This has got a great concept of matching up two of Universal's great monster creations in the same film . Unfortunately as is common within great concept movies the potential isn't fully realised
The major problem is that the screenwriter Curt Siodmak seems unable to find a different approach in order to tell the story . THE WOLF MAN was a rather threadbare plot and probably shows what a very limited concept werewolf movies are . The first half of the movie plays out like a werewolf movie then moves to Frankenstein's homeland and involves the monster
There's two very obvious flaws to the story . First off there's zero continuity to the previous Frankenstein movie where Ygor was the monster who became blind . Apparently he has regained his sight but lost his powers of speech . In fact the story could have taken place immediately after SON OF FRANKENSTEIN and no one would have been able to tell the difference . There is a myth according to film historians that Lugosi was given dialogue where he states that his monster is blind and that accounts for his performance with arms outstretched but it's obvious in many scenes that the monster still has his sight retained
The second flaw is the geographical location which is recognisably central Europe in the 1940s . Unfortunately it seems to be on a parallel world where there is no war even though this country has a fascist mindset where ethnic minorities like Gypsies are not welcome . It seems totally ridiculous that characters can move freely from England to this European hinterland . It's obvious by characters costumes that is very much a Germanzed country and it's strange that being a German Jewish émigré Siodmak didn't emphasis an anti-Nazi subtext to the tale
That said it is a fairly entertaining film if you overlook its silliness . It does have a very memorable opening sequence where two grave robbers break in to the vault of the Talbot family . Lugosi isn't as bad as his reputation suggests as the monster and the film moves at a fairly brisk pace . You do get the feeling that the film could have been a lot better than it finally appears on screen
The major problem is that the screenwriter Curt Siodmak seems unable to find a different approach in order to tell the story . THE WOLF MAN was a rather threadbare plot and probably shows what a very limited concept werewolf movies are . The first half of the movie plays out like a werewolf movie then moves to Frankenstein's homeland and involves the monster
There's two very obvious flaws to the story . First off there's zero continuity to the previous Frankenstein movie where Ygor was the monster who became blind . Apparently he has regained his sight but lost his powers of speech . In fact the story could have taken place immediately after SON OF FRANKENSTEIN and no one would have been able to tell the difference . There is a myth according to film historians that Lugosi was given dialogue where he states that his monster is blind and that accounts for his performance with arms outstretched but it's obvious in many scenes that the monster still has his sight retained
The second flaw is the geographical location which is recognisably central Europe in the 1940s . Unfortunately it seems to be on a parallel world where there is no war even though this country has a fascist mindset where ethnic minorities like Gypsies are not welcome . It seems totally ridiculous that characters can move freely from England to this European hinterland . It's obvious by characters costumes that is very much a Germanzed country and it's strange that being a German Jewish émigré Siodmak didn't emphasis an anti-Nazi subtext to the tale
That said it is a fairly entertaining film if you overlook its silliness . It does have a very memorable opening sequence where two grave robbers break in to the vault of the Talbot family . Lugosi isn't as bad as his reputation suggests as the monster and the film moves at a fairly brisk pace . You do get the feeling that the film could have been a lot better than it finally appears on screen