Customer Reviews

The Bride [VHS]

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

THE BRIDE isn't really a horror film. It plays like a twisted "Pygmalion", a dark fairytale that is quite beautiful in it's design and look.

Dr Frankenstein (Sting) creates a female companion for his original monster (played by Clancy Brown). Things go wrong when the monster reacts violently and the lab becomes engulfed by flames. The monster escapes and 'Eva' is left in the care of Frankenstein.

The rest of the film focuses on the 2 separate adventures of Eva and the monster. Jennifer Beals is luminous as Eva, a woman who somehow knows she is different and is always searching for answers. Sting plays Dr Frankenstein with all the pomp and circumstance he can muster, and suits the time period of the film perfectly. Clancy Brown gives 'Viktor' the monster a humanity and heart, and David Rappaport, as Viktor's tiny friend, is a real scene-stealer. Geraldine Page is wasted as Frankenstein's remote housekeeper.

The music by Maurice Jarre of DOCTOR ZHIVAGO fame is lush, and the scenic design is haunting (especially the eerie huge statues that Eva and Frankenstein ride past in the woods). Direction by Franc Roddam is perfectly-pitched.

Not your average horror film.

Thankfully this is out on DVD and a new audience can appreciate how well it was made and can learn from the Director's Commentary what makes it so special.

"The Bride" is more Thomas Hardy than Mary Shelley, and more Gothic romance than horror. Director Franc Roddam points out (on his DVD commentary) that he wanted to make a very different version of the old story by eliminating almost all elements of horror; so only the first ten minutes qualify as authentic horror.

Roddam does not discuss the illogic of making a film devoid of the very elements its "target audience" was interested in seeing, but we already know that "The Bride" had a very poor showing at the box office. This target audience disconnect was most likely the cause. Nor does he comment on the failure to market the film to another audience segment; those interested in Gothic period pieces.

It is especially cool that 20 years later the film is finally being discovered by this other audience and they are finding it a beautifully photographed example of their genre that emphasizes story-line and atmosphere over blood and gore.

Even the much criticized casting of inexperienced leads Jennifer Beals and Sting (both look great in period costume) takes on a different dimension when the film is re-classified into the Gothic genre. Suddenly you see that the director was the one most responsible for the apparent lack of chemistry between the two stars, particularly Beals lack of passion in the scenes they share. These were the performances the Roddam wanted and not a reflection of inexperience or talent limitations. Which is not to say that Sting will ever be mistaken for a great acting talent but Beals has been unjustly criticized for a shallow performance when it was simply everything Roddam wanted it to be. Her character is only learning how to feel as the film progresses and as events play out we learn that her emotionless attitude simply conveys her indifferent feelings toward her creator.

I highly recommend this movie as Roddam is an excellent stylistic director and has made a very good Gothic romance. The fantastic production design works to unify what are two stories as Roddam cuts back and forth between the Baron (Sting) teaching his creation Eva (Beals) while David Rappaport as Rinaldo teaches his other creation Victor, played by Clancy Brown. There is a psychic link between the two creations which will result in a interesting plot twist.

Roddam has created a visually gorgeous film that has held up much better than the 1980's mainstream features that outperformed it at the box office. Don't be scared away by the negative comments, if you know what to expect (gothic romance not horror) almost any fan of films will enjoy "The Bride". I recommend the DVD, it was made from a flawless print and the widescreen presentation better showcases both the top-notch photography and the terrific work of the production designer.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

In 1985 when both Sting and Jennifer Beals were huge draws, this movie was created: A retelling of The Bride of Frankenstein. On a dark and stormy night, Baron Frankenstein works feverishly in his lab trying to bring to life the agreed to Bride of the monster previously created. Sting, as Frankenstein, is intelligent, determined, and methodical. He brings to life his newest creation and quickly discovers that the mistakes he made when creating the man have been corrected, bringing to life a beautiful woman. Upon seeing his bride, the monster (Clancy Brown)inadvertently hurts her. Frankenstein strikes the monster and removes the bride from the creature's grasp. A fight ensues and the monster flees into the night. The next day Frankenstein names the woman Eva and decides to teach how to be "as bold and as proud as a man." Meanwhile, the creature runs into a little person named Renaldo (David Rappaport) who understands what it is like to be an outcast and befriends him. As the movie progresses, we see two stories take place. Eva becoming "the new woman" and the creature learning about life and friendship.

I have always enjoyed this movie. Sting is great as Frankenstein and plays him with a hint of madness that such a man would likely have been. Jennifer Beals plays Eva with childlike innocence early on then shows the maturity of a bold, intelligent woman, but still she is disturbed about who she truly might be. (Check out the scene when she does discover the truth. Fantastic!) Clancy Brown, too, shows growth and maturity in the development of the creature (later named Victor by Renaldo) from clumsy, confusion to brave determination. Cary Elwes has the role of Josef, one of the Countess' guards. And how can we forget the late David Rappaport as the compassionate and insightful Renaldo. Through him we see the pain and prejudice he faces by being a little person.

The extras on the DVD are few, but nice to have. I don't recall ever seeing the trailer before so having it on the DVD was a plus. The Director's commentary could have been better. He admitted that it had been so long since he had seen the film. Knowing this, he should have watched it a few times and made notes. As it was, he forgot a lot of the information. Later in the film, he would comment that the movie never addressed this or never addressed that when in actuality, the movie had established those things earlier in the movie. To me, a great commentary is when the person commenting on the film is discussing the scene: either the actors or the background, or something relevant. This director sometimes went on little tangents that had nothing to do with the movie at all. I kept thinking "can we please talk about this movie?" There was some good information though about the French scenery, how Sting got the role, the relationships between the actors, and the loss of David Rappaport. So the commentary wasn't a total loss, but could have been better if the Director was better prepared.

First and last, this has got to be the ultimate love story, complete with conflict and great supporting characters, etc. Though the characters of Mary Shelley are suggested, this is in no way a horror film. The lush, gorgeous music of Maurice Jarre lets you know this right from the start. I'll not blab away the plot, except to say that the separate adventures of the bride and the "monster" are paralleled cleverly by director Franc Roddam. Sting was good, as was Jennifer Beals. Clancy Brown as Viktor (the monster) had wonderfully realized sense of moral character, suspicious of kindness; grateful for friendship. His friendship is found in the person of Rinaldo, wonderfully played by David Rappaport. There's adventure, loss, renewal and a darn good story to go along with it. As in Mary Slelley's tale, there is goodness and evil. Here, it's approached in a refreshing new way. This has a more satisfying ending. I only bought this film because I love Geraldine Page. Her natural brilliance isn't given much of a challenge. "The Bride" came out in 1985, the same year Ms. Page gave her Oscar winning performance in "The Trip to Bountiful".Any moment of Page is worth it. A pity she left this world in 1986. Aside from that, "The Bride" is worth consideration. This really is a great date movie...

Thank goodness for the current DVD boom. It seems that all the major studios, in a rush to get product on the shelves, are in the process of scouring through their back catalogues and releasing everything and anything available. The "Midnite Movies" series from MGM is a perfect example.
So likewise, Columbia has released The Bride on DVD. True, it is NOT a horror film, and yes, a musician is in the lead role(always a dubious casting move), but it does succeed on many levels. This retelling of The Bride of Frankenstein works more as a romantic fantasy, and the narrative chugs along at quick, engrossing pace, especially the sub-plot of Victor(the Monster) and Rinaldo. The many poignant moments between these two and the child-like demeanor of Victor gives the movie its soul. That said, the ending is a bit of a dissappointment, which the director freely admits to on the commentary track, which is filled with relevant and amusing anecdotes about the film itself.
So if anyone remembers this eighties artifact fondly, I say its a worthy addition to your collection. And listen to the commentary!

I hadn't seen any of Jennifer Beals' early films when I watched THE BRIDE just the other night. From her more recent work (FOUR ROOMS, THE ANNIVERSARY PARTY and now THE L WORD), I know she is a first-rate actress, but didn't know what to expect from her beginning work (I still have to see FLASHDANCE.) Though I've read critics' reviews panning this film, I think THE BRIDE is quite good and deserving of the regard other "undiscovered" or "underground" films receive.

The story is straightforward enough: The infamous mad scientist Frankenstein creates a mate for his "monster" (whom will later be named Viktor). Things go wrong, however and Eva is left at the hands of Dr. Frankenstein (Viktor having run off when fire breaks out in the lab). Frankenstein (played to irritatingly perfect pompousness by Sting) has Eva all to himself and attempts to make her into a "proper lady."

The plot is not the main reason to watch this endearing movie, though it definitely keeps your interest with the main plot and the storyline involving Viktor after he flees the fire and meets up with a wonderful character played by David Rappaport. No, the real reason to watch is in the little touches, whether it be the memorable scene where Eva (played with incredible innocence and searching curiousity by Jennifer Beals) snarls at a cat during her first outing at a fancy dinner to meet the "important" people
or the tender friendship between Viktor and Rinaldo.

I don't want to reveal too much about where the movie goes but it does a surprisingly good job of capturing universal themes such as loneliness and searching for one's own roots. A big plus in its favor is that it comes closer to the original intent of Mary Shelley's novel than the old Hollywood versions and reminds us that Shelley's novel was never really about scary horror but the horrors in our fellow humans' behavior and our own isolation.

First of all, this isn't at all close to anything from the original novel by Mary Shelley. In the book, work begins on a bride for the creature, and is then abandoned, which leads to all sorts of unpleasantness.This film is sort of a exploration of how the story might have developed if work on the creatures mate had continued. Sting, of the Police, plays the Doctor, and Jennifer Beals plays his second creation. Obviously, his skills have improved from his first effort, however an accident in the lab leads to a fire, and the loss of the first creature, or so he believes. He then sets out to educate her as a continuing experiment. Meanwhile, the first creature is being educated by different experiences as he wanders the countryside, eventually befriending a dwarf who helps him find employment. Eventually, the creature and his intended bride cross paths again...with results which are perhaps unexpected, given their different backgrounds. This is perhaps the only Frankenstein film with an positive ending, attempting to show that even artificially created humans might have a soul, or a spirit, which seeks to rise above the limitations of the flesh. The set design of the film was good, especially 'the masoleum'. Jennifer Beals is gorgeous as 'The Bride', and the performance by Clancy Brown as the 'creature' is also good, as is David Rappaport as the dwarf. I enjoyed it.Ron

This film is actually two-in-one! The first film is a very good one, the second, a dull, lifeless (no pun intended) one. The first ten minutes of THE BRIDE are fascinating and magnificently staged. But it is when the monster leaves Dr. Frankenstein's castle that the film takes on its split personality.

The first film, the good one, tells the story of Rinaldo, a dwarfed circus perfomer, who meets up with Frankenstein's creation. Rinaldo christens the creature Viktor and the two become close friends. They make their way towards Budapest to join the circus. Their story is excellently told with humor and pathos. It's the kind of pathos that made the original BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN such a memorable film.

However, the film zig-zags back and forth between this story and the tale of the good doctor's efforts to create the perfect "modern" woman. In mind as well as body, he "teaches" her in an incoherent and completely uninteresting series of scenes, that give the film a choppy look. For nearly two hours we go back and forth between good filmmaking and bad.

Sting does what he can with his poorly written scenes, but quite frankly I expected more. At least he tries. Jennifer Beals, on the other hand is atrocious, going through her dialogue like Hulk Hogan doing Shakespeare. She proves once and for all that not only can't she dance (most of her choreography in FLASHDANCE was done by somebody else), she can't act either. Geraldine Page, a magnificent actress, looks like she wishes she were somewhere else.

But David Rappaport as Rinaldo and Clancy Brown as Viktor shine in their roles. In fact everything in THE BRIDE that is good is in their half of the film. Everything that is except the sets, costumes and music score. In these areas the entire film is excellent.

If you watch the film you will stick with it until the finale so I won't give away the ending. But unless you like your coffee with Half-and-Half instead of whole cream stay away from THE BRIDE.

I don't expect anything more of a movie than to enjoy it and be entertained. I don't seek to psychoanalyze or offer up in-depth critique, it's only a movie. I either enjoy it or I don't. I like this movie, it's a great rainy day or late night flick. The scenery is beautiful and the horses are magnificent!

"The Bride" represents a noble effort to reinvent the Frankenstein film, but it falls a little short, mainly due to mediocre performances by Sting and Jennifer Beals. Contrary to popular belief, "The Bride" is NOT a remake of the classic "Bride of Frankenstein". It is, in effect, a sequel. The opening scene of "The Bride" is a re-imagining of the final scene of "Bride of Frankenstein". However, the Creature (named Victor here), his bride and the good Dr. Frankenstein all survive the laboratory's explosion. The rest of the film, which is a drama not a horror movie, follows the parallel story of the Creature and his would-be bride, discovering themselves and eventually, just maybe, each other. You'll need to see the movie to find out if the two ultimately get together, or not. Worth a look for the open minded.