Classic 30s Movie: “Bride of Frankenstein”
May is Classic 30s Movie month. Today’s guest post comes from Marija Nielsen.
Title: Bride of Frankenstein
Year: 1935
Writers: Mary Shelley (novel), Adapted by William Hurlbut and John L. Balderston, Screenplay by William Hurlbut
Lead Actors: Boris Karloff, Colin Clive, Valerie Hobson, Ernest Thesinger, Elsa Lanchester
Director: James Whale
IMDb Plot Summary: It is revealed that both Henry Frankenstein and his Monster have survived their Arctic adventures. Dr. Frankenstein is then approached by Dr. Oretorius, a mad scientist who gleefully shows off his own creations. Pretorius then kidnaps Frankenstein’s wife and promises to release her after the good doctor creates a mate for his lonely creature.
Why I Think This Is A Classic 30s Movie
Bride of Frankenstein is a subversive sequel to James Whale’s Frankenstein (1931), both part of Universal’s Classic Monsters series released on beautifully restored DVD and BluRay in a 2012 box set. This series comprise such legendary movie monsters as Dracula, the Wolf Man or the Mummy and were made during the decades of the1920s through the 1950s. Bride is widely regarded among both directors and film historians as the “crown jewel of Universal’s Classic Monster movies” and is actually more of a tragic love story than straight out horror. Also, the SPFX for that time are nothing less than impressive (on a par with those of The Invisible Man, 1933).
My Favorite Moment In The Movie
Well, since this movie is one of my all-time personal faves, I’d say “the whole thing”. But here are just a few:
When Dr. Pretorius shows Dr. Frankenstein his creations: miniature people enclosed in glass jars (a moment of joyful wonder at the special effects and also at the extent of Pretorius’ mad geniosity).
When Dr. Pretorius welcomes the Monster to the lab with a drink and a cigar (both funny and sad since the Monster is treated with what appears to be kindness but is actually domination as will become clear later on).
When the bandages are taken off the Bride and she is finally revealed (Elsa Lanchester was just… wow…).
When Drs. Frankenstein and Pretorius introduces their female creation to the lovesick Monster and she screams in fear (no comment necessary, I believe). Oh, and the way she hisses… Even though she’s only present in the final moments of the movie, that was enough for this glamorous female monster to gain instant iconographic status among horror movie fans and artists to this day.
My Favorite Dialogue In the Movie
Dr. Pretorius (toasting Dr. Frankenstein): To a new world of gods and monsters!
Blind Man to the Monster: You’re welcome, my friend, whoever you are. (Full disclosure: this sequence never fails to bring tears to my eyes… The sheer humanity of it is a shocking contrast to the loneliness and harsh rejection of the Monster that precedes it.)
Dr. Pretorius: Do you know who Frankenstein is, and who you are?
The Monster : Yes, I know… made me from dead… I love dead… hate living.
Dr. Frankenstein: She’s alive, alive!
Key Things You Should Look For When Watching This Movie
The inspired prologue of Mary Shelley (played by Elsa Lanchester who also plays the Bride) discussing her Frankenstein novel with Lord Byron and Percy Shelley. Obviously, the amazing sequence of the miniature people in glass jars. The humorous touches that take the edge off the “dark stuff”. The set pieces — despite being filmed on the Universal back lot, we’re immediately transported to Bavaria.
Both Frankenstein and this follow-up are certainly fascinating in that they focus on much more than simple scares through their similar storylines revolving around life and death, love, hubris, acceptance, rejection and medical evolution. In this, they are very much early examples of what today we would consider elevated horror. Also, the brilliant use of Black and White and the directing — studying these movies a little more closely makes you realize just how much story the director told visually (movies are a visual medium, yes, but telling the story that way is a lost art in the majority of today’s CGI fests).
As a final note, remakes of the Universal Classic Monsters are in development and some have already been slated for release (The Mummy in 2017, starring Tom Cruise; The Invisible Man in 2018, starring Johnny Depp). As for Bride of Frankenstein, Angelina Jolie is in talks for playing the Bride but no official statements have been made yet.
The following YouTube clip is a tad spoilerish since it shows the Monster meeting his intended Bride. Such memorable moments…
Thanks, Marija!
To show our gratitude for your guest post, here’s a dash of creative juju for you. Whoosh!
We already have a set of classic 40s movies, 5os movies, 60s Movies, 70s movies, 80s Movies and 90s Movies. This month, we’re working on 30s movies. And thanks to the GITS community, we’ve got at least 22 movies in the works and hopefully!
Those who I put in bold have already sent me their posts. If you haven’t sent yours to me, please do so as soon as you can!!!
All Quiet on the Western Front — Michael Waters
Bride of Frankenstein — Marija Nielsen
Bringing Up Baby — Melinda Mahaffey
Captain Blood — John Arends
City Girl — Adam Westbrook
Dracula — Sheila Seaclearr
Duck Soup — David Joyner
Gone With The Wind — W. H. Morris
Gunga Din — Steve Huerta
It Happened One Night — Joni Brainerd
Make Way for Tomorrow — Susan Winchell
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington — Amber Watt
Rebecca — Katha
Snow White and the Seven Dwarves — Will King
Sabotage — Jeff Xilon
Stagecoach — Thenewlight
The 39 Steps — Felicity Flesher
The Adventures of Robin Hood — Clay Mitchell
The Petrified Forest — Rachel Sheridan
The Women — Liz Clarke
Topper — Wayne Kline
Vampyr — Megaen Kelly
I am still looking for volunteers. If there’s a 30s movie you’d like to write about, please post your suggestion in comments or contact me via email.
Thanks to everyone who steps up for this ongoing project!
For the original post explaining the series, go here.
For all of the 30s movies featured in the series, go here.
Click REPLY and see you in comments about today’s classic 30s movie!