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Poster for Son of Frankenstein

Son of Frankenstein

Seen it?

1939 | 99 min | Horror, Science Fiction

Saturday Special

Why it’s a Saturday Special

Critics loved it (95% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it's still drawing plenty of interest, despite soft box office. A strong pick for the weekend.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for horror fans and sci-fi fans. If you loved Bride of Frankenstein or The Invisible Man, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood
Scary.
The pace
Moves along nicely, at 1 hr 39 min.
What might put you off
  • Made in 1939: an older pace and style.
  • Audiences were cooler on it than critics.

One of the sons of late Dr. Henry Frankenstein finds his father's ghoulish creation in a coma and revives him, only to find out the monster is controlled by Ygor who is bent on revenge.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsVery strong

    95% on Rotten Tomatoes

  • AudiencesSolid

    6.7 out of 10

  • AwardsNot counted

    No major awards or nominations

  • Box office & staying powerBelow par

    $500K worldwide on a $420K budget; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactStrong

    About 108K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Rowland V. Lee

  • Basil RathboneBaron Wolf von Frankenstein
  • Boris KarloffThe Monster
  • Bela LugosiYgor
  • Lionel AtwillInspector Krogh
  • Josephine HutchinsonElsa von Frankenstein
  • Donnie DunaganPeter von Frankenstein
  • Emma DunnAmelia
  • Edgar NortonThomas Benson
  • Perry IvinsFritz
  • Lawrence GrantBürgermeister