Some time after the monster’s (Bela Lugosi) disappearance in The Ghost of Frankenstein, he is brought back, once again, this time from the mysterious and dangerous Wolf Man--alter ego of Lawrence Talbot--(Lon Chaney Jr.). Lawrence Talbot discovers the monster frozen inside a massive block of ice and decides that the best course of action is to release him from his prison. Once Talbot returns to his Wolf Man state, the two abominable creatures face off in a duel to the death.
In 1943, writer Curt Siodmak and director Roy William Neill created the first official Universal Monsters crossover within the Frankenstein series. They reintroduce the horrifying wolf man just a year after he first graced the big screen as the antagonist in the fifth installment of the Frankenstein series. As the first shared cinematic universe is being scripted, both Siodmak and Neill have a huge order to fill. They must include multiple titular characters in one film, accurately dividing their screen time and their importance in the story. The two manage to create a film that allows both characters to shine without one stealing the others thunder. This can be a tall order, but the duo manage to find the balance necessary to appeal to audiences of both characters.
Lon Chaney Jr., the same man who starred as the monster in the previous installment of the Frankenstein series, becomes the wolf man. Likewise, Bela Lugosi shifts from his pivotal role of Ygor in previous films to the role of the devastatingly aggressive monster. By the time of Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man’s release, three different people have played the role of Frankenstein’s monster. While the revolving door of actors does not necessarily take away from the film, it has gotten to the point of ridiculousness and has become somewhat frustrating. It seems a bit unnerving that Universal is unable to secure these actors to play the same role on a recurring basis, and, furthermore, it seems unnecessary to cast them in different roles throughout the course of the Universal monsters shared universe. Prosthetics play a huge role in helping to develop the look of each monster and allows audiences to suspend their disbelief and accept the carousel of cast members.
The plot line sparks the interest of viewers more than any Universal monster film in the past. The brief synopsis promises action and devastating consequences unlike anything seen in either franchise. Like the previous films, Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man waits until the final moments of the film to deliver on the audiences’ expectations. The film comes in at approximately one hour and fourteen minutes. At the one hour and eleven minute mark, the two monstrosities face off, leaving just two minutes before the closing credits appear on screen. The final battle between the wolf man and Frankenstein’s monster was unappealing, even for the 1940’s. Through a series of horrific camera angles audiences find it difficult to appreciate, or even follow, the film’s climactic event.
Universal Studios promises the fight of a lifetime and a series of aesthetically pleasing events. They fail to deliver on their promise, forcing Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man to fall short of all expectations, and making it the least appealing installment in the Frankenstein series. The film lacked emotion, invigoration or nearly any element necessary to make a successful film. Neill and Siodmak dropped the ball and failed to keep the monster magic alive. Do yourself a favor, skip the film and rewatch James Whale’s Frankenstein, you will not be sorry that you did.
Comments