The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

Bride of Frankenstein (1935) continues Mary Shelley’s tale with the same dark imagination and grim wonder. Framed by Mary Shelley recounting what happens next, the film finds Dr. Henry Frankenstein and his creature alive after the events of the first story. Henry wants a quiet life with his new wife, but the sinister, obsessed Dr. Pretorius forces him back into the work of creating life — even resorting to blackmail and the abduction of Elizabeth — to fashion a mate for the Monster. The Monster, meanwhile, wanders the world, learning and yearning for companionship, and forms a brief, tender bond with a blind man before Henry and Pretorius finally attempt to build a woman to be the Monster’s partner. Their creation and the Monster’s desperate hope end in tragedy when the new woman rejects him, with catastrophic consequences. Watching Bride of Frankenstein is both chilling and surprisingly sympathetic. Expect classic Gothic horror atmosphere, expressionistic sets and striking visual compositions, memorable set-pieces (including the creation scene and the Monster’s encounter with the blind man), and moments of dark wit and theatrical flourish. The film balances scares with deep pathos for the Monster’s loneliness and raises questions about hubris, responsibility and what it means to be human. Viewers will come away haunted by powerful imagery, moved by tragic emotion, and entertained by the film’s eerie, elegant blend of horror and drama.

Actors: Boris Karloff, Elsa Lanchester, Colin Clive

Director: James Whale

Runtime: 75 min

Genres: Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi

7.2 /10 95 /100 7.8 /10 8.2 /10