8.1 | / 10 |
Users | 4.2 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
A crazed scientist creates a living being from body parts, not realizing it has a madman's brain.
Starring: Colin Clive, Mae Clarke, John Boles, Boris Karloff, Edward Van SloanHorror | 100% |
Sci-Fi | 2% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: DTS Mono
English SDH, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Take a moment and imagine what modern horror would be without Universal Pictures. Without founder Carl Laemmle and his vision for the future of cinema, or his son Carl Laemmle Jr., who inherited the keys to the studio kingdom in 1928, when talkies were rapidly displacing silent films and promising groundbreaking new strides in moviemaking and the movie-going experience. Without early horror pioneers like Tod Browning, James Whale, Karl Freund, George Waggner or Jack Arnold. Without iconic creature actors Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Claude Rains, Lon Chaney, Jr., Elsa Lanchester or Ben Chapman. Without Dracula, the indispensable 1931 classic that left a more lasting mark on vampire movies and lore than any other vampire film before or after (save Nosferatu). Or Frankenstein, which pushed boundaries, shocked audiences and has been received with overwhelming enthusiasm ever since. The Mummy, bold in its atmosphere and unforgettable in its tragic romance. The Invisible Man, which features some of the most astonishing special effects and perhaps one of the most unnerving depictions of mounting madness of the era. The Bride of Frankenstein, a complex, wickedly funny, altogether unpredictable sequel that in many regards surpasses its predecessor. The Wolf Man, a once-chilling character drama that examines the frailty of man and the beast within. Phantom of the Opera, though more a twisted love story than a traditional horror picture, a film that nevertheless caused some theaters to stock smelling salts in in the event that a moviegoer fainted upon the removal of the Phantom's mask. Or Creature from the Black Lagoon, which frightened audiences above the water and below with a scaly monster unlike any they had seen before. Needless to say, modern horror, and really the genre in whole, would be completely different than what we know.
Frankenstein's restoration may not be as subjectively striking as Dracula's, but it's no less commendable and impressive. Everything from contrast inconsistencies to grain spikes, print flicker and fluctuations, scratches and specks (which rarely make an appearance), and other inherited issues have been managed with care, and without undermining the detail of the original photography, thwarting the filmmakers' intentions, or robbing the image of its filmic qualities. There isn't any evidence of quick-fix manipulation or debilitating noise reduction, and the relative softness and darkness of Arthur Edeson's photography are the only things that might give the untrained eye pause, particularly if direct comparisons are being made to other films in the Essentials Collection. Black levels are deep and ominous (even if gray tones are a tad heavy on occasion), edges are clean and satisfying (just not razor sharp), and textures, where apparent, have been preserved. The encode itself is proficient as well, without any serious macroblocking, banding, smearing or errant oddities that might inspire videophiles to arm themselves with torches and pitchforks.
Frankenstein lumbers out of the lab with a somewhat problematic two-channel DTS-HD Master Audio Mono mix; one that isn't as rewarding or revelatory as the lossless track afforded Dracula. Whether all of the difficulties trace back to lesser audio elements is unclear. What is clear is the noise floor and air hiss that haunt much of the film, the brash (but bearable) distortion that curses more chaotic sequences, and the at-times muffled or tinny voices of the actors. Admittedly, dialogue is clear and intelligible on the whole, and the film isn't weakened by any of the track's shortcomings. Strides have been made in drawing out subtleties once thought lost, and the soundscape is often clean and neatly prioritized. Not enough to warrant high praise or, given the liklihood that this is the best Frankenstein can sound with the audio elements available, too much excitement. But enough to make Universal's DTS-HD MA track more than serviceable. Considering the age of the film, I'd even go so far as to call it a valiant effort.
If Frankenstein isn't the strongest film in the Universal Classic Monsters: Essential Collection, it certainly comes close. It's more grounded than its brethren, deals with more unsettling themes, features more engrossing performances, and boasts the quiet confidence of Karloff, even when playing a frightened behemoth. It's also arguably the most influential of the bunch; a forerunner to the horror greats that would follow in its footsteps and help the genre evolve beyond its humble roots. The Blu-ray edition isn't quite so reliable -- while its restoration and video transfer cast new light on an old favorite and its supplemental package has a lot to offer, its DTS-HD Master Audio Mono mix doesn't fare so well -- but that shouldn't prevent anyone from adding Frankenstein to their collection. Its highs far, far out-pace its lows, making it that much easier to overlook its flaws and reconnect with an early horror classic that, even in its own humble origins, holds up.
The Man Who Made a Monster
1931
w/ Glow in the Dark Art
1931
The Man Who Made a Monster
1931
1931
1931
1931
1935
1933
1941
Includes "Drácula"
1931
1948
1943
1945
1954
1932
1939
1944
1931
1956
1932
1942
Warner Archive Collection
1957
1945
1940
1942
1944