Ghost of Frankenstein (1942)

88% of critics liked it
(8 reviews)
38% of users liked it
(2,143 ratings)

Universal's "Frankenstein" series descended from the "A" to the "B" category with The Ghost of Frankenstein, though production values were still well above average and the cast is first-rate. The story picks up where Son of Frankenstein (1939) left off, with both the Monster (Lon Chaney Jr.) and his… More Universal's "Frankenstein" series descended from the "A" to the "B" category with The Ghost of Frankenstein, though production values were still well above average and the cast is first-rate. The story picks up where Son of Frankenstein (1939) left off, with both the Monster (Lon Chaney Jr.) and his crazed companion Igor the shepherd (Bela Lugosi) being chased out of the village of Frankenstein by the irate citizens (actually both Monster and Igor had been killed at the end of Son of Frankenstein, but that's neither here nor there). The gruesome twosome head to the tiny Balkan community where dwells the son (Sir Cedric Hardwycke) of the original Dr. F. At the urgings of both Igor and the disgraced Doctor Bohmer (Lionel Atwill), Frankenstein Jr. is coerced into repeating his father's experiment of placing a fresh brain in the head of the monster. Seeking vengeance against his enemies, Igor wants to have his own brain grafted into the Monster's skull, but the big lug himself has other ideas: having befriended cute little Cloestine (Janet Ann Gallow), the only person in the village who doesn't fear him, the Monster insists upon receiving Cloestine's brain. In the end, however, Dr. Frankenstein goes with Igor's graymatter-and the result is disaster for practically everyone in the cast. Highlights of this 68-minute scarefest include Lionel Atwill's outraged reaction when he is reminded of the "slight miscalculation" that ruined his medical career, and the uncredited appearances of several "Frankenstein" movie veterans, including Dwight Frye, Holmes Herbert and Lionel Belmore. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 8 min.
Directed By: Erle C. Kenton
Genres: Horror, Classics, Science Fiction & Fantasy

In Theaters: Nov 1, 1942 Wide
On DVD: Sep 1, 1993
Studio: Passport

Critic Reviews

Tim Brayton, Antagony & Ecstasy
It gets the job done with admirable efficiency, no excess of imagination, and all in a compact 67-minute frame, and you really wouldn't want it to be any longer than that.
Douglas Pratt, DVDLaser
there are some inspired twists at the end
Michael W. Phillips, Jr., Goatdog's Movies
There are various nice touches that keep this film from straying too far over the line between campy and ridiculous.
Steve Crum, Kansas City Kansan
All those Universal monsters in one flick; horrors!
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Where the once-great series drops into the realm of B picture, but it's a solid B movie and the last of the Universal Frankensteins that can be taken reasonably seriously.

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Featured Audience Ratings

AJ V

One of the better universal monster movie sequels. It's got all the good actors, a good story, and it's exciting.
Tim S

I don't remember much about it, to be honest, so I guess that's not saying much. I'm sure it has its moments.
Randy T

The fourth of Universal's classic Frankenstein films, Ghost of Frankenstein is notable for several reasons. First, it was the first Universal film to feature a non-Karloff monster. It seems Boris was doing well in a Broadway production of "Arsenic and… More
The fourth of Universal's classic Frankenstein films, Ghost of Frankenstein is notable for several reasons. First, it was the first Universal film to feature a non-Karloff monster. It seems Boris was doing well in a Broadway production of "Arsenic and Old Lace" and the studio thought that waiting a year for Mr. Karloff to complete his stage obligations was far too long. Instead they cast the talented Lon Chaney, Jr. who was fresh off his stellar performance as a hairy lycanthrope in The Wolf Man just the year before. Ghost also marks the last time Universal's bankable green giant would appear in a solo performance. In later incarnations Frankie would share the stage with a werewolf [Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man, 1943], a werewolf and Dracula [House of Frankenstein, 1944] and a werewolf, Dracula and a Jekyll & Hyde-ish character [House of Dracula, 1945]. It could also be said that this 1942 production ushered in the 'New Universal', a departure from horror as an art form and an introduction of the streamlined, assembly-line film making that demanded smaller budgets and shorter shooting schedules in order to maximize a film's profitability. Ghost of Frankenstein is ultimately unimaginative. It borrows heavily from it's predecessors. So much so that you'll swear you've seen this film before, even if you haven't. Thus, it shares the traits of most horror sequels; exciting, fun and completely unoriginal.
Chris G

When Karloff left the role of Frankenstein the series fell down fast. Lon Chaney picks up the mantle on Ghost of Frankenstein, but it's not the same. Not even close. Bela Lugosi does return as Igor, waiting and looking to revive his friend. After finding him and taking him to a… More
When Karloff left the role of Frankenstein the series fell down fast. Lon Chaney picks up the mantle on Ghost of Frankenstein, but it's not the same. Not even close. Bela Lugosi does return as Igor, waiting and looking to revive his friend. After finding him and taking him to a nearby village with yet another Frankenstein they devise a plan to correct the monster and give him a new brain. But whose brain? Mediocre film with mediocre production values and mediocre acting. Lugosi isn't as creepy anymore and everyone else is just plain dull. If you have trouble sleeping you'll love this movie. All others steer clear.
Michael G

These all blend together after a while, but they're fun. Alcohol usually helps, but still...
Byron B

This is the stinker of the franchise. The plot is a mess. Ygor (Lugosi again) has survived once more to uncover the monster (Chaney taking a turn in the role) encased in solid sulfur. The filmmakers break the rule established in the previous film when the monster is struck by… More
This is the stinker of the franchise. The plot is a mess. Ygor (Lugosi again) has survived once more to uncover the monster (Chaney taking a turn in the role) encased in solid sulfur. The filmmakers break the rule established in the previous film when the monster is struck by lightning out in a field while escaping with Ygor and is not thrown back into a coma. They seek another son of the original Dr. Frankenstein played by Cedric Hardwicke. Hardwicke does nothing compelling with the role. He is fairly meek. He is visited by "holographic" visions of his father at one point, though it looks like Hardwicke himself plays the ghostly image. Ralph Bellamy and Evelyn Ankers are the good looking young couple who provide the romantic subplot. Belmore is back briefly again as a town councilman encouraging the mob to put an end to Ygor, the monster, and Frankenstein. Lionel Atwill is back again as another doctor who assists Frankenstein. Atwill's doctor sabotages things by foolishly agreeing to play into Ygor's fiendish plan. Even though Chaney Jr. as Laurence Talbot seems like a very sweet natured person in the later sequels to the Wolf Man, he lumbers around without much of a spark as the creature. And this series has taken it a bit too far with the monster befriending small children. This movie makes it seem dirty when the monster steals a little village girl out of her bed and then wants her brain. When Ankers as Frankenstein's daughter (perhaps this is the mother of Gene Wilder's character) takes the girl to safety, I noticed that a lot of anger from the mob could have been avoided if she hadn't disappeared with the child for so long. Where did she go?! Atwill's Dr. Bohmer is no where near as good of a creation as the Inspector. And the movie ends ridiculously when the monster speaks again but with Ygor's voice! This would be the making of a more evil monster and Lugosi does don the neck bolts, thick soled boots, and flat head for the next flick, Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man. But the creature was kept silent again and is a mostly mindless follower of people who are a bad influence on him.
Barry L

It was wearing a bit thin but the way the Monster was portrayed was superb and always will be. Lugosi is a legend.
MJS M

This looks like the place where the Frankenstein series jumped the shark and nuked the fridge. That said, it really isn?t as bad as some of the other Universal horror sequels. It?s strange that this series managed to have the staying power it did, most of the other franchises of the… More
This looks like the place where the Frankenstein series jumped the shark and nuked the fridge. That said, it really isn?t as bad as some of the other Universal horror sequels. It?s strange that this series managed to have the staying power it did, most of the other franchises of the time were DOA from the first sequel. This one suffers largely because the people in it are a lot dumber than the audience, namely because they keep letting Ygor hang around long after it?s really obvious he?s up to no good. The finale is very strange, and the makeup seems a bit cheaper than it was in previous films. Lon Cheney Jr. is the one dawning the flattop, I can?t say it makes much of a difference. The film feels awfully long for something that?s barely longer than a single hour. Not great, but better than some of the competition.