Frankenstein

FRANKENSTEIN (1931): Starring- Colin Clive, Boris Karloff, Mae Clark,

John Boles, Frederick Kerr, Dwight Frye.

Directed by- James Whale

Well, I said I'd start out with a classic, and with Halloween on its way, what better to start with than that perennial favorite, FRANKENSTEIN?

What more do I need to say than the title? It's a classic. It's timeless. If you haven't seen it then get off of my blog right now!

But seriously, this movie is a classic in every field- The cinematography (just check out that scene that opens with five close-ups!), The dialogue (If you don't know the line "It's alive!" then you definitely need to get off of my blog right now!), and especially, the acting.

Who could forget Boris Karloff's iconic performance as the "Monster"? His performance defined what people imagine when they hear the word "Frankenstein". As for the other performances, well, Colin Clive may just be my favorite mad scientist of all time, and Dwight Frye is excellent as the creepy, sadistic, hunchbacked assistant (No, his name isn't Igor or Ygor, that came later!) Mae Clark makes a somewhat forgettable heroine, which is probably why they replaced her four years later in BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN. Frederick Kerr, who plays Dr. Frankenstein's father, is quite funny in a dry, cantankerous way.

And, while the film hasn't aged well, it still has some great, effective moments, such as the monster trying to touch the sun when he first sees its light, and the somewhat violent-for-its-time death of Dr. Waldman (Van Sloan).

But, once again, do I really need to say all of this? This movie is legendary. Its influence is still on filmmakers to this day. It has stood the test of time, and it is a classic.

My Rating: * * * * out of * * * *

But next time, I won't be reviewing something as good or as influential! In fact, it won't be good at all!