Editorials
‘Bride of Frankenstein’: An All-Time Great Horror Sequel Turns 85
Much like John Carpenter and Halloween II, director James Whale felt he’d explored every possible corner in 1931’s Frankenstein and had no more to say. The huge success of the film, however, meant Universal Pictures was eager to recapture that success with a sequel. Once Whale directed The Invisible Man, producer Carl Laemmle Jr. became wholly convinced only Whale could helm the follow-up to Frankenstein. Whale ultimately accepted, while taking full advantage to get other projects he wanted greenlit in the process.
More importantly, he didn’t believe there was any way to top Frankenstein, so he decided to take full creative control to make its sequel, at the very least, entertaining. The move ensured that not only did Bride of Frankenstein offer up one of horror’s most iconic movie monsters, but that it would endure as one of the greatest films of all time.
Released in limited theaters on April 20, 1935, Bride of Frankenstein gathers author Mary Shelley (Elsa Lanchester), Percy Bysshe Shelley (Douglas Walton), and Lord Byron (Gavin Gordon) together on a stormy night. The men praise Shelley for her tale of Frankenstein, and the horror author reveals the saga isn’t over- there’s much more story left to tell for the Monster and his creator. The story then shifts gears, picking up immediately where the previous film ended.
Henry Frankenstein (Colin Clive) lives, and so too does his creation. While Henry is being nursed back to health by Elizabeth (now played by Valerie Hobson), the Monster is on his own path making new friends and evading those that mean him harm. In this sequel, he learns to speak, something actor Boris Karloff hated. The Monster’s arc is one of growth, while Henry becomes eclipsed by an even madder scientist in Dr. Pretorius (Ernest Thesiger).
The Monster’s frequent interactions with all varieties of humanity aren’t just reflected in his newfound speech but his appearance, too. Legendary makeup effects artist Jack Pierce designed various stages for the Monster, altering his look dramatically not only between films but throughout the sequel to show the passage of time. He begins Bride visibly damaged from the fire, which heals over the runtime. More interestingly, the Monster’s hair grows continuously. It’s a subtle yet remarkable detail for the character.
As for the eponymous and scene-stealing monster, the Monster’s Mate only appears in the climax. Similar to Frankenstein, the opening credits list the character as played by a question mark. The closing credits reveal the actor to be Shelley herself, Elsa Lanchester. Pierce co-created her look with Whale, especially her electric hair.
Proving once again how well the Universal Classic Horror films handled empathetic monsters, Frankenstein’s creature longs for connection only to be viciously rejected by an undead mate that also had no say in the matter. A monstrous and heartbreaking morality tale for all. It’s not just the iconic appearance of the Monster’s Mate that sells the horror of this final moment, but Lanchester’s guttural growls, hisses, and physicality. Lanchester emulated her performance after territorial swans from a park she visited on the regular. It’s as much her performance as it is the stunning makeup design that makes the Bride such a lasting character.
In the 85 years since release, Bride of Frankenstein developed a reputation for camp. Particularly due to the eccentricity of Dr. Pretorius. His over the top behavior and his gleeful collection of miniature homunculi in bottles introduce him as a far less serious villain than the previous film’s. The Monster’s revelry in making new friends and his speech further lends a playful tone to the film. In a modern context, Bride of Frankenstein can easily read as camp, but it feels more accurate to perceive the tone as Whale’s imbuing a sequel with humor for entertainment purposes. As much for himself as a director initially reluctant to take on the project as it is for viewers seeking new thrills with old characters.
The humor, the horror, and Whale’s unique and bold direction make for one of the best horror sequels of all time. Or rather, a continuation. Henry and his creation further grow and develop, but they’re matched by more horrific versions of themselves in Dr. Pretorius and the Monster’s Mate. The rich themes and complex story layers only further fuel the lasting legacy of an all-time classic.
Dr. Pretorius said it best, “To a new world of gods and monsters!”
Judging from the unprecedented box office success of Kane Parsons’ Backrooms adaptation, you’ve likely already seen the liminal horror hit that managed to make audiences afraid of empty hallways and bad wallpaper. And now that so many of us have already entered the yellow labyrinth (some of us more than once), the time has come to discuss the spoiler-filled details that make the movie so fascinating in the first place.
And if there’s one element here that makes the Backrooms movie stand out from any previous lore/mythology, it has to be the genius addition of the Still Life entities. Warped recreations of real people that somehow wandered into the Complex, these misremembered creatures are responsible for some of the most disturbing imagery of 2026 – as well as laugh-out-loud memes created by one of the film’s very own concept artists.
However, true to Parsons’ word that the movie would rely heavily on practical effects, each of these distorted monsters was brought to life by real actors under heavy layers of makeup and prosthetics (with the occasional splash of CGI enhancements). While Anora and If I Had Legs I’d Kick You actress Ivy Wolk wasn’t among these performers, despite what Letterboxd might have you believe, the creature cast did benefit from veteran players with plenty of genre experience.
For starters, Alien: Romulus alumni Robert Bobroczkyi (who previously brought that film’s horrific Offspring to life during its most memorable sequence) plays the flick’s main antagonist, the Still Life version of Captain Clark. And though there was some obvious CGI involved in making the character’s peg-leg and nightmarish face more believable, Bobroczkyi’s monstrous performance and his natural 7’7″ frame helped to make that final chase sequence a clear highlight among this year’s genre offerings.
The film’s Texas-Chain-Saw-inspired “dinner” scene also features a freaky collection of less-aggressive Still Life creatures in the form of the Bearded Man, the Red-Headed Woman and, strangest of them all, the cheekily named “Archibald Leland Sutter Still Life” (who earned this title among fans and crewmembers as a reference to his apparent affinity for lamps).
While this was the first major horror outing for both Patrick Baynham (The Bearded Man) and Dana Mahmood (Archibald), Rhiannon Roberts has worked as a stunt performer in everything from Yellowjackets to HBO’s The Last of Us adaptation – which is probably why The Red-Headed Woman is the most active out of Clark’s impromptu “family.” That being said, the Archibald Leland Sutter Still Life is my personal favorite of the bunch simply because his anachronistic outfit suggests that the Backrooms phenomenon might be a lot older than the Async Foundation. I also love how hard he tries to be helpful with that little light of his!
That might be it for the Still Life entities, but I think horror fans will also be pleased to hear that the film’s Found Footage prologue stars none other than Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City star Avan Jogia as Naren Warne – and American Mary herself Katharine Isabelle also shows up in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo at Mary’s house party towards the middle of the story (though I have a feeling that she originally had a bigger part that was likely cut for time).
At the end of the day, Parsons’ Backrooms may have been an auteur-driven project motivated by the young director’s unique take on the classic creepypasta, but film has always been a collective artform, so it’s fun to see just how many talented performers it takes to bring this kind of supernatural nightmare to life in a way that connects with so many people.
You must be logged in to post a comment.