(Note: getting a late start today because of the Frankenstorm. I figured a Frankenstein film fit the mood of the day better than what I had chosen earlier….)

Story: a new Baron Von Frankenstein comes home to the ol’ castle from the US of A. Wanna guess what happens next lightning storm?

Scares: Strictly old school chills. Nowadays the old Universal films are more for warm nostalgia than real terror. But the way the douchebag townspeople treat the new Baron when they first meet? Now that’s scary.

Splat Factor: In a film from 1939? Not at all.

Shock Ending?: What Splat Factor said.

Remake, Sequel or OG (Original Ghoul)?: A follow up to the excellent one-two punch of the original Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein.

Trick or Treat?: Think of this film as a 3 Musketeers among Snickers and Milky Way; not as good as the other two, but a whole mess of fun nonetheless. There’s plenty to love in this third installment, not the least of which is the fine stable of actors. Basil Rathbone, Bela Lugosi. Oh yeah, and there’s a little someone by the name of Boris Karloff as Frankenstein’s monster. Ahhhh, that’s the good stuff.

The late-1930s fashions are always fun to see (that’s one of my favorite fashion eras), and the set design is familiar, complete with the Strickfaden machines that make Frankie films so much fun. Little Peter Frankenstein is absolutely adorable, even though he reminds me of Honey Boo-boo now. Goddamn reality television.

Bonus – the one-armed Inspector Krogh (played by Lionel Atwill) is the template for Young Frankenstein‘s Inspector Kemp and Doctor Strangelove‘s good Doctor (all apologies to Metropolis, but this is the film I think of when I see Strangelove, not Lang’s.)

Score: out of 5 pumpkins.