BLOOD WORK: HALLOWEEN HORROR DAYS ~ DAY 1: FRANKENSTEIN (1931)

Horror films existed before 1931, many of them classics and groundbreaking cinema. The German silent film classics THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI and NOSFERATU remain two examples of the finest in horror. John Barrymore's DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE and Lon Chaney's PHANTOM OF THE OPERA are a few of the great American horror films from that era. Horror movies were many and those still celebrated today are of the highest caliber. These films set the precedent for what was yet to come. In 1931 director Tod Browning released a film starring a relatively new Hungarian actor by the name of Bela Lugosi. Browning's DRACULA was the beginning of the first true horror film era. But it was another movie released later that year which proved horror films were here to stay.

Any student of cinema should recognize the importance and influence of James Whale's FRANKENSTEIN on the horror genre and cinema as a whole. For me the story of Frankenstein was my first delving into the darkness of imagination. My whole life I've loved dinosaurs and giant animals like King Kong and Godzilla. But with dinosaurs and animals, what we see as frightening is just their instinct. With Frankenstein, as a child uncovering the tale for the first time, the darkness contained within was different, calculated, perverse, and vengeful. I've always loved monsters, even before discovering The Monster, but it was Frankenstein who first introduced me to horror.

THE PLOT

Henry Frankenstein, a gifted student in the field of human biology, believes he has discovered the secret to creating life. Obsessed, Henry secludes himself in a lonely watchtower with his project. Body snatching. Grave robbing. Nothing is beyond him. With the help of a hunchback named Fritz, Henry builds a body from countless human corpses. Harnessing the power of the heavens, Henry imbues his creation with life. But, unbeknownst to Henry, the brain used in his creation formerly belonged to a criminal. The Monster commits his first murder. Then another. Henry abandons his creation. The Monster terrorizes Henry's village in search of his creator to do the only he knows how: kill.

THE GOOD

Aged to Perfection. Time has been kind to this film. One of the aspects I personally love about black and white horror films is that the older they get the more authentic they look. Movies aren't shot like this anymore nor do actors perform this way anymore. Sound design, set design, make-up, special effects and more, very little of it is the same as it is with today's movies. These movies become unique experiences unto themselves. There's a raw documentary-like feel about them, especially the precode Hollywood horror films. Frankenstein is no exception.

The Icons. So much of what we recall as being synonymous with Frankenstein is not present in Mary Shelley's novel but in fact inventions of this film or stage productions from that era. Boris Karloff in Jack Pierce's legendary make-up is perhaps the most recognizable image in all of horror cinema and it is nowhere near how the creature is described in the novel. Bringing the creature to life via lightning and electricity was also an invention of the film. Henry Frankenstein's hunchbacked assistant, later known as Igor, was an invention of an earlier stage production and not a part of the novel. Dwight Frye, the actor playing the hunchback in the film, is solely responsible for the character's longevity. The use of a criminal brain or 'abnormal' brain for the monster was also created for the film.

And perhaps the most memorable scene of all time: "It's alive! It's alive!" A moment absent from the novel made iconic by actor Colin Clive's brilliant performance and haunting voice. Colin Clive and Dwight Frye don't receive nearly the amount of credit they deserve for their part in making this film the cinematic milestone that it is. If you haven't guessed, the film deviates quite extensively from the novel, but both the novel and this particular film version have made the story of Frankenstein immortal. True, this movie is far from the first horror film ever made (which coincidentally was a production of Frankenstein from 1910), but the landscape of horror cinema as we know it was shaped by this film.

THE BAD

Adaptation. Despite this film's enduring success and unquestionable influence the fact remains that the film is, at best, a loose interpretation of Mary Shelley's novel. If you're assigned to the read the book for a class this film will do you no favors. It is best to regard this Frankenstein and the novel as two separate entities. But due to this film's profound impact on pop culture, elements of it have permeated nearly every film rendition of Frankenstein that has followed. If you're wondering why no 100% faithful film adaptation exists of Mary Shelley's novel place your blame on the brilliant cast and crew of this film and director James Whale's incredible vision. To be clear, I don't consider this a downfall of the film but rather a testament to the power and endurance of this particular interpretation.

THE VERDICT

Just as Mary Shelley's novel has left a lasting imprint on the literary world so too has James Whale's film effected cinema. For myself I can firmly place the blame for my lasting fascination with horror cinema on Boris Karloff, Colin Clive, and Dwight Frye. I regard this film as the Citizen Kane of horror movies. This film wasn't the first classic Universal horror film I was exposed to nor my top favorite (that rank belongs to THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON), but this film and this story have influenced me far more than any other horror film ever has. The book is my all-time favorite literary work and similarly this film is one I celebrate every year.

Overall Ranking: 10 out of 10

(Leaves a lasting impression on my life. Above repute)

Nude-O-Meter: 0 out of 10