The Wasteland Reviewer

The Wasteland Collection: Frankenstein (1931)

Why is horror such a beloved film genre for so many people? There is a universal human feeling that penetrates us so deeply and elicits such a unique response from us. Fear. Horror is about invoking the fear of the world around us. There are so many things that can scare us from ghosts to serial killers. But one such entity has been haunting our dreams since childhood. They go bumping in the night. They are hiding in our closets or under our beds. Monsters. Creatures. They capture our imagination and use it against us. There have been few studios or filmmakers to craft such an impressive venture centered around monster movies or creature features as Universal. Their Universal Monster franchise is one of the most iconic and influential series of all time. There are plenty of classics in the bunch but only a few shining lights…and maybe just one crown jewel. Frankenstein. 

What makes Frankenstein so significant in cinematic history? There are so many elements of James Whale’s film that have changed pop culture and created tropes in cinema for almost a century. The most iconic element of this film is of course “The Monster”. Culture as incorrectly called this creation “Frankenstein” for decades since this film has come out because “The Monster” has become so synonymous with this story. The make-up is iconic as we see the flat head, bolts in the neck, and discolored skin (which we can feel through the black-and-white cinematography). Seeing actors completely engulfed in make-up and prosthetics did not begin with Frankenstein with films like Phantom of the Opera showing off Lon Chaney Sr’s work. It is hard to deny though that Boris Karloff’s committed performance has set a standard for portraying monsters/creatures on screen. The prosthetics have become more advanced (Planet of the Apes or later adaptations of Universal’s catalogue) or even transcended real make thanks to technology (the work of Andy Serkis in particular) over the years for sure. That does not take away from what Karloff (and Whale’s direction) has done to revolutionize what film can portray in terms of unique and non-human characters. 

But the practical monster/creature performance is not the only thing that Frankenstein popularized, was it? There is also the mad scientist trope. As spoken in an earlier article with Metropolis, the mad scientist existed before Frankenstein. Yet again, it is hard to argue that Henry Frankenstein (Victor in the novel) is not the most iconic and influential mad scientist in all cinematic history. Also, a lot of credit needs to go to Colin Clive who captured such a specific energy and feel with his portrayal of Henry. There is a mania and madness underneath the surface that eventually shows itself in full glory. When “The Monster” comes to life, Clive screams “IT’S ALIVE!” in one of the most iconic line deliveries in film history. The madness in his eyes and the sheer gleeful mania is something special. Throughout the film, Clive is somewhat distant and has an unnerving presence. The sunken face and piercing eyes of Clive just match this presence so well. There are so many scientist characters who channel Clive’s performance. But his laboratory is another iconic element that has become synonymous with evil laboratories in film. The production design is so iconic that even Mel Brooks used all the same props for Young Frankenstein (a brilliant homage and satire of classic films like this one). 

What is the broader impact of this classic monster movie? As one of the best films in the Universal Horror canon, Frankenstein acts as a blueprint for so many monster movies and creature features for decades to come. But this franchise also popularized the idea of a franchise in general. There would be no Bond franchise, Marvel Cinematic Universe, or The Conjuring-Verse without the work of those behind this successful and massive collection of films. Dracula, The Invisible Man, The Wolf Man, The Creature from the Black Lagoon, and so many more fill out this iconic franchise. Frankenstein and Dracula are for sure the most iconic and most important of the lot. Horror as a genre has become one centered around franchises. We get so many series of films even when they make zero sense. Halloween, Friday the 13^th, Nightmare on Elm Street, and (again The Conjuring all followed in the footsteps of these films. Frankenstein even got its own direct sequence that might be even more beloved in ways. 

What is Frankenstein then? A trendsetter. A classic. A blueprint. This is an incredible feat of the horror genre, make-up work, and science fiction. Boris Karloff will always be known for his performance as the “The Monster”. Frankenstein’s laboratory will still live on in popular culture. The audience will continue to receive franchises and shared universes to get invested in. In many ways, that all started with Frankenstein.