“Frankenstein (1931)” Review
Boris Karloff shocked and frightened audiences all over the world in 1931 as the monster in “Frankenstein,” who was created out of the bodies of the dead.
While “Dracula” kick-started America’s fascination with horror on the big screen, as well as started the franchise of Universal Monster films, it took another film’s financial success to cement it. 1931’s “Frankenstein” is not only one of the greatest films ever made, in horror and across all genres, but it is also my personal favorite of the Universal Monster films.
Based on Mary Shelley’s incredible novel of the same name, which is often called the first science-fiction story, a scientist named Henry Frankenstein (Colin Clive) commits himself to creating human life by digging up corpses, stitching them together and bringing his body to life with the use of electricity. When the creature (Boris Karloff) comes to life, his hideous appearance and aggressive fear of fire lead everyone to treat him as a monster. After showing a strength for killing, Henry Frankenstein and a angry mob (because of course there’s an angry mob with pitchforks and torches) hunt down the monster before he kills again.
What I love about this film is pretty much the same about “Dracula” except with one key detail which puts “Frankenstein” on top. The main interest isn’t just Boris Karloff as the monster, it’s also Colin Clive as Henry Frankenstein who perfectly delivers a sane scientist who wants to make an incredible discovery and a man teetering the edge of sanity the further he dives into his work. When Frankenstein’s friends arrive on the night he’s to bring his creation to life to make sure he’s okay, he delivers a monologue that is so engaging that it makes my hair stand on end.
Maybe because the other Universal monsters were allowed to talk, the filmmakers thought “well who needs interesting protagonists.” In “Frankenstein,” the monster only can grunt and growl so they had no choice. With that said, there is more to Boris Karloff than simple grunts, despite what Bela Lugosi said in “Ed Wood.” Karloff’s performance is truly engaging as he doesn’t kill out of malice. It’s often out of confusion or because he’s in fear for his life. You legitimately feel sorry for the monster. Even though the monster doesn’t look like what little information the book gave us, Karloff’s amazing make-up, designed by Jack Pierce, is one of the most iconic designs for any character in a movie.
Delivering equally good performances, Colin Clive and Boris Karloff’s relationship as creator and creation is what drives my intrigue with “Frankenstein.”
Speaking of iconic, there are so many scenes in the film that are cemented into history and are constantly being parodied, even before the film begins. I absolutely love the opening where Edward Van Sloan, who plays Dr. Waldman in the film and who played Dr. Van Helsing in “Dracula,” warns us that the film we’re going to see is very scary and “if any of you feel that you do not care to subject your nerves to such a strain, now is your chance to, uh... well, we've warned you!”
The scene where the monster is brought to life is another that has been paid homage to by countless other films and there’s so much build-up to it. From the lab equipment sparking to the sound of thunder penetrating the tower, it’s full of suspense and satisfaction when Henry Frankenstein screams in manic hysteria “it’s alive.”
The film takes massive liberties with the novel which may be off putting for some who have read the original novel. A few examples are that the protagonist is named Henry instead of Victor, he has a hunchback assistant (Dwight Frye) despite building the creature on his own in the novel and the ending is much more triumphant than tragic. However, I think most people know that the Universal films that are adaptations are going to loosely adapt the books they’re based on. Plus, “Frankenstein” is so intriguing and so iconic that I don’t mind all of the changes, especially since more faithful adaptations have been made like a 1994 film by Kenneth Branagh that needs more of a following.
What director James Whale wanted was to create a horror film that would be gothic, mysterious and timeless and that’s what he did. The film’s sets are marvelous with massive shots of stone towers, dark shadows and laboratories. By combining antique locations and modern technology, Whale’s take on the Frankenstein story has never become outdated.
Like I said in my review of “Dracula,” “Frankenstein” is a great tool to introduce horror to children. It’s a film so iconic that most of us feel like we’ve already seen it even if the oldest film we’ve actually watched came out in the mid-1980s. However, if you’ve never seen it, this might be a great classic to check out this Halloween.
