Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.0

Son of Frankenstein Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Justin Dekker February 1, 2024

1933's 'The Son of Frankenstein' returns to Blu-ray as part of the massive 'Universal Classic Monsters Complete 30-Film Collection' which includes all of the timeless monster movies from 1931's 'Dracula' forward. All of the original films from the timeless and unforgettable Dracula, Frankenstein, The Wolfman, The Mummy, Invisible Man, The Creature from the Black Lagoon, and The Phantom of the Opera, are included here on 24 Blu-ray discs. All of the legacy features from the previous collections are included here, giving fans hours of content to pour over once the movies are over. Also included is a 48-page book featuring writing on the classic monsters as well as actors and people behind the scenes that brought them to life.

Any film startling a cast of film giants including Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Basil Rathbone, and Lionel Atwill is going to have some high expectations, and Son of Frankenstein does it's best to meet them. When the next Frankenstein in the family line, the titular Baron Wolf von Frankenstein (Rathbone), returns to the family home, the locals are none too happy. Neither is the head of the local constabulary, Inspector Krogh (Atwill). He arrives to warn him of the superstitious villagers and expresses his hope that the Baron is not going to be engaged in his father's work. As a precaution, he asks Frankenstein to ring alarm bells in the tower whenever he needs help. Before taking his leave, Krogh also tells him of a string of unsolved murders in the village that have the locals rattled.

The first day on the property, the Baron visits his father's lab and meets the tragic Ygor who paints a very different picture of Krogh and shows him the secret family crypt which contains not only his father and grandfather but also The Monster who is still very much alive and in need of assistance. That is the impetus Frankenstein needs to go into the family business, but he does so with the stated goal of repairing the monster for scientific study to vindicate his father and restore the family name. Despite his best attempts to control the narrative and flow of information, it's the Baron's wife and child who volunteer the most significant clues and damning testimony to Inspector Krogh, putting everything he's wishing to do in jeopardy.

Rathbone's performance is wonderful as he conveys a full range of emotions from a mix of fear and excitement when he hears that his son has encountered the monster in the woods, joy and pride when being shown the family crypt and his father's lab, and determination and cunning as he works to repair his father's creation. Karloff is a joy to watch, especially after his reawakening when he sees himself in the mirror for the first time. He spends his time painfully and remorsefully looking at one part of himself after another with such an incredible measure of sadness in his eyes until he finally turns away in revulsion at his own form. It's Lugosi who is clearly having the most fun in this production as Ygor. He menaces and threatens with convincing evil, he scampers and plays music with almost childlike glee, and he schemes with a glint of sinister mischief in his eye. At his more dramatic, he can also quickly summon our sympathy as he relates the various tragedies that have befallen him since the original experiments that created the monster.

Son of Frankenstein Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Son of Frankenstein shares a BD-50 with The Ghost of Frankenstein. Damage, white specks, and debris make frequent appearances This is a very dark film and blacks are deep, but they often absorb detail. Color density fluctuations occur frequently before and after cuts but are noticeable at other times as well. Detail levels can be quite good at times revealing textures and nuances to Karloff's makeup and wooly costume, surfaces in the castle and laboratory, and Ygor's fantastically shaggy wig and beard. However, the image can also be frequently a bit soft at times washing such details away. It's a bit of a mixed bag, but I feel there is more good than bad in the transfer.

Son of Frankenstein Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

DTS HD-Master 2.0 Mono audio track is reasonable for a film of this vintage. It handles dialogue well with line deliveries remaining clear and intelligible under all circumstances. Dialogue is always properly prioritized even as dramatic music builds and swells. Music is likewise handled with precision, although the bass level can come off a bit anemic at times to modern ears. Again, however, it is appropriate for a film from 1939. Sound effects are generally reproduced well enough but sometimes tend to be a bit thin or tinny. English SDH subtitles are also available.

Son of Frankenstein Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

There are no special features on this disc.

Son of Frankenstein Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

With a cast of legends including Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Basil Rathbone, and Lionel Atwill, Son of Frankenstein may be a less famous sequel, but it's a film that horror and Frankenstein fans will certainly want to see. Rathbone is excellent in his role, but it's Atwill's quirky and tough-as- nails Inspector Krogh and Lugosi's nuanced Ygor who steal the show. Son of Frankenstein comes recommended to horror and franchise fans.