X-Ray Spex Horror Movie Marathon: THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN

What’s the saddest scene in a horror movie?

The finale of KING KONG is a contender, especially in the 2005 remake when Peter Jackson and his crew milk every bit of emotion out of the big guy's fall. But I’d nominate the end of THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN, where — in the midst of all the monsters, violence, birth and death — our hero has his heart broken when he’s at his most vulnerable.

The 1931 FRANKENSTEIN is a great movie (it mops the floor with that year’s DRACULA), but compared with its 1935 sequel, it looks like a rough sketch. BRIDE is full of energy, comedy and tragedy, and all those elements come together at the movie’s end. Especially that last item.

The monster (played, of course, by Boris Karloff) returns to his maker because, as the posters proclaimed "The Monster Demands a Mate!" Dr. Frankenstein (Colin Clive) is a bit reluctant to take another stroll down that path, but his old teacher Dr. Pretorious (Ernest Thesiger) can’t wait to give the monster some female companionship (and, it’s implied, see what happens next). In a scene that tops the landmark "birth" in the first film, Frankenstein and Pretorious gather on another stormy night and jolt another corpse back to life. This time it’s a distinctly female corpse — just check out the form-fitting bandages — and played by Elsa Lanchester, who also plays Frankenstein’s real-life creator, Mary Shelley, in the film’s prologue. The creation sequence itself is a highlight of horror cinema, with stark lighting, bold camera angles and, believe it or not, wedding bells on the soundtrack when Pretorious proudly presents "The bride of Frankenstein!"

Once the bandages are off, Lanchester only has a few seconds of screen time, but her appearance — designed by Universal Studios' makeup master Jack Pierce — is so striking that she’s become a cinema icon. Director James Whale makes the most of those brief moments, with shots of Lanchester's quick, birdlike movements, making her appearance sleek and stylish -- especially in contrast to Karloff’s rough, shambling figure.

Which brings us to the saddest scene in horror movie history.

When Karloff’s monster sees the Bride, he gets a giddy smile on his face, like he can’t believe his good fortune. He’s already had one companion — the blind hermit — taken from him earlier in the movie, and he’s desperate to connect with someone — anyone — else. He takes the bride’s hand, gently strokes it, and in a heartbreaking moment, hopefully says "Friend...friend"

The bride looks down at his hand, screams and dives into the arms of her creator — and Karloff’s nemesis — Henry Frankenstein. And that does it for the monster. He rampages through the lab and grabs the handy (if illogical) lever that’ll blow the place to pieces. When Frankenstein’s wife shows up (who, if we’re being strict about things, is the real "Bride of Frankenstein"), the monster shows a bit of mercy and lets Henry flee with her. But when Praetorious tries to slip out in the confusion, the monster coldly forbids him from leaving. "No. You stay," he says, then utters one of the simplest, most memorable lines in movie history: "We belong dead."


Tears in his eyes, the monster pulls the lever and boom -- the castle gets blown to pieces, taking everyone inside with it. There have been dozens (hundreds?) of sequels, remakes and ripoffs, but I’d like to think the Frankenstein story ended here, with the monster and his bride together in eternity.

It’s a little less sad that way.

Watch it: THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN is easy to find on DVD, either by itself or as part of "Frankenstein: The Legacy Collection," which also includes the original FRANKENSTEIN, SON OF FRANKENSTEIN, HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN and GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN.

Trivia note: In the movie’s credits, "The Monster’s Mate" is listed as being played by "?"

Coming tomorrow: David Lynch wishes he could make a movie this weird.