A Hynes caricature from 1928 of the demented Herrick Crispin, played by James Whale in "A Man with Red Hair" with the Frankenstein that  Whale directed three years later. The similarities are remarkable. (courtesy of Whale's biographer, James Curtis, author of James Whale - a New World of Gods and Monsters, 2003, University of Min	Sketch of James Whale the actor

Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein

Both of these films, emerged from Universal’s monster phase which started with Dracula in 1931, were exceptional: they skyrocketed James Whale’s reputation as a director; they launched Boris Karloff’s career as an iconic horror actor; Jack Pierce’s makeup created what is still one of the most recognisable faces on the planet; they were huge financial and critical successes; and not least they yanked Carl Laemmle Jr out from under the his father’s shadow, proving once and for all he could make films on his own.

And they are two of the best and most influential horror films ever made. Whale used the conventions of German expressionism – forced angles, arresting close-ups and stark contrasts of light and shadow – to form an ominous backdrop against which tales of human cruelty and transgression are played out to the very grim end. The actors are superb: but it was (and is) Karloff’s composition that stunned audiences. His ability to convey suffering and anxiety pent up in the mute body of a victimised Monster made Frankenstein into a unique cinematic creation. Audiences at that time had never seen anything like Frankenstein. Its intensive morbidity was such that many had to leave their seats to breathe a bit before returning to finish the film. These two veritable films de auteur, stylistic, layered and finely crafted, have lost none of their vitality today.

Fun bits and bobs

From the 1931 New York Times movie review of Frankenstein. A picture that ….. “aroused so much excitement at the Mayfair yesterday that many in the audience laughed to cover their true feelings”.

Boris Karloff was very displeased with Bride of Frankenstein and thought it was a terrible mistake to let Frankenstein speak.

James Whale on Hollywood, 1929.
“Hollywood is just too marvelous. One feels the footprints of all the immortals are here, but has a terrible feeling that they are in sand and won't last when civilization comes this way.”
 
Censorship
Frankenstein was presented at the Venice Film Festival in 1932, but considered too shocking and morbid to be shown outside the festival and was banned in Italy.

Six states in America cut out the death scene of the little girl.