Frankenstein [75th Anniversary Edition] [2 Discs]

MOVIE DESCRIPTION:

Still regarded as the definitive film version of Mary Shelley's classic tale of tragedy and horror, Frankenstein made unknown character actor Boris Karloff a star and created a new icon of terror. Along with the highly successful Dracula, released earlier the same year, it launched Universal Studio's golden age of 1930s horror movies. The film's greatness stems less from its script than from the stark but moody atmosphere created by director James Whale; Herman Rosse's memorable set designs, particularly the fantastic watchtower laboratory, featuring electrical equipment designed by Kenneth Strickfaden; the creature's trademark look from makeup artist Jack Pierce, who required Karloff to don pounds of makeup and heavy asphalt shoes to create the monster's unique lurching gait; and Karloff's nuanced performance as the tormented and bewildered creature. Frankenstein was greeted with screams, moans, and fainting spells upon its initial release, obliging Universal to add a disclaimer in which Edward Van Sloan advises the faint of heart to leave the theater immediately. If they don't: "Well...we've warned you." Director James Whale was memorably embodied by Ian McKellen in the Oscar-winning 1998 biopic Gods and Monsters. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

DVD FEATURES:

• Region: 1
• Number of Discs: 2
• Screen: Black and White
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 (Pre-1954 Standard)
• Audio: Dolby Digital Stereo
• Features:
  • Disc 1
  • Karlofff: The Gentle Monster
  • A tribute to the film career of Boris Karloff, focusing on director James Whale and Bela Lugosi
  • Monster Tracks
  • Interedting interactive pop-up facts about the making of Frankenstein that can be read while watching the film
  • Feature commentary with Rudy Behlmer
  • Feature commentary with historian Sir Christopher Frayling
  • Disc 2
  • The Frankenstein Files: How Hollywood made a monster
  • Franstein archives: Original posters and photo galleries
  • Universal horror: This documentary, narrated by Kenneth Branagh, takes you on a fascinating journey through the making of the most memorable monster films of all time
  • Boo! A short film

AWARDS

• American Film Institute

•     Won 100 Greatest American Movies - 1998

• Library of Congress

•     Won U.S. National Film Registry - 1990

• New York Times

•     Won 10 Best Films - 1931

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Cast:

  
       Colin Clive - Henry Frankenstein
       Boris Karloff - The Monster
       Mae Clarke - Elizabeth
       John Boles - Victor Moritz
       Dwight Frye - Fritz, the Dwarf
       Edward Van Sloan - Doctor Waldman
       Frederick Kerr - Baron Frankenstein
       Arletta Duncan

• Director:

  James Whale

• Producer:

  Carl Laemmle, Jr.

• Screenwriter:

  John L. Balderston, Francis Edwards Faragoh, Robert Florey, Garrett Elsden Fort

• Book Author:

  Mary Shelley

• Play Author:

  Peggy Webling

• Cinematographer:

  Arthur Edeson

• Composer (Music Score):

  David Broekman, David Brockman

• Editor:

  Clarence Kolster, Maurice Pivar

• Art Director:

  Charles Hall

• Associate Producer:

  E.M. Asher

• Set Designer:

  Herman Rosse

• Makeup:

  Jack Pierce

• Special Effects:

  John P. Fulton

REVIEW:

• Because Frankenstein created much of the cinematic language of horror films, it has often been imitated (and parodied). Consequently (and ironically), viewers coming to the film today may mistake the conventions that it created for cliches. The mad scientist and his neo-gothic lab, comma-shaped assistant, and rigidly lurching monster were all creations of director James Whale, and all have become movie icons. However, watching Frankenstein is more than simply an exercise in nostalgia. Despite moments of melodrama, the film is wonderfully economical, telling a complex and engaging tale in little more than one hour. There are more moments of quiet power (most of them involving the strikingly effective Boris Karloff as the monster who simply wants to be loved) than you'll find in a fistful of big-budget horror films. Whale knew his medium and didn't clutter the action with a lot of chatter. Instead, he filled the screen with images that would become part of our cultural lexicon. He builds the story to its tragically inevitable climax, interchanging moments of subtle beauty and dreadful horror. Rather than simply adopt a conventional perspective (man should not play God), Whale emphasized the human drama (Frankenstein should not have abandoned his creation), turning a horror film into an existential tale of man's fear of abandonment. ~ Dan Jardine, Rovi