Probably the most famous reanimated corpse in history, Frankenstein’s monster is the story of science and hubris gone wrong. The 1931 Universal film is the blueprint for these types of stories, featuring the famous face of Boris Karloff as the Monster. I’d like to say Frankenstein is my official entry to horror, and thus holds a special place in my heart; I remember taking baths and watching a rented VHS of the movie while I sat in the warm water, entranced by the black and white screen. So this movie will always be rated high for me. It’s an OG!
Based on Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel, Frankenstein takes place in the Bavarian Alps, where Doctor Henry Frankenstein and his assistant steal corpses from a local graveyard in order to perform experiments on reanimation. When the stolen brain accidentally gets switched from a genius’ to that of a criminal, the corpse comes alive — with a vengeance. Frankenstein’s monster escapes and terrorizes Henry’s village, stopping at nothing to cause destruction and panic.
I love Frankenstein for many reasons:
- It’s a classic.
- It showcases the wonder and technology of film from a media giant like Universal.
- It starts a movement of monsters and revitalizes horror in film.
- It can be looked at and experienced in many ways depending on your age.
Frankenstein is a definite heavy hitter in the horror monster realm. There are plenty of giants in this genre — Godzilla, Alien, The Blob, to name a few — but Frankenstein, even in the realm of just Universal Monsters, is one of greats. His square head, bolted neck, green skin, and stiff gait absolutely read “unnatural,” more than enough to scare some villagers.
And of course, we wouldn’t have Frankenstein if it weren’t for makeup expert Jack Pierce. Reportedly taking up to four hours to apply Karloff’s makeup, Pierce used advanced (for the time) techniques that brought the Monster to life, literally. His vision was so iconic that it is now the main image we envision when we think of Frankenstein’s Monster.
Besides bringing the story of a mad scientist and science gone wrong to life, Frankenstein is a story that hits different the more you watch it. Some days we fear the Monster. Sometimes we love him. And sometimes we feel bad for him. Such range of emotion can often be hard to evoke on multiple screenings — but not here! As the Monster plunges the little girl into the lake (an infamous scene that was once removed entirely due to censorship laws), we see the Monster himself go through that same range of emotion. He’s almost a child in that way. When Dr. Frankenstein realizes his creation was successfully brought to life, we can only scream with excitement with him, not realizing the horrors that await the town.
I actually think Frankenstein is a master class in what horror can be. It’s not just horror and scares. It can be thought-provoking. It can be inspirational. It can make you feel all of these things, but mostly, life — horror makes you feel alive. And this relatively short film based on a book is still hailed as one of the greats almost 100 years later for this reason.
I don’t know how many times I have seen Frankenstein, but I can assure you I will never stop watching it. It has the nostalgia factor for me, but also is a tale of perseverance and what a monster truly is. Frankenstein takes the magic of film and throws it all on the table for you to assemble yourself and bring to life with your own thoughts and feelings. In a way, you create your own Monster, and Frankenstein is the spark.
What do you think of Frankenstein? Let us know in the comments!
