Review of Bride of Frankenstein (1935) by Tim M — 09 Nov 2011

At least as good as the original in terms of scope and look. The story picks up after the first and actually does a good job of telling how the monster survived since we didn't see him die in the first.

Colin Clive reprises his role as Dr. Frankenstein playing it with the same desire for science but much more wary after his first attempt. Karloff again plays the monster with fantastic results. They introduce themes from the novel such as the monster becoming friends with the blind monk and learning to speak as well as desiring a mate.

The film takes it a step further and creates the bride which Elsa Lanchester performs expertly, even overshadowing the monster in the film in my opinion. Sadly, the bride is not in it for long as she would have been an interesting character to expound upon.

The film is unique in that it opens with a Mary Shelley character telling her story of the doctor and his monster which sets it apart from the first. While in some ways it is equal and at times better than the first I have to rate it lower for some unnecesary silliness with the townspeople at the beginning and the fact that there are continuity changes from the first film which should have been worked out since it was the same director.

By the middle to the end of the film everything is serious and full of the classic horror elements of the first but the humor and such in the beginning cheapens the full effect.