BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN

Last year on the week before Halloween I reviewed the classic Film "Frankenstein"  Even though the film wasn't an Oscar Nominated film, it's still known as a horror classic for it's horrifying scenes, horrifying performances, and POP culture references. Three years later, a sequel was made for the film called...


 

"The Bride of Frankenstein" is the continuing story of the film “Frankenstein", with some of the original cast members such as Colin Clive as Dr. Henry Frankenstein and Boris Karloff as the Creature. However, some of the original cast members from the first film aren't in the film and their characters are played by different actors; like the character Elizabeth for example is played by Valerie Hobson instead of being played by Mae Clarke. Anyway, moving back to the plot; Dr. Frankenstein and the creature survive after the events from the first film. The creature roams free and Dr. Frankenstein teams up with a Mad Doctor named Pretorius (Ernest Thesiger) to create the creature a Bride (Elsa Lanchester).

Now when I first heard the title of the movie, it sounded like a dumb spinoff sequel, but as I watched it, it actually felt like the second half of the movie! Colin Clive returning as Dr. Henry Frankenstein was very different then he was in the first film. In this film he doesn’t want to create another creature and his emotions show it. Ernest Thesiger as Dr. Pretorious makes up for the lack of wanting to create in Colins character, I mean Ernest Thesiger acts like how Colin acted in the first film. Good god, how badly he wants to create a creature, he's really convincing and he's twice as insane as Henry was in the first film.



The one performance that impresses me the most in this film is Boris Karloff as the Creature. He’s scary in this film like when we first see him; however, that’s NOT the reason why I loved his performance. Last year when I reviewed the first film I said “There were a few scenes that shows a gentle and confusing side of the monster”; this film shows a lot of it! I mean when I see this film, I don’t see him as a Monster, I see him as a confused deformed figure who’s treated like a monster. The Creatures emotions really show his sadness like the scene when he sees his reflection in the water or when the Creature says how much he wants to die (Yes he talks in this film). The scene that really brings a tear to my eye is when he befriends with a blind man (O.P. Heggie). The Creature is so desperate for a friend, he even befriends the Mad Doctor Pretourious, who sadly only uses the creature to torment Dr. Frankenstein to make his Bride. So yes, Boris Karloff really makes the film great.


So you're probably wondering how's Elsa Lanchester as the Bride? Well, I can't really say much because the Bride only shows up in the end of the film, however, she also plays the author of the novel Mary Shelley in the film's introduction and I think casting her as both characters was a terrific idea because in the beginning of the film she starts telling the story and then after all that build up we see her again as the Bride. You can almost say Mary Shelley is the Bride of Frankenstein! So yes, the casting is great!

In the first film as I said earlier, I said "Some of the special effects, however, can look a little cheesy”, this film made up for it BIG TIME! The Special effects were amazing like in the lab Scene or the scene when Dr. Pretourious shows Henry jars full of tiny people. The cinematography was also amazing as well like the scene when the creature kills his first victims. The build up is also great because I just really wanted to see the Creature get his Bride and when the lab scene came, I swear I felt the same lust for creation as the Doctors did, and yes they do say "She's Alive!".

After reading this review you're probably thinking I thought this film was better than the first film. My answer is yes and No. There have been lots of improvements, but the first film to me still remains as a classic because of the buildup, the acting, the make-up, the special effects and the Cinematography. I know the special effects aren’t as good as this film, but it was still impressive for its time. As I said before "It actually felt like the second half of the movie!", and it is one of the best sequels to have ever been made.

RATING 5/5