FRANKENSTEIN (1931)

Frankenstein(1931) is a film which has stood the test of time. Far better than most other films of it’s generation, there is probably no film better than this to sit down with, and spend a rainy, thundering evening eating chips and drinking tea. Even a first-time viewer can watch and feel the nostalgia. The old watch tower set is among the most famous towers seen in any movie, and by far the most memorable. Not many people mention it, but I think Colin Clive had the perfect voice for the role of Henry Frankenstein. It's too bad he was taken from us in his youthful thirties (alcohol). Though it seems impossible, the film could have looked quite different with Bela Lugosi to be the first choice to play the monster, but refused due to the uncomfortable makeup and lack of dialogue. That mistake would prove disastrous for his career while giving birth to another. Boris Karloff was given a screen-test, and created the monster that we all remember today. It was this interpretation of the Frankenstein Monster, and this make-up design by Jack Pierce that have inspired the thousands of knock-offs we have all seen. This is the definitive version of Frankenstein. No October will be complete without a viewing of this work of art of a film. The beautiful backrounds and Teutonic sets give the film it’s feel, and for some reason, it all seems part of the nostalgia.

Let's talk about staples:

- Abandoned Watchtower

- Static, decomposing labs

- Hunchbacked assistant

- Angry villagers (An angry torch weilding mob was first seen in Phantom of the Opera (1925), not villagers but angry Parisians)

- Mad, over the top Scientist

How many films of the Fantastic use these ideas? All introduced by Horror's most groundbreaking (but not best) film.


We all know the story, but in case you don’t this is a review. We begin with Edward Van Sloan introducing us to the film, warning us that it may “shock” or even "horrify" us. From there, we see Henry Frankenstein and his hunchback assistant Fritz peering into a graveyard, waiting for a funeral to end, opening up an opportunity to exhume dead bodies for their experiments. The plan to create a man in Henry’s image goes awry when Fritz steals an abnormal, criminal brain, which is of course inserted into the monster. All this, right before Henry Frankenstein is to be married. From there on the film gets more exciting from an action standpoint but I won’t reveal it for the few who have yet to see it. It is somewhat dated by today’s standards, at least as far as acting style and directoral style are concerned but somehow the style of both enhance the film. Colin Clive and Boris Karloff give two great performances, and watch out for Frederick Kerr as the Baron Frankenstein, in a comic relief scene that I believe fits in well. I recommend this back-to-back with it’s surprisingly superior sequel, Bride of Frankenstein. Buy the Frankenstein Legacy collection for around $30. Containing five films all of which are top calibre horror. Then you'll know how it feels to own the god of all DVD sets. 5 STARS OUT OF 5.