Frankenstein (1931)

Country of Origin: USA
Year of Production: 1931
Running Times: 71m
Length:
Format: 35mm
Colour Format: black and white
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1
Sound: mono

DIRECTION

Directed by: James Whale

PRODUCTION
Copyright: MCMXXXI [1931] by Universal Pictures Corp.  Carl Laemmle Pres.
Production Company: Universal Pictures  Carl Laemmle presents
Produced by: Carl Laemmle Jr
Associated Producer: E.M. Asher

SCRIPT
Screen Play: Garrett Fort, Francis Edward Faragoh
Contributor to Treatment: Robert Florey (uncredited)
Contributor to Script Construction: John Russell (uncredited)
Based upon the composition by: John L. Balderston
From the Novel by: Mrs Percy B. Shelley
Adapted from the Play by: Peggy Webling
Scenario Editor: Richard Schayer

DIRECTION
Assistant Directors: Joseph A. McDonough, Harry Mancke (both uncredited)

PHOTOGRAPHY
Cinematographer: Arthur Edeson
2nd Cameraman: Alan Jones (uncredited)
Assistant Camera: Jack Eagan, George Trafton (both uncredited)
Stills: Sherman Clark, Ray Jones, Roman Freulich (all uncredited)

EDITING AND POST-PRODUCTION
Supervising Film Editor: Maurice Pivar
Film Editor: Clarence Kolster

MUSIC
Music: Bernhard Kaun (uncredited); Giuseppe Becce (stock music (uncredited))
Musical Director: David Broekman (uncredited)

SOUND
Recording Supervision: C. Roy Hunter
Sound Technician: William Hedgcock (uncredited)
Sound System: Western Electric Sound System

COSTUMES AND MAKE-UP
Make Up: Jack P. Pierce (uncredited)
Assistant Make Up: Tony Mattaracci (uncredited)
Costumes: Ed Ware, Vera West (both uncredited)

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Special Effects: John P. Fulton (uncredited)
Electrical Effects: Frank Graves, Raymond Lindsay (both uncredited)
Electrical Properties: Ken Strickfaden (uncredited)

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Art Director: Charles D. Hall
Settings: Herman Rosse (uncredited)
Property Master: Ed Keyes (uncredited)
Art Titles: Max Cohen (uncredited)

MISCELLANEOUS
Script Clerk: Helen McCaffrey (uncredited)
Technical Advisors: Cecil Reynolds, Gerald L.G. Sampson (uncredited)
Dance Arranger: C. Baier (uncredited)

LOCATIONS
Locations: Busch Gardens, Pasadena, California, USA

CASTING
Casting: Phil M. Friedman (uncredited)

CAST

Colin Clive (Henry Frankenstein)
Mae Clarke (Elizabeth)
John Boles (Victor Moritz)
? (in opening credits) Boris Karloff (in end credits) (the monster)
Edward Van Sloan (Doctor Waldman)
Frederick Kerr (Baron Frankenstein)
Dwight Frye (Fritz)
Lionel Belmore (Herr Vogel the Burgomaster)
Marilyn Harris (little Maria)

UNCREDITED CAST

Michael Mark (Ludwig, Maria's father (uncredited))
Joseph North (butler (uncredited))
Cecilia Parker (maid (uncredited))
Arletta Duncan, Pauline Moore (bridesmaids (both uncredited))
Maidel Turner (housekeeper (uncredited))
William Yetter (gendarme (uncredited))
Francis Ford, Paul Panzer, Inez Palange, Ted Billings, Harry Tenbrook (villagers (all uncredited))

PLOT SUMMARY

Dr Henry Frankenstein succeeds in his long held ambition to create an artificial man stitched together from various body parts. But the results disappoint him and Frankenstein rejects his creation and casts him out. The monstrous creation terrifies the locals, but is it really as violent as it seems, or have its actions just been misunderstood?

Infinitely better than the stagy and dull Dracula (1931), Frankenstein plays fast and loose with Shelley's novel and is burdened with a flawed script and a poor supporting cast, but when it's good, it's still among the best in the genre. Karloff is outstanding in a career defining role, the sets are quite amazing and Whale's direction is a lot more sprightly than Tod Browning's turgid handling of Dracula. Not the best of the Universal horrors (that honour goes to it's sequel, Bride of Frankenstein (1935)) but still a gem.

UK
DVD Distributors: Universal (903 263 9)

USA
Theatrical Distributors: Universal Pictures; Realart Pictures Inc
Video Distributors: MCA
Laserdisc Distributors: MCA
DVD Distributors: Universal (20325)
Television Distributors: Screen Gems Inc

Argentina
Rating: 13

Australia
Rating: M

Germany
Rating: 16

Sweden
Rating: 15

UK
Rating: PG

USA
Rating: unrated

1991
National Film Preservation Board, USA
Added to the National Film Registry

TIMELINE

1931
August
24: USA – filming begins

October
3: USA – filming ends

November
21: USA – theatrical release

1932
November
28: Sweden – theatrical release

1957
July
Day Unknown: Austria – theatrical re-release

1977
July
2: UK - television broadcast (on BBC2)

1983
July
9: UK - television broadcast (on Channel 4)

1986
January
25: UK - television broadcast (on Channel 4)

1989
January
27: UK - television broadcast (on Channel 4)

1990
March
24: UK - television broadcast (on Channel 4)

1993
May
28: UK - television broadcast (on Channel 4)

1994
December
24: UK - television broadcast (on Channel 4)

1998
October
9: USA - shown at the Castro Theatre, San Francisco, California
10: USA - shown at the Castro Theatre, San Francisco, California
11: USA - shown at the Castro Theatre, San Francisco, California
12: USA - shown at the Castro Theatre, San Francisco, California
13: USA - shown at the Castro Theatre, San Francisco, California
14: USA - shown at the Castro Theatre, San Francisco, California
15: USA - shown at the Castro Theatre, San Francisco, California

1999
August
17: USA - DVD release (Universal (20325))

2000
March
17: Austria - shown at the Film Archiv, Vienna
29: Austria - shown at the Film Archiv, Vienna

POSTER TAGS

A Monster Science Created - But Could Not Destroy!

To have seen it is to wear a badge of courage!

The man who made a monster

A Chilling Thriller

Warning! The monster is loose!

Science's Monster Terror!

...no man has ever seen his like ...no woman ever felt his white-hot kiss...

Doctor Frankenstein, El – Spanish title

LINKS

SEQUELS
Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Son of Frankenstein (1939)
The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942)
Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943)
House of Frankenstein (1944)
House of Dracula (1945)
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)

EXTRACTS INCLUDED IN
100 Years at the Movies (1994)
100 Years of Horror (1996)
AFI's 100 Years, 100 Thrills: America's Most Heart-Pounding Movies (2001)
AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies (1998)
The American Nightmare (2000)
Boo (1932)
Bride of Monster Mania (2000)
Coming Soon (1982)
Darkman II: The Return of Durant (1994)
Doctor Who (1996)
El espíritu de la colmena (1973)
Fear in the Dark (1991)
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies (1995)
The Frankenstein Files: How Hollywood Made a Monster (1999)
Gods and Monsters (1998)
Der Golem, wie er in die Welt kam (1920)
Hollywoodism: Jews, Movies and the American Dream (1998)
The Horror Hall of Fame (1990)
Kingdom of Shadows (1998)
Lugosi: Hollywood's Dracula (1997)
The Mummy's Tomb (1942)
Natural Born Killers (1994)
Precious Images (1986)
Scream (1996)
She's Alive! Creating the Bride of Frankenstein (1999)
Shocker (1989)
The Universal Story (1995)
Universal Horror (1998)

SEE ALSO
Casino Royale (1967)
El castillo de los monstruos (1957)
Castlevania (1987)
The Curse of Frankenstein (1958)
Darkstalkers III (1998)
Dracula Vs. Frankenstein (1971)
El espíritu de la colmena (1973)
Frankenstein - 1970 (1958)
Frankenstein (1910)
Frankenstein (1968)
Frankenstein (1969)
Frankenstein (1973)
Frankenstein (1984)
Frankenstein (1992)
Frankenstein (1994)
Frankenstein 90 (1984)
Frankenstein General Hospital (1988)
Frankenstein Unbound (1990)
Frankenweenie (1984)
Here Come the Munsters (1995)
Hollywood Steps Out (1941)
The Horror of Frankenstein (1970)
Jack Pierce: The Man Behind the Monsters (2002)
Life Without Soul (1915)
Mad Monster Party? (1967)
Matinee (1993)
Mickey's Gala Premier (1933)
Monster Mania (1997)
Monster Mash (2000)
The Monster Squad (1987)
Il mostro di Frankenstein (1920)
Mouse Menace (1946)
Mummy Dearest: A Horror Tradition Unearthed (1999)
Muppet Monster Adventure (2000)
Porky's Movie Mystery (1939)
Porky's Road Race (1937)
Rick Baker: Alien Maker (2002)
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
That Little Monster (1994)
Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation (1992)
Urban Gothic (2002)
Vincent Price: The Sinister Image (1988)
You Better Watch Out (1980)
Young Frankenstein (1974)

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Last Updated: 6 January, 2010