Bride of Frankenstein

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Bride of Frankenstein

Released Apr 22, 1935

1h 15m

Horror

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Popcornmeter

98%

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54 Reviews

87%

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25,000+ Ratings

After recovering from injuries sustained in the mob attack upon himself and his creation, Dr. Frankenstein (Colin Clive) falls under the control of his former mentor, Dr. Pretorius (Ernest Thesiger), who insists the now-chastened doctor resume his experiments in creating new life. Meanwhile, the Monster (Boris Karloff) remains on the run from those who wish to destroy him without understanding that his intentions are generally good despite his lack of socialization and self-control.

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Critics Consensus

An eccentric, campy, technically impressive, and frightening picture, James Whale's Bride of Frankenstein has aged remarkably well.

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Otis Ferguson

The New Republic

Advertised as a chiller, this film turns out to be something else, having a lot of jollification, nice fancy, elegant mounting -- there is, in short, beauty as well as the beast.

May 8, 2024

Full Review

TIME Magazine

Screenwriters Hurlbut & Balderston and Director James Whale have given it the macabre intensity proper to all good horror pieces, but have substituted a queer kind of mechanistic pathos for the sheer evil that was Frankenstein.

Oct 7, 2008

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Simon Braund

Empire Magazine

Whale's erudite genius brings it all together. He sculpts every nuance of self-parody, social satire, horror, humour, wit and whimsy into a dazzling whole, keeping every one of his fantastical plates spinning until the tragic, inevitable finale.

Rated: 5/5

Sep 24, 2007

Full Review

Katelyn Nelson

Daily Grindhouse

What makes Bride such a powerful entry in the Frankenstein canon—and the classic Universal series as a whole—is its ability to keep its horror under the surface. Only occasionally does it truly allow it to come to the forefront full force...

Aug 4, 2024

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James Berardinelli

ReelViews

The Bride of Frankenstein is without a question the best sequel in the cycle and ranks alongside Frankenstein (if not slightly above it) at the apex.

Rated: 3.5/4

Jun 14, 2024

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Abby Monteil

them.

It’s no secret that monsters have always appealed to queer folks who see themselves in an “other” that fights eradication, and Bride understands that sentiment perfectly.

Oct 26, 2022

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Stephen C

Success in 1.25 hours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/04/25

Full Review

Kevin P

A great sequel that expands on the characterization of the original classic. The cinematography and score are improved. There's good continuity with the 1st movie as it picks up right where the last one ended. Even if the heavy exposition from the local nutball and her overacting is pretty corny. Frankenstein's monster is further humanized as the film explores his ability to learn and make human connections. Expertly showcased in the scenes with the blind hermit comforting the monster as his first true parental figure. It's genuinely sweet to watch. There's also solid character growth for Dr. Frankenstein. I appreciate that his character arc doesn't regress and instead he's forced to return to the lab under a hostage threat by his creepy former mentor (even if the tiny people in glass jars was too silly). The opening scene with author Mary Shelley was amusing and a nice nod. Great climax with the coerced construction of the titular bride of Frankenstein. The bride herself only appears very briefly. But her blunt reaction to the monster and everyone else makes it clear how unnatural this all is.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

04/22/25

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Dani G

Classic monster movie, with all the innocence of those times. The mad scientist (Pretorious) cartoonish funny as expected

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/18/25

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Christian K

Classic design and storytelling, seemed weird to me that the bride is barely in it at all but that's ok.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/31/25

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Teddy B

This film stirs unusual emotions, a striking mix of sentimentalism, underlying dread, humour, and deep understanding. It does so with effortless grace in the deft hands of James Whale, who turns a throwaway sequel into one of the must-see influential horror films.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/28/24

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Andrew L

One of the best monster movies and one of the best sequels ever made. All the stars shine in this film (Karloff, Lanchester, Hobson, etc).

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/01/24

Full Review

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James Whale

Director

Boris Karloff

The Monster (as Karloff)

Elsa Lanchester

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

Colin Clive

Dr. Henry Frankenstein

Valerie Hobson

Elizabeth Frankenstein

O.P. Heggie

Hermit

Bride of Frankenstein: Official Clip - Pretorius Uses The Monster For Backup

2:21

Bride of Frankenstein: Official Clip - Teaching the Monster Manners

2:37

Bride of Frankenstein: Official Clip - Frankenstein Needs a New Heart

2:09

Bride of Frankenstein: Official Clip - Pretorius Shows Henry His Experiment

2:45

Bride of Frankenstein: Official Clip - Frankenstein is Hungry

0:58

Bride of Frankenstein: Official Clip - Henry Tries to Give the Creature Life

2:59

Bride of Frankenstein: Official Clip - The Monster Meets His Bride

3:00

Bride of Frankenstein: Official Clip - Blackmail

0:47

Bride of Frankenstein: Official Clip - Pretorius Has a Plan

2:20

Bride of Frankenstein: Official Clip - She's Alive! She's Alive!

2:27

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Synopsis

After recovering from injuries sustained in the mob attack upon himself and his creation, Dr. Frankenstein (Colin Clive) falls under the control of his former mentor, Dr. Pretorius (Ernest Thesiger), who insists the now-chastened doctor resume his experiments in creating new life. Meanwhile, the Monster (Boris Karloff) remains on the run from those who wish to destroy him without understanding that his intentions are generally good despite his lack of socialization and self-control.

Director: James Whale
Producer: Carl Laemmle Jr.
Screenwriter: William Hurlbut, John L. Balderston, Mary Shelley
Distributor: MCA/Universal Pictures [us], Universal Pictures, Universal Home Entertainment, Film Classics Inc., Universal International Pictures, Realart Pictures Inc.
Production Co: Universal Pictures
Genre: Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 22, 1935, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): May 8, 2015
Runtime: 1h 15m
Sound Mix: Mono

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