Bride of Frankenstein

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Bride of Frankenstein

1935

1h 15m

Horror

Drama

Sci-Fi

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Popcornmeter

97%

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58 Reviews

88%

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25,000+ Ratings

After recovering from injuries sustained in the mob attack upon himself and his creation, Dr. Frankenstein (Colin Clive) falls under the control of his former mentor, Dr. Pretorius (Ernest Thesiger), who insists the now-chastened doctor resume his experiments in creating new life. Meanwhile, the Monster (Boris Karloff) remains on the run from those who wish to destroy him without understanding that his intentions are generally good despite his lack of socialization and self-control.

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Critics Consensus

An eccentric, campy, technically impressive, and frightening picture, James Whale's Bride of Frankenstein has aged remarkably well.

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Otis Ferguson

The New Republic

May 8, 2024

Advertised as a chiller, this film turns out to be something else, having a lot of jollification, nice fancy, elegant mounting -- there is, in short, beauty as well as the beast.

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Simon Braund

Empire Magazine

Sep 24, 2007

5/5

Whale's erudite genius brings it all together. He sculpts every nuance of self-parody, social satire, horror, humour, wit and whimsy into a dazzling whole, keeping every one of his fantastical plates spinning until the tragic, inevitable finale.

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Variety Staff

Variety

Jun 4, 2007

Karloff manages to invest the character with some subtleties of emotion that are surprisingly real and touching.

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Yasser Medina

Cinefilia

Oct 9, 2026

6/10

A sequel in which Whale attempts to expand the scope with Boris Karloff and Gothic atmospheres, yet the horror narrative is not immune to its own uneven flaws. [Full review in Spanish]

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Scott Collura

IGN

Apr 15, 2026

10/10

Ninety years later, Bride of Frankenstein feels like it might as well have come out yesterday. Stylish, funny, and emotional, it's one of the greatest sequels ever made.

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Casey Chong

Casey's Movie Mania

Mar 2, 2026

[A] superior follow-up to [James Whale's] 1931 horror classic.

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lisa b

Oct 29, 2025

Such a thrill to see this classic on the big screen. Thank you Regal for bringing us the Universal monsters for Halloween.

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Tom

Oct 29, 2025

It's absolute PERFECTION.

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Todd B

Oct 29, 2025

What a treat it was to see this on a theater screen, and hear "SHE'S ALIVE!" over theater speakers. Such a wonderful film!

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Ed B

@EdLee 5 days ago

Bride of Frankenstein, one of the best horror movie sequels made. Karloff reprises monster role nicely. Elsa Lanchester magnificent as female mate made for creature. Wonderful film.

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Tyler S

@tylerking24 Oct 10, 2026

I gotta say, for how much I enjoyed the first Frankenstein, this was a pretty large step in the wrong direction. The monster went in a direction that felt less scary and I can't agree with what they did. Also, no offense, but when you have a film called the "Bride" of Frankenstein, I was expecting a bit more of the bride.

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Alex B

@AlexBioni Sep 9, 2026

I hope her bones are firm I like that this movie picks right back up after the events of Frankenstein. While the Monster looks the same, there are some added details to his appearance that elevate his look. The way he is introduced is great and exciting. This one has the same great tone and atmosphere as the first. I also like that it focuses more on the Monster, giving him more personality and showing his struggles as the only one of his kind. The reason to return to this world feels justified, and the idea of creating a female monster works well. I also think this was shot better, with stronger production and set design. The Bride's design is cool, and her performance is well done for how little she is in the movie. This has the same pacing as the original. Some moments drag, but overall, it's a great follow up. The ending is tragic, just like the first. I'd put it on the same level as the original.

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James Whale

Director

Boris Karloff

The Monster (as Karloff)

Elsa Lanchester

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

Colin Clive

Dr. Henry Frankenstein

Valerie Hobson

Elizabeth Frankenstein

O.P. Heggie

Hermit

Bride of Frankenstein: Official Clip - Pretorius Uses The Monster For Backup

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Bride of Frankenstein: Official Clip - Teaching the Monster Manners

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Bride of Frankenstein: Official Clip - Frankenstein Needs a New Heart

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Bride of Frankenstein: Official Clip - Pretorius Shows Henry His Experiment

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Bride of Frankenstein: Official Clip - Frankenstein is Hungry

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Bride of Frankenstein: Official Clip - Henry Tries to Give the Creature Life

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Bride of Frankenstein: Official Clip - The Monster Meets His Bride

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Bride of Frankenstein: Official Clip - Blackmail

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Bride of Frankenstein: Official Clip - Pretorius Has a Plan

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Bride of Frankenstein: Official Clip - She's Alive! She's Alive!

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Synopsis

After recovering from injuries sustained in the mob attack upon himself and his creation, Dr. Frankenstein (Colin Clive) falls under the control of his former mentor, Dr. Pretorius (Ernest Thesiger), who insists the now-chastened doctor resume his experiments in creating new life. Meanwhile, the Monster (Boris Karloff) remains on the run from those who wish to destroy him without understanding that his intentions are generally good despite his lack of socialization and self-control.

Director: James Whale
Producer: Carl Laemmle Jr.
Screenwriter: William Hurlbut, John L. Balderston, Mary Shelley
Distributor: MCA/Universal Pictures [us], Universal Pictures, Universal Home Entertainment, Film Classics Inc., Universal International Pictures, Realart Pictures Inc.
Production Co: Universal Pictures
Genre: Horror, Drama, Sci-Fi
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 22, 1935, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): May 8, 2015
Runtime: 1h 15m
Sound Mix: Mono

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