THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN

The Bride Of Frankenstein Movie Review

Having survived the fire at the end of Frankenstein, The Monster is on the loose again. This time around, another mad scientist, Dr. Pretorius (Ernest Thesiger), has the idea of creating a companion for The Monster. This movie starts out interestingly, as Mary Shelley, the author of the novel that inspired the original movie, explains to her husband Percy and Lord Byron that the story of Frankenstein does not, in fact, end as the movie does, and proceeds to tell the story that is the movie Bride of Frankenstein. I vaguely remember seeing this movie as a child, but this is the first time I have watched it since, and I was actually somewhat surprised to see the amount of comedy thrown in here and there. Unfortunately, most of it is unfunny and very much takes away from the entire theme and feel of the film. That said, there is a lot to like about this movie. Hollywood legend Boris Karloff does a fantastic job as cinemas most misunderstood misfit, The Monster, making him both terrifying and likable. I sort of wish they had not made him speak in this film, but this does result in him delivering one or two of the more memorable lines in film history. Elsa Lanchester is phenomenal in her iconic, albeit brief, portrayal of The Monster's Mate. I really, really wish she was in the movie longer than she is. Everybody knows who this character is...

...but many may not realize she is only in the movie for about five minutes. Lanchester herself, however, is in the film longer, as she plays not only the mate, but also the aforementioned Mary Shelley.

Elsa as Mary

Colin Clive returns as Frankenstein and also does another stellar job. One thing that really stands out to me in this film is the effective use of lighting to set the mood--at times this looks downright creepy. Another scene that I found particularly weird was when Pretorius was showing Frankenstein the people he had created. The special effects used to create this scene, to me, were breathtaking for a film shot in 1935. The scene seemed a bit out of place and walks a thin line between surreal and absurd, but it is one you will not likely forget. Even the credits for this film are interesting, as Karloff is credited simply as "Karloff", and Lanchester is not credited as The Mate. Instead, "?" is credited as The Monster's Mate. If that were not enough wackiness, the credits show at the start of the film, and when they show again at the end of the film they are headlined "A Good Cast Is Worth Repeating". I think the film tends to drag at times, which is unfortunate for a movie that is only 75 minutes long to begin with, but the last ten minutes or so, which combine heartbreak, horror, and splendid cinematography are and absolute must see

Our happy couple?

This movie is considered a masterpiece in Hollywood and horror movie history, and rightfully so. It brought back a legendary movie monster while introducing a new one, and eighty years later both live on as icons. If you can get past the misfires of the attempted comedy, you will find great pleasure in this movie.

On A Scale Of One To Ten: 8

 

 The Bride Of Frankenstein Movie Trailer