For almost thirty years, Universal Studios produced horror films. It produced many good ones, but there are five that stand out.
5. The Invisible Man (1933) Director-James Whale Claude Rains
This movie stars Claude Rains as Jack Griffin, a man who invents a formula, that turns him invisible. It also has the unpleasant side effect of driving him insane. He comes into a village during a snowstorm and rents a room at the inn. He asks not to be disturbed. Unfortunately the innkeeper and his wife don’t pay attention and disturb him. He asks Griffin to leave because his erratic behavior is disturbing the other guests. Griffin refuses to comply. This sets him off and the police are called. He then reveals himself, by removing his coat and the bandages underneath. Claude Rains character is revealed as an invisible man, who laughs maniacally at the villagers, when they run away in terror. The constable doesn’t believe the innkeeper’s story or anyone else, thinking they’ve had too much to drink. It’s only when people are murdered, and a scientist who knew of his work, confirms that Jack Griffin was working on an invisibility formula, that a manhunt across the country begins. Jack Griffin’s footsteps are seen in the snow and he is shot, transforming back to a flesh and blood man, who later dies in the hospital, with his heartbroken fiancée, played by Gloria Stewart at his bedside.
Claude Rains gives a solid performance as Jack Griffin. It’s made even better because Rains face is never seen until the end. His maniacal laughter and his taunting of the police and the villagers, show Griffin as a pompous scientist, very unhinged that his work has been disturbed. Claude Rains just oozes eerie and creepy when he shows Jack Griffin’s transformation into a homicidal maniac. He shows it best when he shoves his colleague Kent, who has betrayed him over the cliff in a car. He describes exactly what will happen to him when the car goes over. This role established Claude Rains very successful acting career.
James Whale directed The Invisible Man. He is given some help with this film, by the special effects man, John P. Fulton. The eerie feel of this movie is through Whale’s directorial efforts. The scene of Jack Griffin laughing at the villagers, with only his shirt and pants, and no head is creepy and comical at the same time. The frustration of the police is shown, when they try to catch Griffin, and grasp at nothing. James Whale did well in bringing science fiction writer H.G. Wells novel to the screen.
4. The Wolf Man (1941) Director-George Waggner Lon Chaney Jr. Claude Rains
This film stars Lon Chaney as Larry Talbot, who has come home to his family estate, after his brother is killed in a hunting accident. He is greeted by his estranged father, Sir John Talbot, played by Claude Rains. When he is settled , he walks into a small shop owned by Gwen Conliffe, played by Evelyn Ankers. In between flirting with the owner, he sees a silver cane with a wolf’s head. He admires it and buys it, because he doesn’t understand the meaning of foreshadowing. Larry Talbot manages to get a date with Gwen, and takes her to a gypsy carnival. One of Gwen’s friends, Jenny, is with them. She has her palm read by Bela. Unfortunately he sees death in her future, and tells her to leave. She runs away in fear and unfortunately wanders into the moors, where she is attacked by a werewolf. Lon Chaney’s character arrives too late to save her, but manages to kill the werewolf, with his cane. While beating the werewolf to death, Larry Talbot is bitten. He finds out that the wolf that he killed was actually Bela, the gypsy fortune teller, who is the son of Maleva, played by Maria Ouspenskaya. He goes to her and she tells him there is no hope. She repeats the line, used by the villagers in the movie, “Even a man who is pure at heart, and says his prayers by night, may become a wolf, when the wolfs bane blooms and the autumn moon is bright.” Unfortunately this line doesn’t register with Larry Talbot. Later Talbot changes into a werewolf and kills a man. He changes the next night, and this time attacks Gwen Conliff. Fortunately Sir John Talbot is looking for the werewolf with the police and a few brave villagers. He finds his son and kills him with the same silver walking stick that Chaney’s character used to kill Bela. The movie ends with Larry Talbot changing back to human form.
Lon Chaney is good in The Wolfman. It’s worth watching the movie just to see his performance as the tortured Larry Talbot. His scenes with Maria Ouspenskaya, work well. One particularly good one is when she tells Chaney that he is cursed to be a werewolf. Another is when Maleva comes upon Larry Talbot as a werewolf, when he is caught in a trap. She repeats a blessing that she said to her dead son Bela, and he changes back to human form, and escapes. Lon Chaney’s scenes with Claude Rains show how a well trained actor like Rains can lead a still developing one like Chaney. This is shown when Rains’s character, ties Chaney to a chair and locks him in a room, telling him his fear of becoming a werewolf is in his head, and he must deal with it by himself. Before The Wolf Man, Lon Chaney had Jr. after his name. It was dropped after this film, because he finally stepped out of his father’s shadow.
3. Dracula (1931) Director-Tod Browning Karl Freund Bela Lugosi Edward Van Sloan
Dracula is an example of a film that still holds its own today. It is based on the novel by Bram Stoker. This movie marks the beginning of Universal’s monsters franchise It stars Bela Lugosi as Count Dracula. It also stars Edward Van Sloan and Dwight Frye. It was directed by Tod Browning.
Dracula is about a vampire who lives in Transylvania and wants to relocate to London. He acquires the services of Renfield, to help with the move. Unfortunately for Renfield, the count makes him his unwilling man servant. Dracula takes a ship to London, and the crew is killed by him. The only survivor happens to be a now insane Renfield. He is taken to Dr Seward’s mental facility, where his bizarre diet of insects is studied. Upon Dracula’s arrival in London, a woman, Lucy Westenra, falls ill and later dies. Dr. Van Helsing is called in to investigate. His final determination is that the young lady was bitten by a vampire. He later concludes that Dracula is the culprit. His belief is proven when Dracula knocks a mirror from his hand, after his reflection isn’t there. Later another woman, Mina Harker, played by Helen Manners is also bitten. Her husband Jonathan Harker, scoffs at the notion of vampires. Van Helsing tells him that the vampire’s greatest strength is people who scoff at their existence. Van Helsing later questions Renfield about the count and is able to track Dracula to his lair and destroy him and his unfortunate victim, Lucy Westenra. After Dracula’s destruction, Mina Harker is freed of his influence and is reunited with her husband, Jonathan.
Bela Lugosi is Dracula. Despite many actors playing the count with a taste for blood, his performance is the template for the others. He says it all with the delivery of his first line, “I am Dracula, I bid you welcome.” He dominates this film with his actions and the looks that he gives the camera. It doesn’t hurt that he had practice performing as Dracula on the stage, before this movie. Lugosi’s thick accent is helpful in this film. It later hurt his career, and he wasn’t able to get the better roles that his contemporary Boris Karloff did. He did have an advantage in this film that Karloff didn’t in Frankenstein. He had a full speaking role. He may not have gotten the best roles, but Dracula gave Bela Lugosi something that most actors never achieve; a place in film history.
Edward Van Sloan portrays Dracula’s nemesis, Dr. Van Helsing. He is very convincing as a man who leaves no stone unturned to find out who is behind the attacks. He shows the reserve of a man who knows his enemy, and is determined to flush him out. This is demonstrated when Van Sloan’s character, shows no fear when he shows a mirror to Dracula that proves that he knows what he [Dracula] is. In another scene, the count tries unsuccessfully to hypnotize Van Helsing. When it fails, Lugosi’s character says, “Your will is strong.” Edward Van Sloan gives a performance showing a man who knows the danger facing him, and confronts it, without fear.
Dwight Frye plays Renfield. He shows a person who is perfectly normal at the beginning of the film. He then give an impressive performance as someone who descends into madness because of his encounter with Dracula. It’s a disturbing scene, when Renfield is shown to be the only survivor onboard The Vesta. When the camera focuses on Dwight Frye, he is emitting a bone chilling laugh. When Renfield is in the hospital, he begs for insects, instead of regular food. In one scene Frye shows his character, chasing after flies, showing a very disturbed individual. It’s when Dracula is going to kill him, that Frye shows a terrified man. He pleads for him to spare his life, but the count is not moved. He kills him. The acting of Dwight Frye is very effective showing Renfield going from sanity to madness to terror.
The staying power of this film has a lot to do with Tod Browning. He had experience doing moody eerie films with Lon Chaney Sr. Browning uses that training ground, to produce the best filmed story about the king of the vampires. He shows the countryside as foreboding. When Renfield tells the coachman, his destination, he tells him he’s not going there, and throws out his luggage and speeds away. The villagers give horrified looks that say you’re doomed. Dracula’s hypnotic and scary look, when he meets Renfield, is enough to give the audience a chill. The scenes where a bat appears lets you know that Dracula is coming for his victims. Although the film is meant to be scary, it has some comic moments with the superintendent at the hospital. He says that he thinks everyone is crazy, except for him. When Van Helsing finds Dracula’s coffin, it shows him ready to destroy Dracula, but it isn’t shown on screen. All the audience hears is Dracula’s screams. This movie is made very effective, and slightly scary because it takes place at night and the outdoor scenes are shrouded in fog. Todd Browning’s skill as a director makes Dracula the film it is.
Dracula’s legacy on film will not die, just like the character. It can be appreciated at Halloween or because of the effort that went into it at anytime.
2. Frankenstein (1931) Colin Clive Boris Karloff Dwight Frye Edward Van Sloan Mae Clark
Frankenstein is based on the book of the same name by Mary Shelley. It is the moral tale of a man trying to play God and create life. The film stars Boris Karloff and Colin Clive. It is directed by James Whale.
The movie is about Henry Frankenstein, who believes he can create life from the dead. He succeeds with the help of his assistant, Fritz, played by Dwight Frye, by stealing bodies from graveyards. He is also assisted by a colleague, Dr. Waldman, played by Edward Van Sloan. The three bring Frankenstein’s monster to life, through a lightning storm. When Frankenstein sees the monster come to life, he is elated. The monster is led to a cell and Fritz is guarding it. He gets a thrill scaring the monster with fire. Unfortunately for Fritz, Frankenstein’s creation reacts badly to his sadistic nature, and kills him. Frankenstein is overwhelmed by his creation and his violent tendencies, and takes a rest at Castle Frankenstein. He leaves the now sedated monster, in Dr. Waldman’s care. While the doctor is examining the creature, the sedation wears off, and Dr. Waldman is killed. The monster escapes and kills a little girl Her father carries her body into the village, where there is a wedding celebration, for Dr. Frankenstein and his bride, Elizabeth. The villagers are terrified and there is a search for the monster. Henry Frankenstein finds his creation and the monster takes him to a windmill. The villagers find Frankenstein’s monster and burn the mill to the ground. Frankenstein is thrown to the ground but survives and is taken back to castle Frankenstein where his new bride nurses him back to health.
The misguided Dr. Frankenstein is played by Colin Clive, in a very over the top performance. His performance shows a man driven by his warped idea to create life. It’s one of the great quotes in movies, when Henry Frankenstein exclaims, “Its alive” three times. He shows just a little anxiety when Frankenstein is collecting a body, right after a funeral, and nothing but impatience, when Fritz, cuts down the body of an executed man. He does show fear when the monster comes into his house, and the realization that he’s done something terrible by trying to create life.
Boris Karloff plays the monster. He is challenged as an actor because it isn’t a speaking role. He manages very well to show fear when the monster sees fire and when he is trapped in the windmill. Karloff does well with the monster’s slow lumbering walk. This give him a very menacing feel. Boris Karloff was able to launch a very successful movie career with this role.
James Whale crafted some disturbing and scary images with Frankenstein. There is even an introduction by Edward Van Sloan, saying the film may not be suitable for everyone. The beginning shows the doctor and Fritz waiting until burial rites are concluded, and then stealing the body. After this scene, Fritz cuts down a condemned man, adding to the bodies needed to create the monster. After Frankenstein’s creation escapes, he meets a little girl who is tossing flowers in the water. He picks up the little girl, thinking that she can float like the flowers. Unfortunately she drowns, and the monster leaves in a panic. Whale has the Frankenstein wedding celebration interrupted by the little girl’s father carrying her limp body through the street. It has the impact of shocking the villagers and going from happiness to tragedy. The climactic scene shows Karloff as the monster, panicking as the fire traps him. It can be difficult for a director to make a movie, that will be scary, and have a character like Frankenstein’s monster; who is not a true villain, but a soulless creation, with no concept of good and evil. James Whale succeeded in giving audiences the timeless tale of Frankenstein.
1.The Bride of Frankenstein (1935) Director-James Whale Boris Karloff Colin Clive Ernest Thesiger Elsa Lanchester Valerie Hobson
The Bride of Frankenstein is the sequel to Frankenstein. It brings back Colin Clive as the doctor and Boris Karloff as the monster. It also stars Ernest Thesiger as Doctor Pretorius, and as the monster’s bride, Elsa Lanchester. James Whale returns to lend his directing talents.
The movie starts with Elsa Lanchester playing Mary Shelley, the book’s author, with Lord Byron, played by Gavin Gordon and Percy Shelly, in a castle, during a thunderstorm. Mary Shelley says thunderstorms frighten her. Byron is shocked at her statement, considering the story she’s told about Frankenstein. He asks her to continue the story, and she does. It picks up with Frankenstein being taken home, after the monster has been officially declared destroyed. The shepherd whose daughter was killed by the monster, insists on seeing it’s remains. He slips and falls into a hole and finds a very alive monster. The monster immediately kills him. The shepherd’s wife sees a hand coming up from the hole and thinks its her husband. Unfortunately its the monster. He throws her down the hole killing her. One of the servants of Frankenstein’s house, Minnie, played by Una O’Connor, sees the monster, and lives to tell the tale. She tells the villagers, but they don’t believe her. While Dr. Frankenstein is recovering, he is visited by an old colleague, Dr. Pretorius. He was impressed by Frankenstein’s creation, and wants to continue the life creating experiments. He refuses Pretorius’offer. After his killing spree, the monster wanders into the woods. He frightens a shepherdess, and two hunters wound him. The hunters alert the villagers and the monster is captured and imprisoned. This being a horror film, the monster escapes and murder and mayhem ensue. Frankenstein’s creation once again wanders into the woods. He finds a cottage, where a blind hermit, played very well by O.P. Heggie, lives. He doesn’t fear the monster, and he befriends him. He offers him food and drink, and lodging. He teaches the monster to speak, and offers him a cigar, which he enjoys. Unfortunately the creature’s peace is ended when two hunters see him, and hurriedly take out the old man. The cottage catches fire, and the monster flees. He runs into Doctor Pretorius, who is relaxing in a crypt after paying people to steal a body for him, to create another creature. Pretorius is chatting with the monster, and says he’ll make a mate for him. Together they go see Frankenstein, who won’t cooperate. The monster kidnaps Frankenstein’s wife, and he is forced to create a mate. There are slightly better special effects in this film to give life to the monster’s mate but lightning still provides the life force. When she is revealed, she is repulsed by Karloff’s monster. His reply is she hates me. He gets ready to pull a lever that will destroy the castle, but before he does, he lets Frankenstein and his wife escape, and tells Pretorius, “We belong dead.”, and pulls the lever, destroying the laboratory.
Boris Karloff is the star of the show in The Bride of Frankenstein. He has mastered the monster’s walk, which isn’t as lumbering this time. He does great with the early scenes, before the monster can talk. Karloff carries the movie to greater heights, when he has small speaking lines. He works very well in his scenes with Ernest Thesinger and O.P. Heggie. His best scene is the finale, when the monster realizes that the true evil isn’t Doctor Frankenstein, but Doctor Pretorius.
Ernest Thesiger plays a character in Doctor Pretorius, who is evil and manipulative. Unlike Frankenstein, he isn’t haunted by his actions. Thesiger shows this from the first time he appears on screen. When the bride is unveiled, he says proudly, “The Bride of Frankenstein” He nearly steals the movie, except for the presence of the master of horror, Boris Karloff.
Colin Clive makes his last appearance as Doctor Frankenstein, and its a good performance. He manages to play it as straight as possible. It’s mainly because he becomes the good guy forced to do bad things because of Doctor Pretorius. Colin Clive has a variation on the line that he said in Frankenstein. He says “she’s alive, she’s alive”. This time it is more suttle than in the first film. Clive is very good in the scene, where his wife, played well by Valerie Hobson, demands that Frankenstein, unlock the door. He says frantically “get back, get back!”
It is a shame that James Whale never directed another Frankenstein film, but creative differences with the studio, prevented that. If he did, he probably wouldn’t have been able to surpass his achievement on this movie. The sets are great, as is the atmosphere. The peaceful woodland scenes the monster encounters, give him the very little peace that he will know throughout the movie. The scenes of the monster rampaging through the village, show the terror of the populace. His introduction scene with Lord Byron, Percy Shelley and Mary Shelley is unique and it fits into the film. The scene of the villagers capturing the monster and chaining him, shows a tortured creature who doesn’t understand why this is happening. This scene sets up the pain and anger that he feels throughout the film. James Whale did his best work on this movie.
The Bride of Frankenstein is the best film of Universal’s many films featuring the monster. It has great production values, better sets and better acting. It also has a music score throughout which was lacking in Frankenstein. Both the original movie and this one are loosely based on Mary Shelley’s novel. The movie was made better with the monster speaking a few words. He is able to communicate his feelings better, whether its love, hate or pain. Unfortunately Hollywood gives and takes with movies, and this was the only film where the Frankenstein monster spoke. Normally sequels fall short of the original. This film is the exception.
Universal staked its claim to fame with these five films. Not only were they difficult to make, but with the exception of The Wolf Man; they were all based on famous novels. This is always a challenge, but the writers came up with credible scripts. The films found a new audience in the 1950’s when they came to television. Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Claude Rains and Lon Chaney are immortalized in their roles, and these movies have defined classic horror for decades.