The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

Usually when I watch a film that has garnered nothing but praise, I’m always a bit skeptical if the movie in question is truly deserving. I’ve noticed many film reviewers tend to merely go along with whatever else has been said about a certain film, for the simple fact of not having the balls to say otherwise. The film in question, 1935’s “Bride of Frankenstein” is generally regarded as one of the finest horror films of all time and the crowning jewel in Universal Picture’s early horror catalogue…to which I could not agree more.

Picking up right after the first film’s closing, we learn that both the Monster and his creator, Henry Frankenstein, survived the burning mill and mob of mad villagers at the film’s climax. Henry is whisked away back to his home and fiancé’, while the monster wanders the countryside confused, scared, and terrifying the local villagers. Elsewhere Henry’s mentor, the wonderfully mad Dr. Pretorious, greets Henry with a proposition that together they continue Henry’s experiments. Henry continually declines the mad doctor’s proposals, thus forcing Pretorious to eventually blackmail Henry into helping him with the ultimate creation…a bride for the monster.

A major plus for the film is the excellent cast, with Karloff, Colin Clive and Dwight Frye all returning to their roles from “Frankenstein”, to Ernest Thesiger portraying my favorite character with all the best lines, the evil Dr. Pretorious. Karloff is excellent in portraying the Monster as a childlike innocent, hated by a world that only sees his horrific appearance and nothing more. Here the creature actually learns to speak, and instead of hindering the character, as Karloff feared, it adds a whole new dimension to it, as the monster can finally express his pent up child like emotions. While this one is loaded with classic moments, from the monster befriending a blind hermit to the films gothic finale of Henry’s storm assaulted laboratory, my favorite features Pretorious and the monster together in a crypt after he’s just robbed a grave. Here they share a drink and smoke (smoke…good, drink…good!) while Pretorious learns the monster wants a mate “like me” and that he “hates living, likes dead”, to which Pretorious comments he couldn’t agree more. Terrific stuff. The film does have a bit of a comedic element to it, but it never parodies the first film or the characters involved. As for the film’s actual “bride”, while we only get about ten minutes of her, the character is fairly effective what with her cat like hisses, jerky movements, and lightning streaked hair. And, you can’t help but shed a tear for the big guy when even his proposed mate rejects him. “Bride of Frankenstein” will forever stand the test of time, and is a tried and true gothic horror classic. A must-see.