Among the many horror subgenres, there is nothing that melds quite as well with it as science fiction. The mash-up allows for pushing horror to the outer limits of space in titles like Event Horizon and Alien, or for turning terror inward through messed-up experiments in movies like The Fly or Possessor. There is no shortage of phenomenal films in the horror subgenre, from blockbuster hits to B-movie madness to thought-provoking classics based on beloved works of literature like Annihilation or Solaris.
While many will equate the genre with the 80s, which gave fans a plethora of stand-out films like The Thing, Xtro, From Beyond, Scanners, Re-animator, and the list goes on, the monster-driven sci-fi horror formula was arguably perfected decades prior in the classic era of horror. Creeping onto the screen in all its macabre beauty, James Whale’s The Bride of Frankenstein is sci-fi horror perfection, and the best monster movie ever made.
The Legacy Left By ‘The Bride of Frankenstein’
Picking up directly after the events of the landmark horror film Frankenstein (1931), Bride of Frankenstein (1935) saw both Boris Karloff as the Monster and Colin Clive as Henry Frankenstein return. Here, however, Dr. Pretorius (Ernest Thesiger) pushes Dr. Frankenstein to continue his experiments despite the disastrous outcome. Notably, having witnessed the “Monster” feel general compassion, he is ultimately persuaded to make him a partner; enter Elsa Lanchester in dual roles as Mary Shelley and the Bride.
The success of Frankenstein led director James Whale to be in high demand, and, unprecedented for the era, he was given remarkable creative freedom for the project in exchange for his return for a sequel. This fact is essential to understanding how the sequel, arguably, outdid the original: in Bride of Frankenstein, Whale was allowed to interject expressionism, dark comedy, and subversive themes, creating a dark and personal feature that was rare within the Hollywood system. William Hurlbut and John L. Balderston took liberties with the original work in their script, allowing Whale to further experiment (pun intended) with bringing the Bride to life while deepening the lore of Frankenstein’s Monster.
Frankenstein himself, as outlined in the lore of the original film, would be the driving force behind many other filmmakers’ adaptations. However, as far as pushing the horror genre forward and influencing it stylistically, the legacy of Bride of Frankenstein outweighs the original; it remains James Whale’s masterpiece, helping to define and cement the classic Universal monster period. As a testament to the film’s legacy, the movie itself remains captivating 90 years after its release.
‘The Bride of Frankenstein’ Remains Perfect 90 Years After Its Release
Time is not always kind to cinema, and movies that were once revered could decades later be seen as a stepping stone, or a misstep due to changes in the medium and culture. However, The Bride of Frankenstein immerses itself in universal themes, from the more humane exploration of love and the need for belonging, to the more complex exploration of the ethics of creation and defying death. While these themes were prevalent in the first film, combining them with Whale’s ability to experiment and craft a more personalized, abstract story further gives it a more modern appeal than the first film.
Moreover, the movie’s timelessness can be attributed to Whale taking the classic monster structure and using horror as an emotional metaphor, rather than spectacle, which, at the time, was largely absent in Hollywood horror (German Expressionist filmmakers had already been indulging in the approach). This approach has become so central to the horror that The Bride of Frankenstein’s thematic exploration has given it a timeless quality. Of course, the film’s stunning expressionist visuals and iconic performances – Elsa Lanchester’s Bride is pure gothic perfection – further heighten the viewing experience even 90 years after its release.
- Release Date
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April 22, 1935
- Runtime
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75minutes
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