Horror Checklist - 1931 - 1948 (1 Viewer)

[John Stell]

Taking a cue from Herb Kane's Noir list, I've listed all the Horror films released from 1931 - 1948 of which I am aware. I started with Phil Hardy's Horror Encyclopedia and then added titles as appropriate. In terms of Public Domain titles, I listed the company that appears to have the best version or the only currently available version. The titles that are available on DVD are in bold. The studio that released the DVD is also listed since film ownership has changed for several titles. If anyone thinks certain films should be added to the list please comment. I'll update the list as needed (e.g. with new announcements). Thanks for any comments.

Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948 - Universal) DVD – Universal
Amazing Mr. X (1948 - Eagle Lion Films) DVD - Image
Among the Living (1941 - Paramount)
Ape Man, The (1943 - Monogram) DVD – Alpha
Ape, The (1940 – Monogram) DVD – Roan Group/Troma (w/ British Intelligence)
Arsenic and Old Lace (1944 - Warner Bros.) DVD - Warners
Beast of Borneo (1934 - Far East Productions, Inc.)
Beast With Five Fingers, The (1946 - Warner Bros./First National)
Bedlam (1946 – RKO) DVD - Warners
Before Dawn (1933 – Warners)
Before I Hang (1940 – Columbia) DVD – Sony
Behind the Mask (1932 – Columbia)
Black Cat, The (1934 - Universal)DVD - Universal
Black Cat, The (1941 - Universal) Coming Soon!
Black Dragons (1942 – Monogram) DVD - Alpha
Black Friday (1939 - Universal Studios) DVD - Universal
Black Moon (1934 Columbia)
Black Room, The (1935 - Columbia) DVD – Sony
Bluebeard (1944 - PRC) DVD - Allday
Body Snatcher (1945 - RKO) DVD - Warner
Boogie Man Will Get You, The (1942 – Columbia) DVD – Sony
Bowery at Midnight (1942 – Monogram) DVD – Roan Group/Troma
Boys of the City (1940 - Monogram) DVD - Alpha
Bride of Frankenstein (1935 – Universal) DVD – Universal
Brute Man (1946 – PRC) DVD - Image
Calling Dr. Death (1943 - Universal) DVD 9-2006
Captive Wild Woman (1943 - Universal) Coming Soon!
Castle Sinister (1932 – Filmophone)
Cat and the Canary (1939 – Paramount)
Cat Creeps (1946 - Universal)
Cat People (1942 – RKO) DVD - Warners
Catman of Paris (1946 – Republic)
Chamber of Horrors (1940 - Monogram) DVD - Roan
Climax, The (1944 – Universal) DVD - Universal
Condemned to Live (1935 - Invincible) DVD - Alpha
Corpse Vanishes (1942 – Monogram) DVD – Roan Group/Troma (w/ The Devil Bat)
Creeper, The (1948 – Fox)
Crime of Dr. Crespi (1935 - Republic)
Crimes at the Dark House (1940 - George King Productions) DVD - Alpha
Crimes of Stephen Hawke (1936 - George King Productions) DVD - Mill Creek 100 Horror Classics Movie Pack
Cry of the Werewolf (1944 – Columbia)
Crying Woman, The (1933 – Mexico)
Curse of the Cat People (1944 – RKO) DVD - Warners
Curse of the Wraydons (1946 - Ambassador Film Productions Ltd)
Dante's Inferno (1935 Fox Film Corporation)
Daughter of the Dragon (1931 Paramount)
Day of Wrath (1943 - Palladium Productions) DVD – Criterion
Dead Man’s Eyes (1944 - Universal) DVD - Universal
Dead Men Walk (1942 - PRC) DVD – Roan Group/Troma (w/ Monster Maker)
Dead of Night (1945 - Ealing Studios) DVD – Anchor Bay
Dead Speak, The (1935 - Cinexport Distributing Co.)
Death from a Distance (1936 - Invincible) DVD - Alpha
Death Takes a Holiday (1934 - Paramount) DVD – Universal w/ Meet Joe Black OOP
Destiny (1944 - Universal)
Devil and Daniel Webster (1941 - William Dieterle Productions) DVD - Criterion
Devil Bat, The (1940 – PRC) DVD – Roan Group/Troma (w/ The Corpse Vanishes)
Devil Bat's Daughter (1946 - PRC) DVD - Image
Devil Commands, The (1941 – Columbia) DVD - Columbia
Devil Doll, The (1936 - MGM) DVD – Warner Bros.
Devil's Hand, The (1943 - Continental Films)
Devil’s Mask (1945 - Columbia)
Doctor X (1932 - Warner Bros./First National) DVD – Warner Bros.
Double Door (1934 Paramount)
Dr. Cyclops (1940 - Paramount) Coming Soon!
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (1931 – Paramount) DVD – Warner Bros double feature with 1941 version
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941 – MGM) DVD – Warner Bros double feature with 1931 version
Dr. Renault's Secret (1942 - Fox)
Dracula (1931 – Universal) DVD – Universal
Dracula (Spanish Version) (1931 – Universal) DVD - Universal
Dracula’s Daughter (1936 – Universal) DVD - Universal
Drums of Jeopardy (1931 - Tiffany Productions) DVD - Alpha
Drums O' Voodoo (1934 - Sack Amusement Enterprises)
Face At the Window (1939 - Pennant) DVD - Alpha
Face Behind the Mask (1941 – Columbia)
Face in the Fog, A (1936 - Victory) DVD - Alpha
Face of Marble (1946 – Monogram)
Faehrmann Maria (1936 – Germany)
Fantomas (1932 Les Établissements Braunberger-Richebé)
Fatal Night (1948 - Anglo Film)
Fingers at the Window (1942 MGM)
Flesh and Fantasy (1943 - Universal)
Flying Serpent, The (1946 – PRC) DVD - Image
Fog Island (1945 - PRC) DVD - Alpha
Frankenstein (1931 – Universal) DVD – Universal
Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943 – Universal) DVD – Universal
Freaks (1932 – MGM) DVD – Warner Bros
Frozen Ghost (1945 - Universal) DVD - Universal
Game of Death, A (1945 – RKO)
Genius at Work (1946 - RKO)
Ghost and the Guest (1943 – PRC) DVD - Alpha
Ghost Breakers, The (1940 – Paramount) DVD - Universal
Ghost Catchers (1944 – Universal)
Ghost Crazy (1944 – Monogram)
Ghost of Frankenstein (1942 – Universal) DVD – Universal
Ghost of Rashmon Hall, The (1947 - British Animated Films)
Ghost Ship (1943 – RKO) DVD – Warners
Ghost Train (1931 - Gainsborough Pictures)
Ghost Train (1941 - Gaumont British Picture Corporation Ltd.)
Ghost Walks, The (1934 - Invincible) DVD - Alpha
Ghosts on the Loose (1943 – Monogram) DVD – Roan Group/Troma
Ghoul, The (1933 - Gaumont) DVD - MGM
Gildersleeve's Ghost (1944 – RKO)
Girl Who Dared, The (1944 - Republic)
Gold (1934 Universum Film A.G.)
Golem, Le (1936 - Barrandov Film A-B)
Gorilla (1931 - Warner Bros)
Gorilla, The (1939 – Fox) DVD – Roan Group/Troma (w/ Nabonga)
Great Impersonation, The (1935 – Universal)
Greed of William Hart aka Horror Maniacs (1948 - Ambassador Film Distributors) DVD – Alpha
Green for Danger (1946 General Film Distributors Ltd.) DVD - Criterion
Halfway House (1943 Ealing Studios)
Hangover Square (1945 - Fox) Coming Soon!
Headless Woman (1943 – Mexico)
Hell-A-Vision (1936 - Roadshow Attractions, Inc.)
Hold That Ghost (1941 – Universal) DVD
Horror Island (1941 - Universal) Coming Soon!
Hound of the Baskervilles (1939 – Fox) DVD - MPI
Hound of the Baskervilles, The (1931 – Gaumont)
Hound of the Baskervilles, The (1936 – Germany)
House of Darkness (1948 - British Lion Film Corporation)
House of Dracula (1945 – Universal) DVD – Universal
House of Fear (1939 – Universal)
House of Frankenstein (1944 – Universal) DVD – Universal
House of Horrors (1946 - Universal)
House of Mystery (1934 - Monogram) DVD – Alpha
Human Monster, The (1939 - Argyle Productions/Pathe) DVD – Roan Group/Troma (w/ Mystery Liner)
Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939 – RKO) DVD – Warner Bros
I Love A Mystery (1945 – Columbia)
I Walked With A Zombie (1943 – RKO) DVD - Warners
Invisible Agent (1942 - Universal) DVD Universal
Invisible Ghost, The (1941 - Monogram) DVD – Roan Group/Troma
Invisible Man, The (1933 – Universal) DVD – Universal
Invisible Man Returns (1940 - Universal) DVD - Universal
Invisible Man's Revenge (1944 - Universal) DVD - Universal
Invisible Ray, The (1936 – Universal) DVD - Universal
Invisible Woman (1940 - Universal) DVD - Universal
Island of Doomed Men (1940 – Columbia)
Island of Lost Souls (1933 – Paramount)
Isle of the Dead (1945 – RKO) DVD - Warners
J'accuse! (1938 - Forrester-Parant Productions)
Jungle Captive (1945 - Universal)
Jungle Woman (1944 - Universal)
King Kong (1933 – RKO) DVD - Warners
King of the Zombies (1941 – Monogram) DVD – Roan Group/Troma (w/ Revolt of the Zombies)
Kongo (1932 – MGM)
Lady and the Monster, The (1944 - Republic)
Leopard Man, The (1943 – RKO) DVD - Warners
Life Returns (1935 - Universal) DVD – Alpha
Light in the House, A (1941 - Argentine)
Living Ghost aka Walking Nightmare (1942 - Monogram Pictures Corporation) DVD – Alpha
Lodger, The (1944 – Fox) Coming Soon!
Love, Death, and the Devil (1934 - German)
Love from a Stranger (1937 - United Artists) DVD - Alpha
M (1931 - Nero Film AG) DVD - Criterion
Macabre Legacy, The (1939 – Mexico)
Macabre Trunk, The (1936 – Mexico)
Mad Doctor (1940 Paramount)
Mad Doctor of Market Street (1942 – Universal)
Mad Genius, The (1931 - Warner Bros./First National)
Mad Ghoul (1943 – Universal)
Mad Love (1935 – MGM) DVD 10/3/06
Mad Monster (1942 – PRC) DVD – Retromedia OOP
Man in Half Moon Street (1944 – Paramount)
Man Made Monster (1941 - Universal) - Coming Soon!
Man They Could Not Hang, The (1939 – Columbia) DVD - Sony
Man Who Changed His Mind, The (1936 – Gaumont) DVD - Shanachie
Man Who Reclaimed His Head (1934 - Universal)
Man With Nine Lives, The (1940 – Columbia) DVD Sony
Maniac (1934 - Roadshow Attractions) DVD – Kino (w/ Narcotic)
Mark of the Vampire (1935 – MGM) DVD – Warner Bros.
Mask of Diijon (1946 – PRC) DVD - Image
Mask of Fu Manchu (1932 - MGM) DVD – Warner Bros.
Menace, The (1932 - Columbia)
Menace (1934 - Paramount)
Miracles for Sale (1939 - MGM)
Monkey's Paw (1933 - RKO)
Monster and the Girl, The (1941 – Paramount)
Monster Maker (1944 – PRC) DVD – Roan Group/Troma (w/ Dead Men Walk)
Monster Walks, The (1932 - Mayfair) DVD – Alpha
Most Dangerous Game, The (1932 – RKO) DVD - Criterion
Mummy, The (1932 – Universal) DVD – Universal
Mummy’s Boys (1936 – RKO)
Mummy’s Curse (1944 – Universal) DVD – Universal
Mummy’s Ghost (1944 – Universal) DVD – Universal
Mummy’s Hand (1940 – Universal) DVD – Universal
Mummy’s Tomb (1942 – Universal) DVD – Universal
Murder By Television (1935 - Cameo Pictures Corporation) DVD - Alpha
Murder by the Clock (1931 – Paramount)
Murder in the Red Barn (1935 - George King Productions) DVD - Alpha
Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932 – Universal) DVD - Universal
Murders in the Zoo (1933 – Paramount)
Mysterious Doctor, The (1943 - Warner Bros./First National)
Mysterious Mr. Wong (1934 - Monogram Pictures Corporation) DVD – Roan Group
Mystery Broadcast (1943 - Republic)
Mystery of Marie Roget (1942 - Universal)
Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933 - Warner Bros./First National) DVD – Warner Bros (w/ House of Wax)
Mystery of the White Face (1935 - Mexican)
Mystery Ranch (1932 Fox Film Corporation) DVD – Alpha
Night Has Eyes (1942 - PRC)
Night Key (1937 - Universal) DVD - Universal
Night Monster (1942 - Universal) Coming Soon!
Night Must Fall (1937 MGM)
Night of Terror (1933 – Columbia)
Ninth Guest (1934 Columbia)
Obeah (1935 - Arcturus Motion Pictures)
Old Dark House, The (1932 – Universal) DVD
Old Mother Riley's Ghosts (1941 - British National Films Ltd.)
One Body Too Many (1944 Paramount) DVD – Alpha
Ouanga (1935 - Terwilliger)
Passing Clouds (aka Spellbound) (1940 Pyramid Amalgamated)
Pearl of Death, The (1944 - Universal) DVD - MPI
Phantom of the Convent (1934 – Mexico)
Phantom of the Opera (1943 – Universal) DVD – Universal
Phantom Ship, The (1935 - Hammer) DVD - Image
Phantom Speaks, The (1945 – Republic)
Picture of Dorian Gray, The (1945 – MGM)
Pillow of Death (1945 – Universal) DVD 9/2006
Place of One's Own, A (1945 - Eagle-Lion Films Inc.)
Raven, The (1935 – Universal) DVD – Universal
Remember Last Night? (1935 Universal)
Return of Dr. X (1939 - Warner Bros./First National) DVD – Warner Bros.
Return of the Ape Man (1944 – Monogram)
Return of the Terror (1934 Warner Bros.)
Return of the Vampire (1943 – Columbia) DVD - Columbia
Revenge of the Zombies (1943 – Monogram)
Revolt of the Ghosts (1946 – Mexico)
Revolt of the Zombies (1936 - Halperin/Academy) DVD – Roan Group/Troma (w/ King of the Zombies)
Rogues Tavern, The (1936 - Mercury Pictures Corporation) DVD - Alpha
Scared to Death (1947 - Golden Gate Pictures) DVD – Alpha
Scarlet Claw, The (1944 - Universal) DVD – MPI
Secret of the Blue Room, The (1933 - Universal)
Secret of the Loch (1934 - Wyndham Films)
Seventh Victim (1943 – RKO) DVD - Warners
She Wolf of London (1946 – Universal) DVD – Universal
Shock (1946 – Fox) DVD – Fox
Sh! The Octopus (1937 - Warner Bros.)
Sign of Death (1939 - Mexican)
Smiling Ghost, The (1941 - Warner Bros./First National)
Song at Midnight (1937 - China)
Son of Dracula (1943 – Universal) DVD – Universal
Son of Frankenstein (1939 – Universal) DVD – Universal
Son of Ingagi (1940 - Hollywood Pictures Corporation) DVD - Alpha
Son of Kong (1933 – RKO) DVD – Warners
Soul of a Monster (1944 - Columbia)
The Sphinx (1933 - Monogram Pictures Corporation) DVD - Alpha
Spider Woman, The (1944 - Universal) DVD – MPI
Spider Woman Strikes Back (1946 – Universal)
Spiral Staircase (1946 – RKO) DVD – MGM(Anchor Bay OOP)
Spooks Run Wild (1941 – Monogram) DVD – Alpha
Strange Case of Dr. Rx (1942 – Universal)
Strange Confession (1945 – Universal)
Stranger on the Third Floor (1940 - RKO)
Strangler of the Swamp (1946 - PRC) DVD - Image
Student of Prague, The (1935 – Germany)
Superloco, El (1937 – Mexican)
Supernatural (1933 – Paramount)
Svengali (1931 - Warner Bros./First National) DVD – Alpha (Roan disc is OOP)
Sweeney Todd: Demon Barber of Fleet Street (1936 - George King Productions) DVD - Alpha
Tell-Tale Heart (1934 - DuWorld Pictures Inc.)
Terror, The (1938 - Associated British Picture Corporation) DVD – Alpha
Terror Aboard (1933 - Paramount)
Testament of Dr. Mabuse (1933 - Nero-Film AG) DVD – Criterion
Thark, Turkey Time (1932 - Herbert Wilcox Productions Ltd.)
They Drive by Night (1938 Teddington Studios)
Things Happen at Night (1947 - Alliance Film Studios)
Thirteen Women (1932 – RKO)
Torture Ship (1939 - Producers Pictures Corporation) DVD – Alpha
Tower of London (1939 – Universal) DVD Universal
Tower of the Seven Hunchbacks (1944 - Spain)
Two Monks (1934 – Mexico)
Uncle Silas (1947 - Two Cities Films Ltd.)
Undying Monster, The (1942 – Fox) Coming Soon!
Unholy Tales (1932 - Roto-G.P. Film)
Uninvited, The (1944 – Paramount)
Unknown, The (1946 – Columbia)
Valley of the Zombies (1946 – Republic)
The Vampire Bat (1933) DVD - Alpha
Vampire’s Ghost, The (1945 – Republic)
Vampyr (1931 - Germany) DVD - Image
Voodoo Man (1944 – Monogram)
Walking Dead, The (1936 - Warner Bros./First National)
Weird Woman (1944 – Universal) DVD – Universal
Werewolf of London (1935 – Universal) DVD – Universal
Whispering Ghosts (1942 - Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation)
White Zombie (1932 – United Artists) DVD - Roan
Witching Hour (1934 – Paramount)
Who Killed Doc Robbin? (1948 - Hal Roach Studios Inc.)
Wolf Man (1941 – Universal) DVD – Universal
Woman in Green, The (1945 - Universal) DVD – MPI
Woman Who Came Back (1945 – Republic) DVD - Image
You’ll Find Out (1940 – RKO)
Zombies on Broadway (1945 – RKO)

 

[John Stell]

Updated June 22, 2004 for Mummy and Invisible Man announcements.

 

[John Stell]

Updated June 22, 2004 for Mummy and Invisible Man announcements.

 

[John Stell]

Updated 7/8/05 for Val Lewton Collection, Bela Lugosi Collection, and a couple of Alpha releases.

 

[Domser]

Hi John,
I love 30s and 40s horror movies and collect them. I really like the list.
Are you about to update it? Meanwhile there have been many new releases, whilst others have gone out of print.

I also have the Phil Hardy book - which was my first horror movie "catalogue" followed by the Weaver books on Poverty Row and Universal.

These old movies have quite a following in the US but in europe you can only mailorder them from the states. I have built quite a collection - the diificulty is finding people to watch them with - most of my friends fall in to a coma after a couple of minutes...
Noone is used to the slow pace of the pictiures.

Hope you find the time to update.


yours, Dom

 

[Joe Lugoff]

Or so they say. Yet it mystifies me, because many modern pictures have scenes which are glacially slow -- much slower than anything you'll see in the 1930s and 1940s -- and no one seems to mind that.

I think the people you know just have the common prejudice against anything that's old and in black and white.

 

[Domser]

Sure, that is part of it. But compared to modern day horror they are very tame and built more on atmosphere or sometimes tacky monsters (which I enjoy)
I guess - you either love old monster movies or you do not - not much inbetween.
I grew up having seen Frankenstein etc. on TV, today they hardly show these movies (because b/w) so no more people grow up with Dracula and the Wolfman.

So I guess we are a dying breed...

 

[Domser]

Seems to me the following box sets available at the moment need updating:

Inner Sanctum (Universal)
Boris Karloff Collection (Universal)
Legends of Horror Collection (Warner)
Boris Karloff - Icons of Horror (Sony)
Revenge of the Zombies / Voodoo Woman (Orbit - Region 2 DVD)
Picture of Dorian Gray (Warner - Region 2 DVD Germany)
Horror Collection ( Bestbuy Oct. 2007)
The Cat and the Canary (1939) (Nostalgia Home Video)
The House of Fear (1945) (MPI Home Video)
Fox Horror Classics Collection (Fox - October 2007)
Bluebeard (1944) (Alpha Video)

 

[John Stell]

Dominique -

Thanks for the interest. As you can see from the lack of responses to the initial post there really didn't seem to be much interest in this so I just kinda forgot about it. However I posted it over at the Classic Horror Film Board and have been updating it there. I've just copied over the revised list which has a lot of new information.