The smash success of Universal's 1931 Frankenstein adaptation made a sequel practically mandatory. Director James Whale felt that it'd be impossible to top the first film and was therefore reluctant to return, but the studio eventually lured him back with a juicy paycheck, a promise to greenlight one of Whale's passion projects, and nigh-total creative control over what eventually became Bride of Frankenstein.
Still assuming that the gothic atmosphere and graphic scares of Frankenstein couldn't be replicated, Whale chose to go in a more campy, theatrical, and melodramatic direction with the follow-up. While the production did run overbudget, Bride did strong box office and is now considered one of the few movie sequels to surpass the quality of its predecessor.
Ryan is joined by Cheryl and Sylvan for a close read of this beloved sci-fi horror comedy. Talking points include the story's approach to scientific advancement, the movie's very self-aware use of Christian allegory, and whether Bride's heavy application of queercoding was a conscious filmmaking choice by Whale (and whether or not that matters).
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