Frankenstein (1931)

UNIVERSAL BLOWS SO BAD, WORST DVD PRODUCER?

i mean come on now, this is the second set that has arrived fallen apart,,,the book edition, in this and Dracula were unglued!Wow, i mean if it isn't the fiasco of the loose flippers in the Legacy set , its this mess.Karloff and Lugosi deserve better than the treatment they get from Universal, who seem only interested in making a quick buck!Universal sucks so bad it isn't even funny, the only reason i buy these is to show my loyalty to Karloff and Lugosi and the like and to honor them, not Universal dvds, what utter and complete garbage they produce! September 2, 2008

Frankenstein -- It's Alive!

Frankenstein


I picked up Frankenstein 75th Anniversary edition and watched it avidly. Here we have the complete film. I did not know until recently that the film was edited and had remained edited for many years. When the Doctor cries out that he knows what it feels like to be God, the Christians cut that out. And the scene when the Monster throws the girl in the lake, that was cut out as too ghastly. "Saw" is worse but I digress.

I don't want to criticize an icon of the film industry, but how did the villager know that his girl was murdered? They don't actually show him discovering the body and as far as I can see, the Monster threw her in without any damage.

Keeping the Monster mute was a great idea, as you got the concept of savagery and brutality in him - cold and calculating from the criminal brain that was stolen by Fritz. Why is it that the label on the jar clearly said "criminal brain", yet the Doctor did not read the label??

Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein parodies this film which is also recommended (Mel mixed Bride of Frankenstein in there, too, but I digress). Young Frankenstein

This is a two DVD set. The one with the specials is almost identical to the Dracula 75th anniversary edition, except there is a great collage of the Frankenstein film with posters and stills.

Hey, well worth the cost to pick this up. Even David J. Skal was good in his historic perspective in The Frankenstein Files. A short film made by Carle Lemmle himself called `Boo" makes fun of his own creation.

A complete synopsis of all Karloff and Lugosi films is also mixed in.

Suggest:

Frankenstein - The Legacy Collection (Frankenstein / Bride of / Son of / Ghost of / House of)
The Bela Lugosi Collection (Murders in the Rue Morgue / The Black Cat / The Raven / The Invisible Ray / Black Friday)



August 25, 2008

Innocence and sensitivity have no place in this world

Classic story of the mad scientist and the monster that stole his last name.
Bela Lugosi turned this role down because it contained no lines. Lucky for Karloff, who beautifully conveyed the part with an engaging sensitivity while maintaining an ultimate level of mystery. The creature's silence only adds to the horror of what man is capable of.
The two scenes forever emblazoned in the annals of monster movies--the "It's alive!" and the girl by the lake--are unequaled. They truly stand out as the essence of classic spook cinema.
The most famous horror film of all time. A must see. June 16, 2008

Universal monster classic.

This is the first universal Frankenstein movie released in 1931 and was directed by James Whale, the movie is a horror classic while not scary it still is a gothic horror masterpiece. Borris Karloff does a great job of portraying the monster even though it does look cliched cause of the constant parodies and cartoons you have to realise that this film was the first to have the monster appear this way with the electrical bolts on his neck.

The monster while being a vicious creature also has a more kinder and gentler side to him but as soon as he sees other people's reaction to him he acts violently. Frankenstein is not as accurate as the book by Mary Shelly but it could be argued that it improves on the idea, some moments were left and some parts were changed like how Frankenstein's assistant Igor (he's called Fritz in this film) played by Dwight Frye seemed more evil and is shown to be tormenting the monster until he finally breaks free.

Colin Clive brilliantly plays Dr. Henry Frankenstein and his lines were great and memorable especially when he starts screaming "IT'S ALIIIIIVE!!!". The film also has fantastic sets and the acting was quite good O.K. some of it was a bit laughable and over the top but then again what do you expect from a film done in the 30's?. Overall I would say that Frankenstein is a classic that should be watched by all horror fans, enjoy......... April 25, 2008

Well deserves its classic status.

Frankenstein (James Whale, 1931)

The first is still the beat in the case of the many film adaptations of Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein, or, the Modern Prometheus. James Whale's 1931 classic has it all: a fantastic script, top-notch effects for its day, atmosphere in spades, a superlative stable of acting talent, and a director who was willing to take some risks. The result was a blockbuster, pulling in twelve million during the Depression (on a budget of less than $300,000, no less), and a film that has stood the test of time admirably.

What is there to say that hasn't already been said? Seventy-six years after the film's initial release, thankfully restored (as much as possible) to the original state it was in despite the work of film censors in 1938, it's just as good as it was back in the day. Why? Because it's not just a horror film. There's a lot more going on here, and Whale coaxed every subtext out of the material he could. The idea that the monster could be the tragic hero, which became so prevalent in monster movies soon after, was adopted and nurtured by Whale and screenwriter Peggy Webling (one assumes that most adapters of the time would go with a straight good guy/bad guy approach), and it's done with flair. There are very few humans of any merit to be found here, and those who have any seem to come to bad ends relatively quickly (inadvertently, as in the film's most famous scene, or no); we're left with nothing but Boris Karloff and his neck electrodes to latch onto. And we do. Still wonderful after all these years. **** March 10, 2008

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