My take: This is a must-see movie for any horror fan. All Frankenstein monsters you have seen are derivative of Boris Karloff’s original.

I’m getting to the point in Studies in Terror, where I am starting to find movies that I know and love. One of these is Frankenstein.

We all know the story. The mad scientist Frankenstein combines used body parts and electricity to create life. That life turns out to be the monster, who we generally refer to as Frankenstein even though he has no name. Even the title credits to the film refer to Boris Karloff’s character as “The Monster.” Comically enough, the opening credits don’t even give credit to Karloff. Instead an ominous “?” is in the place of his name.

Frankenstein's monster

Boris Karloff as Frankenstein’s monster.

In full honesty, I have always preferred the book to any movie version of the Frankenstein story. Mary Shelley manages to combine the tone and false authority of a scientific study with the visceral horror of discovery and invention. I do not believe any Frankenstein film has ever come close to replicating the feeling I get when I read Shelley’s masterpiece. This one is the closest though.

Is it the eerie way the monster ambles about each scene? Watching it now, I see something of Jason Voorhees and Michael Myers in the way Karloff walks and moves.

Is it the scene where the monster plays with the girl and things take a turn for the worse? It’s almost reminiscent of the innocent violence of Lenny in Of Mice and Men.

I can’t quite put my finger on what sets this movie apart. But when you watch it, you get the sense that you are watching a film that will stand the test of time. It somehow feels more complete and compelling than the majority of the movies I have seen from that era.

I would recommend Frankenstein to any fan of horror at any age. It is a classic not to be missed.

I got a copy of Frankenstein using Netflix’s DVD mail service. You can also buy it on Amazon. Here is a trailer so you can get a sense of the movie: