Season of Horror: Frankenstein (1931)

Sunday afternoon seems ideal for watching one of Universal Pictures classic horror movies. I have selected Frankenstein for today's viewing. I know this film from childhood, but I still never tire of seeing it. I have always thought of this solely as a classic monster movie, but now that I've had quite a bit of pre-code movie experience, my perspective has changed somewhat.

I've seen Mae Clarke, who plays Elizabeth, as a moll who gets a grapefruit in the face in Public Enemy, as well as a prostitute hooking up with a naive soldier in Waterloo Bridge. John Boles plays Victor Moritz and is the face I recognize from Shirley Temple movies. Dwight Frye was Renfield before Fritz. Edward Van Sloan was Van Helsing before Doctor Waldman. Boris Karloff...well I still don't think of Frankenstein as being played by Boris Karloff, which is due to Karloff's brilliant acting and make-up. While this movie has been recreated many times over, there is nothing like the original Frankenstein.

"Where should we be if nobody tried to find out what lies beyond?"

Here are some of my favorite shots from this movie. I appreciate the use of light and shadow, as well as the expressions on faces, especially those on the Frankenstein monster.