Frankenstein [M]

Hidden away in a rundown castle, the overreaching and eccentric Henry Frankenstein creates life from the bodies stolen from graves and a criminal’s brain stolen from a university. When he achieves his goal, he realises that his creation is really a monster, unable to distinguish right from wrong, which soon begins to terrorise the town. 

You cannot, simply cannot appreciate the genius and heart-wrenching complexities of Frankenstein without having read the book (written by Mary Shelley). Although the story offers wondrous alleys for horrific interpretations: without a doubt it is the most revered monster on all fronts, the story of Frankenstein and his creation is one of torture and heartbreaking identity complications, making it much more than a mere horror movie. 

Hidden away in a rundown castle, the overreaching and eccentric Henry Frankenstein creates life from the bodies stolen from graves and a criminal’s brain stolen from a university. When he achieves his goal, he realises that his creation is really a monster, unable to distinguish right from wrong, which soon begins to terrorise the town. 

James Whale’s 1931 adaptation of Frankenstein is in Universal’s Hall of Fame, armed with its wonderful performances and amazing sets and makeup design. The film begins with a disclaimer, almost deterrence, before jumping right into the grave robbing and experimenting. Running just over an hour long, the movie dissects Shelley’s admirable novel and splinters it into a spooky and fragmented film of “the best bits”; a great abridge so to speak. 

The film is very well balanced between horror and suspense, and drama and romance with Boris Karloff (birth name William Henry Pratt and billed only as ? during the opening credits) delivering a beautiful performance as the monster forced into being and then spending its “life” searching for an identity. The character of the Monster is one that is remarkably hard to play because you both have to fear and pity it and Karloff did a lovely job bringing a human fear and heart-melting vulnerability to one of the world’s most prestigious monsters. 

The makeup that Karloff adorned, designed by Jack Pierce, was both frightening (obviously more so in the harsh tones of black and white cinema) and beautiful: the heavily drooping eyelids playing a key role in making the Monster seem vulnerable and confused. Very well done. 

Starring Colin Clive, Mae Clarke, John Boles, Edward Van Sloan, Frederick Kerr, Dwight Frye, Lionel Belmore, and Marilyn Harris, Frankenstein is a seemingly short and dated film by modern standards, but one that I feel captured the emotions of the book on which it is based very well. Filled with action, drama, horror, romance, science, and a few heartbreaking scenes, it’s an iconic film that paved the way for numerous adaptations and brought one of the most loved monsters off the page and onto the screen. You’ve got to admire it for that fact alone.