Frankenstein (1931), The Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Son of Frankenstein (1939), and The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942).
Time to go back to the source! The films that started a mythology, created the stereotypes, and taught us everything we were going to need to know about the mad genius that created a “monster” and the innocent, child-like creature that would eventually be known by his creator’s own name. In this episode, we look back at the first four Universal Frankenstein films, before the monster-ramas, when the main point was the creature and his maker. While there is a lot of material to cover in only one episode, we cover as much as we can, trying to show you just how important, entertaining and well-made these films are after close to a century.
Films mentioned during this episode:
All Quiet on the Western Front (1930), The Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954), Curse of Frankenstein (1957), Dracula (1931), Frankenstein (1931), Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943), The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923), The Invisible Man (1933), Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932), The Phantom of the Opera (1925), Son of Frankenstein (1939), The Vampire Bat (1933), Young Frankenstein (1974)
kitleyskrypt.com 
I will have to disagree with you on the humor added to The Bride of Frankenstein ruining the film. Seeing this as a kid, I considered the humor a little goofy but it was twisted and dark… humor mixed with death. Minnie and Dr Pretorius’ characters were essential players in the film. Had Minnie not noticed Henry was still alive lying there when everyone else was walking away after his body was brought back to the castle, he might have died right there untreated. Had Pretorius not showed up, Henry would not have been tempted back to the dark side and created the bride, and it was Pretorius who convinced the monster to help him force Henry to make the bride. As for Pretorius’ little creatures not being essential and thinking that part should have been edited from the film, I admit it did drag on a bit but, when I saw them as a kid, they were weird and creepy and worked with The Bride’s story of what happens when you start playing god and the consequence that may occur. I thought it was a great mix of gothic dark humor. If you omit Minnie and Dr Pretorius for being funny, then you’d have to take out Henry’s father, Fritz, Igor who all played pivotal roles in the Frankenstein films
LikeLike