The Ghost of Frankenstein

Watch: The Ghost of Frankenstein

3/13/19421h 8m

Theatrical Release (US)

~ NEW THRILLS as the Monster stalks again! ~

Overview:

Frankenstein's unscrupulous colleague, Dr. Bohmer, plans to transplant Ygor's brain so he can rule the world using the monster's body, but the plan goes sour when he turns malevolent and goes on a rampage.

Director:

Erle C. Kenton

Status:

Released

Language:

English

Buget:

$200,000.00

Revenue:

$0.00

Key words:

sequel
black and white
brain transplant
monster movie
family legacy
little girl in peril
childhood innocence
human monster
frankenstein

Cast

Cedric Hardwicke

~ as ~

Dr. Ludwig Frankenstein / Dr. Henry Frankenstein (ghostly image)

Ralph Bellamy

~ as ~

Erik Ernst

Lionel Atwill

~ as ~

Dr. Bohmer

Bela Lugosi

~ as ~

Ygor

Evelyn Ankers

~ as ~

Elsa Frankenstein

Lon Chaney Jr.

~ as ~

The Frankenstein Monster

Janet Ann Gallow

~ as ~

Cloestine Hussman

Barton Yarborough

~ as ~

Dr. Kettering

Doris Lloyd

~ as ~

Martha the Housekeeper

Leyland Hodgson

~ as ~

Chief Constable

View full cast & crew

Reviews (1)

John Chard
Written 10 year(s) ago
5
Your father was Frankenstein. Your mother was lightning.

Of course the problem with the Frankenstein sequels, of the Universal Studios kind, was that they had to follow the genre firework that was "Frankenstein (1931)" and the monolithic titan that followed that one in 1935, "The Bride of Frankenstein". These are tough acts to follow - still are actually!

"Son of Frankenstein (1939)" managed very well, it had Basil Rathbone in it and Bela Lugosi giving great horror oomph as Ygor. Boris Karloff bowed out as the monster after that one, leaving an iconic legacy and an insistence that the monster didn't speak. The result of Karloff's (ahem) request has proved divisive amongst Frankenstein fans, does it need a voice for personality, or is it better off as a lumbering rage machine only?. Point being that in this one, he gets a voice, courtesy of Lon Chaney Junior's stint in the role, and it's not exactly a success.

Ghost of Frankenstein represents the start of the decline of the franchise, a noticeable drop in quality across the board. It's like Universal caught the cash cow disease and decided that quantity and not quality was what mattered. They would eventually team up the bolted necked one with "Abbott and Costello", with fun results, but the horror aspects began to wane here in 1942. Lugosi is on hand for some more Ygor mischief, Cedric Hardwicke and Lionel Atwill as scientists with opposite ideals are reassuring presences, while Evelyn Ankers is sexy and costumed with a great eye for detail.

At just 67 minutes in length the film thankfully doesn't have time to be boring, though action is in short supply, so hooray for castle destruction and fire unbound!. While Woody Bredell and Milton R. Krasner, via their photographic lenses ensure Gothic atmosphere is consistently ripe. Right, it's time for Universal Monster Tag Teams next... 5/10