Universal Monsters: Frankenstein
In 2004, I turned 16, and started working the very next day. The following paychecks would go towards dvds almost exclusively. In that year, Universal released what would retrospectively be a terrible film called "Van Helsing". I appreciate the film for bringing the older Universal monster films to my attention. This film would call for the re-release of 6 of the most iconic film monsters of all time, aka the Universal Monsters.
The first set I bought was the Frankenstein Legacy Collection, which featured 5 Frankenstein films, though not in chronological order. It would skip certain entries that would fit more in other monsters' sets, but for the most part, it was a damn fine set that got me hooked on these historical horror films. There's something pure about these films that always fascinates me, thus making me want to review them.
Frankenstein (1931)
The film doesn't even follow the novel that well (not that I ever read it), but it works more as its own canon of Frankenstein mythology. The changes are generally pretty minor, though the obvious one remains with the doctor himself.
Instead of Victor Frankenstein, it's Henry Frankenstein, played by an antsy and eager Colin Clive, and Victor is a side character who is essentially pointless. Universal had a thing about adding romances to
all of their movies, and this guy was there just for that appeal.
Generally speaking, the film is just a marvel to watch. Like many of their films at the time, it was shot on small sets that were obviously fake, but that stage-like atmosphere really adds to the experience. I much prefer this approach as compared to overblown CGI landscapes you'd see in today's films. It helps add a sense of confinement, helping you get invested in the immediate scenarios.
Even after all these years, Karloff is the definitive Frankenstein monster. His look is just too damn iconic, with his flat-top, neck bolts, platform boots, and his suit. It's so iconic,
every effort after this was modeled after his image. Well, as much as they could, anyway...
Universal is a real dick, and will sue anyone who tries to use their image for the monster, so people have to get creative with it in order to avoid rights issues, but they always strive for the Karloff look, because it's simply perfect.
Universal also distributed a Hammer Frankenstein sequel, "The Evil of Frankenstein", but they
still wouldn't allow the monster's look to be too similar to the original Karloff look. Those fucks!
Karloff (credited as "???") gives a soulful performance that's extremely dumbed down in everything after the first sequel, and it alone justifies his status as a horror icon. He may be a dumb brute, but he plays it with curiosity, fear, and anger. You can't help but feel sympathetic with him. He wasn't a particularly large man either, but the makeup and costume design are wonderful, even by today's standards.
Then you have the inept and over-the-top lab assistant Fritz, played by Dwight Frye: an actor who would star in several Frankenstein films, albeit as different characters every time. In the second film Bride of Frankenstein, he pretty much plays the same character, only this time he's named Karl, and is less prominent.
This dude (also know for his role as Renfield in Dracula '31) annoyed me to death when I first saw his over-acting, but I've grown to love him for novelty sake. He's a totally different character than the Ygor we'd all come to see in the later entries, but the stereotype started with Fritz. They're both twisted fucks who like getting revenge on people, be it for being bullied or hanged. Plus, if it weren't for Fritz, the monster would have a "normal" brain, and what fun is that?
What really makes this film pop is the production values. The early Universal films just ooze with atmosphere and iconic horror imagery (imagery largely created
by these films) and a dreary mood to accentuate them. Foggy graveyards, crazy laboratories, and twisted castle inpired by German expressionist films like Nosferatu and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Frankenstein sets the standard for gothic horror.
Without these films, we wouldn't have Hammer Horror. Without Hammer Horror, we wouldn't have Dark Shadows! Think about that!
Frankenstein '31 can act as a stand-alone film, offering more than enough for it's short runtime to satisfy any horror fan, especially when viewed for a season October experience, but it also makes a perfect double feature with Bride of Frankenstein. With many of the original actors returning, it acts as a perfect continuation and conclusion to the Frankenstein saga, though there would obviously be several more entries in the series.
That's another reason why it's so interesting... it was among the first horror franchises, and depicted an ongoing narrative... one riddled with continuity errors, mind you... yet entertaining nonetheless. Universal would milk this character for all his worth, until the later entries had Frankenstein become a caricature of himself.
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