Mark Gatiss, who plays Mycroft to Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock, surveys the field of horror films, starting from not quite their beginning.
A couple of things came to mind while watching this. Gatiss was, of course, working within a time limit, but for all of the attention he gave to James Whale, there isn’t even a mention of “The Invisible Man.” It also features the now late Gloria Stuart, who Gatiss interviewed regarding “The Old Dark House.” Stuart talks about the difficulty she had working for Whale, but he liked her enough for a return performance.
Boris Karloff was well-known for his distinctive voice, but for his most famous role he only spoke a few words. Gatiss is right to praise the superb “Bride of Frankenstein.” Universal used Franz Waxman’s outstanding score many times over, most notably in the “Flash Gordon” serials with Buster Crabbe.