Frankenstein

During the Halloween season of 2012, I got to see this classic film digitally restored on the big screen. The restoration is amazing by the way. I had seen "Frankenstein" previously in high school but the second time was not as influential on me as the first. Still, the legacy of this movie should not be overlooked. It launched the career of Boris Karloff and made Universal a studio for horror films.

Edward Van Sloan's intro is fun today. It adds a sense of theatricality to the film. Two parts of this movie have cemented themselves in pop culture. The first is the line "It's alive! It's alive!" as delivered by Colin Clive. Due to its popularity, the line is on the American Film Institute's list of the top 100 movie quotes at #49. Another memorable influence "Frankenstein" has on society is the look of the monster himself with the flat head and neck-bolt. Karloff's grunting and groaning plus the way he walks is standard nowadays for portrayal of the monster. The reveal of the monster is pretty well executed. One scene that I admire a lot is the one with Little Maria. There is so much contrast as the two characters sit by the lake and the sunny atmosphere is also opposite from the monster's persona. Speaking of that, there is an undertone of pity in this movie. You feel it many times such as in the scene with Little Maria and as the monsters dies. There is one humorous moment that makes me chuckle every time when the monster groans lustfully at Elizabeth.

Other cast members that should be recognized are Frederick Kerr as the Baron and Marilyn Harris as Little Maria. The legacy of this movie is impressive. AFI put "Frankenstein" on another list for thrilling movies at #56. The movie inspired sequels and contributed to Universal becoming a reputable studio for horror films. A re-release movie poster has become the most valuable movie poster in the world. While I like "Dracula" more, I think that "Frankenstein" is also a well made movie. The best performance of Karloff's career in my opinion was for "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" but this film is definitely second place.

3 Stars