Review of Bride of Frankenstein (1935) by Justin R — 29 Sep 2011

I went back and forth in my mind about whether I thought this sequel was really better than the original. It is a tough decision. Whale was given a bigger budget, but why does that automatically mean a picture is better. There are many excellent scenes, performances, and sets in this classic, however there are also some elements that made it fall short of all the hype. This is still a very good movie, but I'm going to make the stand with a minority of film buffs and say that I think the original is just a bit better.

It is an interesting concept to begin with Byron and the Shelleys (with Elsa Lanchester putting in a demure appearance as Mary) speaking of the story she created. We revisit some images from the first Frankenstein picture and pick up exactly where that movie left off, at the burning ruins of the windmill. Belmore hasn't returned as the burgomaster in this one, which he must regret later. I am not a fan of Una O'Connor in these horror pictures. Right off the bat she began to grate on my nerves and I didn't find her very funny. Thankfully the creature (Karloff again) makes his appearance quickly, now burned and dirty from the collapsing windmill. Colin Clive has returned as Dr. Frankenstein who at first is thought to be dead. We return with some of the villagers to Frankenstein's castle where the camera movement shows more grandeur and set decorations filling the spacious rooms. Valerie Hobson has taken over the role of Frankenstein's fiance Elizabeth and I don't like her performance much at all. The creature starts roaming the countryside where everyone he encounters runs screaming or attacks him. As Frankenstein recovers and wedding plans are renewed the drama is slow and over done. If this portion was not inter cut with the monster out wandering in the woods, I would have completely lost interest. It is a great sequence when the creature meets the blind hermit, gains a friend, and learns to speak. Since Mary Shelley's subtitle to her book was Or The Modern Prometheus, I found the argument between the creature and the hermit about the positive or negative quality of fire to be very clever. Pretorius (Thesiger), while he is a more energetic and mad influence on Frankenstein than Waldman, is a campy character who takes the mad scientist to unbelievably shocking new levels. The little people Pretorius grows in jars came at me from left field. I was not expecting that to be part of the Frankenstein story. It is darkly funny as Pretorius shows off and the scene incorporates good special effects. It has very little to do with the rest of the movie though, so why does stuff like this nonetheless give the sequel higher status? Dwight Frye appears again, but as Karl, one of two murderers that Pretorius enlists as his grave robbing assistants. The monster who has lost his only friend and been chased by the angry mob again meets Pretorius, thinks he is a new friend and acts as the muscle in Pretorius' scheme. Karloff is still amazing in the subtle way he is able to elicit sympathy for this monstrous looking creation. Lanchester finally appears way too briefly as the Bride, which she patterned after a goose. Though Frankenstein's laboratory is now full of bigger apparatus and more electric sparks, I found myself wondering again why this makes it better. The off-kilter camera angles and use of flashing shadows lead to a more active laboratory scene, but it all builds up to such an abrupt end. We feel for the loneliness of the creature, it is true, but I didn't think the title character would be so underwhelming.