Review of Bride of Frankenstein (1935) by Veronique K — 08 Jul 2008

"bride of frankenstein" is one of the rare cases in cinema that the sequel indisputedly surpasses the original. naturally lots have been remarked upon the brilliance of james whale.

Unawared by most, "bride of frankenstein" also extends the homoeroticism from its precessor on the character dr. pretorius who utters the legendary line "to the new world of gods and monsters" while he flaunts his little men in the jars (strangely it provoked the japanese ban then due to its mockery toward the royalty.) the mostly apparent scene would be dr. pretorius intrudes dr. frankenstein's bedroom in spite of the maid's warning in his fiancee's presence, discussing the course of "creating life" with insistence on excluding her. (an "intercourse" with discrimination toward the woman) it's a impudent poise on the caricature of elder anemic homosexual, admitted by whale himself.

And the most heterosexual character with masculinity would probably be the monster who is eager to have a female mate (compared with the deviant pretorius and the wimpish frankenstein), demonstrating his enormous interests toward the creature called "woman". but the monster's friendly lovemaking is rebuffed abruptly as whale's ruthless disdain for heterosexuality as well as the pride of his own orientation. but wouldn't be it another suggestive tone of homosexual identification with woman since frankenstein and pretorius are ardent to create a female being (a pursuit of feminity?). they might be my crude speculations.

Un-noticed by most, the actress who plays frankenstein's fiancee is substituted with valerie hobson instead of mae clarke in the original since mae clarke is forgotten or dismissed as the grapefruit lady in "public enemy". and it is wonderful opportunity for una o'connor to showcase her comic flair as the screaming maid whose neurotic nerves borders on annoyance.