According to Guinness World Records, the character most frequently portrayed in horror films is Dracula, with nearly 200 representations (at the present count). With Tod Browning's direction, Universal Studios produced a film version of Lugosi's 1927 Broadway stage success about a blood-sucking, menacing vampire named Dracula (1931), released early in the year. [Lon Chaney, Sr. was one of many actors considered to play the title character, but he died in 1930.] The atmospheric, commercially-successful film adaptation of Bram Stoker's novel played upon fears of sexuality, blood, and the nebulous period between life and death. The heavily-accented voice and acting of Hungarian actor Bela Lugosi in his most famous portrayal as the 500 year old vampire was elegant, suave, exotic and stylish - and frightening to early audiences - while the undead villain hypnotically charmed his victims with a predatory gaze.

Download The First of the Dracula Films

However, the pacifist mood began to change and the eventual US entry into the war in April of 1917 provided Hollywood with one of its greatest sources of plots - and profits. This was evidenced by the new hit song of the time, George M. Cohan's Over There (1917): "Johnny get your gun, get your gun, get your gun, Johnny, show the "Hun" you're a son-of-a-gun, Hoist the flag and let her fly, Yankee Doodle do or die." The propagandistic films served mostly as recruitment tools, and as emotional tirades against the enemy, distastefully suggesting that heroic American involvement would bring about victory, and serve as a crusade to 'make the world safe for democracy'. Americans were persuaded to buy 'liberty' war bonds, often by movie stars, to help finance the war.

Download World War I (The Great War) Era Films

War films were revived in the mid-1920s during peace-time. MGM's and King Vidor's The Big Parade (1925) was a new kind of war film, and the first to realistically portray the horrors of battle and the struggle for survival by three soldier-comrades (a bartender, a riveter, and a millionaire's son) in the trenches. It also told of a love affair between an American doughboy (John Gilbert) and a French peasant girl (Renee Adoree). The film was a spectacular success, and made more money than any other MGM film production up to its time. MGM wished to repeat the film's success with Tell It To the Marines (1926), with Lon Chaney as tough Marine sergeant, O'Hara (Chaney's own favorite role, a 'straight' one without makeup). Next to Garbo's Flesh and the Devil (1926), it was MGM's second most profitable film of the year.

Download A Revival of War Films in the Mid-1920s

Young Frankenstein (1974) is one of writer-producer- director Mel Brooks' best films - a nostalgic, hilarious spoof-tribute to classic horror films (with its authentic black and white cinematography and production design/set decoration), and in particular, of Mary Shelley's classic novel. This was his follow-up film to his westerns spoof (Blazing Saddles (1974)). Later, co-writer and actor Wilder attempted his own Old Dark House genre spoof, Haunted Honeymoon (1986).

Although the film had two Academy Awards nominations (that didn't win), Best Adapted Screenplay (for Mel Brooks and star Gene Wilder) and Best Sound, two deserving cast members, Gene Wilder and Madeline Kahn, were un-nominated, as was the wonderfully crisp black-and-white cinematography by Gerald Hirschfeld. The film ranges from slapstick and farce to dirty, bawdy humor to irreverent satire.

Download Young Frankenstein (1974)

To compete with Charlie Chan, another Far-Eastern sleuth - of Japanese descent, derived from the I.A. Moto character in Pulitzer Prize-winning John P. Marquand's novels (which first appeared as Saturday Evening Post serials), was developed by 20th Century Fox, and named Mr. Moto. Hungarian-born German actor Peter Lorre (in his 7th American film role) starred in the title role as the enigmatic, quiet, self-effacing, unobtrusive, spectacle-wearing and brilliant detective in the eight-film series (produced in less than three years from 1937-1939):

Download Foreign Sleuth: Mr. Moto

the mid-1930s, three honored Warner Bros. historical/biographical films (all by director William Dieterle) starred Paul Muni - the archetypal portrayer of "Great Men" in engrossing character studies:
The Story of Louis Pasteur (1936) about the famous French scientist who attempted to find a cure for anthrax and hydrophobia, with Muni honored as Best Actor
the fictionalized Best Picture-winning The Life of Emile Zola (1937) about the famous French writer and court defender
Juarez (1939) with Muni as Mexican President Benito Pablo Juarez opposite Bette Davis as Empress Carlotta von Habsburg

Download Paul Muni as "Great Men" in Warner Bros. Prestige Pictures in the 30s

Harold Lloyd, a popular silent clown, has been dubbed the 'third' genius or master of silent comedy - after Chaplin and Keaton. [An actor/producer, he actually outgrossed his better-known counterparts, by retaining ownership of his films and their profits.] Like them, Lloyd also spent some time in the early years with Mack Sennett, became known for realistic, daredevil stunts, and for his bespectacled, neat, innocent, noble-hearted, 'average Joe' characters. From 1915-1921, he produced a number of short films for Keystone and for major comedy producer Hal Roach, playing the character of Willie Work (debuting in his first starring film Just Nuts (1915) as a Chaplin-like character) and Lonesome Luke (first appearing in Lonesome Luke, Social Gangster (1915)).

Download Harold Lloyd

Cast:

Bruce Willis, William Sadler, John Amos, Dennis Franz, Fred Dalton Thomas, Art Evans, Bonnie Bedelia, William Atherton


Download Die Hard 2

A visual effects artist who worked on several Dreamworks films like "Shrek" faces more than 4 years in prison -- after he was accused of beating his neighbor's puppy to death ... with a hammer.


Download Dreamworks Movie Artist Charged in Fatal Dog Beating

With much of its female cast already in place, Cameron Diaz, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Brooklyn Decker, Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson and Jennifer Lopez, director Kirk Jones continued to complete his male leads for What To Expect When You're Expecting, the star-studded adaptation of the popular pregnancy guidebook series from Lionsgate and Phoenix Pictures.

Download Dennis Quaid Joins WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU'RE EXPECTING!