Bride of Frankenstein (1935) [Blu-ray] Rated:  NR  Starring: Boris Karloff, Colin Clive, Valerie Hobson, Ernest Thesiger, Elsa Lanchester, Gavin Gordon, Douglas Walton, Una O'Connor, E.E. Clive, Lucien Prival, O.P. Heggie, Dwight Frye, Reginald Barlow, Mary Gordon, Anne Darling. Director: James Whale Genre: Horror | Sci-Fi DVD Release Date: 10/02/2012 Part of (Universal) Classic Monsters: Essential Collection 9-Movie Blu-ray Boxed Set   Storyline: Dr. Frankenstein and his monster both turn out to be alive, not killed as previously believed. Dr. Frankenstein wants to get out of the evil experiment business, but when a mad scientist, Dr. Pretorius, kidnaps his wife, Dr. Frankenstein agrees to help him create a new creature, a woman, to be the companion of the monster. Written by John Oswalt Editor's Note: Is The Bride of Frankenstein a horror film? A complex comedy? A genre satire? A social commentary? A dual creature feature? A sequel? A revelation? An act of mad genius? A sharp turn? A crown jewel? A hoot, as director James Whale so eloquently put it? How should I put this? Yes. Shooting a straight followup to Frankenstein didn't appeal to Whale, who believed the original Frankenstein couldn't be expanded or improved upon. So he did the only thing a filmmaker agreeing to do the unagreeable would do: change everything, be it slightly or fundamentally. The resulting script, which went through numerous re-drafts and rewrites, finally came together and, just like that, was headed to theaters, where audiences were in for a different kind of shock than they experienced watching the original Frankenstein four years earlier. Actors Colin Clive and Boris Karloff reprise their roles as Henry Frankenstein and Frankenstein's monster, Elsa Lanchester dons the iconic wig of the Bride (even if only for a few minutes), and Ernest Thesiger co-stars as the eccentric, royalty miniaturizing Dr. Pretorius, who nearly steals the show as the movie's unofficial third monster. But amusing as a first viewing is, The Bride of Frankenstein is best digested over multiple viewings. Its wry barbs, cloaked wit, clever imagery and daring symbolism all but demand it. The fact that Whale also managed to deliver a suitable sequel in the midst of forging anything but is only more reason to admire a film that remains one of the genre's most unexpected delights. Cast Notes: Boris Karloff (The Monster [as Karloff]), Colin Clive (Henry Frankenstein), Valerie Hobson (Elizabeth), Ernest Thesiger (Doctor Pretorius), Elsa Lanchester (Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley / The Monster's Bride [as ?]), Gavin Gordon (Lord Byron), Douglas Walton (Percy Bysshe Shelley), Una O'Connor (Minnie), E.E. Clive (Burgomaster), Lucien Prival (Butler), O.P. Heggie (Hermit), Dwight Frye (Karl), Reginald Barlow (Hans), Mary Gordon (Hans' Wife), Anne Darling (Shepherdess [as Ann Darling]). IMDb Rating (01/16/13): 8.0/10 from 21,367 users Additional information Copyright:  1935,  Universal Studios Features:  She's Alive! Creating the Bride of Frankenstein (SD, 39 minutes): Howling and Gremlins filmmaker Joe Dante hosts this Bride of Frankenstein postmortem, which analyzes the complexities of the film, the ultimatum-driven casting of Elsa Lanchester, the return of Boris Karloff, the rise of Dr. Pretorious, the manner in which director James Whale approached the sequel, the makeup and production design, the groundbreaking emergence of a female horror icon, and essentially everything a fan could want to know about the beloved Frankenstein followup. Audio Commentary: Film historian Scott MacQueen gets a lot of mileage out of the essay he reads aloud, dry as his delivery may be. Pauses are frequent but MacQueen unravels the mysteries and nuances of the film, its horror and comedy, its unique place among early horror classics, and much, much more. 100 Years of Universal: Restoring the Classics (HD, 9 minutes): Rather than a Bride of Frankenstein-centric restoration featurette, like the one that accompanies Dracula, this is a general catch-all. It's appreciated, but not nearly as revealing. The Bride of Frankenstein Archive (SD, 13 minutes): Movie posters, campaign art, production stills and other images. Trailer Gallery (SD, 7 minutes): Frankenstein, The Bride of Frankenstein, The Ghost of Frankenstein and House of Frankenstein. Subtitles:  English SDH, Spanish Video:  Widescreen 1.35:1 B&W Screen Resolution: 1080p Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1 Audio:  ENGLISH: DTS-HD Master Audio Mono FRENCH: DTS Mono Time:  1:15 DVD:  # Discs: 1 -- # Shows: 1 UPC:  025192152269 Coding:  [V5.0-A4.5] MPEG-4 AVC D-Box:  No Other:  Producers: Carl Laemmle, Jr; Directors: James Whale; Writers: Mary Shelley, William Hurlbut; running time of 75 minutes; Packaging: Custom Case.