Halloween season
simply isn’t Halloween season without a regular dose of golden age Universal
horror (1923-1963). Every day this October, I’ll be giving you a steady IV drip
of it by counting down Psychobabble’s
31 Favorite Universal Horrors!
#6. Frankenstein
(1931- dir. James Whale)
The definitive Universal monster movie. James Whale was a
great wit, but he plays Frankenstein very seriously (in fact, the only comic
relief character, Baron Frankenstein, is a complete dim wit and not
particularly funny). You won’t miss the cheekiness of Bride, Invisible Man, or The Old Dark House because you will be
completely transfixed by Boris Karloff’s devastating portrayal of the Monster.
He can be terrifying, as he is in his disturbing jump-cut introduction, but he
is mostly deeply moving and sympathetic. It is a beautiful performance heavily
indebted to silent film but without a lick of the over-emoting/over-gesticulating
that marked much pre-sound acting. Karloff is completely, modernly naturalistic
whether tragically trying to connect with a little girl or reaching for rays of
sunlight as if they’re tangible love. Colin Clive is also great as frantic,
obsessed Dr. F., and Dwight Frye is at his nastiest as the doctor’s sadistic
assistant Fritz. Whale’s Gothic style is impeccable, and the inventive editing
and staging make this a monster movie as towering, solid, and timeless as the
creature himself.
