A Monster Science Created - But Could Not Destroy!
Memorable quote:
Oh, in the name of God! Now I know what it feels like to be God!
Movie Review:
Universal Studios gives the 1931 release of Boris Karloff's Frankenstein the regal treatment with its inclusion in the Monster Legacy DVD Gift Set. Also included in this multi-disc set are the 1931 release of Dracula and the 1941 release of The Wolfman. Hopefully with this snappy new DVD collection, "the monster that started it all" will be introduced to a whole new generation of horror movie fans........full review
The Plot:In this horror classic, Dr. Frankenstein (Colin Clive) and ghoulish assistant Fritz (Dwight Frye) create an artificial being from human body parts, and the resulting creature is a subhuman monster (Boris Karloff). Frankenstein, unable to deal with the monster's behavior, locks him in a dungeon and leaves him in the care of Fritz, who tortures the creature. Tired of it, the monster breaks free and unleashes his deadly force. Can he be stopped?
Sequels:
Although Universal released 4 sequels including Bride of Frankenstein (1935); Son of Frankenstein (1939); Ghost of Frankenstein (1942); House of Frankenstein (1944) there were many more releases faturing the green neck-bolted monster. Following are many of his reincarnations on the big screen as well as TV some more official than others.
Young Frankenstein (1974)
Bud Abbott Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) Curse of Frankenstein, The (1957)
Frankenstein (1994) aka "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein"
Flesh for Frankenstein (1973) aka "Andy Warhol's Frankenstein"
Frankenstein (1993) (TV)
Frankenstein (1973) (TV)
Frankenstein (1910)
Frankenstein (1968) (TV)
Frankenstein (1987) (TV)
Young Frankenstein (1974)
Bud Abbott Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)
Curse of Frankenstein, The (1957)
Frankenstein: The True Story (1973) (TV)
Frankenstein 90 (1984)
"House of Frankenstein 1997" (1997) (mini)
Frankenstein and Me (1996)
Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943)
Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein (1999) (V)
Frankenstein Unbound (1990)
Moi svodny brat Frankenstein (2004)
Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969)
Revenge of Frankenstein, The (1958)
Frankenstein Created Woman (1967)
Dracula Vs. Frankenstein (1971)
Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (1974)
Frankenstein General Hospital (1988)
Frankenstein Punk (1986)
Horror of Frankenstein, The (1970)
Evil of Frankenstein, The (1964)
Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter (1966)
I Was a Teenage Frankenstein (1957)
Rock 'n' Roll Frankenstein (1999)
Blackenstein (1973)
Victor Frankenstein (1977)
Frankenstein - 1970 (1958)
DVD Release Details:
DVD Release Date:
April 27, 2004
Aspect Ratio:
Pre-1954 standard - 1.33:1
Region information:
Region 1: USA
Closed Captioning:
English
Master Format:
Film
Sides:
1
Chapter Stops:
16
Sound:
French; Spanish; English-closed-captioned..
Subtitles:
None
DVD Extra Features:
Black/white; interactive menus with audio; scene access; additional movies; behind-the-scenes; documentaries; alternate audio track; trailers; short film; photo galleries
DVD Chapter List:
1. Main Titles: A Word of Friendly Warning; 2. The Grave Robbers; 3. The Abnormal Brain; 4. The Preparations; 5. Frankenstein's Plan; 6. The Creation; 7. The Creature; 8. His Tormentor; 9. First Blood; 10. The Creature Escapes; 11. Maria and the Monster; 12. The Uninvited Guest; 13. To Find a Monster; 14. The Windmill; 15. Death to the Monster; 16. End Titles: A Toast to the Frankensteins.
The Menu: • Scenes
• Bonus Materials
• Languages
• Play
• Menu
The DVD Set:
Universal Studios has given Frankenstein the regal treatment with its inclusion in their Monster Legacy Collection as well as a part of the Monster Legacy DVD Gift Set, complete with exclusive hand-cast busts from sculptor Mat Falls/Sideshow Collectibles. Following are details about the release of Frankenstein:
Boris Karloff's Frankenstein For the first time ever, the original Frankenstein film comes to DVD in this extraordinary Legacy Collection. Included in the collection is the original classic, starring the renowned Boris Karloff, and four timeless sequels, featuring such legendary actors as Bela Lugosi and Lon Chaney Jr. These are the landmark films that inspired an entire genre of movies and continue to be major influences on motion pictures to this day.
FRANKENSTEIN: THE LEGACY COLLECTION DVD CONTENTS -Includes Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Son of Frankenstein (1939), Ghost of Frankenstein (1942) and House of Frankenstein (1944)
-Van Helsing director Stephen Sommers hosts an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at how these original Frankenstein films inspired his motion picture event
-The Frankenstein Files: How Hollywood Made a Monster, an original documentary
-She’s Alive!: Creating the bride of Frankenstein, an original documentary
-Film historians provide insightful commentary to Frankenstein (Rudy Behlmer) and Bride of Frankenstein (Scott MacQueen) on an alternate audio track
-Original theatrical trailers, plus the 1931, 1938 and 1951 reissue trailers for Frankenstein
-Boo!: A short film
-Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein: Original poster and photo galleries
-Newly remastered audio track for maximum clarity
Movie stills From Frankenstein:
The mob ascends on the hideout.
The monster himself
The well-known visit to Maria by the lakeside
Frankenstein Movie Posters:
Frankenstein Trivial Tidbits:
In one scene, the Monster ( Boris Karloff ) walks through a forest and comes upon a little girl, Maria, who is throwing flowers into a pond. The monster joins her in the activity but soon runs out of flowers. At a loss for something to throw into the water, he looks at Maria and moves toward her. In all American prints of the movie, the scene ends here. But as originally filmed, the action continues to show the monster grabbing Maria, hurling her into the lake, then departing in confusion when Maria fails to float as the flowers did. This bit was deleted because Karloff - objecting to the director's interpretation of the scene - felt that the monster should have gently put Maria into the lake. This scene is restored in the videocassette reissue.
Bela Lugosi was offered the role of the monster, but refused on the grounds that his character would not speak (though he eventually played the role in Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943) (qv)). Lugosi also insisted on creating his own makeup for the Monster, but his design was rejected. According to film historian Richard J. Anobile, Lugosi was originally offered the role of Dr. Frankenstein by original director Robert Florey , but Carl Laemmle insisted that Lugosi play the monster. Test footage of Lugosi in Monster make-up was filmed by Florey on the set of Dracula. Soon after, Florey was replaced by James Whale as director, and Lugosi was replaced by Karloff.
John Carradine turned down the part of the Monster because he considered himself too highly trained to be reduced to playing monsters.
After bringing the monster to life, Dr. Frankenstein uttered the famous line "Now I know what it's like to BE God!" The movie was originally released with this line of dialogue, but when it was re-released in the late '30s, censors demanded it be removed on the grounds that it was blasphemy. A loud clap of thunder was substituted on the soundtrack. The dialogue was partially restored on the video release, but since no decent recording of the dialogue could be found, it still appears garbled and indistinct. The censored dialog was partially returned to the soundtrack in the initial "restored version" releases. Further restoration has now completely brought back this line of missing dialog.
According to the TLC network program "Hunt for Amazing Treasures", a unique six-sheet poster for the original 1931 release, showing Karloff as The Monster menacing Mae Clarke, is worth at least $600,000 US and is possibly the most valuable movie poster in the world. The only known (original) copy is owned by a private collector.
Karloff offered to remove his partial bridgework as part of the monster make-up process to create the sunken cheek look.
Ken Strickfaden , who created all the electrical effects for the movie, also doubled for Boris Karloff during the sequences that showed the million volt sparks playing over his body. The same machines were later used in the comedy Young Frankenstein (1974) .
In the "drowning scene" you can notice that after the monster drops Maria into the water, there is a rather hard cut to just moving water and the monsters confused escape. There was said to be close-ups of the girl attempting to swim before sinking under the water. These were deemed to grisly (and still would probably be today) and the scene itself was entirely removed; ending with the monster moving toward her (which gave several viewers at the time the impression that Maria was molested and then killed). All close-ups of the drowning have been lost, all that remains is the current footage, which could only be pieced together with a hard cut.
Child actress 'Marilyn Harris' had done several takes of the drowning scene, none of which turned out quite right. Although wet and tired, she agreed to do one last take of the scene, the one that appears in the finished film, after director James Whale promised her anything she wanted if she would do so. She asked for a dozen hard-boiled eggs, her favorite snack. Whale gave her two dozen. The DVD commentary for the film suggests that Harris wasn't actually a good swimmer, quoting Harris as saying that she had only a couple of swimming lessons before filming and had never dived under water before.
John Huston wrote an early version of the warning speech given at the start of the film.
The method of animating the creature is never discussed in Mary Shelley's novel. In the book, Frankenstein, narrating, refuses to divulge how he did it so no one can re-create his actions. However, the use of lightning to resurrect the monster has become the accepted methodology and appears in virtually every Frankenstein movie since.
According to The People's Almanac, at one point the movie was to have included a line of dialogue giving the Monster the name, Adam. The Almanac indicates that an early print of this film may have indeed been released with just such a scene, but that it was cut when audiences began referring to the Monster by the name Frankenstein.
John Carradine , who later played Dracula in the Universal horror films, once claimed he was considered for the role of the Monster.
The Monster in this film does not physically resemble Mary Shelley's character. It was make-up artist Jack Pierce who came up with innovations such as the Monster's flat head, the bolts through the neck, the droopy eyelids, and the poorly-fitted suit. Any future Frankenstein film that features any of these physical abnormalities is taking its inspiration from Pierce's make-up work.
My Hideous Progeny: Mary Shelley's Frankenstein - everything you have ever wanted to know about Mary Shelley. There are pages dealing with Mary's life, her family, her friends and her novels.
Mary-Shelley-Frankenstein.com - The Paper Store Enterprises, Inc. is proud to present the web's first resource dedicated solely to the provision of exemplary essays on this one historic work.
Frankenstein the Musical - the official web site of the new American musical, Frankenstein, adapted faithfully from Mary Shelley's epic novel.
Frankenstein - A Face for the Monster: The Universal Pictures Series- Frankenstein films: From Mary Shelley to Kenneth Branagh. Information on Shelley's novel, film versions of Frankenstein and Frankenstein-related films. Frankenstein (1931), Bride of Frankenstein, Curse of Frankenstein, Robocop, Blade Runner, Star Trek.
Frankenstein 1931 - Millions have been thrilled by the greatest horro the screen has ever known!
Moviegoods - Frankenstein posters and goods at MovieGoods.
Contribute - We at Frank's Reel Reviews love Frankenstein and if you have a web site, or know of one, that contains interesting information, facts or details related to Frankenstein and wish to have it included on this page, simply send us an e-mail at admin@franksreelreviews.com or post at the Frankenstein discussion forum. We'd be happy to include it.
