THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1935)

There are plenty of great horror titles. This one stands above them all........

It's strange how James Whale didn't want to make a sequel to Frankenstein, but when he realized how subversive he could make it, he jumped at the opportunity. Little did even he know, what he would create.

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BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN opens in a most approproate manner. A mountain top castle on a stormy night wherein we find Lord Byron, Percy Shelly and Mary Shelly. She explains that her "Frankenstein" story was not over. She will tell them the rest.

The story picks up at the end of Frankenstein, at the site of the burning mill. But of course, the monster still lives! As does Henry Frankenstein (Colin Clive). He is taken home only to be payed a visit by the sinister Doctor Pretorias (Ernest Thesiger) who claims to have created life of his own. His "life" contains of small humans in jars, a king, queen, Devil, figure skater, and priest (interestingly, Japanese censors objected to this scene because it made a king look like a fool). Pretorias also wants Henry to create a mate for the monster, and have them breed to create a new race (critics insist suggestion of necrophillia).

The Monster is on the run from the village until he encounters a blind man, the only person to react towards him without fear. This man teaches the Monster to talk (Karloff was against the idea of speech for the Monster), smoke and drink. It isn't long before John Carradine comes along to spoil the party and in the process, burning down the blind hermit's cottage. Frustrated the Monster seeks salvation. Inside a cyrpt, he finds a drunk, laughing Pretorias, seemingly wining and dining the corpses. The two of them make plans and see eye to eye on creating the female monster. However Frankenstein does not want to do this.....

Henry's bride Elizabeth (Valerie Hobson) is kidnapped in a forced effort towards building the bride. Her "birth" takes place in the same tower of the original. A heart is stolen by Pretorias's low-grade assistant, Karl (Dwight Frye in a Fritz-like role) to complete the Bride in "the mother of all lab scenes". The Bride is finished only to be completley repulsed by the very sight of the Monster. Realizing he'll never have a chance in this world, he pulls a lever which ignites an explosion, destroying the lab tower....

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Boris Karloff, Colin Clive, Elsa Lanchester, Ernest Thesiger, Valerie Hobson, Una O'Connor, Dwight Frye turn out to be the perfect cast for a horror film. And look, there's John Carradine in a cameo as a hunter. Karloff adds depth and sympathy to his role whilst Clive comes off as more sympathetic as well. Lanchester has two brief roles, one as Mary Shelly and the other as the titular Bride. Her brief performances remain hard to forget. Ernest Thesiger knew how to play the role of mad scientist better than anyone and played it with homosexually sinister campy relish. Hobson I suppose is convincing and is likable here, unlike her role in 1935's WEREWOLF OF LONDON. Una O'Connor is as loud and annoying as she was in THE  INVISIBLE MAN despite less screen and scream time. Dwight Frye is again cast in the role of deranged, lowly assistant. He would eventually despise begin cast only as "idiots, half-wits and lunatics". But he manages his usual convincing job.

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The sexual content in Bride of Frankenstein is rather strong. Specifically from a homosexual standpoint. This begins with Pretorias insisting and shoving Elizabeth out of the marital bed chamber and his desire to create life with Frankenstein and without female participation. He gives us subtle hints that he may too, be into necrophilia. It's interesting to note how women are pushed aside in the film and the only successful relationship in the film is between the Monster and the hermit, both male. The Monster himself seemingly see's no difference between relationships with both sexes. Some of Whale's personal friends insist he never meant for any homosexual interpretations, but regardless if he did or not, it's up for discussion. In addition, Ernest Thesiger, who played Pretorias was an open homosexual as well as Whale and Colin Clive MAY have been bisexual. I've heard Elsa Lanchester was a bisexual as well but I cannot confirm it.

The storyline line of Bride seems a lot closer to the Fantasy genre than horror. Yet it remains a product of both. The film contains the same complex atmosphere of the original and as a bonus is much livlier as a film/story. Once again the sets are extraordinary. Each one is a pleasure to gaze at. The final setpiece created a cliche of it's own, or at least brought the cliche to a wider audience: (it was used in The Magician (1927) and the Black Cat (1934) ) That is the exploding clifftop watchtower/laboratory. Some of the acting is quite campy, over the top, but the general atmosphere created is indescribable. It really feels like a dream, a hard feat for a film to achieve. The score by Franz Waxman really puts you in the mood and enhances the fantastic feel. In fact, it may fall under the fantasy genre more than the horror genre. Many feel Frankenstein is the superior effort but I must disagree here. The perfect Halloween film, I can not reccomend it enough. FIVE STARS OUT OF FIVE.