When one thinks of films before 1970, there’s a certain stigma that comes with them; stilted and theatrical acting, an old fashion way of speaking, and for whatever reason everything seems void of color. But if you give these films a chance, you’ll often find films that deal with modern themes, modern direction, and even modern acting that would easily fit in with films of the 2000s.
There were a handful of actors who bridged the gap between classical acting and modern acting; namely Marlon Brando, Montgomery Clift, and James Dean. But even before those talented actors came on the scene, there was a whole preexisting generation: Claude Rains, Lon Chaney Sr., and, of course, Boris Karloff. These actors were the equivalent of our generation’s Gary Oldman, Daniel Day Lewis, and Johnny Depp.
It’s not unlikely for an actor these days to gain or lose weight, undergo some sort of procedure, or rely heavily on make-up and costuming for a role. In fact, it seems to be rewarded by the Academy. And why not? It’s exciting, and often times inspiring to see the amount of talent and devotion involved in creating such a character. Someone had to lay the groundwork, set the standards, raise the bar for these modern actors to reach. Enter Boris Karloff
Mr. Karloff, much like Chaney, was known for his total emersion into a wide variety of physically different characters. Whether a simple trick with make-up, or slightly changing the way he carried himself, the change between characters was completely defining.
His most famous role as the Monster in Frankenstein has become more than a pop culture icon, but rather an image that is transferred from generation through generation through birth. Karloff was so convincing as the Monster that it’s hard to believe that he was a very sophisticated London born gentleman. Coming in at a slightly above average 5’11”, with only the help of some shoe lifts and a masterful carriage, he managed to convince movie watchers that he was the eight-foot tall savage creature.
Obviously there is more to acting than changing your physicality. I turn your attention to the sequel to Frankenstein, The Bride of Frankenstein. It isn’t so much a horror film (which it is,) or a horror-comedy (which it also is,) but a coming-of-age tale. In the first film the Monster was born, in the second one, the Monster develops an understanding of the world around him. What Karloff does with a character with such a limited vocabulary and restricted comprehension of his environment is astounding.
Unfortunately Karloff was so great as the Monster that he was pigeonholed for the rest of his career, despite his endless talent. Even so, he made due with what was given to him, proving again and again that his skill was ahead of its time. One can point to almost any of his films to see such a diverse body of work, despite most of it being within the horror genre.
Compare his otherworldly performance as Hjalmar Poelzig in The Black Cat against his Jekyll and Hyde type character in The Haunted Strangler. Compare his militant and intelligent General Nikolas Pherides in Isle of the Dead to his mute brute in The Old Dark House. Compare his other iconic performance as Im-Ho-Tep in The Mummy versus his thieving pauper in Val Lewton’s Body Snatchers. Karloff was capable of playing all walks of life, and I would argue in some ways even more so than the best actors of today.
What his biggest talent was as an actor though, wasn’t his physical transformation, which is absolutely something to behold, but the sincerity of the depths he reached within his characters. Unlike some actors today, Karloff’s make-up wasn’t just a mask to conceal the actor, but key to unlock a different human. Each of his roles brought out a different perspective of darkness, and Karloff rarely repeated himself.
Nearly seventy years since the beginning of his career, Karloff’s talent and iconic status hasn’t faded. It still feels relevant, and untouchable. Even a brilliant actor like DeNiro couldn’t dislodge Karloff’s association with the word Frankenstein. Certainly if Karloff lived in this era, he would be hailed as one of the best actors around, probably showered with more Oscar nominations than Meryl Streep.
For movie lovers who haven’t found their way into classical Hollywood films yet, I suggest starting with any Karloff movie. It will act as a unique, entertaining, and easy transition from modern cinema into the walls of cinema history.
This article is part of the Boris Karloff Blogathon. To see a complete list of entries, please visit http://frankensteinia.blogspot.com/
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