Post by Chicago Jake on Nov 19, 2012 1:45:44 GMT -6
Svengoolie's creature feature this week was Erle C. Kenton's "The Ghost Of Frankenstein" from 1942.
Universal made many Frankenstein movies in the 30s and 40s, and the first few were pretty good. The later ones were mostly pretty bad. This particular film was a rare example of a very good film from later in the series.
First of all, it had Bela Lugosi, who stole the show as Ygor, playing the conniving hunchback as both cunning and evil, yet hilarious at the same time. Far more interesting of a performance than his more famous Dracula role. It also featured several very good mainstream actors of the era, such as Ralph Bellamy, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, and Lionel Atwill.
But the main reason that I think of it as one of the better Frankenstein movies is that it had a very interesting and plot-driven story line. Ygor and his friend "the monster" (played by Lon Chaney in this film) escape their latest entombment, and seek out Dr. Ludwig Frankenstein, the son of the original Dr. Frankenstein, to try to cure the monster of his maladies. Ludwig is horrified at his father's creation, and at first wants to destroy him. But then he decides that would be murder. So he hatches a plan to cure the monster of his monstrous ways by replacing his defective brain with the brain of his recently deceased (at the hands of the monster himself!) colleague.
That's when the trouble begins. Ygor wants to have his own brain implanted in the monster's body so that he can rule the world with both brains and brawn. The monster himself would rather have the brain of a little villager girl who he has befriended. And of course Ludwig still wants his good and kindly friend's brain to end up in the monster's noggin so that he can right the wrongs perpetrated by his old pappy. So we end up with a drawing-room comedy of merry mixups wondering whose brain will end up where! I don't doubt that Mel Brooks based a lot of Young Frankenstein on this flick.
The title of the movie refers to one brief scene where the ghost of the original Dr. Frankenstein appears to Ludwig (it isn't clear if this is meant to be taken literally, or if it is all in Ludwig's imagination) and helps him to resolve his dilemma about taking care of the monster and his wicked wicked ways.
And of course it is all filmed in glorious, luscious black and white! If you like classic horror movies, this one is a must-see.......Jake
Universal made many Frankenstein movies in the 30s and 40s, and the first few were pretty good. The later ones were mostly pretty bad. This particular film was a rare example of a very good film from later in the series.
First of all, it had Bela Lugosi, who stole the show as Ygor, playing the conniving hunchback as both cunning and evil, yet hilarious at the same time. Far more interesting of a performance than his more famous Dracula role. It also featured several very good mainstream actors of the era, such as Ralph Bellamy, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, and Lionel Atwill.
But the main reason that I think of it as one of the better Frankenstein movies is that it had a very interesting and plot-driven story line. Ygor and his friend "the monster" (played by Lon Chaney in this film) escape their latest entombment, and seek out Dr. Ludwig Frankenstein, the son of the original Dr. Frankenstein, to try to cure the monster of his maladies. Ludwig is horrified at his father's creation, and at first wants to destroy him. But then he decides that would be murder. So he hatches a plan to cure the monster of his monstrous ways by replacing his defective brain with the brain of his recently deceased (at the hands of the monster himself!) colleague.
That's when the trouble begins. Ygor wants to have his own brain implanted in the monster's body so that he can rule the world with both brains and brawn. The monster himself would rather have the brain of a little villager girl who he has befriended. And of course Ludwig still wants his good and kindly friend's brain to end up in the monster's noggin so that he can right the wrongs perpetrated by his old pappy. So we end up with a drawing-room comedy of merry mixups wondering whose brain will end up where! I don't doubt that Mel Brooks based a lot of Young Frankenstein on this flick.
The title of the movie refers to one brief scene where the ghost of the original Dr. Frankenstein appears to Ludwig (it isn't clear if this is meant to be taken literally, or if it is all in Ludwig's imagination) and helps him to resolve his dilemma about taking care of the monster and his wicked wicked ways.
And of course it is all filmed in glorious, luscious black and white! If you like classic horror movies, this one is a must-see.......Jake