Frankenstein VS Bride thereof

[Dignan]

Which do you prefer? Me, I'm more partial to Bride. More assured direction and more satisfying characterizations, imo.

[Andrew Tom]

Bride Of Frankenstein for me. Wherein "Frankenstein" was more of a studio movie, in "Bride" director James Whale had more freedom to do what he wanted, otherwise he wouldn't have done the movie at all.

In "Bride" we have a much more fantasy feel, which I like. Little people in bottles, gothic cemetary with tilted tombstones, it all has become horror legend. James Whale certainly had an eye for horror imagery.

Boris Karloff develops his "Monster" into a more human character, which he himself didn't appreciate at first. But he does grow the character in a more adult way, which is a reason I've always preferred Karloff's Monster to Lugosi's Dracula.

Ernest Thesiger's Dr. Pretorius is a great villain, which is something"Frankenstein" lacked(There really wasn't a villain in there, was there? The Monster certainly was more of a character to sympathise with). Pretorius was a ruthless man with one mission.

And Elsa Lanchester. Seen as Mary Shelley in the beginning and later as the titular character. As Bride she has only minute or two of screen time and makes her character something that we still remember.

I could go on, I've only mentioned the director and few of the stars, but it's late and I think I've raved enough.

Bride Of Frankenstein 10/10
Frankenstein 8/10

[Saruman]

I prefer Bride of Frankenstein. It's one of my all time favorite films.

"Smoke good" :D The way Karloff says this always makes me laugh.

[Cronos]

i like Bride more, it was more entertaining, had better sets and its one of the best horror films ive seen

[IamNoOne666]

I love them both but I'll be the first on here to say I like Frankenstien more. I wasn't crazy about having the monster talk that much in Bride.

[killuminati003]

i liked Frankenstein more....like
IamNoOne666 i 2 wasnt crazy about the monster talking so damn much

[Could Be Worse]

The original Frankesnstein is a classic, though has a large problem in a lack of a score. Bride had a great score, but some of the humor didn't sit well with me. I still prefer the original over Bride.

[Living_Dead_Dude]

To me Bride is unquestionably the better movie on every level (and one of my faves of all time!!) every flaw the original has Bride corrects it and every strength it has it builds upon, it continues the story from the first as well and the plot doesn't feel forced like the later sequels do, I also love the music, the performances, the bizarre black humour (i.e. all the stuff that goes without saying) I could go on...

By the way, I love the original and the later sequels to a lesser extent (besides Lugosi I didn't really like Son ect. but loved House of Frankenstein) but to me Bride is always the best IMHO

[Pink Corduroy]

My favorite is whichever I'm watching at the time! They're both brilliant!

"Frankenstein," while it is, as someone said above, more of a studio picture, is nevertheless the more historically important of the two; "Bride" could never have gone so far without the original, which was itself extremely transgressive at the time. It has that classic Gothic atmosphere without an excess of plot or character development to get in the way. There's something so purely disturbing about it; the very lack of the sophistication we see in "Bride" works in its favor, as that is what the aesthetic of the Gothic movement in literature was all about. Scenes like the creation and the encounter with little Maria are irreplicable. And the interiors are crazier than they are in "Bride;" much more Expressionist.

On the other hand, "Bride" is a more FUN picture. The scene with the homunculi is amazing to watch, and very funny. Thesiger is magnificent as Dr. Pretorius. Clive and Karloff continue to give excellent performances. While the Creature's learning to talk does reduce the alien fascination he had in the original, it was a natural progression and opened up new possibilities for the character. Elsa Lanchester is a hottie, both as Mary Godwin and as the Bride. The direction and cinematography are superb, as is the score by Franz Waxman. The scene with the hermit is charged with pathos, and nearly brings me to tears every time. The controversial subtexts, though already fully present in the original, are more boldly explored here.

I love both of these films. I can't decide.

[jeo4]

Frankenstein wins it for me.

[thebloodfeaster]

I much prefer Bride. The original completely missed the heart and soul of the novel, while Bride re-captured it a bit. Frankenstein was a good and important movie in its own right; but when movies are made from one of my favorite novels, I just tend to whatever is closest in spirit to it.