Ghost of Frankenstein

[Earth 2 Chris]

So if you watch "Son of" you have to follow it up with "Ghost of". Still a fun movie, but definitely the never-ending recycled formula of giving the Monster a brain transplant begins here.

What I always find funny about these flicks is how the writers treat a brain transplant. Why would the monster want a new brain? He'll be DEAD!!! I know he loves dead, and hates living, but come on! Who would agree to getting a new brain? A new body like Ygor got, maybe, but a brain with no body...even in 1940 they had to know you go with your brain, right?

Some things I noticed about this one, there was a lot of recycling from "The Wolfman"!!! Besides Lon, you get Evelyn Ankers AND Ralph Belamy, who always seems out of place in Europe, doesn't he? He's pretty much the same character from Wolfman too. Belamy even gets to borrow Rathbone's two-tone coat from "Son of". Music from "The Wolfman" appears at the beginning when the villagers destroy Castle Frankenstein.

Funny how Wolf Frankenstein had a brother but somehow inherited the whole of the Frankenstein estate. And Ludwig sure seems older than Wolf, unless a lot of time has elapsed between the two movies. Ygor hasn't aged much, either way.

Lon does a decent job as the Monster. His size makes him a bit menacing, but he comes across more like a mentally-challenged brute than a reanimated corpse like Boris.

Ygor becoming the monster was an interesting twist, but probably one that shouldn't have been done. Kind of taints the rest of the movies a bit. I know that Bela was supposed to be Ygor-as-Monster in "Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman" but the studio changed it's mine after the movie was filmed. Sounds like the same kind of mentality at work at the big two comic companies nowadays! Screw everything up then REBOOT!!!

Chris

[palitoy]

These movies are really indictative of the days before TV and nerds, people would forget who died and who was what by the time a sequel rolled around. There really is little to no continuity in these films.

Just rewatching "Son" for my first time in years, it's good but you can see the cul-de-sac starting to form.


Oh and thanks for bursting my bubble about the kid's accent, it's impossible not to hear it now.

[thunderbolt]

I watched son last night and the kid just sounds like a kid, not a hillbilly. His hair got me wondering if that's why Brooks cast Gene Wilder as the latest Frankenstein in his movie.

[Bruce Banner]

Mark Gatiss hosted a cool show last year called "A History of Horror" in which he explored the definitive eras of horror cinema.
In the episode covering the Universal era, he interviews Donnie Dunagan about his role in "Son.".
Great viewing for Universal horror fans.

BBC Four - A History of Horror with Mark Gatiss - Episode guide

[Earth 2 Chris]

I watched son last night and the kid just sounds like a kid, not a hillbilly. His hair got me wondering if that's why Brooks cast Gene Wilder as the latest Frankenstein in his movie.

I still think he's got a very southern accent. Wilder actually conceived Young Frankenstein on his own. Brook was brought in to help shape the script and direct later. Nice coincidence about the hair though!

Speaking of continuity, two of the council members the Monster killed in "Son of" are back in their seats for "Ghost of"!!! Sounds like the village has worse problems than just a monster and a undying ghoul if zombies are getting elected to office!!!

EDITED TO ADD:

On thing I failed to bring up. The Monster wants his brain replaced with that of ...a little girl!?! Was Universal way ahead of their time in tackling gender identity issues? Or was this just another wacky, not-so-well-thought-out aspect of this movie? My son was floored by this.

Chris

[Mikey]

I need to rewatch "Ghost"

Haven't seen it in over 30 years

[palitoy]

Brain replacement seemed to be a real common theme back in the day and it's almost like the writers didn't grasp the concept of what would really happen.

My friend used to collect off brand horror comics from the 50s and 60s, I remember one issue where an archeologist replaces his brain with that of a Mummy (!) and gains a superior intellect. It's like a child wrote it.

[Earth 2 Chris]

It's like they were aiming at kids and trying to follow their thought processes. But my son didn't buy it. At the end of "Ghost" he said "So Frankenstein (the monster) is dead? And now Ygor is Frankenstein? That's dumb." He liked the movie other than the ending.

I think every Universal monster movie after this had something to do with brain surgery. It was like an annual brain swap meet!!!

Chris

[palitoy]

What kills me is the next time we see the Frankenstein Monster, he's got Ygor's face!

[MIB41]

When I was a kid, one moment in that film use to unnerve me. When the explosion cracked the walls and you suddenly see the monster's hand dangling from the inside...oh boy. That use to freak me out when I was a kid. Why? Because I thought he could be in the walls of my room when I went to sleep at night. Not the best thought for a five year old when all the lights go out.