I never realized how good these early Frankenstein movies were. "Frankenstein" is a great movie and "Bride of Frankenstein" is perfect in every way. Now, "Son of Frankenstein" isn't at the level of those two greats, but it's really good. I enjoyed the performance of Basil Rathbone. He transforms from mild-mannered scientist to lunatic to murderer in practically the blink of an eye. And I know he didn't do a lot of the stunts, but I was impressed by his athleticism. There is one particular scene when he is throwing darts with crazy accuracy without even looking at the board. He's pretty good with a block and tackle, too. Boris Karloff is underused but makes the most of the film's finale when his Monster has a temper tantrum. Karloff throws lab equipment around like toys. Actually, I'm pretty sure they were lightweight props, but it was still great. He's kind of a hit man for Igor and doesn't really have much to do here, but he's still cool as Hell. Speaking of Igor, Bela Lugosi plays the character with enthusiasm. He's ugly, sure. But he's also manipulative, vengeful, conniving and is quite good playing something that looks like a clarinet. Lugosi is probably the highlight here. I can't stand the Inspector character, played by Lionel Atwill. "Young Frankenstein" aside...is Atwill's inspector supposed to be comic relief? I realize that 75 years have passed, but is his character a serious portrayal or a stereotype of the times? I was also immediately struck by the sets, odd angles and strange architecture. It seemed a very impractical use of space, but was attention grabbing, especially when coupled with the amazing light and shadow it was all shot in. So when will these Frankenstein movies drop off in quality? Will it be the upcoming fourth movie of the series, "Ghost of Frankenstein"? Will it falter at the fifth entry, "House of Frankenstein"? It has been a treat to find out how entertaining these old Frankenstein films are.

So let's move on to the third film in this franchise. It continues to be great. The Brazilian dubbing is excellent. And discovering that Donnie Dunagan, the Baron's son, is still alive was a pleasant surprise.

This is the movie most closely parodied in "Young Frankenstein" but don't be fooled...it is truly a great. The longer run time isn't wasted with what is arguably Bela Lugosi's best role (though not as iconic). As Ygor, Bela is a different kind of trickster that repulses and attracts all in one performance. Lionel Atwill's one armed Inspector is another standout while Basil Rathbone's performance seemed just ready for Gene Wilder to send it up. Oddly, the Monster, played for the final time by Boris Karloff, is more of a plot device this time around than the central figure he was in the first two films. Still, I really enjoy this outing, and though many scoff, I may like this more than the first two but definitely more than Bride.

Two of Universal’s biggest stars, Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi, team up for _Son of Frankenstein_. In this third installment of the series Dr. Wolf von Frankenstein inherits his family’s estate and decides to continue his father’s work when his father’s former assistant, Ygor, reveals that the Monster is still alive. Lugosi does an excellent job as Ygor; turning him into one of the most significant and popular characters in the Frankenstein canon. Additionally, the story is rather good and takes the series in an interesting direction. _Son of Frankenstein_ is able to deliver a fresh and frightening new chapter into the series while still being a smart and well-crafted film.

[spoiler]Unlike in the previous movie, Karloff actually doesn't speak, appearing to be less intelligent than in his previous movies. But in the scenes where he's murdering people, he does show some intelligence in how he's doing it rather than just randomly killing. Also Frankenstein was well known as having created the monster but in the previous movies the towns people were pretty much unaware that he was the one who actually created the monster. Lugosi does a good job in adding Ygor to the movie franchise, a character who was not in the original book but had since become a part of the movie canon. The home interiors were real freaky, reminding me of the Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. Still one of the classics.[/spoiler]