Easily one of my biggest disappointments for an old horror classic film...

In the early days of cinema, Universal Pictures helped form their own genre of film and define what Halloween was for the foreseeable future. In their catalog there are a ton of classic horror stuff that all give the spooky Halloween vibe. But of those over 50 movies, the Frankenstein movies hold up as their very best. The first three with Boris Karloff are all-time greats, but let's focus specifically on this one. The film opens with someone warning the audience of how scary the film is going to be. It is delightfully cheesy and puts the audience is just the right mood for the film. Yes, there is no backing music, nor is there any color. But the film still has an energy and life to it that keeps it entertaining. It helps that it has a short runtime. Despite it being thought of as slow by today's standards, it still holds up all these decades later. This takes quite a bit of creative liberty from the Mary Shelly novel. As a fan of both the book and movie, I can say that the changes the film make are for the better. There are some things that work in a book that don't translate well to film. OK, I will admit that changing his name to "Henry" Frankenstein is odd, but not all that distracting. Chances are, you are familiar with this film simply through cultural osmosis but do yourself a favor and actually watch it. The movie has really taken on a life of its own. Or in other words...it's alive!

Frankenstein is held high as a classic horror movie (and should be) but for me it's one of those movies that I respect more than I actually enjoyed.

The worst movie of all time. Besides the acting being horrendous the story is horrible and there are so many plot holes. Everything happened because the directors wanted it to happen, not because it actually aligned with what was happening. Things just felt like they happened out of nowhere, not for any specific reason, they just happened. In all, the story moves way to fast, they aren't any actual threats or a real motivation for any of the characters. It's not even good horror wise.

Definitely worth a watch, and it is a classic for a reason, it is worth a rewatch every now and then.

I am still amazed at how great this film is, released in 1931! Boris Karloff is still the best version of the monster! I watched many of the Frankenstein films as a kid, I vividly recall this one, "Frankenstein meets the Wolfman" and the incredible "Bride of Frankenstein." Any fan of horror movies must see this classic!

They don’t make ‘em like they used to.

All of it's potential downsides (the most obvious being how this nowhere near a faithful adaptation of the book) are completly negated by Karloff performance, short runtime, and the impact this movie had in general.

Both the story and the suspense are excellent even though this movie does get the story and the names of most of the characters from the original novel wrong.

Iconic for good reason. Whale is the reason for its success (he sees the inherent humor and tragedy in the horror) and we are lucky this movie fell into his lap.

Quite possibly the most important piece to horror in terms of legacy, the movie was definitely a catalyst for the passion and love that goes into the genre

One of the best classic monster movies

Amazing movie with amazing makeup for the time. Karloff becomes a Legend

Great movie, it's truly awesome getting to see movies I never got to see on the big screen, even though I've seen them a hundred times it makes it like a brand new experience, hopefully they keep showing old movies

For its Time: 6/10. 67/100. | Actual Rating: 5/10. 57/100

Frankenstein is an iconic cinematic masterpiece that pioneered the horror genre, leaving an indelible mark on the history of cinema. Directed by James Whale, this adaptation of Mary Shelley's classic novel is a timeless exploration of the consequences of unchecked scientific ambition. Boris Karloff delivers a haunting and unforgettable performance as the monster, skillfully conveying both the tragic humanity and monstrous nature of his character. The film's gothic atmosphere, combined with Karl Freund's atmospheric cinematography, creates an eerie and immersive experience. James Whale's direction masterfully balances suspense and sympathy, offering audiences a chilling yet empathetic view into the creation gone awry. Frankenstein remains a cornerstone in horror cinema, influencing countless adaptations and solidifying its place as an enduring classic in the halls of film history.

Great movie! Kept me entertained throughout the whole film. Engaging scenes with the Frankenstein monster.

One of the great horror movies. Boris Karloff's iconic monster that Dr. Frankenstein created has never been duplicated.

It is a classic, but I just can't discount the glaring shortcomings of this movie simply because of Karloff's iconic make-up. It is the 1930s, so the contrived and hectic plot with exceedingly hammy acting by everyone involved might be excused to some degree. At the same time, all that rejection of society based on appearance, just general xenophobia, or whatever phobias you can come up with that were present in the novel are just not there. Neither is "playing as God," regardless of the emblematic phrase. Since he almost immediately regrets it, and the second part of the movie just dilutes into Karloff menacingly lumbering towards someone, Frankenstein barely expresses any internal conflict if it's him and not his creation responsible for the deaths (until the sequel, that is). The movie is way too short to fit any of this. Which is why I reckon you need to watch both Frankenstein and The Bride of Frankenstein as one movie. The Bride enriches this movie because it in effect gives the monster a tangible ark, not the other way around. It may be the foundation of some of Universal's most esteemed characters, but it's a fragile one if you look at it in isolation.

No Music to speak of for outside of credits, the scares are not as shocking as they were in 1931, and without the opening monologue this is barely 65 minutes long and it's a All Time Classic. The secrets that make this work still is the cinematography is filled with mood and atmosphere with its black and white presentation and gothic horror/expressionist set designs. Some of the camerawork is jaw dropping modern with fluid movements that are decades ahead of there time. The special effects look incredible also including a incredible climax. The editing and pacing are perfect also. This never feels too short or underdeveloped. If anything the lack of music makes scenes feel longer than they actually are and this feels like a 80-90 minute film honestly. We stay focused on Dr. Frankenstein and his creation the whole way powered by incredible performances by both including Karloff who never says a word and is still so mesmerizing as the Monster despite not being necessarily scary but very creepy and mysterious still. The supporting acting is very good but does have a bit of that classic Early talking film dialogue delivery at times but its not anywhere as bad as something like the Mummy (1932). This is a really memorable tale about creating a monster and the consequences of trying to be God. Everyone should give this a try once.