We've discussed in the past how Universal's DRACULA is set in the modern day (instead of the turn-of-the century setting of Stoker's novel), most likely because the play adaptation is as well. A thirty year difference might not seem like much then, but it would have been nearly sixty when Hammer mounted their DRACULA. So, you're faced with setting it in the period of the novel, the period of the prior adaptation, or the modern day of the production. Since Hammer isn't bothering with the play, they go with a setting closer to the novel.

We've also discussed n the past how screwy the entire timeline seems in the Universal FRANKENSTEIN series. In Whale's original, some characters (John Boles, Mae Clarke) seem very current. (Don't they take a car to see Henry along with Waldemann at the beginning?). When we get to BRIDE, however, we've got the intro with Byron and the Shelleys - despite a subsequent story that has Henry communicating with the kidnapped Elizabeth by some sort of radio/telephone device. "Universal" time seems to be a very fluid concept.

Getting back to my original point, though - Hammer setting their horror films in period rather than modernizing them (even in some eccentric way) seems less a conscious apeing of HOUSE OF WAX than simply going with what's in the source material.

Last Edited By: grgstv338 Sep 1 08 12:37 PM. Edited 1 times.