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Rating:  -
A mentally unfit employee extorting his boss to acquire a "lady of the night" as they've been known to be called is not the most original idea to have ever fallen from the notion tree. But a blind man being held hostage in the woods by an anti-union Amish cult is another matter. In any case, one tends to identify with Maun Stirr, an oafish chap who enjoys a good smoke and a snifter of bourbon, actually listens to others during a conversation, and pummels annoying tykes with refreshingly innocent grace. Don Knotts is a hoot hamming it up in the shadows of the buzz-buzz board and Frau Blucher makes a great cameo as an equestrian masseuse.
Rating: -
Everyone already knows that this is a very cool classic. Not enough was said about Ernst Theisiger's performance as Dr. Pretorius, and the wonderful special effects regarding his experiments. I recommend the film "Gods and Monsters", which is about the very gay director James Whale, and his 30's interpretation of misunderstood persons...the blind man, the monster, the scientist...all looking for love and/or friendship. Karloff truly has a handle on the interpretation. Elsa Lancester looked beautiful, and the great character actress Una O'Conner was over the top. What's not to love?
Rating: -
POSSIBLE SPOILERS
I first watched Bride of Frankenstein on October 31st 2004 and ever since that night it's been my annual tradition to watch the movie every single Halloween. For me, Bride of Frankenstein is sort of a special event, so therefore I only watch it once a year.
Even after all these years Bride of Frankenstein remains one of the greatest horror movies of all time. Sure by today's standards Bride of Frankenstein is dated and not very scary. Some people may not be into the movie due to the lack of scares, but can you honestly say every horror movie you like scared you? So sure it's not scary anymore, but that still doesn't take away from the brilliance of this movie.
For me, Bride of Frankenstein touched something deep inside of me. I never felt so many emotions watching a horror movie like I did with Bride of Frankenstein. Without a doubt this movie is in my top 10 favorite horror movies of all time.
The Frankenstein Monster really isn't a villain at least in the first 2 of the series. He's more sympathetic than anything else. Sure the Monster can be dangerous. When he's attacked he will lash out and when he is agitated he can be dangerous, but all he wants is to be accepted and sadly nobody wants to give him a chance. All he really does is try and reach out and gets spit on in return and that is when he is dangerous or when he is being manipulated.
What makes Bride of Frankenstein so brilliant is none of us are asked to be brought into this world, the Frankenstein Monster was never asked to be brought into this world. He was a creation and he doesn't fit in. I think at some point in our lives we all have that feeling of being an outsider and not fitting in with people. And that is why James Whale was the perfect person to direct.
I'm not an expert on James Whale, but I did read up on him a bit and he was actually gay; nowadays it may not be that big of a deal, but back in the 1930s it was a huge deal, while I cannot relate to James Whale on that I can relate to the not fitting in and not being accepted. James Whale used the Monster in that regard. The Monster was an outsider who everyone just kicked to the side and nobody wanted to give him a chance. I actually can very much relate to the Frankenstein Monster and maybe that's why this movie touched something so deep inside of me.
When you really break it down most people see the Frankenstein Monster as a villain, that couldn't be further from the truth. He's misunderstood and a victim of society. All the Monster wants is a friend to be accepted and isn't that all any of us really want? We wanna be loved we want to be accepted and that is all the Monster wants.
Boris Karloff is just simply brilliant in the role of the Monster; words cannot fairly do justice to his performance. Unlike the first one where Karloff had to show emotion through facial expressions and movements, this time around he actually talks. Karloff was 100% against that move, but I think it was the right move on the part of the makers. It does add a lot more depth to the Monster even if some of his mystery is lost. Karloff was without a doubt the perfect actor. He can be scary and sympathetic. That isn't easy to do, but Karloff being the great actor he is pulls it off and makes it look easy.
The pacing of the movie is excellent. Bride actually picks up right where the original left off, after that the story continues at a slow, but good pace. The plot is set up and during this time we don't see the Monster all that much. While yes, Bride of Frankenstein is a bit campy that was the whole point, but Whale is also able to create such deep and powerful scenes that to this day still stand out.
One of the greatest scenes in the movie and dare I say in the horror genre is when the Monster meets the Blind Man played by O.P. Heggie. The scenes were so funny and sad and very deeply touching. The Monster finally meets someone who accepts him and doesn't run off in fear or try to kill him. The blind Man, like the Monster is also lonely and is looking for a friend. Two lost souls meet each other and become great friends. The scene when the Monster sheds a tear was brilliant. It was sad, but also happy. He finally found someone who fully accepts him. When the Monster and The Blind Man are taken away from each other it's such a sad scene.
The Monster runs off saying "friend" you don't see many scenes that deep in a horror movie; while it can be campy and over the top, with James Whale's brilliant directing and Karloff and Heggie's acting the scenes are very powerful.
The Monster in these scenes talks a lot and it's really funny. My favorite scene is when he smokes a cigar while sitting down and shaking his body to the violin the blind man is playing. Granted all this might not sound good, but it works and is really funny and touching. I just love the direction James Whale took.
The final act is just quite simply put brilliant. A bride is being created for the Frankenstein Monster. But even she rejects him, which is one of the saddest moments in horror film history, when the Monster says "even she hate me like the others" is heart-breaking.
The cast is top notch; Colin Clive returns as Dr. Frankenstein and again does a solid job and returning is Dwight Frye, but as a new character named Karl. Una O'Connor is really great here, but she can get annoying. Valerie Hobson takes over the role of Elizabeth and I preferred her in the role. Elsa Lanchester plays 2 roles she plays Mary Shelley in the opening and than plays the Bride at the end, while her role as the Bride was brief it's a moment fans of this will never forget.
Ernest Thesiger plays the evil Dr. Pretorius and you can see the guy was clearly having fun in the role. The character is a bit out there, but Thesiger, while flamboyant plays the role straight for the most part and it works very well. And look for John Carradine in an un-credited role as a hunter.
This was the perfect ending for the series, but even in the old days of Hollywood money talks. James Whale though wouldn't return, but Karloff would return only once more and as great as he was the Monster was under-used. Simply put, it lacked the James Whale touch.
Rating: -
The debate goes on and on....which is better? 'Frankenstein' or 'The Bride Of Frankenstein'?.....'The Bride Of Frankenstein' is a wonderful mix of horror and comedy, with Karloff giving another incredible performance as the monster. I have read he was not in favor of having the monster speak in this film but, he handles the task ingeniously. This could have looked and sounded ridiculous, but Karloff somehow pulls it off perfectly and gives us more to understand about the monster. That being said, I think 'Frankenstein' is the better of the two films IMHO. It's a straight forward horror film and is more consistent. The Bride has some different actors in roles that should have been reprised by the original players and this adds some confusion. I did think it was amusing to have several actors from the first film who were killed by the monster playing different roles, only to be killed again. I did not care for the minature people that Dr Pretorious created, they seemed out of place to me and added a fantasy element I didn't care for. Regardless, we are splitting hairs here because both films are essential viewing and true classics of cinema. The DVD transfer looks very good with some minor cropping issues etc. This is a film everyone must see!
Rating: -
The first of many sequels to 1931's "Frankenstein," this is the rare film to surpass the original in quality. It is a masterpiece, a work of rare intelligence and wit that even manages to stir the emotions.
The Monster's visit with the blind hermit is genuinally moving, and never does director James Whale allow the scene to become condescending. Boris Karloff (billed by surname only) is simply brilliant, tastefully giving speech to the Monster and arousing pity and compassion rather than laughter when this grotesque creature stitched together from dead men smiles, cries, puffs on a cigar, and even moves joyously to the music of the blind man's fiddle. It's a heartbreaking performance that is simply unsurpassed in the horror genre and in cinema overall.
Elsa Lanchester is also exceptional as both the Bride and as Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein, whom she plays in the prologue. Ernest Thesiger is a queenly delight as Dr. Pretorious.
Whale directs with a flamboyant style that never overwhelms the story, and Franz Waxman's score is a masterpiece.
"Bride of Frankenstein" is the greatest horror film ever made, and one of the best films produced in any genre. A true work of art.
Brian W. Fairbanks
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