October Horror Movie Challenge: Frankenstein (1931) and Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

One of the best things about this particular challenge this year is I have allowed myself the freedom of going back and watching movies I have not seen in years to discuss. Many of never been in one of my previous challenges before so I get my thoughts about them down here. Case in point the 1931 Frankenstein and it's superb sequel Bride of Frankenstein from 1935. I would argue that both movies together fulfill the original promise of the Mary Shelley novel. 

 In my mind there have always been two Frankensteins. The Book version who was intelligent, but doomed, and the Movie version. Both have their place in the pantheon of Horror Icons, and I would argue that the movie version is more recognizable than the book version.

Frankenstein (1931)

I have mentioned before, I know who Boris Karlof was long before I ever knew who the President at the time was. So the 1931 Frankenstein is a solid part of my childhood and much like King Kong, one of those movie I used to love watching with my dad.

In a way Frankenstein's Monster is the poster child for all movie monsters. A title he might need to share with Dracula or Kong, but 

The movie was shocking 1931 and now almost 100 years later it still has its moments. The story is only loosely based on Mary Shelley's classic, but I would argue that even with the changes, it still manages to tell us the same story and get the all important moral of Man's (note I am not saying Human's here, I am following Shelley's lead and her words) hubris. 

The movie is engaging, and despite the slow pace common to the time, it keeps your attention. 

Back from Dracula we have Edward van Sloan (Van Helsing, and in this film Dr. Waldman) and Dwight Frye  (Renfield and in this film Fritz aka the "Igor" character). 

In this one the Monster dies, but Baron Victor ("Henry" in this movie) gets to live.

Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

Can't keep a good monster down. If anything, this movie might be better. Why? Well it largely has to do with with Elsa Lancaster. First she plays Mary Shelley in a bit at the beginning talking to Percy Shelley and Lord Byron. This went uncredited and I was delighted when I figured it out. Then she turns and gives this amazing performance as the Bride. She doesn't have many if any lines, but her face is so emotive you know everything she wants to convey.

Also we get some really solid acting from Boris Karloff as the Monster. Again, above and beyond what he gave in the first one. You feel for him, which is what you are supposed to do.

Again, liberties with the book are taken, but these two movies should have been combined into one much longer and better tale. Similar to what we see in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994) or Frankenstein: The True Story (1973). Though no movie has been a true adaptation of the book, these two (1973 and 1994) are among the closest.

Featured Monster: Flesh Golem

There is no doubt that the Flesh Golem of the Monster Manual is directly related to Frankenstein. And I will even go a step further and say it was based on Move Frankenstein more so than the Novel.

This becomes more obvious in the Ravenloft setting.

October Horror Movie Challenge 2024
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