Joe Dante on SON OF FRANKENSTEIN

[@briansmith2163]

The sets and art direction were amazing. Unexpected.

[@AnthonySmith-ty7ij]

Thank you, Joe. Son of Frankenstein relaunched the universal horror of the 1940s. So think of no Wolf Man, no Mummy sequels, no Abbott and Costello meet the monster films and even the Creature from the Black Lagoon. Lugosi's greatest performance and great team of horror stars Karloff, Lugosi, Basil Rathbone and Lionel Atwill. Also, Lon Chaney, Jr. would not have trouble finding work for the next few years. During the making of this film, Boris Karloff's only daughter Sarah was born. Also, Claude Rains was to play the Basil Rathbone role in this film. Last, it was a triple bill of Frankenstein, Dracula, and Son of Kong that led to this film. Rowland v Lee also did Tower of London in 1939 with Rathbone and Karloff and future horror star Vincent Price.

[@behindthescenesphotos5133]

Happy to see this trailer exists.

[@varanid9]

This is my favorite of the Karloff Frankenstein films.

[@jlopen]

Outstanding! I have always loved this film but knew little of its history. Thanks for the info, Joe.

[@only257]

Jesse Levy me too🙂

[@juanvalenzuela1183]

A friend of the family worked at a rep movie house back when Young Frankenstein came out. Wisely they chose this movie as the first feature and it was my first time seeing both. Kenneth Mars hilarious work elevated by Atwill's.

[@marshallamdur9732]

Joe Dante, you've done it again!! Thanks!!!

[@animateangus]

One of the title cards from the original 1935 BRIDE trailer shows up in the 1998 "Universal Horror" documentary.

[@FiftyShadesOfDave6603]

Joe Dante, what a great filmmaker. He's made some of my all time favourite films with The Burbs being close to the top. Great video on another wonderful film.

[@KarlBunker]

"MY FATHER'S WORK WAS *_DOO-DOO!!_* Oh, wait; wrong movie.

[@Retrorevelations]

It was his grandfather's work. Technically speaking, Frederick is the son of Wolf, the titular "Son of Frankenstein" in this movie. :-)

[@jeffsilverman6104]

I've always been a great fan of horror and sci-fi since I was a kid, and I've always liked this movie. I think the casting is perfect, Basil Rathbone gives the story some new freshness because of how familiar and animated he is. I agree that it's also Lugosi's best performance.

[@theman2017inc]

These TFH’s are few & far between, many thanks for this post Mr Dante!!!

[@Bozek10]

This film is a masterpiece. I like it more than Bride of Frankenstein. All three Karloff films are excellent.

[@charlescampbell3895]

I have always thought SON was the best of the Frankenstein films from Universal!

[@kevinmummery1606]

Thanks for this, Joe...I always learn something from your TFH entries. Today I learned how unlikely we are to see an original trailer as it appeared at the time of a films release.

[@JeffreySmith84]

I wonder if Dante is aware that Wyllis Cooper later wrote a story for his excellent radio drama Quiet Please inspired by his experience working on Son of Frankenstein called "Rain On New Years Eve."

[@charlescampbell3895]

Wow I'd like to hear it!

[@davidbjacobs3598]

I'm surprised he's critical of Rathbone here, since I really love Rathbone's performance. I think he pulls it off better than Clive. I feel the pull between respectable gentleman and mad scientist much more in Rathbone's performance: he's convincing as someone trying to be good who becomes tempted and corrupted.

[@mockmonkey1]

I had never heard of "New Universal" before seeing this trailer. I wonder how long after 1936 they kept that name.

[@curtisburga943]

I wish more comment was made on how similar Young Frankenstein is to this film. If you take out the Bela Lugosi plot, It could almost be the same movie. Basil Rathbone little pencil mustache, combined with his son’s curly hair, And you have Gene Wilder.

[@Retrorevelations]

That was deliberate on Wilder and Brooks' part. They purposefully modeled their movie after the old Universal films, and I'm sure "Son" was a direct inspiration. He is, after all, supposed to be the SON of the "Son of Frankenstein". But to be perfectly fair, he's here to talk about this movie, not the masterpiece it inspired.

[@dbwindhorst1]

Excellent! Also -- narration! I'm still questing to figure out when trailer narration finally became common. btw, re: "last 'official' appearance...": If it helps in a confrontation over Karloff trivia, he's revealed to be the monster at the end of "Frankenstein 1970."

[@Pikkuu]

Probably my favorite Frankenstein movie, not as essential as the first two but more animated, with dark humor, and good characters and actors. The thing that really suck out for me was the idea that they drew in cosmic rays during the thunderstorm, which empowered and mutated the monster beyond natural life, not just lightning. I wonder if it inspired later sci-fi and comic-books, though I wouldn't be surprised if there are earlier examples of radiation, etc, making someone superhuman .

[@lorenzodeluca9202]

Best Frankenstein ever and best cast for a film like this ever

[@ggfffgggds]

This and Son Of Dracula are underrated

[@charlescampbell3895]

I agree 100%!

[@Setebos]

Donnie Dunagan's all too vocal performance drove me up the frickin' wall.

[@queenglamazona8789]

Welll Hellooooooo !!!!!

[@queenglamazona8789]

Sherlock Holmes Meets Frankenstein.

[@ploermal]

Absolutely fascinating

[@thehalfassedhorrorcast]

This channel is a treasure trove. Huzzah!

[@johnnyangel9163]

Basil was laughing during some scenes!

[@HieMan-g1n]

0:47 I believe it was The Son of Kong not King Kong.

[@thanurisamarasinghe3601]

Please give this film .i love this ❤❤

[@lylegorch5956]

Joe Dante, yer the man!

[@bartman898]

I have never seen this film but will have to now.

[@mikesilva3868]

It's a great sequel the 1931 classic Frankenstein is the best one in my opinion ☻😇🤯📽📼

[@SirSmoldham]

Speaking of "Young Frankenstein..." (nudge, nudge... say no more.)

[@mikesilva3868]

Great movie ☻📼📽

[@waltergiles86]

Basil rathbone was my first action hero😅!@

[@anthonycrnkovich5241]

I know this movie has a great cast in Rathbone, Karloff, Lugosi and Atwill, and a glossy production, but somehow it just doesn't rate very high on my list of favorite Universal horrors. For one thing, at 99 minutes it seems longer than it is only to end rather abruptly. After such a strong turn as the Monster in BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN, Karloff is here demoted to Lugosi's mute henchman. And then there's the annoying Donnie Dunagan.

[@danielsweet858]

The picture quality is almost TOO sharp!