Another weekend. Another classic Frankenstein movie.
In Ghost of Frankenstein, there is much anger and unrest in the village of Frankenstein. The surrounding countryside associates the village with the monster. Quite understandably, they are staying away. The economy is faltering. Children are going hungry.
What to do? Change the name of the village perhaps? No. The obvious solution is to take up flaming torches and march of into the night with dynamite to destroy what remains of Dr. Frankenstein's home.
Ironically, this wanton destruction uncovers the monster, who had been safely buried beneath a pile of sulphur (?) inside the house. When he emerges, his faithful friend Ygor is there waiting for him. Another miraculous survivor of the previous film.
Ygor and the monster escape through a fog-shrouded graveyard and before long arrive in the town of Vasaria, where yet another son of the original Dr. Frankenstein is living quietly. Under an assumed name? No. Ludwig Frankenstein is a prominent doctor in the town. Oddly enough, no one connects him to the ostracized village of Frankenstein, which appears to be within walking distance. How fortunate for him.
Ludwig wants nothing to do with the monstrous experiments of his father and brother. That's why he's taken such care to preserve and hide their notes. So, needless to say, it's not long before he's persuaded to change his mind. Right the wrongs of his forbears and all that. Not surprisingly, the situation quickly deteriorates.
In the end, the countryside is safe and peaceful again. At least for a while. And we are left to ponder the implications of brain transplants and the wisdom of keeping an air-tight gas chamber in the home.
This was the last of Universal's classic Frankenstein films in which the monster appeared independently. After this came the movies featuring multiple monsters. Probably a wise decision of Boris Karloff's to walk away from the role when he did. Lon Chaney Jr. took over the monster's role from Boris Karloff for this film and reportedly had a difficult time tolerating the costume. His discomfort appears to have spilled over into his performance. He looks like he's suffering from a killer migraine throughout the film. He was probably relieved to return to his Wolfman role.
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