Classic Movies - Universal Studios Monsters: Frankenstein

For the month of October "Monster Mash Month", let’s talk Classic Monster Movies of Universal Studios! The monster movies created by Universal Studios during the 1930s and 1940s will always hold special places in our childhood memories. It was great fun to be scared by the likes of the Frankenstein monster, Dracula, the Wolf Man, and the Mummy as we watched Spook Spectacular (St. Louis area) on Saturday night TV in the late 50s, early 60s. We usually watched in the dark as we lay on the floor. A pillow or blanket was always close at hand in case we needed to cover our faces in a hurry. Our favorite legendary actors of the “Universal” horror genre and those featured in this month’s posts are the terrifying trio of Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, and Lon Chaney, Jr.

This week, let’s talk “Universal” Monster - Frankenstein! In 1931, a British-born, intellectual actor named Boris Karloff appeared in 13 talking pictures. One of them, Frankenstein, Karloff portrayed the flat-topped, knobby-necked creature that was first depicted more than a century earlier in the novel by teen-aged feminist, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley.

Dr. Henry Frankenstein (Colin Clive) wants to build a man in his own image, using the body of a dead man, and various parts of other bodies. He and his assistant Fritz dig up a freshly buried coffin and steal the body. When they realize the head and the brains of the body are severely damaged, they decide to steal a brain from Dr. Frankenstein's former teacher Dr. Waldman (Edward van Sloan). When Fritz accidentally drops the glass jar labeled "good brain" on the floor, he is forced to take the glass jar labeled "bad brain". Using some kind of mysterious ray that Dr. Frankenstein discovered, the body is brought to life during a thunderstorm, and the monster of Frankenstein (Karloff) is born.

Later, when Dr. Frankenstein realizes that he has created an aggressive monster, he and Fritz lock the monster up in a cell. When the monster is repeatedly bullied and provoked by Fritz, the monster eventually manages to kill him. When the monster escapes, he reeks havock in the village nearby. In return, the people of the village hunts and seeks to destroy the Frankenstein monster.

For a scary start to "Monster Mash Month", watch the 1931 version of Frankenstein. Join "Let's Talk Classic Movies" Wednesday to read about our next featured Frankenstein classic movie starring Boris Karloff - Bride of Frankenstein.

**Trivia Question for Today: Who is the character actor who plays Fritz, the hunchback who torments the monster in Frankenstein?

Trivia Answer for Previous Post: Ginger Rogers appeared as the Queen in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s TV musical production of Cinderella in 1965. The cast also included Lesley Ann Warren as Cinderella, Stuart Damon as the Prince, Walter Pidgeon as the King, Celeste Holm as the Fairy Godmother, and Jo Van Fleet as the Wicked Stepmother.