Back home

The Ghost of Frankenstein

172 votes

Producing House

Frankenstein's unscrupulous colleague, Dr. Bohmer, plans to transplant Ygor's brain so he can rule the world using the monster's body, but the plan goes sour when he turns malevolent and goes on a rampage.

movie

Status: Released

Released Date: 1942-03-13

Runtime: 68 mins

Director: Erle C. Kenton

Spoken language: English

Genres: Horror, Science Fiction

Original title: The Ghost of Frankenstein

Production Companies: Universal Pictures

Production Countries: United States of America

Reviews

J

John Chard
Your father was Frankenstein. Your mother was lightning. Of course the problem with the Frankenstein sequels, of the Universal Studios kind, was that they had to follow the genre firework that was "Frankenstein (1931)" and the monolithic titan that followed that one in 1935, "The Bride of Frankenstein". These are tough acts to follow - still are actually! "Son of Frankenstein (1939)" managed very well, it had Basil Rathbone in it and Bela Lugosi giving great horror oomph as Ygor. Boris Karloff bowed out as the monster after that one, leaving an iconic legacy and an insistence that the monster didn't speak. The result of Karloff's (ahem) request has proved divisive amongst Frankenstein fans, does it need a voice for personality, or is it better off as a lumbering rage machine only?. Point being that in this one, he gets a voice, courtesy of Lon Chaney Junior's stint in the role, and it's not exactly a success. Ghost of Frankenstein represents the start of the decline of the franchise, a noticeable drop in quality across the board. It's like Universal caught the cash cow disease and decided that quantity and not quality was what mattered. They would eventually team up the bolted necked one with "Abbott and Costello", with fun results, but the horror aspects began to wane here in 1942. Lugosi is on hand for some more Ygor mischief, Cedric Hardwicke and Lionel Atwill as scientists with opposite ideals are reassuring presences, while Evelyn Ankers is sexy and costumed with a great eye for detail. At just 67 minutes in length the film thankfully doesn't have time to be boring, though action is in short supply, so hooray for castle destruction and fire unbound!. While Woody Bredell and Milton R. Krasner, via their photographic lenses ensure Gothic atmosphere is consistently ripe. Right, it's time for Universal Monster Tag Teams next... 5/10
2015-10-03

Recommendations

The Fever
5

The Fever

2022-05-06

Short film that pays homage to Rod Serling's famous series, The Twilight Zone. Carlos is a young ma

Damien - Omen II
3.2

Damien - Omen II

1978-06-09

Since the sudden and suspicious deaths of his parents, young Damien has been in the charge of his we

Insidious: Chapter 3
3.1

Insidious: Chapter 3

2015-05-28

A twisted new tale of terror begins for a teenage girl and her family, and revealing more mysteries

Greywood's Plot
2.1

Greywood's Plot

2019-10-18

After finding a tape of what appears to be a monster, two friends journey into the woods to uncover

The Thing from Another World
3.4

The Thing from Another World

1951-04-05

Scientists and US Air Force officials fend off a blood-thirsty alien organism while investigating at

The Invisible Man
3.8

The Invisible Man

1933-10-31

After experimenting on himself and becoming invisible, scientist Jack Griffin, now aggressive due to

Fungi
0

Fungi

2022-10-31

As he falls down the spiral of personal obsession; a delusional mycologist finds himself in the mids

Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh
2.7

Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh

1995-03-17

Annie, a young schoolteacher struggling to solve the brutal murder of her father, unwittingly summon

Creature from the Black Lagoon
3.4

Creature from the Black Lagoon

1954-03-05

When scientists exploring the Amazon River stumble on a “missing link” connecting humans and fish, t

Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers
2.6

Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers

1995-09-29

Six years after being presumed dead in a fire, and just as the town prepares to finally celebrate Ha

Them!
3.4

Them!

1954-06-16

As a result of nuclear testing, gigantic, ferocious mutant ants appear in the American desert southw

Poltergeist II: The Other Side
3

Poltergeist II: The Other Side

1986-05-23

The Freeling family move in with Diane's mother in an effort to escape the trauma and aftermath of C

Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 3
0

Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 3

2026-12-24

Plot TBA. The third installment in the Blood and Honey series. New characters will be introduced, in

Killer Goldfish
5

Killer Goldfish

2024-03-31

Vic, a mischievous high school student, flushes the pet fish of one of his hated teachers down the t

Vampyr
3.6

Vampyr

1932-05-06

Allan Gray, a young man fascinated by the supernatural, goes to a small village where he feels a sin

The Day the Earth Stood Still
3.7

The Day the Earth Stood Still

1951-09-18

An alien and a robot land on Earth after World War II and tell mankind to be peaceful or face destru

Rafadan Tayfa: Galaktik Tayfa
2.3

Rafadan Tayfa: Galaktik Tayfa

2023-01-05

Akin is one of the brightest members of the astronomy club. Having discovered a spaceship that has s

Van Helsing
3.2

Van Helsing

2004-05-03

Famed monster slayer Gabriel Van Helsing is dispatched to Transylvania to assist the last of the Val

The Rage: Carrie 2
2.8

The Rage: Carrie 2

1999-03-12

A horrible massacre strikes up after an outcast teenage girl is taunted by a group of high school jo

Borley Rectory: The Awakening
0

Borley Rectory: The Awakening

2026-05-30

In 1900, young Reverend Henry Bull and his sister, Kitty, are tasked with taking over the duties of