Review of Frankenstein (1931) by Filipeneto — 15 Nov 2020

Some films are more valuable for the inheritance they leave. This film, one of the most classic among the classics of horror cinema, is one such case. I don't know if it's really worth summarizing the script because almost everyone, even those who haven't read the novel, knows the story of Victor Frankenstein, a notable doctor and scientist who lets himself be obsessed with the idea of creating life by his own hands and using electricity to give life to a being made up of pieces of several human bodies. The film fails to recreate the controversial and morally challenging story, written by Mary Shelley in the midst of a snowstorm in Switzerland, and makes very little use of the original material. But it has the merit of bringing to life one of the most popular and revisited creatures in horror cinema for cinema, and of giving us the impeccable work of one of the actors who most competently brought her to the screen: Boris Karloff.

Karloff was an anonymous actor before this film and I doubt if he was aware of the impact and the strength he was going to have. After all, Bela Lugosi himself, who was the great horror actor at the time thanks to the way he had given life to Count Dracula (another monstrous character with whom the Frankenstein Monster will meet many times, in several films), had ended to refuse the role of the monster! Karloff does the work of a lifetime in this film, and jumps into immortality. He is so striking that the following actors who brought the Monster to life basically limited themselves to copying the actor's work, manners and physical appearance. And all of this, be amazed, without saying virtually a syllable! The entire remaining cast was overshadowed, including Colin Clive, who played Dr. Frankenstein.

The film is also a pearl when it comes to technical aspects, although it is not brilliant or particularly well done. The landscapes are outlined, all the scenarios are summed up to the essential, occasionally covered with artificial dust, visibly false spider webs and other resources that are basic to us, but were good at the time. Black-and-white cinematography works well and looks elegant, and the work of make-up (of the Monster, of course) and costume fulfills its role with pride and distinction.