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Rating:  - The ultimate "B" movie set
Although I bought both these sets at Best Buy when they were released, I'm delighted that folks who may have missed out on them can now own these great films on DVD.
To be honest, only a couple of the films might be considered bona-fide sci-fi classics, which occasionally rise above the limitations of typcial fifties "B" movie material. THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN is one the most thought-provoking and existential films from the period. And THE MONOLITH MONSTERS rises above its low budget with some simple yet impressive effects, and better-than-average performances.
TARANTULA and THE DEADLY MANTIS are entertaining parts of the wave of Giant Killer Bug movies that ruled the screens in the 1950's. MANTIS sports one of the more ridiculously memorable critters of the era. CULT OF THE COBRA and THE LAND UNKNOWN incorporate the then-popular sub-genre of "jungle thrills" into their scripts.
The real oddity of this collection is DR. CYLCOPS. It's the only film here made in color, and was actually made in the forties. But the miniaturization effects are first-rate, and are every bit on-par with those of SHRINKING MAN, made some 15 years later.
Rounding out the collection are THE MOLE PEOPLE, THE LEECH WOMAN, and MONSTER ON THE CAMPUS. . .all fine examples of drive-in shocks on a limited budget. I personally find these three to be the least of the bunch, but there's really not a bad film in the whole collection.
The only extras here are theatrical trailers for most of the films, leading to my only minor complaint: The trailer for SHRINKING MAN is not the famous one narrated by Orson Wells, but a short teaser which really reveals nothing of the film itself. I've seen the Wells trailer on t.v. many times over the years, so I would think Universal could have gotten their hands on it. But like I said, it's a minor quibble from an admitted Serious Sci-Fi Geek.
And hey, even if you're NOT a Serious Sci-Fi Geek, this impressive set may just convert you.
Rating: - Classic UNIVERSAL Golden-Age SCI-FI Collection .... THE BEST!!!
I am glad this great DVD collection is being repackaged (BOTH previous Sets into ONE superb collectible set!) for those who were not able to have purchased these 2 volumes the first time around as BEST BUY exclusives! I already own the 2 original volumes, so I won't be purchasing this newly packaged set ~ but those who missed out the first time had better grab this little gem ... ASAP! I am not going to offer any reviews of this new product, because it has been well-documented below from many AMAZON customers (GREAT reviews!). If you love those great 50's SCI-FI films, then this is a DVD set you CANNOT BE WITHOUT! There's not a bad one in the bunch!! As with most UNIVERSAL films, these tranfers are extremely clean and will look wonderful on any size screen! Although UNIVERSAL chose not to include any extras (not even one trailer), I am more than satisfied to own all the films in this superb collection! I hope that UNIVERSAL will select another batch of their classic SCI-FI & HORROR treasures for a "VOLUME 3" in this series (hopefully for 2008). Here are some great UNIVERSAL films (and PARAMOUNT licensed films) which I would like to see in any forthcoming series: ISLAND OF LOST SOULS, ISLAND OF TERROR, SPIDER WOMAN STRIKES BACK, THE UNINVITED, CRACK IN THE WORLD, SPACE CHILDREN,
HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES, MURDERS AT THE ZOO ... to name only a few.
NOW ~ we can only hope that the spark of these new SCI-FI & HORROR DVD revivals will ignite renewed interest for further volumes from other companies like COLUMBIA (SAM KATZMAN'S 'ICONS OF HORROR'), FOX HORROR CLASSICS collections, WARNER BROTHERS ('CULT CAMP CLASSICS'), MGM'S MIDNITE MOVIE series, SONY (forgotten Japanese remastered letterboxed classics like: RODAN, BATTLE IN OUTER SPACE, GORATH, THE H-MAN ... etc). Well, you get the idea. Spread the word, buy the DVDs, pop some corn, sit back in your recliner, tune in your mind to those thrilling days of 'yesteryear' ... and enjoy the Hell outta life! Oh, and it's your choice ~ beer or soda.
Rating: - Monolith Monsters - Watch out for the `bad geology'
The Sci-Fi Ultimate Collection is worth it for just the 'Monolith Monsters" alone. Together, the collection is a gold mine in sci-fi.
My 12-year son and I first saw "Monolith Monsters" (on VHS) with 15 other geologists as evening en-tertainment in a makeshift trailer-theater at the University of California's White Mountain Research Station in Bishop, California. We watched the movie in utter amusement as characters Dave Miller (government geologist), Professor Arthur Flanders and others in the cast spouted one nonsensical aphorism after another, in their attempt to explain the formation of the monoliths and the possible ways of stopping their growth. The movie is one of the best examples of "Bad Geology" that I had seen. Even my son pointed out the errors of the movie's finer statements: 1) looking at a piece of Obsidian (a black glassy rock composed of silicon dioxide) that every school kid recognizes, Dave Miller says "Looks like stone to me" - duh; 2) theorizing that water makes the rocks grow, the townsfolks decide to flood the monoliths with salt and water. But Obsidian (silicon dioxide) is inert to both salt and water!
Without getting into other specifics of the movie's bad geology, it is clear any halfway intelligent middle school student would have identified the rock. And yet despite some of the funky statements, "Monolith Monsters" remains a wholly enjoyable `B' movie. It is `Camp' entertainment for scientists, especially geologists, and is a period piece of Bad Geology - a good movie to watch with colleagues over a beer while making childish insidious remarks. This is high entertainment. If you like the TV program "Mystery Science Theater 3000", you'll love this movie. It is great that the movie is now out in DVD.
Rating:  - shame on universal movies
For get best Buy. Shame on universal for being so cheesey with all the great cheese. I love all the movies they put out,some of the best.But why do they have to make you work for buying them.I got the first set reasonbly priced,then found out about the second set by chance. Been waiting for the deadly mantis for ever and then they put it out in a volume set when it should be by itself just like the incredible shrinking man.I got the second set on EBAY for alot less than what Best Buy was selling it for.WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO ALREADY BOUGHT THE FIRST SET? Now you want to sock it to them for both.Maybe they should pay more attention to what people want,enough with the upteen editions of the great universal monster flicks.Start getting some of the other great movies out.As for the second volume its great,never saw DR.CYCLOPS but I loved it great movie. And the others for speak for themselfs,All great classic CHEESE,better than anything put out today.
Rating: - Nothing more needs to be said....
Nothing more needs to be said about this 2 set DVD. Most all of them I would buy single, but to get a collection like this is nothing short of great. If you were into SF in the 50's or looking back at some earlier movies, these are the best that have been releasted. This set is a MUST HAVE SET. Shame on Bestbuy's for raising the price price. I'm done with them for DVD's.
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