The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942) Reviews

• It's Fun...For a 'B' Level Entry !

  jbirtel2002-09-21

  Boris Karloff was right; to leave the party while the leaving was good. This 4th entry didn't do much to expand the story or the Monster's character. All that was left to do was put new angles on what was already done before (& better). Nor was Lon Chaney Jr the actor to fill the Monster's boots. Physically, he was bigger and taller than Karloff (just look at their scenes together in 'House of Frankenstein' where Chaney half lifts Karloff off the floor during his panic from the upcoming full moon), but except for his rampages, he was unable to inject any emotion in the Monster's eyes (could hardly see them), or express mime acting to symbolize the Monster's torment. But this movie is acceptable fun if you can ignore the higher quality of the first three movies. The rest of the cast is way above average and so is the acting. And the ironic fate of all the characters displays the story's dark humor. Frankenstein, Ygor and even the Monster have a difference of opinion of whose brain should ultimately be popped into the Monster's skull. A nice touch was the three uncredited cameo roles in the opening scene carried over from 'Son of...': the Burgomaster (Lawrence Grant) and the two jurors previously killed by the Monster in 'Son of...'; Lang (Lionel Belmore) and Neumuller (Michael Mark). And of course, Dwight Frye. A necessary chapter to the next sequel that started the Monsterfest! But you'll need to watch 'The Wolf Man' (before or after 'Ghost of...') before moving on to 'Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man'. 6 out of 10 ! Some classic moments!

• The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942) ***

  JoeKarlosi2005-01-14

  An often overlooked and under-appreciated entry in Universal's classic "Frankenstein" series that succeeds as an atmospheric, effortlessly paced monster movie. Dark, stormy nights, crashing thunder and lightning -- all add in setting the stage for a thoroughly satisfying night of chills. Coming after FRANKENSTEIN, BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN and SON OF FRANKENSTEIN, this comparatively "B" production benefits from a fine cast who is able to make the unconventional plot line seem quite believable. The dignified Cedric Hardwicke plays the more reserved, second son of the original Frankenstein, who is visited by the ever-sinister Ygor (Bela Lugosi, reprising one of his greatest roles that originated in SON OF FRANKENSTEIN), who now urges that the scientist restore strength to his misshapen friend, The Monster (newly played by Lon Chaney). Working with the dubious help of a spurned medical assistant (the always delightful Lionel Atwill), Frankenstein hopes to right the wrongs of his father by transplanting an educated brain into the monster's head. After having played the definitive version of Frankenstein's Creation three times already, Boris Karloff vowed not to continue with the series at this point. It must have been a formidable task for Lon Chaney to take over the part for THE GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN, but while he doesn't make as compassionate a monster as Karloff did, Lon does manage to endow the character with an awesome display of brute strength with his otherwise stone-faced performance. This also features the lovely Evelyn Ankers as Frankenstein's daughter, and Ralph Bellamy as her heroic fiancé. Special consideration must be given to Hans J. Salter, who fashioned an excellent music score which perfectly compliments the impressive work of director Earl C. Kenton, who was able to take a gradually declining storyline and charge it up with some life. *** out of ****

• The George Lazenby of Frankenstein

  23skidoo-42004-05-06

  No one envied George Lazenby when he became the first actor to play James Bond after Sean Connery bowed out of the role. I can only imagine that Lon Chaney Jr. must have felt the same sort of pressure when he was signed to take over the role of Frankenstein's Monster from the great Boris Karloff. Ghost of Frankenstein is, for some reason, one of the more obscure of the Frankenstein series -- I guess in the same way Lazenby's On Her Majesty's Secret Service is considered one of the lesser known Bond films. Coming on the heels of the Karloff trilogy, it does have a second-hand feel to it that doesn't allow the film to reach the heights of its predecessors. This is unfortunate because the movie isn't that bad, actually. In terms of inter-film continuity it probably has the strongest ties with the previous film, Son of Frankenstein, thanks to the continuing presence of Ygor (who, for reasons never explained, survived being shot in Son of Frankenstein). Ygor continues to act as Svengali/Pied Piper to The Monster, and Bela Lugosi turns in a performance that in my opinion rivals if not surpasses Dracula. Anyone who thinks Lugosi was a one-note ham actor capable of only variations on Dracula should check out this film and Son of Frankenstein for a revelation. As the Monster, Lon Chaney isn't bad. Being considerably stockier than Karloff, he somehow appears smaller (blame the sulfur pit, perhaps?). Chaney also chooses to play the role completely mute, a departure from Karloff's growling portrayal. There are several moments where he manages to evoke the types of emotion Karloff was capable of showing under the flat-top -- including a rather puzzling moment where the Monster recognizes Dr. Ludwig Frankenstein, the son of the original Dr. Frankenstein (maybe there's some backstory that we are unaware of?). Cedric Hardwicke as Ludwig Frankenstein tries hard but is unable to produce the same sort of near-madness that his predecessors Colin Clive and Basil Rathbone exhibited, while Lionel Atwill (playing a different role than the policeman from Son of Frankenstein) has a fairly thankless and somewhat confusingly written role to play in the eventual fate of The Monster. Universal was not known for its inter-film continuity, and although Ghost manages to tie in quite successfully with Son (if not the earlier films) there are still a few jarring continuity gaffes, the most notable being the use of a different actor for the scene when the original Dr. Frankenstein pays a ghostly visit to his son (hence the source of the title in case you're wondering) -- even though Colin Clive, the original (but by the time this film was made, sadly deceased) actor is clearly shown in a flashback sequence. Ghost of Frankenstein is far from being the best of Universal's Frankenstein series, but as a middle-of-the-pack entry, it's quite worthwhile. And for serious fans of The Monster who feel that the later "team-up" entries in the series are abominations (that is to say Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man, House of Frankenstein, House of Dracula, and Bud Abbott Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein), then this film is pretty much the end of the Frankenstein Monster story.

• The lesser of the first four films, but still good

  BrandtSponseller2005-03-12

  The citizens of the small German town of Frankenstein are once again incensed about Castle Frankenstein. Even though Wolf Frankenstein, son of the original "mad doctor" Heinrich/Henry, has been exiled, and the Monster and Ygor are supposedly dead, the villagers are claiming to have seen Ygor, and they believe that the presence of the Frankensteins has left a curse on their town. So they ask the mayor for permission to destroy the castle; it's granted. After they spot Ygor at the castle their fervor is increased. The destruction reveals the Monster encased in hardened sulfur, which apparently has been therapeutic for him. Ygor takes the Monster and escapes to Vasaria, home of another Frankenstein son, Ludwig. Of course chaos ensues. Series note: Because the Frankenstein films to this point are as chapters in a novel, it's advisable that you watch them in order. Begin with Frankenstein (1931), The Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Son of Frankenstein (1939), and then finally this film. As the first three Frankenstein films are all 10s in my view, The Ghost of Frankenstein is a slight letdown. It's still a good film, but the atmosphere isn't quite as creepy, the sets aren't quite as good, the acting is cheesier (especially from Lugosi, who was already mired in serious off-camera personal problems by this point), and the scant running time doesn't help the film develop as well as it should. Despite the problems, there is much to admire. Director Erle C. Kenton, who began his long career during the silent era, appearing first as an actor in 1915, still gives us nods to the expressionist elements of the previous films. A scene that takes place on rooftops is probably the most direct reference in the series to the production design of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (Das Kabinett des Doktor Caligari, 1920). Kenton also references the other Frankenstein films without mimicking them--such as the scene where the Monster appears outside of the heroine's window, or the flashback sequence, which at first might feel like padding, but turns out to be necessary on examination. Vasaria is just as attractive as the elaborately realized village of Frankenstein in James Whale's films. Ludwig's palatial home, though more contemporary looking--the series continues through this point to modernize its mostly anachronistic settings--is still impressive, even if it can't match the amazing, towering-behemoth sets of the castle. Kenton's interesting point-of-view shots of our new Monster, Lon Chaney Jr., emphasize his hulking size (Chaney was 6 foot 3 and bulky) so that it looks like the sulfur pit was not only rejuvenating but cultivating for the formerly Karloffian Monster. The look for The Ghost of Frankenstein is much brighter than the previous films. There aren't such deep shadows, the sets are better lit and appear a bit "crisper". For me, while this loses some of the atmosphere, it's attractive for different reasons. The music, a combination of an original score by Hans J. Salter and stock music by Charles Previn, is interesting, particularly for its occasional resemblance (although more traditionally tonal) to Stravinsky's Petrushka (originally written in 1911). Kenton and writers Scott Darling and Eric Taylor gave this entry a poignant spin by creating what is essentially a discourse on appearance differences, such as ethnic or subcultural identities. The Monster seems to be despised and feared not so much because he is evil but because he is the proverbial Other. He looks different, walks different, and "talks" different; it is because of this that he is considered a monster. While technically, he does commit crimes, they tend to be precipitated by dehumanizing, often violent reactions from the people around him. That's why the Monster has positive relationships with children--the idea is that they have not yet been socialized into dehumanizing the Other. Instead they have positive, curious reactions to him, which he reciprocates. Of course, these subtexts are present in all of the Frankenstein films, but Kenton, Darling and Taylor make it much more overt here. When Ludwig and his assistant are debating dissection of the monster to destroy him, we even get this line of dialogue, "How can you call the removal of a thing that is not human 'murder'?" The Monster is certainly human--he's made only of human parts. But regardless, because of difference, he is dehumanized conceptually, and thus a candidate for relatively casual extinction. The resolution that Kenton, Darling and Taylor show for the characters in the film dealing with the Other is also informative. To our "heroes", the best answer seems to be physically manipulating him, to a severe extent--it would cause the Monster to lose his personal identity. The goal isn't acceptance of the Other, but molding the Other to be the same as they are. While this is certainly not the best entry in the series, it's a must-see, as it provides important links in Universal's Frankenstein mythos, which was continued for four more films.

• Better than its reputation

  gwshogi32009-08-14

  Snobby reviewers frequently deride Ghost of Frankenstein as the beginning of the decline in quality for the classic Universal horror films, emphasizing the decreased budget, lackluster script, and the lack of Boris Karloff as the monster. Categorically, this film gets unjustly bundled with Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman, House of Frankenstein and House of Dracula. However, while it's not up the quality of the films that preceded it, Ghost of Frankenstein is much better than any of its successors, and it has moments that are as good as any in the series. Bela Lugosi shines in the second installment of his greatest role, the demented, broken-necked Ygor, maintaining his tenuous control over the monster. While still a deviant schemer, Ygor is more three dimensional in this film than in Son of Frankenstein. For instance, he shows compassion for the child Cloestine when the monster indicates he wants her brain. Lon Chaney Jr. is no Karloff, but his massive, imposing version of the monster gave this viewer a shudder at one point, the first time the Frankenstein monster has scared me since I was seven years old! The sympathetic scenes when the monster befriends Cloestine are all the more interesting for the contrast with Chaney's unreadable, statuesque visage. In both Frankenstein and Son of Frankenstein, it was hinted that the monster--a child himself in one sense--is drawn to children as potential friends. This film is the first to really develop this theme. The scene where the monster retrieves Cloestine's ball is as good as Universal horror gets, especially accompanied as it is by Hans J. Slater's beautiful music score. The score is a tragically overlooked aspect of this film. Next to Franz Waxman's score for Bride of Frankenstein, Slater's score may be the best of any Universal horror film. The script is at times touching, but at times pedestrian. However, director Erle C. Kenton does a laudable job with what he's given. The cinematography is chillingly atmospheric and makes effective, menacing use of shadow. Also to the script's credit, this is the first film to address the obvious solution to the monster's problems: since the real problem is his criminal brain, why not simply give him a normal one? Colin Clive and Basil Rathbone could have done this at any time, but it never occurred to them. Some elements of this film prefigure the Hammer horror series by fifteen years or more: the underground cells for lunatics, all the talk of brain transplants, etc. The last 5 minutes are very effective and made a lasting impression on me as a child, an effect undiminished by the years. All in all, Ghost of Frankenstein is a must see for any classic horror fan.