Monster Mayhem

It is a sequel which is greater than the original!  Let the MONSTER MAYHEM resume!

It’s a damn wonder that the Bride of Frankenstein ever came to see the light of day.  Back in the early part of the 1930s, the Hays Code was in full effect, censoring whatever they could for content and for blasphemy and, as there was so much objectionable content in James Whale’s Frankenstein, the censors were ready with knives sharpened for Whale’s second stab at Frankenstein’s monster.

And it started early.  Gutted from all and any reference to God, Bride of Frankenstein lost a lot of interesting moments: Frankenstein trying to rescue Jesus from a crucifix; the villagers crucifying the monster, and so on.  All of this - while interesting - was ultimately shelved for a script which doubled-down on homosexual sensitivities.  I guess the Hays Code wasn’t too hip to that because there’s a lot that slips into the mix, especially when Dr. Frankenstein's mentor, Dr. Pretorious, enters the picture with his own experiments.

Directed by Whale and written by William Hurlbut, Bride of Frankenstein tells the story of a chastised Dr. Frankenstein (once again played by Colin Clive) as he tries to make amends for the abandonment of his creature.  Of course, he can’t quite quit the bug that has taken root in his brain and is once again tempted and finally blackmailed by his hero, along with threats from the Monster, into constructing a bride for the Monster.

Uh-oh.  Nothing good can come from this.   Except it does because Bride of Frankenstein is a near-perfect execution of early horror from Universal.  The film is twisted with a rich sense of humor and atmosphere and constantly has fun with the material, pitting black humor against some gnarly horror. 

Produced once again by Carl Laemmle Jr., and somewhat adapted from Mary Shelly’s book, Bride of Frankenstein was a world-wide hit.  Audiences couldn’t get enough of the mayhem created by this soulless creature who wandered from one location to the next, trying to find its place to just be.

As make-up artist Jack Pierce and Karloff collaborated on the right look for the monster, it was Karloff who agreed to have a whole bridge of molars removed so that he could suck in his cheek with menacing purpose.  It worked.  Especially in black-and-white and what a timeless monster the two artists created, selling more masks than any other creature for Halloween seasons to come.  Pierce also co-created the Bride's makeup with strong input from Whale, especially regarding the Bride's iconic hair style, which was based on Nefertiti, and - in order to achieve the overall effect - Lanchester's hair was given a Marcel wave over a wire frame to keep it hair-raising!

Continue to suffer this existence along with Boris Karloff and Elsa Lanchester, Bride of Frankenstein is now on 4K Ultra HD thanks to Universal Home Entertainment.   

4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital 4K SteelBook / 90th Anniversary Limited Edition

Home Video Distributor: Universal
Available on Blu-ray - September 30, 2025
Screen Formats: 1.33:1
Subtitles: English SDH, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish
Audio: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono; French: DTS 2.0 Mono; German: DTS 2.0; Italian: DTS 2.0
Video: HDR10
Discs: 4K Ultra HD; Blu-ray Disc; Two-disc set
Region Encoding: 4K region-free; blu-ray locked to Region A

One of the most popular horror classics of all time and an acclaimed sequel to the original Frankenstein. The legendary Boris Karloff reprises his role as the screen's most misunderstood monster who now longs for a mate of his own. Colin Clive is back as the overly ambitious Dr. Frankenstein, who creates the ill-fated bride (Elsa Lanchester). Directed by the original's James Whale (his last horror film) and featuring a haunting musical score, The Bride of Frankenstein ranks as one of the finest films not only of the genre, but for all time.

VIDEO

Framed in the original aspect ratio of 1.33:1, Edeson’s work here is impressive as this release marks a newly restored version of the film.  The blacks and grays are handled expertly by the transfer and there is strong and striking lighting throughout.  Beads of sweat are visible, the textures of the streets, fabrics in clothing, and even the dirt in the castle is all visible with fine textures throughout. Shadows, while not too terribly detailed, are thick and atmospheric throughout. Black levels are strong and the cobwebs are thick!

AUDIO

The original uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition has been restored.

Supplements:

Commentary:

• See Breakdown below.

Special Features:

Universal celebrates the living dead with the following supplemental items.

• She's Alive! Creating The Bride of Frankenstein
• The Bride of Frankenstein Archive
• Film historian Scott MacQueen Audio Commentary
• 100 Years of Universal: Restoring the Classics
• Trailer Gallery

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	Extras
Composite Blu-ray Grade

MPAA Rating: Approved.
Runtime: 75 mins
Director: James Whale
Writer: William HurlbutJohn L. Balderston
Cast: Boris Karloff; Elsa Lanchester; Colin Clive
Genre: Horror | Thriller
Tagline: More fearful than the monster himself.
Memorable Movie Quote: "Alone: bad. Friend: good!
Theatrical Distributor: Universal
Official Site:
Release Date: May 6, 1935
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: September 30, 2025.
Synopsis: Mary Shelley reveals the main characters of her novel survived: Baron Henry Frankenstein, goaded by an even madder scientist, builds his monster a mate.