Rant Review: World of Dracula 1,000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle (Laurence King, Art by Adam Simpson)

I started doing puzzles regularly again early last year, and it finally occurred to me to start reviewing them here. I've had my eye on this puzzle for some time now, and this past weekend turned out to finally be its time to emerge from its cardboard coffin and strut its stuff across my puzzle board. I really enjoyed this one! It was definitely on the easy side; the only somewhat challenging bits were the large expanse of gray near the bottom and the sky at the top. The art tells the entire story of Dracula as your gaze roams the puzzle. The included poster explains what is happening in each scene for those who haven't read the novel, or just need a refresher. (Though it did get the date wrong when referring to the Bela Lugosi film.) I really liked the texture of the pieces, the fit was good, and there was no dust! There were some false fits, but it was generally very easy to tell if two pieces didn't actually belong together. My only gripe is that some pieces were damaged slightly when separated, an unfortunate side effect of how snug the fit is. I just had to exercise a bit more care than usual when separating pieces. A very nice puzzling experience overall, and I will definitely be doing more puzzles from this series in the near future!

 

Happy Halloween!

Previously on this date: Dracula (1931) and The New Annotated Dracula!

I hope you've enjoyed all the classic horror goodness this past month! You can catch up on any of it you may have missed, this year or in years past, by clicking here. Today I'll be sharing a bunch of cool old posters and ads that, for one reason or another, have never been featured here before. Enjoy, and everyone have a fun and safe Halloween!

Frankenstein Friday: Boris Karloff's Frankenstein Monster through the decades

Previously on this date: The Masque of the Red Death and Blood-Curdling Bottles!

As with previous posts featuring Bela Lugosi's Dracula and Lon Chaney Jr's Wolf Man, today we'll be looking at the evolution of Karloff's Frankenstein Monster over the years.
Here is an early makeup test of the Monster that still shows up on licensed merchandise from time to time.

Here is the iconic Monster from the first Universal Frankenstein:

Bride of Frankenstein:

Son of Frankenstein:

Karloff donned the neck bolts for a charity baseball game alongside other celebrities in 1940:

Finally, he appeared as the Monster alongside Lon chaney Jr. and Peter Lorre in an episode of Route 66 in 1962:

Throwback Thursday: The Old Dark House

Previously on this date: Young Frankenstein and Monster Busts! (That refers to monster statues, not really big boobs. No false advertising here!)

Today I'll point you in the direction of my post about the delightful James Whale classic The Old Dark House. This is one of my favorite movies, and deserves to be held in the same esteem as all-time classics such as The Mummy and The Bride of Frankenstein. Go check it out!

Werewolf Wednesday: The Wolf Man Makeup Process

Previously on this date: Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror, Frankenstein, and Macabre Monster Nails!

Today we'll be looking at various photos of Lon Chaney Jr. enduring the long makeup process that transformed him into the Wolf Man again and again over the years, mostly at the hands of Jack Pierce. Enjoy!

Transylvania Tuesday: Bela Lugosi's Dracula through the decades

Previously on this date: Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein and The Simpsons' Treehouse of Horror!

Bela Lugosi is best known for portraying the vampire king in the 1931 film, but his career included many other performances as the character, spanning most of his life. Enjoy this collection of photos spanning Bela's decades as the immortal Count!

Here is a young Bela during his stage days, shortly before starring in Universal's film adaptation:

Here's a collection of photos from the 1931 classic:

MGM's Return of the Vampire wasn't technically a sequel to Dracula, but Bela's character is the Count in every way that matters:

Bela's Dracula got one last hurrah in 1948's Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein:

Lastly, here are photos from some of Bela's public appearances in full Dracula regalia in the 1950s, including one with Vampira!

Mummy Monday: Jack Pierce works his magic on Karloff

Previously on this date: Dracula (1979) and Skeleton Decorations!

Today, we'll be taking a look at these cool photos of makeup master Jack Pierce turning Boris Karloff into Imhotep the mummy in the 1932 classic. Enjoy!