Bride of Frakenstein

Cowritten with Emily Barger and Fabio Santos Hernandez

Bride of Frankenstein by James Whale is not your typical monster movie. Unlike others of the genre, Bride of Frankenstein sets itself apart by focusing on a cast of characters that are neither purely good or purely evil- from the scientist whose ambition goes too far, to the monster himself, whose very existence is worth pitying. The movie strives to display an emotional depth that is both uncommon and welcome, while still telling a good story.

The film picks up shortly after its predecessor, quickly establishing that both Frankenstein (Colin Clive) and his creation have survived the inferno meant to destroy the monster. Frankenstein returns home to his fiancé, hoping to put his past actions well behind him. This plan is dashed by the appearance of the nefarious Doctor Pretorius (Ernest Thesiger), who hopes to convince Frankenstein to assist him with his own experiments. Specifically, he hopes that together they can build a new creation- this time a woman- and so begin a new race. Meanwhile, Frankenstein’s creation (Boris Karloff) is again pursued by angry villagers. This becomes surprisingly heart-warming at times, as the monster attempts to find his own place in the world, though it may seem that this is a Sisyphean task.

Bride of Frankenstein tells us about this creature created by a scientist, a creature that soon will find itself between a monster and a human. The movie itself shows us how human beings are used to seeing only what is different from them. It was the dark era in which human conventions were the rule of what was right and wrong. This is why this movie has been particularly well done. Other than that, the film presents how the creature starts discovering the joys of life such as drinking, smoking, friendship and so on. To see how a new life that doesn't have a place, trying to fit into society is the best feature that compounded the movie. That's why the creature is the best candidate to be the protagonist.

In the past and nowadays, people classify others based on their facial characteristics, appearances, nationalities, accents and so forth. This is mirrored by the persecution of the monster. The impression that the creature gives is not evil at all on the contrary, it gives a unique sense of genuine innocence coming from his heart.

There are a few other aspects of this film worth mentioning. First, the title of the movie can be somewhat misleading. The title leads one to believe this movie will be about a female monster, but she does not appear until the last few scenes. The movie’s main character is actually the monster from the original movie Frakenstein. He is the main focus of this movie. Also, the audience may be expecting a different type of movie when they sit down to watch The Bride of Frakenstein, but the main purpose of this film is not to frighten or thrill,therefore, anyone looking for a horror movie should avoid this film. The film focuses mainly on the symbolism of the monster and society.

It is easy to see why Bride of Frankenstein has remained a classic- more so, perhaps, than its predecessor. The movie provides the viewer with an introspective look at societal flaws through the marginalization of the monster. At the same time, it manages to do so while retaining a unique blend of humor, horror, and heart.