Tonight on MeTV- what could be better than some Universal horror perfect for the “after Valentine’s Day” weekend? That’s just what we have for you-one of the finest of the Universal classics- featuring Boris Karloff in his second appearance as the Monster! It’s the film that picks up the story where the original "Frankenstein" movie had left off-and features the ONLY appearance of the one Universal monster who didn't kill anybody- and, in spite of her limited screen time, became a true icon of Universal horror- the “Bride of Frankenstein”!
This 1935 film- based on the claim that the “Frankenstein” story came to authoress-Mary Shelley in a dream- starts off on a dismal, stormy night- with said authoress revealing that her Frankenstein tale did NOT end at the original story's conclusion! She proceeds to tell the tale of what happened next- starting at the exact point where the original “Frankenstein” film ended.
We see the burning remains of the windmill where the final battle between the monster and his maker took place. Poor Henry, thrown from its heights by the Monster, is now being carried home by the crowd that witnessed it all. While they mourn his “demise”, they also celebrate the "end" of the Monster. The father of little Maria (the unfortunate child from the original story that the Monster threw into the lake, unaware that she would drown, and not float like her flowers) remains at the smoking ruins, determined to make sure the Monster is no more. His luck- and his life- run out- because the Monster still lives!
Meanwhile, Henry is carried back to his lovely young fiancée Elizabeth at their castle, where everyone is startled to discover that he -just like the Monster he created- has survived! Henry begins his slow road to recovery, and is on his way to healing when he gets a disturbing late-night visit from a creepy caller- Dr. Pretorius. This spectral figure is actually a mentor of Frankenstein’s, who somehow is well aware of what his recovering student has achieved, and now seeks his Henry’s help with his own experiments in creating life.
Bringing Henry to his laboratory, Pretorius displays some of the bizarre results of his work- in an effort to convince the younger scientist to share his knowledge and expertise- and join forces with him to finally create a true perfect living being! Henry, having endured so much, wants no part of such an undertaking- he has come to the realization, through the awful results of his own experiment, that playing God is a mistake.
His Monster, still alive, burned and hurting, has fled from the ruins of the windmill, and ends up again being followed by angry pursuers, to whom he is nothing more than a dangerous wild killer. He seeks solace in the forest, eventually stumbling upon the hut of a blind hermit (yes, the basis for the famous- and hilarious- scene in “Young Frankenstein”). The hermit is grateful to have a new "friend"- as is the Monster, who is taught some basics by the kindly blind man. This tranquil alliance is disrupted when two hunters (one of whom is John Carradine), having lost their way, come to the cabin for directions-and, in shock, recognize the Monster! The misunderstood creature escapes and, trying to hide from his pursuers, enters a crypt in a graveyard- where, coincidentally, the devious Pretorius just happens to be, enjoying a snack while in search of "parts” for his latest project!
Completely unfazed by the appearance of the Monster, Pretorius perceives that he can use the lonely creature as leverage to get Henry to cooperate with him in his work- simply by threatening his young bride's safety! Frankenstein, unwilling to let anything happen to Elizabeth, submits to Pretorius’ demands, and heads uneasily back to work with him- as they endeavor to create the Monster's fondest desire- a “friend”- his own bride! But- will this fiancée of fright turn out to be a match made in...well...a laboratory? Will this new creation really provide the happy union he is wishing for?
This classic film is not just one of the best horror films ever made, but also included in lists of all-time great motion pictures- period. Karloff continues to add new facets to his portrayal of the Monster- including the addition of speech- and Dr. Pretorius, portrayed by the "flamboyant" Ernest Thesiger, is, without a doubt, a truly memorable addition to the Frankenstein film legend, as is the Bride, portrayed ever so briefly, but effectively, by Elsa Lanchester, who we recently saw on our show in “Willard”. We will tell you all about the entire cast and certain deletions from the production, as well as getting another visit from Gwengoolie and a song. Plus- a look back at a special memorable visit to a beauty contest for which the Bride would make a perfect contestant; an even more inhuman contest from the past; one of the first visits from an actor pal who was just on the show recently; and watch for a quick cameo from one of our favorite MeTV actors!
The “Bride of Frankenstein" comes to life on MeTV tonight at 8pm eastern/pacific, 7 central, or check for time and channel in your area in your local listings or at www.metv.com . You can throw rice by live-Tweeting during the show on Twitter/X, using the hashtag #svengoolie. This morning at 11 am on CW 26 in Chicago, local viewers get another look at our slugfest (pardon the pun) “ The Monster That Challenged the World” at 11 am on CW26.
More new merchandise is in the MeTV Mall- the latest hot items include the Sven pizza shirt (of course it’s served hot) and the Svengoolie lunch box! Various t-shirts have been added recently as well- featuring members of the Sven Squad-so, take advantage of the 14% discount available all this month!
Meanwhile, we invite you to come serve as a witness to an electrifying splicing ceremony tonight on MeTV!
4075 Comments
What I see in the mirror is me, but a billionth of a second ago. Not "me" now.
You don't see the moon, you see what it was seconds ago. Sun? Eight minutes ago.
If time isn't real,
The psoriatic arthritis is killing my speed and endurance. Sit a drum set. It takes real work. I'm scheduled for a shoulder replacement next April, I'm a disabled combat vet with, ah, issues. Bass guitar doesn't hurt me, and since I've always been in the rhythm section, the music is readable and relatable. Bass clef, not treble clef.
✨😸✨
I'm sorry you were trolled. As I said, I'm immune. Just don't care. Do they go after you, Dale, or Doc Serizawa again, I'll leverage my computer nerdy ex USAF/DoD computer friends to, well, run it back. Doesn't matter how much you spoof your phone # or online presence, Uncle Sam has trained people to find you... and has the hardware. And 😸 the bad cat eats and drinks with these folks, since 1980.
I’m going for #3 tonight! Wish me luck.
The Comedy of Terrors is a Sven natural and I hope it is shown some time this year. Enjoyed it the other day.
One I hadn't heard about and came on a multi film disc is The Pit and the Pendulum from 1961. It's a Roger Corman effort and shares about 5 minutes with the Poe original. Otherwise it's Vinnie chewing the scenery and is a good watch. Also in the cast is John Kerr, a favorite actor mine who didn't get to do much before chucking it all and becoming a lawyer. He has some excellent parts in the mid 1950s but then basically torpedoed his career when he refused the part of Charles Lindbergh in The Spirit of St Louis. His reasonable objections were Lindy's overt flirtations with the Nazis in the years before Pearl Harbor and his other racial and religious bigotries. Little did Kerr or anyone else know that Lindbergh had gone off to Scandinavia to father children with a woman more Aryan than his long suffering wife.
Kerr never got another good part and Lindbergh is still idolized by people who think being a good pilot balances out being a horrendous human being.
The production of _The Spirit of St. Louis_ weirdly involved studio head Jack Warner and director Billy Wilder, both of whom were Jewish. Lindbergh did stop sympathizing with the Nazi regime once the US declared war on Germany. However, what statements Lindbergh made against antisemitism generally included concern that such hate degraded the antisemites. In a 11 September 1941 Des Moines speech he stated “No person with a sense of the dignity of mankind can condone the persecution of the Jewish race in Germany.” But in the same speech Lindbergh argued against intervention in the European war saying, “The three most important groups who have been pressing this country toward war are the British, the Jewish and the Roosevelt Administration.” He continued “[The Jews] greatest danger to this country lies in their large ownership and influence in our motion pictures, our press, our radio and our government.”
I couldn’t find any confirmation of Lindbergh’s Scandinavian dalliance, but he did father seven children between two Bavarian sisters and an East Prussian aristocrat. These children were all born after 1957, so they weren’t the result of the Lebensborn program—unless ODESSA was involved.
Believe it or not, the 1950's era had some solid entries in the realms of Science Fiction and Fantasy, though many of them were decidedly a bit more youth-focused than others. Today's evidence: Rocky Jones, Space Ranger premiered on this day back then, and even featured a 10-year-old space adventurer amongst its cast. It lasted a single season on television, and here's the series' summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"Cruising the galaxy in his space ship "The Orbit Jet" Space Ranger, Rocky Jones, Vena Ray, and 10 year-old Bobby defend the Earth and themselves against space-bound evil doers."
It never occurred to me that Veena (the lovely Sally Mansfield) was absolutely hot in her mini skirted outfits, and that it was a little weird that she was a navigator that took time to knit sweaters during flights. Or that the elderly professor and little Bobby spent an inordinate amount of kinda creepy time together.
So the budget was $12.26 per episode: it was SPACE!
