly hard to find by them self...highly recommended!!