How To Watch Frankenstein And Other James Whale Horror Movies
Whenever the discussion about the best horror movies of all time arises, it doesn’t take more than a few guesses before you start looking at classics like ” Frankenstein and The Invisible Man. These seminal monster films and several others were directed by a man – James Whale – who helped propel the horror genre to new heights in the early to mid 1930s and created some of the most iconic monster moments in cinematic history.
Much like the various horror films he directed that are still influencing cinema almost a century later, Whale remains an icon not only in the horror world but also in the LGBTQ+ community due to his contributions to society on and off screen. To pay tribute to the openly gay Hollywood character who drowned in 1957, we’ve compiled a short list of the four horror films he made during his illustrious career and how you can watch them… Dive we delve into the work of one of the most legendary LGBTQ+ horror icons of all time.
Frankenstein (1931)
Just a year after his directorial debut with the war film end of the journeyJames Whale quickly established himself as one of the finest horror filmmakers with the release of November 1931 Frankenstein. Based on Mary Shelley’s classic horror novel, the Universal Monster Movie told the story of Henry Frankenstein (Colin Clive), a mad scientist who creates a monster (played by Boris Karloff) by taking the body parts of multiple corpses, stitching them together, and using Electricity to revive creation.
The film quickly became a financial success for Universal Pictures, with some, such as Forbes, arguing that the film and the revived character at the heart of its story were the most important piece of the monster universe. With a great story, an impressive cast, and the incredibly terrifying look of the monster created by makeup legend Jack Pierce, it’s easy to see why Frankenstein remains so revered for so many years after its initial release. The Whale classic has been adapted numerous times over the decades, including the long-in-the-works remake in the upcoming Universal monster film series.
Stream Frankenstein on Peacock. (opens in new tab)
Rent/buy Frankenstein on Amazon. (opens in new tab)
The Old Dark House (1932)
In October 1932, less than a year after finding tremendous success with the more traditional horror film, James Whale decided to make an adaptation of JB Priestley’s more comedic 1927 novel. derangedwho was transformed The old dark house. The film, released in the pre-Code era of Hollywood, centers on two groups of travelers who take refuge in an old and spooky house to weather a powerful storm on their respective journeys. Over the course of a single night, the two groups interact with the unnervingly creepy family and their butler, Morgan (Frankenstein Star Boris Karloff).
The old dark house may not have garnered the same attention, box office returns, and legacy as some of Whale’s other horror films Frankenstein and The Invisible Man (which would come out the following year), but it’s just as important. In 2017, The Village Voice called The old dark house one of the great Universal horror films, despite being considered a “lost film” for many years.
Stream The Old Dark House on Tubi.
Rent/Buy The Old Dark House on Amazon. (opens in new tab)
The Invisible Man (1933)
On Halloween night, October 31, 1933, James Whale introduced audiences to the next chapter in his short but influential series of horror films The Invisible Man. The focus of the film is Dr. Jack Griffin (Claude Rains), a brilliant chemist whose ambition overwhelms him after undergoing an experiment that rendered him invisible. Slowly becoming insane from the effects of the chemical cocktail that turned him into a failed science experiment, Griffin begins playing seemingly innocent pranks on those around him before turning to more sinister games, including derailing a train that leads to 100 or more leads to more deaths.
In the decades since its release The Invisible Man, based on the HG Wells sci-fi novel of the same name, has been reimagined and reimagined in various shapes and forms, including 2020’s horror film remake with one of the best Elisabeth Moss performances yet. There’s a strong argument to be made The Invisible Man to be the best Whale feature film, and there would be no debate about it if it weren’t Frankenstein and his long-lasting legacy.
Stream The Invisible Man on Peacock. (opens in new tab)
Rent/Buy The Invisible Man on Amazon. (opens in new tab)
The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
While other horror films received sequels almost immediately, James Whale’s 1931 horror directorial debut did not receive a sequel until four years later with its 1935 release The Bride of Frankenstein. Occurs almost immediately upon completion Frankenstein, the sequel follows a repentant Dr. Frankenstein (Colin Clive) trying to give up his experiments and come to terms with his decision to create life. Though the mad scientist isn’t willing to make the same mistake twice, he’s forced to try again, this time creating a bride for his monster (Boris Karloff) from the first film. Elsa Lanchester took on the role of the title character in The Bride of Frankensteinas well as that of Mary Shelley, the woman who wrote the novel on which the film and its processor are based.
In the 87 years since its initial release, the film has remained one of the most iconic horror films of all time, topping the list Frankenstein in terms of recognition. If Universal ever finds out its monster movies, The Bride of Frankenstein is a title that has to be at the top of the list for remakes.
Stream The Bride of Frankenstein on Peacock. (opens in new tab)
Rent/Buy The Bride of Frankenstein on Amazon. (opens in new tab)
Despite only directing four horror films over the course of his career, it’s safe to say that James Whale is one of the most important filmmakers the genre has ever seen. It should also be noted that many of the current and upcoming horror movies owe their credit to Whale.