The Bride of Frankenstein (1935) - James Whale

While 1931's Frankenstein left no loose ends with the death of the doctor and his monster, Universal was intent on making a sequel to the very successful film (some things never change).  James Whale's The Bride of Frankenstein begins during a thunderstorm where Mary Shelley and Lord Byron discuss the story of Frankenstein, with Mary revealing to Byron that the monster and doctor survived the fire.  It's a rather ham-fisted introduction sequence, which I suspect is intentional, with it setting up this film's narrative thread.  The Bride of Frankenstein centers around Dr. Frankenstein, a man whose begun to see the error of his ways.  He wants to stop with these experiments of nature but is forced to help mad scientist, Dr. Preterious, create a new female creature after his wife is kidnapped.  Meanwhile, the monster finds himself venturing through the countryside, hunted by the villagers of the town.  While 1931's Frankenstein certainly showed the monster as a sympathetic character, The Bride of Frankenstein has a lot more time to explore this character.  On the surface Karloff doesn't have much to work with but through some subtle acting, he brilliantly brings emotion to the role that is surprisingly resonant.  The most touching sequence of the film takes place when the monster comes across a blind man who seemingly lives alone in a secluded cottage.  This man represents a character with no bias or preconceived ideals, unlike all the villagers, and their interaction is quite powerful.  The Bride of Frankenstein is impressively filmed, with great use of expressionistic lighting, tracking shots, and well-timed dissolves that create an atmosphere that would be emulated for years to come.  While a "horror film", The Bride of Frankenstein consists of social satire, self-parody, wit, and horror and Whale has such a nice grasp at how to balance all of these elements basically elevating the suspense as the film hurdles towards its tragic conclusion. 
8.5/10

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