Movies - Frankenstein

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Frankenstein is a 1931 horror film from Universal Pictures directed by James Whale and very loosely based on the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. The film tells the story of a scientist named Dr. Henry Frankenstein, whose work takes him into the dark side of life after death. Visually the film was heavily influenced by the German expressionist films of the 1920s.

The film stars Colin Clive as Henry, as well as horror-film regulars Dwight Frye (as the dwarf Fritz), Edward van Sloan (as Dr. Waldman), and Boris Karloff as the monster Henry creates. The film also features Mae Clarke as Henry's fiancée Elizabeth, and John Boles as Henry's best friend Victor Moritz.

The movie was adapted by John L. Balderston, Francis Edward Faragoh, Garrett Fort, Robert Florey (uncredited) and John Russell (uncredited) from the Shelley novel and the play by Peggy Webling. It was directed by James Whale.

Differences between the film and its source

In the original novel, the monster's creator is named Victor Frankenstein and his best friend's name is Henry Clerval. A woman named Justine Moritz works for the Frankenstein family. In the film, the monster's creator is named Henry Frankenstein, and his friend is Victor Moritz.

Whereas in Mary Shelley's novel, the creature's savage behavior is seen as the result of maltreatment and neglect, the 1931 film adaptation adds as further explanation the fact that Frankenstein's assistant Fritz, played by Dwight Frye, has provided a defective brain to be used in the experiment. This suggestion that the Monster's brutal behavior was inevitable arguably dilutes the novel's social criticism and depiction of developing consciousness.

Sequels and parodies

Frankenstein was followed by a string of sequels, beginning with Bride of Frankenstein
(1935), which is considered by some to be the best film of the series - partly because the Creature actually talks in this film. Elsa Lanchester plays Frankenstein's bride. A recreation of the filming of this movie is shown in the 1998 film Gods and Monsters
.

The next sequel, 1939's Son of Frankenstein--made, like all those that followed, without Whale or Clive, and featuring Karloff's last performance as the Monster--is generally regarded as a lesser work, although it is the most visually memorable of any. The Monster wears his trademark furry vest, and the sets and lighting have a decidedly expressionistic tone. Basil Rathbone plays Baron Wolf von Frankentein, and Lionel Atwill as Inspector Krogh delivers his famous line: "One doesn't easily forget, Herr Baron, an arm torn out by the roots." The film aslo features Donnie Dunagan (Disney's voice of Bambi) as the grandson of Frankenstein, Peter.

What followed was a long slide that ended in 1948 with the deliberately farcical Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein
. Mel Brooks' comedy Young Frankenstein
parodied elements of the first three Universal Frankenstein movies.

Additional credits and trivia

In the opening credits, Karloff is unbilled, a question mark being used in place of his name. He is, however, listed in the closing credits, which otherwise duplicate the credits from the opening under the principle that "A Good Cast Is Worth Repeating".

As was the custom at the time, only the main cast and crew were listed in the credits. Additionally, however, a number of other actors who worked on the project were or became familiar to fans of the Universal horror films. These included Frederick Kerr as the old Baron Frankentein, Henry's father; Lionel Belmore as Herr Vogel, the Burgomeister; Marilyn Harris as Little Maria, the girl the monster accidentally kills; and Michael Mark as Ludwig, Maria's father.

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Movies - Frankenstein

Differences between the film and its source

Sequels and parodies

Additional credits and trivia

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