Frankenstein (1931) - Whale's iconic, dark horror classic

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An eerie, feature-filled, handcrafted poster for James Whale's Frankenstein, which is beautiful and distinctly from a bygone era

The people around Dr. Frankenstein worry about him, but his greatest experiment is almost done; he is daring to reanimate life!

Frankenstein, directed by great English filmmaker James Whale (Show Boat (1936)), has a complex list of authorship: Based most directly on the same-titled 1818 novel by Mary Shelley (Mathilda (1819)), it also is inspired by the same-titled play by Peggy Webling (Verses to Men (1920, novel)) and a composition by John L. Balderston (Gaslight (1944, screenplay)). It is written by Garrett Fort (Private Scandal (1934)) and Francis Edward Faragoh (Too Young to Marry (1931)), with uncredited contributions by John Russell (Dangerous Money (1924)) and Robert Florey (A Study in Scarlet (1933)) and editing writer's work by Richard Schayer (Apache Rifles (1964, story)).
The film is fascinating right off the bat; its staging is accomplished, featuring unforgettable photography (by cinematographers Arthur Edeson (The Fighting O'Flynn (1949)) and Paul Ivano (The Lawless Years (1959-61))), production design and iconographic makeup.
The acting is seamless; in particular Boris Karloff (The Mummy (1932)) as the kind monster and Colin Clive (Jane Eyre (1934)) as its tormented creator stand out, but also Frederick Kerr (The Lifeguardsman (1916)) as Frankenstein Sr., who is hilarious and breathes life into the film's luminous character.
Frankenstein is ripe with heavy themes; life, death, the sanctity of life, - and God. I only grasp without luck for some music in this distinguished classic, as well as for a bit longer running time, - since the story and execution could no doubt support it.

Related posts:

James Whale: The Bride of Frankenstein (1935) - The magnificent and mysterious monster bride  
More Frankenstein: Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943) - Universal's first monster bash is low on frights but entertains

Watch a trailer for the film here

Cost: 262k $
Box office: 1.4 mil. $ (1932, rentals, likely just North America)
= Uncertain, but at least a big hit (returned in excess of 5.34 times its cost)
[Frankenstein was released 21 November (USA) and runs 71 minutes. Following the success of Dracula (1931), Universal were eager to make more lucrative horror pictures, and Whale was reportedly offered his choice of 30 adaptations, of which he chose Frankenstein. Shooting took place in California, including Los Angeles, and mainly in Universal's studio, from August - October 1931. The film was subject to censorship; the drowning girl scene was cut in half in some regions, and blasphemy objections were also levied against the film. It has been restored to its full length since. The film's full box office gross is not known for sure; one dubious Internet outlet lists it at 12 mil. $, (without anything to back it up.) Frankenstein returned in Bride of Frankenstein (1935), also by Whale and with Karloff. Whale returned first with The Impatient Maiden (1932). Mae Clarke (Broken Arrow (1957, TV-series)) returned in Three Wise Girls (1932), John Boles (Road to Happiness (1941)) in Good Sport (1931), Karloff in Tonight or Never (1931) and Clive in The Stronger Sex (1931). Frankenstein is certified fresh at 100 % with an 8.67/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Frankenstein?

Dracula (1931) - Lugosi commands the screen as few have in chilling classic

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One of the original, striking posters for Tod Browning's Dracula

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Count Dracula prepares his exile from Transylvania in London, where he will face hard opposition.

Dracula is the 2nd adaptation of Bram Stoker's (The Jewel of Seven Stars (1903)) classic 1897 novel, following F. W. Murnau's Nosferatu (1922), though actually based on the successful 1924 play adaptation of the novel by Hamilton Deane, John L. Balderston (Gaslight (1944)) and Garrett Fort (Before Dawn (1933)). It is handsomely produced, by Carl Laemmle Jr. (Imitation of Life (1934)) and producer-writer-director Tod Browning (Freaks (1932)), and loyal to the novel.
The film is heightened by some great performances: Bela Lugosi (Ninotchka (1939)) in his defining title role, Dwight Frye (Sky Bandits (1940)) as Renfield and Edward Van Sloan (The Last Days of Pompeii (1935)) as Van Helsing are especially outstanding.
Dracula is dated and at times slow, but it is still a good film, even if other of the Universal horrors of the period are greater films, (particularly Bride of Frankenstein (1935) and The Wolf Man (1941)).
Different elements of Dracula were written by Browning, Louis Bromfield (For Whom the Bells Toll (1943)), Max Cohen (King Tut-Ankh-Amen's Eight Wife (1923)), Dudley Murphy (Alma de Bronce (1944)) and Louis Stevens (Border River (1954)). And Browning is said to have left the direction to fine cinematographer Karl Freund (I Love Lucy (1951-56)) for much of the shoot.

In lieu of a trailer for the film, not currently on Youtube, watch a neat video of scenes from the movie to a piece of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake here

Cost: 0.355 mil. $
Box office: Unknown (likely somewhere around 1.75 mil. $)
= Uncertainty (likely a big hit)
[Dracula premiered in February 12 (New York's Roxy Theater) and runs 85 minutes. Murnau's unauthorized adaptation had resulted in a successful copyright lawsuit, so Laemmle Jr. made sure to buy the rights to adapt the existing play and novel fair and square. Lugosi had played Dracula extensively in the Broadway hit play but was an unpopular pick at Universal, who accepted him on the basis of paying him just 500 $ a week. The shoot lasted 7 weeks. Footage from Universal's The Storm Breaker (1925) are incorporated into Dracula, which accounts for the jumpy change of image quality in the storm scenes. Browning was mostly comfortable with silent film, which is one of the reasons behind Dracula's intertitles and theatrical acting style. A Spanish-language as well as a silent version of the film were created simultaneously for release in Spanish-speaking countries and in theaters that had not yet converted to sound. No score was commissioned for Dracula, because sound and scoring was still in its infancy in film, until Philip Glass was commissioned to compose one in 1998. Audiences are said to have fainted in shock at the premiere of Dracula, which contributed to its attraction, which made it Universal's top-grossing film of the year, resulting in reportedly 0.7 mil. $ profits, which might put the film's box office earnings at around 1.75 mil. $, - which would translate into the Film Excess status of 'big hit.' The film received mixed reviews upon release and would forever mark Lugosi's life, as he was thereafter always identified with count Dracula. The remarkable and rare original posters for Dracula today auction at as much as 0.1 mil. $. Dracula is certified fresh at 91 % with a 7.9 critical average on Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Dracula?
Which is your favorite Dracula movie and why?

City Lights (1931) - Chaplin's acclaimed, sentimental tomfooleries

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Beautiful poster for Charlie Chaplin's City Lights

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The Tramp falls for a blind flower-seller and befriends an eccentric millionaire. Master filmmaker Charlie Chaplin's (Modern Times (1936)) iconic character also survives a boxing match and a gig as street sweeper, before SPOILER he is able to give the girl her sight back with a voyage to Austria.

The hilarities of City Lights are repeated several times, and many of the drunkard gags struck me as dumb and awkward. There are funny moments, but they are not as plenty as in Chaplin's best films. Also, I have a hard time swallowing SPOILER the very sentimental ending of City Lights.
- But I am pretty alone with these misgivings: Several respected critics and filmmakers find that this is Chaplin's best film, and that its ending is the best ever!

Watch an original trailer here

Cost: 1.5 mil. $
Box office: 5 mil. $
= Box office success
[Despite sound films' swift overtaking of the Hollywood production by 1928, Chaplin's affinity for the silent film conquered with City Lights, one of the last successful silent films, (it has a musical score though, by Chaplin, José Padilla and orchestration by Arthur Johnston and Alfred Newman.) Trivia: Guest of honor at the film's LA gala premiere were Alfred Einstein and wife.]

What do you think of City Lights?