The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

 

The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

6/10

Starring

Boris Karloff

Colin Clive

Valerie Hobson

Ernest Thesiger

Elsa Lanchester

Directed by James Whale

Unlike the prequel, this sequel to the classic 1931 movie Frankenstein is far from being a cinematic draw. The long wait to see the Bride and the disappointing climax after her reveal made the movie feel like a waste for me. My anticipation for a great meeting between the two monsters lasted less than seven minutes and ended in tragedy.

I must admit, it seemed to me like the studio just wanted to milk the franchise, as the story itself wasn’t strong, and the screenplay was less than appealing.

The movie picks up immediately where the last one left off. Frankenstein (1931) ended with the monster burning in a barn and Frankenstein being thrown from the top of it. In this sequel, Frankenstein survives the fall, and the monster survives the fire. The movie has some Christian spiritual undertones, with Christian imagery scattered throughout. There’s even a scene where the Monster is tied up in a cruciform pose.

The movie is based on a subplot from Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel Frankenstein. The monster is played by Boris Karloff (who also starred in the prequel), and the Bride is played by Elsa Lanchester. Interestingly, in the movie, she’s credited as “The Monster’s Bride _ _ _ _ _ ?”

The plot follows Henry Frankenstein (the monster’s creator—note that the monster isn’t named Frankenstein, but the name stuck because Frankenstein was the man who made him). Henry abandons his plans to create life and decides to retire with his new wife. However, his plans change when his old mentor, Dr. Pretorius, visits him. Pretorius has also been working on creating life but needs Frankenstein’s expertise to create a female counterpart for the monster.

The movie was directed by English director James Whale, who successfully directed the first Frankenstein and later The Invisible Man (1933). Whale was brought back for this sequel because of his success with the first film.

The movie’s makeup artist, Jack Pierce, who designed the monster’s look in the first film, modified the monster’s appearance to show the aftereffects of the mill fire from the previous movie. As the film progresses, you’ll notice the wounds fading to indicate healing. Another detail to note is the monster’s inability to move his left hand.

Pierce also co-created the Bride’s makeup, while director Whale was responsible for her iconic hairstyle.

I’ll stand by this: while it’s not as great a classic as the first, it’s still worth a watch.