“I saw the pale student of unhallowed arts kneeling beside the thing he had put together. I saw the hideous phantasm of a man stretched out, and then, on the working of some powerful engine, show signs of life, and stir with an uneasy, half vital motion. Frightful must it be; for SUPREMELY frightful would be the effect of any human endeavour to mock the stupendous mechanism of the Creator of the world…”
—Mary Shelley, from the introduction of the 1831 edition of Frankenstein.
When 21-year-old Mary Goodwin penned her first novel, she had no idea she was setting into motion a phenomena that would generate billions of dollars and spawn countless interpretations, reimaginings, and rip-offs. Frankenstein: or The Modern Prometheus, conceived during the “wet, ungenial summer” of 1816, was originally a short story inspired by a daydream; encouraged by her lover (and soon-to-be-husband) Percy Shelley, Goodwin expanded her concept into novel form. Published in 1818, Frankenstein was an instant sensation and the subject of both praise and derision in literary circles. Though the novel was adapted for the stage as early as 1823, it was Universal Pictures 1931 version that truly made the name “Frankenstein” a household word.
I’ll spare you the paragraph-and-a-half I was planning about James Whale’s cinematic masterpiece and skip right to the toys — that’s why you clinked the link, right? Frankenstein (and don’t give me a hard time about calling him that, that’s how he’s billed on the box) came to us in wave one of Sideshow’s Universal Monsters Series. The figure stands 8 inches tall and includes a character-accurate display base with nameplate and three accessories: two sets of manacles and a torch.
This is the Silver Screen edition of the figure. Frankenstein is painted in gray tones, which is more accurate to the character’s on-screen appearance, and saves him the indignity of looking like a cheap Halloween decoration. Here’s a stock pic of the regular release for comparison:
See what I mean? Yeah, he’s been dead and all, but I’ve never cared for the luck-o-th’-Irish green tint the Monster is saddled with in these modern, chromatically biased times. I chose the Silver Screen edition because that’s how I see the Monster in my mind, but there are some issues worth noting.
The figure was cast in black plastic, so the “painting” part was mostly skipped. The jacket is a greenish color, but it doesn’t really pop. Not that is should, this isn’t Miami Vice, it’s just that all those dark colors can appear a bit dense when Frank is being displayed. That said, the figure’s coloration provides a fine counterpoint to the Bride’s mostly-white appearance, but more on her in a bit.
The face and hands get the lion’s share of the paint apps and look great. The chosen tones “feel” screen-accurate and a dark wash and some highlights really bring it to life — err, so to speak. Little details like the electrodes on the Monster’s neck and the clamp that holds the top of his head on were hit with a muted silver that looks appropriately metallic. Though the paintwork is minimal nothing is missed, so it acquits itself nicely.
On to the sculpt. Oluf W. Hartvigson plays the Mad Doctor here, bringing the Monster to life. The likeness to actor Boris Karloff is uncanny; deep-set eyes burn beneath the heavy brow with the hellish intensity the actor was known for. You can feel the pain and suffering Karloff brought to his most famous role — it’s etched into every line of the figure’s face. Details like the Monster’s trademark forehead scar and too-short jacket sleeves are present and accounted for, adding up to a picture-perfect rendition. From a likeness standpoint it simply doesn’t get any better than this.
Articulation-wise, the Monster’s neck, shoulders, and wrists are pegged joints, while the elbows and knees are hinged. The figure has no waist-cut, which is a shame — Frankie won’t be twistin’ like we did last summer any time soon. It’s not a deal-breaker, but if it doesn’t compromise the sculpt, then every little bit of articulation helps. It’s really the only area I could see anyone taking issue with. Mezco’s recent attempt at the Monster had even less, as well as a weak sculpt and crap paint, so I don’t expect to have to debate the issue any time soon.
WARNING! The Monster demands a Mate!
After the stunning worldwide success of FRANKENSTEIN, Universal Pictures set about filming a sequel. Four years later, the studio unleashed an entirely new kind of monster upon the world.
The Bride of Frankenstein came to us in wave two of the aforementioned Universal Monsters line. The figure is approximately 8 inches tall, features 12 points of articulation and comes with a character-appropriate base with nameplate, removable gown, and an alternate bandaged head.
Wunderkind Hartvigson absolutely nails the likeness here. (I hope my check is in the mail, Oluf…) I can’t say enough about how nicely the Bride came out. The head sculpt is just terrific — for having been recently dead, the figure looks surprisingly lively. Actress Elsa Lanchester portrayed the Bride and it’s her facial features Hartvigson is tasked with incorporating into the sculpt. From the actress’s high forehead and wide eyes to her pert nose and full lips, all are present and accounted for.
The bandaged head is excellent as well. I don’t know how she managed to keep all that hair under there, but hey, gals are a mystery, right, fellas? While I’m not sure how many people would choose to display it over the unbandaged version, it’s always nice to have options. Personally, I think it’s a shame to cover up this face. I mean, whoa, baby!
Teh hotness.
If you peel off the removable cloth-goods gown (perv), you’ll discover just how into it Hartvigson is. Like the alt head, the Bride’s bandaged form is rendered in meticulous detail — the bandages have a depth and texture that’s about as close to cloth as plastic can get. It’s pretty remarkable when you consider most people would just leave the gown on, and is another example of Sideshow’s commitment to getting it right the first time.
As you’ve no doubt noticed, the Bride is also a Silver Screen edition. Unlike the Silver Screen version of the Wolf Man, it’s surprisingly effective here. Between the bandages and her deathly pallor, the Bride isn’t exactly the most colorful chick on the block, so this approach works in her favor. Really, there isn’t much color present in the design to begin with, so this saves the painter from having to guess at what her skin-tone, eyes, etc should look like. For those of you who are curious, here’s a shot of the regular version from the back of the package:
The only real difference? Red lips and dirtier bandages. Personally, I’ve always had a thing for Goth chicks, so the dark lipstick on this edition is a-okay with me.
The Bride moves at the “Sideshow 12” — her neck, shoulders, wrists and waist are pegged joints, while her elbows and knees are hinged. As all the Bride really did with her onscreen time was walk around stiffly and shriek, this is plenty. Would I have preferred a ball-jointed neck and shoulders? Of course. I’m not a “vanilla” poser — I like to be able to mix it up a little in my displays, but what’s present is completely satisfactory. Unlike other Sideshow offerings Invisible Man and Dracula, the Bride’s arms are in a relaxed pose, hanging at her sides. They look great with her standing or lying on the operating table.
The figure’s base is nice enough. It’s sculpted to look like the floor of Doc Frankenstein’s lab and features a nifty electrode-type thing. The paint is up to par with the figure, which shows Sideshow’s dedication to giving us a top-notch display item. Unlike many other toy companies, they gave us a base that wasn’t just going to end up in the trash. Well, mine did, but that was an accident. Whoops!
In the end, these two figures represent the apex of the Universal Monsters in action figure form. While they may not be doing cartwheels or ninja-kicks due to their limited articulation, both Frankenstein and his Bride are screen-perfect representations of the cinema’s most beloved reanimated couple. While the characters will undoubtedly be revisited by other toy companies in the future, it’s kind of moot. Sideshow got it right the first time — anything else is simply redundant.
Happy Halloween from the Anthill!
And if you missed a Sideshow review, here’s your chance to get caught up:
- Phantom of the Opera and the Hunchback of Notre Dame
- Dracula
- Invisible Man
- Wolf Man
- Mole People
- Metaluna Mutant
- Creature from the Black Lagoon
Jason R Mink — 10/31/13