Revealing mistake: When Dr. Waldman gives the monster an injection and the Monster is trying to get the torch out of Henry Frankenstein's hands, if you look closely, Boris Karloff's (the Monster) make-up begins to smoke when he is hit by the torch. (00:37:35)
Frankenstein (1931)
1 review
Directed by: James Whale
Starring: Boris Karloff, Mae Clarke, Colin Clive, John Boles
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(6 votes)
9.5/10. One of the earliest masterpieces of horror. It does a masterful job of both following the book and exploring other ideas. Boris Karloff was the only one capable of being The Monster. He brings a certain sense of dignity to it as we see the Monster's not evil, it's humanity here. One could argue this as a social commentary on people and how we interpret those who're different than us in the world. What man fears he often destroys. I would say this is an important movie that needed to be made if other classic horror monsters were going to exist.
Henry Frankenstein: He's just resting. Waiting for a new life to come.
Trivia: All of the laboratory equipment was later used in Mel Brooks' comedy "Young Frankenstein."
Question: Why is Henry's last name "Frankenstein" in this film and it's first sequel, "Bride of Frankenstein", but the last name is changed to "Von Frankenstein" in the second sequel, "Son of Frankenstein"?
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Answer: By the third film, the original "Baron Frankenstein," played by Frederick Kerr is supposed to have died. Therefore, his son Henry had inherited the title of "Baron Frankenstein," and as part of Germanic aristocratic inheritance this automatically places a "von" between the Christian name and Surname of the holder. This in turn has happened when Henry died and Wolf took up the Baronetcy.
David Mercier