Across the Universe: Sci-fi and horror on Blu-ray

By Don Kaye
Special to MSN Movies

Almost every year since its inception, the Blu-ray home viewing format has brought us amazing re-releases of classic genre films and deluxe box sets serving as complete statements on the films or series contained within. 2012 had its share of such bounty, and here is a quick roundup of some of the most essential and rewatchable ones available.

Bing: More on 'Universal Classic Monsters' | More on Blu-ray

The single most important release of the year is the Universal Classic Monsters Essential Collection, which brought landmarks like "Frankenstein" (1931), "Dracula" (1931), "The Mummy" (1932), "The Invisible Man" (1933) and five others to high-definition disc for the first time. Packed with plenty of bonus features (most ported over from previous DVD sets) and giving new life to many of the titles with superb restorations (you also get the option to watch "Creature From the Black Lagoon" in 3-D if you have the gear), this is a must-have for not just horror fans but anyone with an interest in cinema. There were horror films before these, but the modern horror genre started right here, in this box.

Two of Steven Spielberg's greatest films found their way to Blu-ray this year. "Jaws" was given a pristine new transfer that looked as fresh as if it were shot yesterday, and the film has not lost an iota of its urgency and suspense. "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial" was a different ballgame altogether, its sweetness, poignancy and humanity not dated at all. Like "Jaws," "E.T." looked dynamite on hi-def disc, and the wealth of bonus features made this a definitive archival release.

The one good thing about the release of Tim Burton's dreadful "Dark Shadows" redux earlier this year was that it helped unleash a bounty of material related to the original ABC Gothic soap itself. First and foremost was a coffin-shaped box set containing every single episode of the show (more than 1,200 of them) on 131 DVDs, along with a truckload of bonus features, a deluxe booklet containing an episode guide and more. But on the Blu-ray front, fans finally saw the release they had been clamoring for: hi-def editions of the two movie spin-offs, "House of Dark Shadows" (1970) and "Night of Dark Shadows" (1971). Sadly the long-rumored longer cut of the latter film remains unavailable, but these are still long-overdue reissues.

In addition to some of the fantastic DVD reissues you can find via the on-demand Warner Archive collection, Warner Home Video itself has done some sterling Blu-ray reissues this year of key late '70s/early '80s titles. "Altered States" (1980) was an early starring vehicle for William Hurt as well as a mind-bending tale of sensory deprivation and human evolution, while "Outland" (1981) put Sean Connery on a space mining colony in a loose, gritty remake of "High Noon." "Coma" was a Michael Crichton-directed tale of black market organ harvesting, while "Brainstorm" was best described as an interesting failure from effects master-turned-direct​or Douglas Trumbull.

Perhaps the single best sci-fi restoration -- and a badly needed one -- was the revival of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" on Blu-ray. Previous releases, even on DVD, had presented the series in the soft, dull tones of an over-the-air TV broadcast. The Blu-ray debut of the first two seasons (with more to come) has been nothing less than a revelation: It's like a shroud has been lifted off the series, giving each episode the color, sharpness and life it has so sorely missed. We've always had a complicated relationship with the show, but these Blu-rays have helped us thoroughly enjoy them again.

The Japanese cult classic "Battle Royale" (2000), widely regarded as the precursor to "The Hunger Games," was officially issued in the U.S. -- on Blu-ray -- after years as a "gray market" DVD. The archival set was a definitive edition of a film that earned its controversial status and still has the power to shock many years later. It's also a film that has been widely misinterpreted, thanks to its subtle yet deep references to Japanese culture, society and politics that may still be beyond viewers in other countries.

Finally, Criterion has done its usual sensational job bringing out excellent archival editions of key genre releases. Not only did it deliver a knockout restoration of the original "Godzilla" (1954), but also gave us a beautiful edition of "Following" (1999), the eerie first film from Christopher Nolan. But the oddest Criterion release was the DVD-only set "When Horror Came to Shochiku," a four-disc package featuring four late '60s horror/sci-fi outings from Japan's Shochiku studio, previously known more for its art-house leanings. All four films have their charms, with "Goke, Body Snatcher From Hell" (1968) and "The Living Skeleton" providing real chills, while "The X From Outer Space" (1967) and "Genocide" (1968) are campier affairs dealing with giant chicken-lizards and mutant insects. An important piece of the Japanese genre cinema puzzle has been put in place with this release.