Frankenstein Friday: The Hammer Frankenstein Monsters

Previously on this date: Mad Monster Party and The Thing On the Doorstep!

Today, we'll be taking a look at the various monsters that appeared in the Hammer Frankenstein series. (Monsters other than Baron Frankenstein himself, that is.) Enjoy!

First we have Christopher Lee in The Curse of Frankenstein (1957):

Michael Gwynn in The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958):

Kiwi Kingston in The Evil of Frankenstein (1964):

Susan Denberg in Frankenstein Created Woman (1967):

Freddie Jones in Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969) is certainly one of the least intimidating monsters:

David Prowse, best known for wearing the Darth Vader costume in the original Star Wars trilogy, in The Horror of Frankenstein (1970):

And lastly, Prowse returns in Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (1974):

Frankenstein Friday: Bride of Frankenstein art by comic book greats

Previously on this date: Horror of Dracula and House of Leaves!

Today we'll be taking a look at some awesome renditions of the Bride by a variety of comic artists! Enjoy!

Here's a pair by Hellboy creator Mike Mignola:

This one is by DC Animated Universe mastermind Bruce Timm:

Kevin Nowlan:

Bill Sienkiewicz: (And yes, I was able to spell that without checking.)

Art Adams:

Sadly, I don't know the artists responsible for the rest of these, but they're too great not to share! I definitely recognize the art style on some, but just can't quite put a name with it.

Frankenstein Friday: Karloff in and out of the Monster makeup

Previously on this date: The Comedy of Terrors and The Rattle of Bones

Here's your weekly dose of Frankenstein goodness! Today we'll be looking at some photos I've come across over the years that haven't yet been featured here, all from the first two Universal Frankenstein films. Enjoy!

As a bonus, here's a shot of Karloff playing the part of the mad scientist alongside Glen Strange's Monster in 1944's House of Frankenstein!

Frankenstein Friday: Teatime with Boris

Previously on this date: From Hell It Came! and The Curse of Frankenstein!

31 Days of Halloween: Frankenstein

One year ago: Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror

Nearly two centuries after its publication, Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein remains relevant. The ongoing controversies regarding such matters as cloning and stem cell research were all anticipated by Shelley's remarkably prescient novel. As great as some film adaptations have been, none of them come close to covering the same amount of ground as the novel. The story had its genesis in a summer retreat that included Mary, her husband-to-be Percy Bysshe Shelley, Lord Byron, and Byron's Smithers, John Polidori. (Polidori's The Vampyre, which featured the Byron-esque Ruthven as the titular bloodsucker, was the other notable work to emerge from that retreat.) A challenge was issued that each of them would write a scary story, and Mary based hers on a terrifying dream she had. This eventually developed into the novel Frankenstein as we know it.

Percy went over the novel before it was published, adding the florid prose that he was famous for, to help make the book more marketable. Ironically, it is this aspect of the novel that serves as the largest stumbling block for modern readers. (I have been wanting to read this edition of the novel, which jettisons Percy's contributions. I wasn't able to get my hands on it in time for this Halloween season; maybe next year!) It can get very tedious at times, particularly for a reader who is unaccustomed to writings from that era. However, I truly believe that the tale of Victor Frankenstein and his doomed creation is worth the effort. The Monster is one of the most tragic figures in all of literature, and he is the heart of this novel, not his callous creator. The novel is a bit of a slog at times, but it's worth it in the end. You'll be hooked by the time the Monster has met with his creator and brought him up to speed regarding his trials and tribulations. From there, the pace quickens, and events hurtle headlong toward their tragic conclusion. The novel is essential reading for fans of classic horror, and it is sure to amaze with the parallels between the issues raised in its pages, and those present in our society today.

31 Days of Halloween: DIY vinyl decorations

One year ago: The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923) & The Mummy (1932)

Any of you who frequent comic shops or craft stores have probably seen blank vinyl decorations such as these. We ran across these at the craft store Michael's, and naturally, I had to have a few! These were obviously designed with creating monsters in mind, and they're also much cheaper than the more generic blank vinyl figures. I have before & after photos of all except the ones based on the vampire body; I had already started drawing on those before it occurred to me to take photos of them in their natural, blank state.

This one was clearly intended to be a vampire, so naturally, my contrary ass had to go in another direction and make it a demon chick instead. She's loosely based on DesDEMONa(get it?), an original character of mine. The idea of one of these cutesy little figures having a lace-up corset, thigh-high boots, and fishnets just cracks me up. Maybe that says something about my state of mind...

It was unclear what this one was supposed to be, but I took a shot in the dark and tried turning it into a Frankenstein Monster. Lo and behold, it worked! The green wound up being much darker than expected, so unfortunately, it obscures a lot of the detail I drew on this fella. The green and brown did not respond well to the vinyl surface either, and every little stroke shows. I've got an extra, so I'll try it again at some point, with some different materials, and hopefully have better results.

This one seemed designed with a witch in mind, but I decided to make a scarecrow instead. I still want to find something that looks like old rope that is in scale with him to wrap around him, as well as a small scythe. I think he looks pretty cool in the meantime, though.

Last but certainly not least, we have Dracula. My girlfriend made him a cape, since I'm utterly useless when it comes to working with fabric(yes, even something as simple as cutting out a cape; I can't seem to keep it even and symmetrical). I simply forgot to put it on him for the photo. It didn't even occur to me to deviate from the Lugosi model, but it would be a fun exercise to do another version of Dracula at some point, assuming I can get my hands on another of these.





That's it for today! Everyone have a great weekend, and Cthulhu bless.

31 Days of Halloween: Frightening Frankenstein Figures!

One year ago: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

It's Frankenstein Friday once again! Today, we're gonna look at some of the Frankenstein action figures I've picked up over the years!

This is another figure from that Toy Island set I mentioned a week or so back. Lime green skin and green clothing, which is kinda weird. I've seen him in a green coat pretty regularly on various merchandise, but rarely with green pants as well. (They appear gray in this photo, but they're greenish in person.) Anyway, this is a pretty cool figure, with a good deal more articulation than most classic monster figures tend to have. Ideally, he'd be a bit larger; the scale was rather inconsistent with this line. Still, I was pretty pleased to get him.

This came from a Scooby Doo two-pack, and ran me about $4. I don't collect Scooby Doo stuff, but I had to pick it up when I saw this in the set. I love the design, and they did a fantastic job translating it into three dimensions. He doesn't have much articulation, but smaller figures like this rarely do, outside of GI Joe. He looks great on the shelf with the other stuff I have that's a similar size.

This came from a line Jakks Pacific did close to ten years ago. It included Dracula, the Wolf Man, and the Frankenstein Monster. Each had a diorama, and came in both color and black & white versions. They were pretty overpriced, but I picked up this one and the Wolf Man on clearance. (Dracula was long gone by that time.) This is a recreation of the scene from Bride of Frankenstein where the Monster has been subdued by a large mob; temporarily, as it turns out. The sculpting is good, with a strong Karloff likeness. The details are pretty accurate to his appearance at this point in the film. Articulation is adequate, but not that great. He does have a ball-jointed head with a great range of motion, though. Gotta give Jakks props for making it so he can work well either in or out of the chair. There is a lever built into the chair that, when depressed, raises the Monster's arms, mimicking his escape from the chair in the film. Unfortunately, this means he has a big hole in his back when you remove him from the chair. Still, I leave him in it all the time, so it's no big deal.

Finally, we come to this guy. Large and in charge, this Frankenstein figure is the build-a-figure from that Toy Island line. Yes, the BAF was just a larger version of one of the regular figures in the set. Doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me, but there it is. He makes a nice display piece, even if his large size makes some of the flaws more apparent. For instance, there's this weird ridge around his pants, just below the knees. (They're on the smaller version too, just not as obvious.) The only thing I can think of is that maybe that's supposed to be the tops of his boots, but if so, it still looks very odd. The hip joints do not work at all. seriously, they don't move. I've seen other complaints about this, so apparently it was a widespread issue. I just leave him in a standing pose so it's not a big problem, but it's still kind of annoying. His skin is a more subdued shade of green than the smaller version, and he looks all the better for that. I always intended to add some more scarring and repaint him, but I've never found the time for it. Maybe one of these days...

That's it for today! We're supposed to go to the Terrortest haunted house tonight; it should be fun! Do yourself a favor and head to a local haunted house yourself this weekend, you've only got a couple more weeks before they're gone for another year!

31 Days of Halloween: Young Frankenstein

As I said in an entry earlier this month, the horror comedy is a very tricky thing. While there are several very good examples of the horror comedy done properly, as far as I'm concerned, it was perfected with Young Frankenstein.

Dr. Frederick Frankenstein(Gene Wilder) inherits the estate of his infamous family. Temporartily leaving his fiancee Elizabeth(Madeline Kahn) behind, he travels to Transylvania to move into the family castle. Encountering such memorable characters as the hunchback Igor(Marty Feldman), castle caretaker Frau Blucher(Cloris Leachman), lab assistant Inga(Teri Garr), and wooden-armed Inspector Kemp(Kenneth Mars), Frankenstein (pronounced "Fronk-en-steen") attempts to make his own monster(Peter Boyle), redeeming his family's name in the process.

That's a hell of a cast. They, along with director Mel Brooks, have very long and impressive resumes, and Young Frankenstein represents the finest work from everyone involved. The film is savagely funny, working on several different levels to provide plenty of laughs, no matter who is watching. Obviously, there are plenty of references to the classic Universal horror films. The basic plot is nearly identical to Son of Frankenstein, and several characters are direct parodies of characters from that film(most notably Mars' Inspector Kemp, with an accent that is so thick that even the other villagers can't understand him!).

The idea had its genesis in Wilder, who imagined another sequel to the Universal Frankenstein films. Rather than the standard sort of mad scientist fare, this descendant of the original Monster maker would be shamed of his family, and try to distance himself from them as much as possible. Wilder approached Brooks with the idea while they were working on Blazing Saddles, and the two collaborated on the script.

Columbia refused to allow Brooks to film in black and white, which he and Wilder agreed was essential to the project, so they went to 20th Century Fox. Brooks rented equipment from Kenneth Strickfaden, who had supplied the flashy lab equipment that quickly became the standard for horror films for decades, including the original Universal Frankenstein films. The excellent score by John Morris and beautiful cinematography by Gerald Hirschfeld give the film an appropriate look and feel that evokes the Universal classics, yet give the film its own identity as well.

 Young Frankenstein is easily one of the best comedies ever made, and in the sub-genre of the horror comedy, it is without peer. It works equally well as an unofficial part of the Universal canon, with many references to those films that enable it to fit into that larger tapestry surprisingly well. You'll get even more from it if you've watched the first three Universal Frankenstein films, but it stands on its own quite well. While you're busy watching all manner of horrors this Halloween weekend, don't forget to make a little room for Young Frankenstein.

31 Days of Halloween: Son of Frankenstein

 It's Frankenstein Friday, and we're tackling the next installment in the Universal series: 1939's Son of Frankenstein!

After the first cycle of horror films ended with Dracula's Daughter in 1936, stars identified with the horror film had something of a rough time in Hollywood. Some, such as Boris Karloff, fared well, but no one really had as tough a time as Bela Lugosi. (The horror icon's financial situation was so bad by 1938 that he had to swallow his pride and appeal to the Hollywood Actors' Fund to pay for the birth of his son.)

The new owners of Universal saw the kind of money theaters were raking in with re-releases of their classics Dracula and Frankenstein. With visions of dollar signs dancing in their heads, the top brass at Universal decided a new film in the same vein would make even more money.

 Rowland V. Lee was hired to direct Son of Frankenstein. Universal, always full of heart, took advantage of Lugosi's well-known financial difficulties by hiring him at the insulting payrate of $500 per week. When Lee found out about this, he was livid. He expanded Lugosi's part, and put him in the background in scenes where he really had nothing to do, so that he could keep Bela on the payroll for the entire length of the production.

The film opens as Wolf Frankenstein(Basil Rathbone), his wife Elsa(Josephine Hutchinson), and their son Peter(Donnie Dunagan) are on a train, bound for the village of Frankenstein. Wolf has inherited his infamous father's estate, and is moving the family in. They receive a cold reception from the townsfolk("We're here to greet you. Not to welcome you!").

Moving into the large, foreboding castle, the Frankensteins are paid a visit by Inspector Krogh(Lionel Atwill). Krogh assures Wolf that he will be on hand to assist him in the event the surly, superstitious villagers threaten him or his family. When Wolf questions the vailidity of all the horrible tales about the Monster his father created, Krogh relates the tale of how he lost his arm as a small boy("One does not forget, herr Baron, an arm torn out by the roots!").

Exploring the estate the next day, Wolf goes up to the ruined laboratory. There he encounters broken-necked Ygor(Lugosi), who eventually takes Wolf into a secret passageway where he sees the Monster! The Monster is unconscious, having suffered severe damage during a violent thunderstorm. Ygor wants Wolf to make his friend well("He is my friend. He... does things for me!"). Wolf agrees, wishing to restore the monster and replace his brain, vindicating his father and the family name.

Once the Monster is revived, however, it immediately becomes clear that he does the bidding of his friend Ygor. As Ygor resumes sending the monster out to murder his enemies, the already unruly villagers grow more and more suspicious of the Frankensteins, and that tension eventually reaches a fever pitch. This, along with disputes between Wolf and Ygor, leads to the film's climax.

Rathbone is quite good as Wolf, scenery-chewing and all. Some have criticized his performance as being too "over-the-top," but I find his bombastic performance right at home in the film. (This character also served almost as a template for Gene Wilder's Frankenstein in Young Frankenstein).

Rathbone may have top billing, but few would argue that Lugosi is the star of the film. His wonderful performance as the sinister Ygor is one of his finest, and his relationship with the monster is both complex and oddly touching. Ygor is a scheming, dangerous fiend, yet Lugosi also gives him a charming roguish quality that almost makes us root for him.

Karloff's Monster in this film doesn't get as much screen time as in the two previous films, but he is given some good scenes, and Karloff makes the most of them. Karloff got his wish in this film, as the Monster no longer speaks-- in story terms, this can be chalked up to the damage he has suffered-- and that also means he could remove his dental plate again, so the deeply sunken cheek is back. Both of Karloff's other performances as the Monster are better, but he does not disappoint here, either. This was Karloff's last appearance on film as the Frankenstein Monster; at this point, he felt the character had really gone as far as he should go, and that the Monster was becoming little more than a prop(Karloff was proved right in subsequent films).

Lionel Atwill gives an excellent performance as Krogh, bringing a quiet dignity to the character that makes him memorable in a film already packed with memorable characters. There has been much debate over Dunagan's performance as Peter, with many feeling that he is a detriment to the film. He's almost unbearably cute, and doesn't display much acting ability(he was only 5 years old); on the other hand, as a small child playing a small child, he is undeniably genuine in the role, and I feel he adds to the film, rather than detracts from it. Your mileage may vary, but even if you dislike him, he doesn't have enough screen time to really hurt the film.
Also, keep an eye out for Dwight Frye in a small role as a villager.

The sets in the movie are marvelous. Evoking a dark, Gothic atmosphere, they border on expressionism at times, and add to the mood immeasurably. The music is also excellent, standing as one of the finest scores in any horror film.

It may not be quite on the same lofty level of the two previous Universal Frankenstein films, but Son of Frankenstein is an excellent film, and is highly enjoyable. It's also the last horror film Universal made in this era that boasted high production values, as most of the horror films that followed were low-budget programmers. The film is a good last hurrah for Karloff's Frankenstein Monster, and it is a wonderful showcase for Lugosi. Even if, like me, you feel that the Universal Frankenstein story really ends with The Bride of Frankenstein, Son of Frankenstein remains an excellent film that is truly worth your time.

That's Bela Lugosi Jr. with Karloff!