Customer Reviews

Ghost of Frankenstein [VHS]

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This text refers to the transfer for the Frankenstein Legacy Collection.

The fourth film the series of Frankenstein films began the swan dive that ended as a belly flop. The return of the monster was kept as plausible as could be expected. It also retained continuity with the series. Ygor's return didn't make any sense though. No decent explanation is ever given for it. It just proves that a good villain can't stay in bad guy heaven when there's megabucks to had from a sequel it seems. The studio heads decided the film needed new "Frankensteins" so they made up a new set of relatives. The plot took a (ridiculous) turn that started and finished right there. And so it goes ...

The news isn't all bad though. The overall "look" of the film is excellent. Universal had creating the atmosphere for their "creature features" down to a fine art. The sets are good. The lighting (as usual) is excellent. Today's filmmakers could learn a lot by studying the work done in these features. Some of the acting is pretty good as well. Evelyn Ankers is every bit as engaging as she was in anything she appeared in. That lady always filled the screen with charm and presence. She never seemed to turn in a bad performance and could deliver the most inane dialogue with the utmost of conviction. Her "screams of terror" are classics. And she always seemed to enjoy doing these flicks. Lionel Atwil was a regular player in Universal's line of horror and mystery pictures. He's great as the humbled but still proud Bohmer. He never turned in a bad performance. Cedric Hardwicke is perfect as the father figure gone wrong. Most of the characters these people portray were pretty shallow ones, basically fixtures needed so the action could take place. That they could become sympathetic ones is a tribute to the actors who portrayed them. Bela Lugosi reprised his role as Ygor and he managed to add some depth to the character. He gives a pretty good insight into the pain the character suffers, enough to make him sympathetic, but not enough to make him likeable. It takes a good actor to pull that off.

Lon Chaney's portrayal of the monster appears to be a case of a good actor being handed a bad deal. For some reason the monster was cast as a one-dimensional brute. He was stiffer than before as well. It's hard to say whose idea this was. It's not likely to have been Chaney's. Lon was notorious for being drunk on the set but he generally brought intelligence and commitment to most of his roles. He still brought an air of menace to the role and he conveyed the pure raw power of the creature well but the other facets Karloff had given the character were missing. The make up job on the monster looks cheap as well. It's hard to believe it was done by Jack Pierce, the man who did the work in the previous "Frankenstein" features. Pierce was probably faced with budget cuts and/or time restrictions. Whatever the cause, he was far better at his craft than this vehicle shows. These things were probably the result of decisions made by the people who controlled the studio. In ay case they set the trends characterized the portrayal of the monster throughout the rest of the series.

The film is a lot of fun to watch though. Yes, a lot of things were done wrong but it's still enjoyable enough that it's hard to refer to it as really bad. The transfer to DVD for this edition is excellent. If you sit back and enjoy it for what it is it's still worth a look or three, even after all these years.

This surprisingly good sequel to "Son of Frankenstein" features Bela Lugosi reprising his role as Ygor (his best character role) and Lon Chaney Jr. as the monster, and both are superb. The rest of the cast is excellent, particularly Sir Cedric Hardwicke and Lionel Atwill, who delivers another outstanding performance. The script is excellent, and the story progresses in an interesting way. This is probably the last of the really good Universal horror films, so get it and enjoy it. Great for a rainy afternoon.

This is the fourth film in the series and begins with an attack on the Castle of Frankenstein, which is is usually seen at the end. Upon it's release from it's tomb, the Monster(Chaney)is taken by Ygor(Lugosi)to the second son of Frankenstein, Ludwig. There, the Monster's criminal brain is removed and just wait and see whose brain is put in! Exciting from the start, The Ghost of Frankenstein is a real classic to enjoy!

Much to my surprise, I actually enjoyed Ghost of Frankenstein much more than Son of Frankenstein. I think the turn toward the big, dumb Frankenstein monster stereotype took place in Son of Frankenstein, so by this point (1942), all hope was lost for ever bringing to life the creature envisioned by Mary Shelley (I say creature because Dr. Frankenstein, not the creature, was the true monster). There's no denying that Lon Chaney, Jr., who took up the role of the creature here in Ghost of Frankenstein, pales in comparison with Boris Karloff, but I actually found the monster more sympathetic this time around than last. You won't see the type of pathos and innocence that Karloff brought to the role in the first two films, yet Chaney subtly shows a human side to the creature on a couple of occasions (and, to be frank, the script didn't allow him much room to maneuver in terms of developing his character).

This film could easily have been called The Other Son of Frankenstein because, lo and behold, the son who restored life to the creature in Son of Frankenstein has a brother. The timing aspects of the whole thing aren't very clear. The film opens with the villagers we know so well storming the castle to destroy the curse of Frankenstein. Ygor (Bela Lugosi) despite being shot numerous times by Dr. Wolf Frankenstein in the last film, still lives (hey, he had already survived a broken neck at the gallows years earlier); in the course of fleeing the besieged castle, he finds his good, monstrous friend (whom we last saw sinking into a pit of boiling sulphur). After escaping the castle, Ygor decides to take the monster to the other Frankenstein brother. Ludwig (Sir Cedric Hardwicke), a respected mental health doctor, is none too happy to see Ygor or to deal with the creature he believed had finally been killed, yet rather than destroy the monster, he decides to give him a new brain. In this way, he believes, he can resurrect his father's shattered reputation and renew the good name of Frankenstein.

Ludwig must be around fifty years old, which creates a problem. The events of Son of Frankenstein took place some twenty-five years after the creation of the Bride of Frankenstein. The original Dr. Frankenstein reportedly died very soon after bringing the female creature to life. Obviously, very little time has passed since the events chronicled in Son of Frankenstein, so Ludwig should be, at most, in his mid-twenties. I suppose that's neither here nor there in the final scope of things, however. I must say I loved Hardwicke's performance here. Ludwig is a serious fellow who never slips into the madness that claimed his father and brother. He does agree to harbor the monster and to replace his "criminal" brain with a good brain, but his desire to substantiate his infamous father's work and to restore the family name are the driving forces behind his decision-making. Everything might have turned out all right, too, if it weren't for Ludwig's assistant Dr. Bohmer (played by Leonard Atwill, who stole the show in Son of Frankenstein as the indomitable Inspector Krogh). Bohmer taught Ludwig almost everything he knows, but one little "miscalculation" destroyed his career and forced him to assume the role of assistant to his former protégé. It is in the pool of Bohmer's bitterness that the ever-resourceful Ygor finds the leverage he needs to pull one over on Dr. Frankenstein. Ygor, you see, wants his own brain transplanted into the creature's body.

As much as I respect and idolize Bela Lugosi, I really wasn't that impressed by his performance in Son of Frankenstein - I should say that I didn't think his character, Ygor, was worthy of Lugosi. In Ghost of Frankenstein, however, I found Ygor to be a much more engaging fellow. I still don't believe it is one of Lugosi's better characters, but clearly Lugosi contributed a great deal to the overall success of this movie. Is Ghost of Frankenstein as impressive a film as the first two Frankenstein films? Hardly. It is, though - at least in my opinion - a much better film than Son of Frankenstein. Chaney, despite his proto-Herman Munster appearance, turns in a very solid performance as the creature; he is not in the same league as Boris Karloff, yet he deserves much credit for his contributions to the evolving Frankenstein storyline.

If one just start with saying this; All the three earlier movies are better, but you can only love this movie. Sure, it's the first film in the cycle that missed Karloff, and the movie really suffers from that, but at the other hand, you can absolutely not watch this one right after you have watched "Frankenstein" by James Whale. They exist in to different universes. "Frankenstein" is artistic, a masterpiece of direction and with a stunning perfomance by Karloff and this one is made merely for entertainment, and, most importand; MONEY! Universal had found there goldmine and they knew how to squeeze money out of a winning concept. (we know that!) Gone is the tormented Colin Clive and the sympathetic monster, here is instead the broken necked Ygor, (portraided unpriceable by Bela Lugosi) Cedric Hardwicke that looks very much as a fictional caracter and, of course, Lon Chaneys lurching hulk that doesn't show a trace of feelings in his face, although there are som fairly touching scenes with a little girl. These scenes are well written and well directed, but why does Chaney look like his face is sculptured in stone? Totally meaningless... After seeing "The Bride" one miss Karloff, although one can not blaim him for turning this part down! Boris was an artist, Erle C. Kenton was not. Period. By the way, this is the first Frankenstein-flick directed by Erle C. Kenton, that would become mythological for later flicks like "The House of Frankenstein" and "The House of Dracula". Hardwicke is cool, but just the league under Colin Clives haunted mumbling and Basil Rathbones scenery-chewing. Ygor is, like always fantastically funny, but not quite as good as he was in the last movie, were he got to torment the rival Boris Karloff, although he later mentioned that he much more enjoyed working with Chaney. The greatest quality of the movie is the music, it has a fantastic musical score, partly stolen from "The Wolf Man". However "The Bride's" score was better. This is overall a very fun Frankenstein film, not as good as the three first films, but clearly better then the following. The end has a surprising twist that has been imitated millions of times. This should be watched a dreary fallninght when the rain patters towards the windows and one is in the mood for some "Universal-fun", preferably around Halloween. Very cool, highly recommended for anyone who feels that one has no need for the pretentious "Bride" settings and the firsts films artistic devotions, but just appriciate a good old Frankenstein, B-flick or not. Afterall, it is Universal!

While this film lacks the atmospherics of the first three in the Frankenstein saga, it is still A LOT of fun to watch. Universal used these films as cash cows to finance other films and I can see why people flocked to them. Bela Lugosi as Ygor is terrific and Lon Chaney pulls off his portrayal of the Monster although there is clearly only one great Monster: Boris Karloff.

This film, sequel to Son of Frankenstein begins with an exciting "angry mob of villagers" scene usually seen at the finale. Ygor(Lugosi) frees the Monster(Chaney Jr.) and goes to the second son of Dr. F., Ludwig, who recieves a "ghostly" visit and decides a brain transplant is in order. And guess who's brain it is! The Monster turns into a maniac and is seemingly destroyed in the flaming ending. This is an excellent film to see, with the humor, the great cast, and the contrast of how Karloff and Chaney play the Monster! Sequel: Frankenstein meets the Wolf Man

One of my favorites for many reasons.It has a good plot and the action and horror is evenly spread out through the movie.The climax is unoriginal but exceptable.I'm not going to spoil the movie for you you'll just have to watch it.

Lon Chaney Jnr tries his guts out in this next installment of the Frankenstein series but unfortunately falls a little flat. Don't get me wrong , this is still a quality movie from Universal but Chaney is a little away from his usual character of the Wolfman and it is difficult to see him in any other role. I think Universal struggled a little with the Monster with Chaney and then Lugosi in the main role until Glenn Strange came along. Lugosi's Ygor becomes a little laborious but how could you not love the Master of Horror. Sir Cedrick Hardwick adds his professionalism to the screen and probably holds the movie together. All in all this is a pretty good flick and is great addition to anyones collection

This film has always gotten a raw deal from both critics and fans alike, one being that it's not as good as it's three classic predeccors (and theres no denying it isn't), and that it herald Universal's Frankenstein series into programmer status, and finally that they replaced King Karloff with "whiney" Lon Chaney Jr. ,who played the monster purely as a beast, not inating any of the smypathy that Karloff brought to the role. Yet i find no fault or problem with any of the complaints mentioned here that would hurt the film let alone make it a bad film. In my humble opinion, the film, while not on par whith Whale's two classics, I find it to be just as dazzaling and if not better than Son of Frankenstein(1939)(an exellent film in all respects, yet a little prolonged and a bit to slow in it's pacing) While in the Ghost of Frankenstein (1942), the film wastes no time, and imediatly retraces it steps from the previous, and reverts beautifully , as a crowd of grief striken villagers take seige to castle Frankenstein, threatning to blow it up, as Ygor and his monster companion make their escape. The film has quit a share of grace notes-First brought to mention is Erle C. Kenton in the director chair, who while certanily not a James Whale nor a Terence Fisher, he had made one masterpiece before--Island of Lost Souls (1933), and here he showcases his talent--and pehaps even greater, who I find in this film rather more efficent both dealing in subtext, his exellent pacing, and in atmosphereics (even more so, than in lost souls) The film is also blessed with Jack Oterson's wondeful art direction-which pefectly conveys the nature and atmosphere from "Son", contrasted in it's brooding painted skys that looms above, while at the same time taking a rather lesser grim path than it's former film. Which is all perfectly captured under the faitful eye of D.P. Milton Krasner (though one still wishes Robinson was the D.P.) The esembled actors for a little "B" film like this, are unusually all out from the top drawer. Sir Cedwick Harwick, Ralph Bellamy, Patrick knwoles, Evenlyn Ankers, Lionel Atwill, Lon Chaney Jr., even " old Renfield himself "Dwight Fryre makes a cameo in the begining, and oh yeah lets not forget the old master himself, the forgotten king of horror, Bela Lugosi. Who's performance as Ygor is one of his best, if not better than in "SON". Who has even more juicy lines than he had in the former. Coupled with a Superb musical score by master composer Hans J. Salter, who makes the film sound and look like anything but a "B" film. And lastly the issues of complaint of Lon Chaney's peformance as the monster, as playing him as a beast is quit logical and quite realized: "Its quit evident by this time, that the monster realizes that society will never change, the outside world will never except the monster for who he is, but rather on his apperance. And through their misjudgment, they terroize the monster with on end, terminting the only one he has any human, social connections with, let alone love (Ygor). The monster sick and tired of society "snaps" literally. Other than that, The Ghost of Frankenstein(1942) deserves alot more credit than it has earned over the years, and is alot better than it's reputation suggests. In many ways the Ghost of Frankenstein was the last of the vintage horror films. The following years Hollywood would venture off into other new territores with Val Lewton's psycholigical horrors, and the serious ghost stories as the Uninvitted (1944). All 'n all, The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942) is high Universal Horror art of the 1940's.

GRADE: B+ 91%

RATING: 4 OUT OF 5