pixrox1 Review of The Frankenstein Files: How Hollywood Made a Monster

The Frankenstein Files: How Hollywood Made a Monster (2002 Video)

Shaking the Frankenstein family tree

[7/10 · 16 June 2013]

Though not as long or as enlightening as its feature-length companion piece, UNIVERSAL HORROR, this 44 minute, 52.57-second piece (THE FRANKENSTEIN FILES: HOW H0LLYWOOD MADE A MONSTER) has its own merits (and technically qualifies as "feature length" in its own right, given the standard used by the Academy to separate so-called "documentary shorts" from "documentary features;" i.e., less than 40 minutes = a "short;" anything beyond that mark is considered a "feature"). Including witness from make-up artist Rich Baker is a nice touch, since horror movie make-up jobs don't always earn the accolades they deserve. Hearing Faust labeled as an "over-achiever" is provocative; seeing clips from pre-FRANKENSTEIN horror such as THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI was even more enlightening. Knowing Boris Karloff's face was covered with mortician's wax to simulate a monster composed of reanimated chunks of corpses is not only ironic but morbidly fascinating, but it is pretty sad that this poor English waif had to endure rounds of back surgery from carrying Colin Clive as Henry Frankenstein uphill (for multiple takes) toward the end of the story; fortunately, today the U.S. OSHA regulations would require a suitably husky stunt double to do this sort of heavy lifting!