Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man
| Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man | |
|---|---|
| File:Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man movie poster.jpg Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man movie poster | |
| Directed by | Roy William Neill |
| Written by | Curt Siodmak |
| Produced by | George Waggner |
| Starring | Ilona Massey Patric Knowles Lionel Atwill Bela Lugosi Maria Ouspenskaya |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
Release dates | March 5, 1943 U.S. release |
| Language | English |
Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man, released in 1943, is an American horror film produced by Universal Studios. It was the first of a series of "ensemble" monster films combining characters from several film series. This film, therefore is both the fifth in the series of films based upon Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and a sequel to The Wolf Man.
Plot summary
Template:Spoiler The film stars Lon Chaney, Jr. as Larry Talbot, a.k.a. The Wolf Man, who is still seeking a cure for the curse that causes him to transform into a werewolf with every full moon. Bela Lugosi co-stars as the Frankenstein Monster, who Talbot unintentionally resurrects from an icy tomb. Talbot attempts to befriend the Monster but is unable to prevent the creature from causing havoc and, after a few appearances by the Wolf Man, both Talbot and The Monster find themselves in Castle Frankenstein where yet another member of the cursed clan, Baroness Elsa Frankenstein (Ilona Massey), attempts to cure them. Ultimately, however, the frightened townsfolk rebel, destroying the castle and, presumably, The Monster and The Wolf Man.
Production
Lugosi had been the first choice to play The Monster in the first Frankenstein film in 1931, but had rejected the part. He had subsequently played the insane servent Ygor in Son of Frankenstein and The Ghost of Frankenstein. At the conclusion of the latter film, Ygor's brain was implanted into The Monster, causing the creature to take on Lugosi/Ygor's mannerisms and even voice.
This plot thread was initially continued into Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man. The original script - and indeed the movie as originally filmed - had Lugosi as The Monster performing dialogue throughout the film, including references to the events of Ghost and indicating that The Monster is now blind (a side-effect of the transplant as revealed at the end of the previous film). Preview audiences, however, reacted negatively to this, finding the idea of The Monster speaking with a thick Hungarian accent unintentionally funny. As a result, all of Lugosi's dialogue was deleted, though scenes involving the Monster remain in the film that show Lugosi's mouth moving without sound.
A consequence of the deletion is the explanation of the Monster's blindness is lost, making the creature look rather clumsy in the film. The movie also firmly established the Frankenstein Monster stereotype of walking stiff legged with arms outstretched. The character's blindness was supposedly cured by Mannering in his experiment before the climatic fight.
Stuntman Eddie Parker actually portrayed The Monster in several early scenes that Lugosi had refused to do (such as the "defrosting" sequence). As a result, when viewers see The Monster's face in close-up for the first time in this film, it is actually Parker who is seen. Consequently, the official trailer also shows Parker's face even though Lugosi is credited.
This would be the final Universal Horror film in which The Monster played a major role; for his final three appearances the character would appear only briefly, and usually in a comatose state.