I am not a fan of "horror" so I do not choose to watch such films (I have gone with others who wanted my presence make them feel secure and strong). When I read the novel (in order to form an opinion of it), it struck me that I was horrified not by the unwise young doctor or the monster (who was a nice loving creature) but by the mob-mentality of xenophobia and persecutory discrimination in human beings.
Thanks Clint. Big time Frankenstein movie fan here. Even more so after I got the latest remastered version a year ago in Native 4K (2160p), HDR–10, and DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (Any high-end home theater fans out there?). What a thrill. Was like watching the movie for the very first time! Are you aware of the four (4) places that were in the original release of the film in 1931 that were removed when code came in in 1937? The censored version was the only thing any of us had ever seen until either (not sure) the late 90s or early 2000s. When I saw the uncensored version for the first time I recognized all 4 of them. If you (or if anyone who reads this) would like to know what and where those 4 places are I’d be happy to reply with a brief description and timestamps. Thanks, Clint. You’re a man after my own heart. ♥️
I “thought” I was a fan, but given I didn’t even know there was another version, I guess I missed that day of film class. Actually, given the dates, I had already graduated. We watched it in class on a 35mm print the university rented, if memory serves. The good old days. Feel free to share what you know about James Whale’s masterpieces. I’m all eyes and ears.
Here are four (4) segments in the original 1931 Frankenstein movie from Universal Pictures that were removed in 1937 and restored decades later. One source speaks to two of those cuts as having been restored in the 1980s. I am not entirely sure of that date nor when any of the other cuts were actually restored.
Cut One (1) - (24:51) - After the monster’s been charged with electricity at the top of the watchtower and lowered back to its original place in the laboratory, its hand begins to move. Henry Frankenstein says “Look. It’s moving. It’s alive. It’s alive.” etc.. Fearing that Henry is going mad, Dr. Waldman and Victor Morritz rush toward him saying “Henry! In the name of God” to which Henry replies “In the name of God! Now I know what it feels like to be God!” Henry’s last sentence was cut -— replaced by a thunder clap. This was cut because the line was thought to be too offensive to Christians.
Cut Two (2) - (34:24) - The monster is frantically waving his arms and howling while kept in chains in the bottom of the watchtower. Fritz runs in, grabs a whip, and starts beating him with it. Henry rushes in carrying a torch and takes the whip away from Fritz. He leaves the scene but leaves the torch behind. Since the monster is afraid of fire, Fritz grabs the torch and torments the monster with it. At precisely 35:10 there’s a very brief close-up facial shot of Fritz framed by the torch. That brief shot of Fritz was censored, believed to be too horrifying for 1931 audiences. I have to admit, when I saw that for the first time it was really scary (seriously!) fueled by the fact that it was a complete surprise. We have to remember that this was only the second horror film that had sound, which also added greatly to dramatic terror.
Cut Three (3) - (35:24) - Henry and Dr. Waldman are in the laboratory and hear Fritz screaming from down below. They quickly run down the stairs but by the time they get there they find that the monster had freed himself from the chains and has killed Fritz. Fritz’s corpse is seen (one source I found said the sight of Fritz’s corpse hanging had also been removed by the censors). Henry goes back upstairs and gets a hypodermic needle with a half-grain solution to sedate the monster. They open the locked door and let the monster out. The monster rushes toward Henry when at the same time Dr. Waldman approaches the monster from behind and plunges the needle into his back. There’s a very clear and powerfully vivid closeup shot of the needle going into the monster’s back that was removed by the censors. I have to admit, once again, seeing this for the first time was a startling surprise and actually very scary.
Cut Four (4) - (48:39) - The monster is loose, ravaging the countryside. He encounters a little girl (Maria) having been left behind by her father, who is playing by the lake. She sees the monster as a friend and invites him to play with her. The monster is evidently touched by someone being so kind to him. They play together, throwing flowers into the lake and watching them float. When the monster has no flowers left to throw, at 50:21, he picks up the little girl and throws her into the lake thinking that she would also float, but she disappears and drowns. I visited Universal Studios in California in 1974. The tour took us to the actual site where this scene was filmed. Our tour guide told us that the monster had physically thrown the girl into the lake but the scene was removed believing that someone drowning a little girl like that would be too much for audiences at the time. So I was shocked when I heard that from our tour guide, yet never saw it until many many years later when it was put back in the film.
In closing, there were also some other modifications or cuts to the film. In addition, certain states had restrictions when it was released. Some states would not allow children under 14 to be admitted unless they were accompanied by an adult. Some states banned the film all together.
Wow…looks like I need to find the latest, fullest available cut and rewatch it. I do remember the lake scene. Maybe I only read about it. I’m pretty sure I know where on the Universal lot that would have been filmed. Haven’t been there in years, but there are only a couple of water features. One’s permanent and one’s often drained and used as a parking lot. Same, I remember, on the Paramount lot. Hollywood…more men than “magic.” Thanks for all the details, Bruce!
I am not shy, but I am a very private person. I usually keep people guessing what to expect next. Writing has always been my passion. Writing allows me to be anything and go anywhere with my words.
Well, well Clint I have a Frankenstein moment every morning till I have my first cup of tea of the day 👹👾💀
Dang I just heard from my brother that my niece is out to Peru on Sunday en route to Machu Pitcho, dang she is on wrong side of 50 with underlying COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) to go traipsing around mountains, so I'll just 🤞and hope she takes enough inhalers with her. Cheers DougT 🇫🇴
Well, well, well...considering the hour, I hope you've had more than a spot of tea, kind sir. And I hope your niece gives herself some time there to adjust to the altitude before attempting any hikes. Even without COPD, that can be dangerous. Fingers crossed indeed.
I am not a fan of "horror" so I do not choose to watch such films (I have gone with others who wanted my presence make them feel secure and strong). When I read the novel (in order to form an opinion of it), it struck me that I was horrified not by the unwise young doctor or the monster (who was a nice loving creature) but by the mob-mentality of xenophobia and persecutory discrimination in human beings.
Funny how that the mob mentality plotline is mostly looked over. Ain’t it? :-)
Thanks Clint. Big time Frankenstein movie fan here. Even more so after I got the latest remastered version a year ago in Native 4K (2160p), HDR–10, and DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (Any high-end home theater fans out there?). What a thrill. Was like watching the movie for the very first time! Are you aware of the four (4) places that were in the original release of the film in 1931 that were removed when code came in in 1937? The censored version was the only thing any of us had ever seen until either (not sure) the late 90s or early 2000s. When I saw the uncensored version for the first time I recognized all 4 of them. If you (or if anyone who reads this) would like to know what and where those 4 places are I’d be happy to reply with a brief description and timestamps. Thanks, Clint. You’re a man after my own heart. ♥️
I “thought” I was a fan, but given I didn’t even know there was another version, I guess I missed that day of film class. Actually, given the dates, I had already graduated. We watched it in class on a 35mm print the university rented, if memory serves. The good old days. Feel free to share what you know about James Whale’s masterpieces. I’m all eyes and ears.
OK Clint. Here you go!
Here are four (4) segments in the original 1931 Frankenstein movie from Universal Pictures that were removed in 1937 and restored decades later. One source speaks to two of those cuts as having been restored in the 1980s. I am not entirely sure of that date nor when any of the other cuts were actually restored.
Cut One (1) - (24:51) - After the monster’s been charged with electricity at the top of the watchtower and lowered back to its original place in the laboratory, its hand begins to move. Henry Frankenstein says “Look. It’s moving. It’s alive. It’s alive.” etc.. Fearing that Henry is going mad, Dr. Waldman and Victor Morritz rush toward him saying “Henry! In the name of God” to which Henry replies “In the name of God! Now I know what it feels like to be God!” Henry’s last sentence was cut -— replaced by a thunder clap. This was cut because the line was thought to be too offensive to Christians.
Cut Two (2) - (34:24) - The monster is frantically waving his arms and howling while kept in chains in the bottom of the watchtower. Fritz runs in, grabs a whip, and starts beating him with it. Henry rushes in carrying a torch and takes the whip away from Fritz. He leaves the scene but leaves the torch behind. Since the monster is afraid of fire, Fritz grabs the torch and torments the monster with it. At precisely 35:10 there’s a very brief close-up facial shot of Fritz framed by the torch. That brief shot of Fritz was censored, believed to be too horrifying for 1931 audiences. I have to admit, when I saw that for the first time it was really scary (seriously!) fueled by the fact that it was a complete surprise. We have to remember that this was only the second horror film that had sound, which also added greatly to dramatic terror.
Cut Three (3) - (35:24) - Henry and Dr. Waldman are in the laboratory and hear Fritz screaming from down below. They quickly run down the stairs but by the time they get there they find that the monster had freed himself from the chains and has killed Fritz. Fritz’s corpse is seen (one source I found said the sight of Fritz’s corpse hanging had also been removed by the censors). Henry goes back upstairs and gets a hypodermic needle with a half-grain solution to sedate the monster. They open the locked door and let the monster out. The monster rushes toward Henry when at the same time Dr. Waldman approaches the monster from behind and plunges the needle into his back. There’s a very clear and powerfully vivid closeup shot of the needle going into the monster’s back that was removed by the censors. I have to admit, once again, seeing this for the first time was a startling surprise and actually very scary.
Cut Four (4) - (48:39) - The monster is loose, ravaging the countryside. He encounters a little girl (Maria) having been left behind by her father, who is playing by the lake. She sees the monster as a friend and invites him to play with her. The monster is evidently touched by someone being so kind to him. They play together, throwing flowers into the lake and watching them float. When the monster has no flowers left to throw, at 50:21, he picks up the little girl and throws her into the lake thinking that she would also float, but she disappears and drowns. I visited Universal Studios in California in 1974. The tour took us to the actual site where this scene was filmed. Our tour guide told us that the monster had physically thrown the girl into the lake but the scene was removed believing that someone drowning a little girl like that would be too much for audiences at the time. So I was shocked when I heard that from our tour guide, yet never saw it until many many years later when it was put back in the film.
In closing, there were also some other modifications or cuts to the film. In addition, certain states had restrictions when it was released. Some states would not allow children under 14 to be admitted unless they were accompanied by an adult. Some states banned the film all together.
Wow…looks like I need to find the latest, fullest available cut and rewatch it. I do remember the lake scene. Maybe I only read about it. I’m pretty sure I know where on the Universal lot that would have been filmed. Haven’t been there in years, but there are only a couple of water features. One’s permanent and one’s often drained and used as a parking lot. Same, I remember, on the Paramount lot. Hollywood…more men than “magic.” Thanks for all the details, Bruce!
I am not shy, but I am a very private person. I usually keep people guessing what to expect next. Writing has always been my passion. Writing allows me to be anything and go anywhere with my words.
Well, well Clint I have a Frankenstein moment every morning till I have my first cup of tea of the day 👹👾💀
Dang I just heard from my brother that my niece is out to Peru on Sunday en route to Machu Pitcho, dang she is on wrong side of 50 with underlying COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) to go traipsing around mountains, so I'll just 🤞and hope she takes enough inhalers with her. Cheers DougT 🇫🇴
Well, well, well...considering the hour, I hope you've had more than a spot of tea, kind sir. And I hope your niece gives herself some time there to adjust to the altitude before attempting any hikes. Even without COPD, that can be dangerous. Fingers crossed indeed.
Awesome site. It will never happen, but I would enjoy sitting down and chatting with you. You are my kind of guy.
Why thank you, Prentiss. I'm a shy guy, so the written word is the best version of myself. Have a great day and appreciate the kind words.