The Date: October
30
The Movie: Frankenstein (1931)
What Is It?: Now
that you’ve watched the superior sequel, you can backtrack a bit and watch the
original. Karloff's monster is a triumph of pathos. Seeing him reach out for the comforting warmth of sunlight and then his creator's affectionate touch, only to be coldly and ignorantly rejected, drops a lump in my throat every time. Jack Pierce's makeup work is the finest in cinema history. Colin Clive brings sweaty intensity to the title character and Dwight Frye is wicked as his sadistic assistant. This movie is a walking, talking Halloween decoration.
Why Today?: Today
is Frankenstein Day.
