Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

Over the past few days as I continue my countdown toward Halloween, I have enjoyed my trip back into the world of classic Universal Studios monsters. Today, I decided that it was time to venture into that world once again with the 1935 entry Bride of Frankenstein. 

Plot/ Mary Shelley reveals the main characters of her novel survived: Dr. Frankenstein, goaded by an even madder scientist, builds his monster a mate.

Sequels to movies can be a mixed bag with only a handful living up to the baseline set by the original. In this case, that could not be further from the truth, as it not only meets but also surpasses the original in almost every way. There is so much to like with this one, as it builds upon an idea mentioned in the Mary Shelly classic novel. The cast is wonderful with solid performances littered throughout including the returning stalwarts Colin Clive and Boris Karloff repeating their roles from the original, the setting and atmosphere work really well, the storyline is layered and complex, and the visual effects, cinematography, and production elements surpass those of the original. Truly, everything is tremendously done and honestly, it should be held in a higher regard than the original Frankenstein. Yes, it does have a short run time and it leaves the viewer wanting more, but that is something that to me does not hurt the film in any way. In the end, it is always a great debate on which early Frankenstein film is the best. For me, it is the Bride of Frankenstein hands down because it shows that if a sequel is done right, it can be a powerful entry into a franchise. If you have never watched this one, you are missing out. Head to Shudder and check it out!

Victor Frankenstein (2015)

After taking some time to deal with some softball season requirements and this week’s homework assignment, it was time to get back into the swing of things with the blog. Having spent some time over the past few days in Sci-Fi mode, I decided to venture back into something more gothic, with 2015s Victor Frankenstein.

Plot/ Told from Igor's perspective, we see the troubled young assistant's dark origins, his redemptive friendship with the young medical student Viktor Von Frankenstein, and become eyewitnesses to the emergence of how Frankenstein became the man - and the legend - we know today.

Having stayed away from this one for some time, I decided to give it a chance. While I love the story of Frankenstein, watching an attempt to pull it off in a PG-13 environment made me cringe a little. Yes, the classic would be considered PG, there are elements that can be exploited that can add to the darkness and atmosphere. This one was clearly a film made as homage to the famous Universal and Hammer films that became classics, mixing many foundations into an interesting story. Yes, the performances are solid, some of the special effects are tremendous, there is some amazing cinematography, and the chemistry seen throughout the film between the actors are magnificent, yet, there was something missing that made it feel extremely uneven in the end. This could be the pacing that did not match the gothic feel, the undeveloped supporting characters, or the editing and scripting that came across in a very disjointed manner. In the end, there was a lot to like about this film, but it was not able to reach all of the potential that it had inside. If you are a huge fan of Mary Shelley or Frankenstein, give it a shot; especially if you have kids, as this would be a decent introduction to a classic.

Frankenstein vs. The Mummy (2015)

This has been a long day. While the Nightmares first tournament at Thiel was a mixed bag and at times frustrating, the girls definitely got better as the day progressed and put up an outstanding battle with in the knockout round. With five hours of driving, and five hours of softball behind me, I needed a mindless break. After some searching, I settled on the 2015 monster flick, Frankenstein vs. The Mummy.

Plot/ The mummy of a cursed pharaoh and a reanimated corpse terrorize a medical university. Only an Egyptologist and a college professor, the deranged Dr. Frankenstein, may be able to stop the creatures before it is too late.

I honestly did not expect much from this one, and that is exactly what I got. Unfortunately, my selection for mindless horror was not a tight 90 minutes, and it was definitely longer than it should have been. Yes, there were some decent effects that were better than CGI and the quick mention of ancient alien theory was nice, but that was about it. The scripting and characters were flat, the horror sequences were not memorable, and the performances were average. In the end, this film is one that did help pass my evening, but it is also one that I will likely forget by the morning. Unless you have no other choices, you may want to pass on this one.

The Lazarus Effect (2015)

Three weeks down in transmedia class and I finalized the Copy Deck for the group project, now all that is left is putting it all together. It should definitely be fun. Anytime I can submerge myself into the world of H.P. Lovecraft, I jump at the opportunity and I look forward to seeing how this comes out. While working on it last night, I decided to kick back and watch The Lazarus Effect (2015) as I contemplated what order the fictional blog, Wisdom From Beyond, should be populated.

Plot/ When the dean of their university learns of their underground experiments, their project is unexpectedly shut down and their materials confiscated. Frank, Zoe and their team take matters into their own hands, launching a rogue attempt to recreate their experiment, during which things go terribly wrong and one of their own, Zoe, is horrifically killed. Fueled by terror and grief, Frank pushes them to do the unthinkable: attempt to resurrect their first human test subject.

If you are a horror fiend like me, you will have seen many interpretations of this story since you started into the genre. Personally, most horror has become somewhat predictable to me, and I have accepted that aspect of the films. That was definitely the case with this one. On one hand, it was predictable, but there were also some interesting facets that made it a lot more entertaining than many of its predecessors. The performances were solid, the cinematography worked and most importantly, as a PG-13 entry it makes it a great Halloween treat for the entire family. Yes, I would have loved something darker, but sometimes I just embrace watching something with the daughters. Of course, between the predictability and the uneven storyline, there were some head scratching moments that if streamlined could have made the flick even better. In the end, this was much better than I expected it to be, and was an entertaining homage to the classic Frankenstein narrative. If you are looking for something to get the Halloween juices flowing for the entire family, give it a shot. This one will at least make you thank a little bit.

I, Frankenstein (2014)

Ever since watching Jericho and subsequently reading the graphic novel, I have been hooked. I love the feel of graphic novels, and am always interested in finding movies based on them to see how well they translate. That was exactly what I found to watch tonight, 2014s I, Frankenstein.

Plot/ Frankenstein's creature finds himself caught in an all-out, centuries old war between two immortal clans.

Movies based on graphic novels can be difficult to replicate on the screen, and I, Frankenstein was no exception. This CGI driven action flick was simple and effects driven. In no way did it make you thing when you were watching it. While some of the action sequences were impressive, the acting solid, and even the general idea interesting, there was too much packed into the 90 minutes to make it really hit home. Between the plot holes, uneven dialog, and an somewhat confusing timeline, it was easy to just block everything out and enjoy the action. In the end, it may be somewhat entertaining for a CGI film, but the is nothing new to make it memorable. At PG-13, it was fun to watch with the daughters, but that is about all I would recommend it for-Scary Movie Night with the kids.

Gothic (1986)

Every once in a while, I enjoy venturing back into the 1980s to find a classic film I enjoyed during my teenage years. While many discount that decade, there was some great cinema created, especially in the horror genre. One of my favorites from that decade is my next selection; the 1986 entry Gothic. 

Plot/ This is the story of the night that Mary Shelley gave birth to the horror classic "Frankenstein." Disturbed drug induced games are played and ghost stories are told one rainy night at the mad Lord Byron's country estate. 

Ken Russell’s Gothic is one of my favorite movies from the 1980s. Atmospheric, dark, and intriguing, this interpretation of how the classic Frankenstein came to life is an interesting flick. The acting is solid, the script is entertaining and the storyline comes to life on the screen with its stunning imagery. Yes, it does have some incoherent moments, pacing issues and may be a bit complex in many areas, but those flaws are extremely minor. In the end, if you enjoy surreal horror that provides some food for thought, you must see this film. Not for everyone, this is an entertaining flick that offers a stimulating story as to how a horror icon was created. 

Frankenstein's Army (2013)

Every once in a while I stumble upon a flick that has an interesting look and draws me in. That was the case with my next selection Frankenstein’s Army. Honestly, who would not want to see Dr. Frankenstein creating some steampunk creatures supported by Hitler’s Naziwar machine…  

Plot/ Toward the end of World War II, Russian soldiers pushing into eastern Germany stumble across a secret Nazi lab, one that has unearthed and begun experimenting with the journal of one Dr. Victor Frankenstein. The scientists have used the legendary Frankenstein's work to assemble an army of super-soldiers stitched together from the body parts of their fallen comrades -- a desperate Hitler's last ghastly ploy to escape defeat.

As a found footage flick, it is one of the better ones, and it actually works well with the storyline. While there are some clichéd moments, there was a lot to like with the movie, especially with the steampunk influenced creatures that were lurking around every corner. To me, that was the entire draw to the film, the costuming and make-up effects were incredible and the idea behind the storyline works. Yes, the acting is so-so and the movie would have been much better without the first-person hand-held camera perspectives (especially the imitation WW II era film effects) utilizing traditional camera techniques instead, but those facts do not totally sink the flick. In the end, this is not a perfect flick, but it is creative and has a visually intriguing feel and it is entertaining. It may not be for everyone, but it is one interesting take on the story of Frankenstein, Hitler and his Nazi monsters that were a plague on society.  

Frankenstein (1931)

Over the weekend my sleep schedule got extremely screwed up. Luckily, I was able to find some great things to help pass the hours of insomnia. Nothing was greater though than finding the original Universal Studios classic Frankenstein on TCM. While I have seen this many times, it had been a while.

Plot/ Henry Frankenstein is a doctor who is trying to discover a way to make the dead walk. He succeeds and creates a monster that has to deal with living again.

It is amazing to sit back and watch what James Whale created with this very short but ultimate horror classic. Here we sit some 80 years later, and its influence is still felt in many flicks. Boris Karloff is wonderful, and definitely brings the monster to life in a way that has never been replicated. The sets, scripting and acting are perfect within the atmospheric world created in this Universal Studios entry into literary horror. Others may try to duplicate this flick and remake it with technology and modern twists, but, those versions will never live up to the original masterpiece that Karloff and Whale created.