The Definitive Monster Hunter
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Edward Van Sloan
pitcairn89 — 14 years ago(January 02, 2012 08:33 AM)
I'm surprised that there aren't more postings for Edward Van Sloan. He was an excellent actor, who played three iconic figures in early horror movies. His Dr. Van Helsing in "Dracula" and "Dracula's Daughter," Dr. Waldman in "Frankenstein," and Dr. Muller in "The Mummy" are the definitive monster hunters. He had the right air of authority and gravitas for such roles, and he gave them all he had. He was a little scary himself, in "Dracula," and was a good match for the evil count. I love the scene where he and Dracula are alone in the room at Dr. Seward's sanitarium, and the count tries to dominate Van Helsing's will. "Van Helsing! Come here!" Van Helsing staggers, and almost gives in, but is finally able to command himself, and fight off the count's indomitable will. I think that role is my favorite of his horror doctors. He's good in "Frankenstein" and "The Mummy" as well, but is more of a standard character in those films. His battle of wills with Imhotep is reminiscent of his duels with Dracula, and is also very effective. Anyway, he was good, and is loved by all us horror movie fans.
He was good in other films, too. And not always as a good guy. He was the master criminal, and very nasty, in "Behind the Mask," in 1932 (also starring Karloff), and was a baddie in a few other movies, too. He also appeared in "The Death Kiss," with his "Dracula" alum Lugosi and Manners. You see him in all sorts of other movies throughout the '30s, and many in the '40s as well. "The Last Days of Pompeii," "The Scarlet Empress," "Manhattan Melodrama," "The Black Room," "The Story of Louis Pasteur," "Souls at Sea," "Mission to Moscow," many others. He had such a distinctive voice, that sometimes you hear him in some movie, and you think it must be him. It's hard to mistake that voice and manner. His film appearances tapered off in the '40s, and he went on to other things. But for that 15 years or so that he worked in Hollywood, he sure was good. It's hard to imagine Universal horrors without Van Sloan, Dwight Frye, Una O'Connor, Michael Mark, Lionel Atwill, David Manners, and so many others. Karloff and Lugosi may have been the stars, but actors like Van Sloan added so much as well.