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Frankenstein
1931
Director James Whale's definitive Frankenstein's monster movies from the 1930s.FRANKENSTEIN: (1931)This is James Whale's first stylish, expressionist film to grace the Universal horror cycle of the 1930s and 1940s (DRACULA, THE MUMMY). Scientist Henry Frankenstein (Colin Clive) and his hunchbacked assistant, Fritz (Dwight Frye),.. Read more
| Starring | Colin Clive, Boris Karloff, Mae Clarke, John Boles |
|---|---|
| Director | James Whale |
| Genres | Horror |
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Frankenstein
Director James Whale's definitive Frankenstein's monster movies from the 1930s.
FRANKENSTEIN: (1931)
This is James Whale's first stylish, expressionist film to grace the Universal horror cycle of the 1930s and 1940s (DRACULA, THE MUMMY). Scientist Henry Frankenstein (Colin Clive) and his hunchbacked assistant, Fritz (Dwight Frye), embark on an unholy mission by stealing a body from a graveyard and a human brain from a medical college. Unbeknownst to Frankenstein, however, Fritz takes a violent and murderous abnormal brain. Henry's strange letters about his experiments worry his fiancee, Elizabeth (Mae Clark), and friends Victor (John Boles) and Dr. Waldman (Edward Van Sloan). They arrive at Frankenstein's laboratory to find the spectacular scene of creation under way--and Frankenstein intoxicated with his own godlike power. FRANKENSTEIN is in many ways the original horror classic, virtually creating the genre itself, leading to numerous sequels and myriad imitators. Whale's ability to give humanity to the Monster is one of the film's most stunning successes.
BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN: (1935)
The sequel to FRANKENSTEIN is considered one of the best horror films of all time. After the Monster is trapped in a windmill fire, Dr. Henry Frankenstein assumes that the fiendish murderer has perished...but he's not dead yet. Rising from the rubble, the Monster is on the loose again--lonely and misunderstood, and killing those who cross him. Frankenstein wants to forget his creation, but the evil Dr. Pretorius (Ernest Thesiger) has a diabolical plan to create a mate for the Monster, and Frankenstein must comply or else.
| Starring | Colin Clive, Boris Karloff, Mae Clarke, John Boles, Edward Van Sloan, Dwight Frye |
|---|---|
| Director | James Whale |
| Studio | UNIVERSAL PICTURES UK |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 9 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Horror |
| Language | DVD: English |
| Released | DVD: 01 Dec 2003 Production year: 1931 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (3)
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“It's Alive!” Shocking in its day and still a genuinely creepy experience, director James Whale's primitive yet enthralling interpretation of Mary Shelley's classic tale of man playing God is the most influential genre movie ever made. Its success kick-started the golden age of horror for Universal Studios and provided inspiration for scores of imitators and successors. Boris Karloff breathes miraculous life into his definitive monster portrayal: the most touching moment is the creature reaching up to grasp a ray of sunlight. A superb cast, imaginative set design and Whale's innovative direction using bizarre camera angles invoke a remarkably tense and melancholy atmosphere, while the creation scene itself is a masterpiece of gothic science gone mad.
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Whole books have been written about this film and its sequels. Apart from being a fascinating if primitive cinematic work in its own right, it set its director and star on interesting paths and established a Hollywood attitude towards horror (mostly borro
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Most helpful member's review
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10 out of 10 people found this review helpful
Classic Horror
James Whale's fantastic 1931 film remains the definitive screen adaptation of Mary Shelley's novel and still stands as one of the best horror films ever made. Whale's combination of a beautifully simplistic tale with the potent topic of man vs. nature continues to terrify and delight audiences more than seven decades after its release.
Colin Clive plays Dr. Henry Frankenstein: a mad scientist who has become obsessed with the possibility of creating human life. Frankenstein and his assistant Fritz(Dwight Frye) lurk around the edges of funerals, waiting for the mourners to leave so they can retrieve the body from the ground. Once he's stitched together the body parts and Fritz has stolen a brain, the Monster(Boris Karloff) is complete. However, The Monster is soon loose and the terrified locals turn on him viciously.
So many of the scenes from these films have been copied and spoofed down the years but the original still holds an extraordinary power. Frankenstein screaming 'It's Alive!', The Monster's first look at sunlight, His memorable encounter with a small girl by the river and the superb climax, are all moments that have passed into cinema history.
While most horror films of the era were cheap knock-offs made by hack directors, Whale was a meticulous craftsman who took great pride in every frame of his pictures. His two stars are also wonderful. Clive is the archetypal mad scientist, his unhinged performance proved the blueprint for similar characters throughout the years. Karloff's performance as The Monster is simply flawless. He gives a wonderfully subtle and moving display, gaining the audience's sympathy which makes the climax even more powerful.
God only knows what impact this magnificent film would have had on a 1931 audience. Still as effective today, it's the monster movie against which all others must be judged. -
Most recent members' review
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1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
great
By far the best of the recent Universal re-releases this set comprises James Whale's classic Frankenstein film, with Boris Karloff managing to act his way out from behind the most famous make-up in movie history as the Monster, and Colin Clive chewing the scenery as Frankenstein, with later support from Dwight Frye, Anyone with an interest in horror films, or any kind of cinema, should give these two a place in their collection.
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Frankenstein
Director James Whale's definitive Frankenstein's monster movies from the 1930s.
FRANKENSTEIN: (1931)
This is James Whale's first stylish, expressionist film to grace the Universal horror cycle of the 1930s and 1940s (DRACULA, THE MUMMY). Scientist Henry Frankenstein (Colin Clive) and his ...
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