Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Anatomy of an Ad Campaign: James Whale's Frankenstein

Long before I knew the difference between Will Hays and Gabby Hayes, there were certain moments where the heavy hand of a censor at work could clearly be felt. Such was the case of numerous childhood viewings of A Corny Concerto, a Warner Bros. Looney Tunes send-up of Disney's Fantasia, on Chicago's WGN-TV.

Just before Bugs Bunny is about to expire from a bullet to the chest, hunter Porky Pig, in the role usually reserved for Elmer Fudd, and his unnamed hound attempt to pry our hero's paws from its chest. One second before the reveal, a giant, hairy splice would rip across the frame followed by a slow fade-in on the next scene.

It wan't until my early 20s, and a local 35mm revival house screening of an evening of classic Bugs Bunny cartoons, that the mystery of the splice was finally put to rest. Instead of a gaping chest wound, we are treated to the following shot of the cwoss-dwessing wabbit's perfectly formed 'C' cups cradled in a turquoise blue Maidenform bra.

WGN also brought me my first chance(s) to see the edited version of James Whale's Frankenstein, but in this case, I can't kill the messenger for what was snipped. The cut in question involves a scene in which little Maria sits tossing the tops of flowers into a pond. The Monster appears and initially makes nice with the child, too young to judge him on his hideous physical appearance. After running out of flowers to float, the Monster turns to her and, just when you think someone is about to be keelhauled, there is a jarring fade to black.

For years, legend had it that a version exists in which Doc Frankenstein's creation gives the tyke a permanent bath. In this instance, one can't blame the WGN crew, nor does the Hays Office deserve the brunt of any abuse for the abrupt halt. Legend has it 'twas Boris, not the beastly censors, to blame for the edit. Karloff would have preferred gently placing Maria's body in the water instead of Whale's take where he was directed to chuck the moppet into the drink.

You kids have it easy today. What took me decades to see is now just a mouse-click away.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LEzC1RZd0g

Frankenstein was Universal's big Christmas picture for 1931. The following 9 ads appeared in various newspapers across the U.S. and Canada. I tried to "restore" them to the best of my ability.

The Owosso Argus-Press - December 7, 1931.

San Jose News - December 8, 1931.

San Jose News - December 10, 1931.

Lawrence Journal-World - December 21, 1931.

Lawrence Journal-World - December 22, 1931.

Lawrence Journal-World - December 23, 1931.

Lawrence Journal-World - December 24, 1931.

Lawrence Journal-World - December 25, 1931.

Spokane Daily Chronicle - January 8, 1932.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all

Previous article

Domestic disturbance at the home of Mayor Gloria and partner

Home Sweet Homeless?

Long before I knew the difference between Will Hays and Gabby Hayes, there were certain moments where the heavy hand of a censor at work could clearly be felt. Such was the case of numerous childhood viewings of A Corny Concerto, a Warner Bros. Looney Tunes send-up of Disney's Fantasia, on Chicago's WGN-TV.

Just before Bugs Bunny is about to expire from a bullet to the chest, hunter Porky Pig, in the role usually reserved for Elmer Fudd, and his unnamed hound attempt to pry our hero's paws from its chest. One second before the reveal, a giant, hairy splice would rip across the frame followed by a slow fade-in on the next scene.

It wan't until my early 20s, and a local 35mm revival house screening of an evening of classic Bugs Bunny cartoons, that the mystery of the splice was finally put to rest. Instead of a gaping chest wound, we are treated to the following shot of the cwoss-dwessing wabbit's perfectly formed 'C' cups cradled in a turquoise blue Maidenform bra.

WGN also brought me my first chance(s) to see the edited version of James Whale's Frankenstein, but in this case, I can't kill the messenger for what was snipped. The cut in question involves a scene in which little Maria sits tossing the tops of flowers into a pond. The Monster appears and initially makes nice with the child, too young to judge him on his hideous physical appearance. After running out of flowers to float, the Monster turns to her and, just when you think someone is about to be keelhauled, there is a jarring fade to black.

For years, legend had it that a version exists in which Doc Frankenstein's creation gives the tyke a permanent bath. In this instance, one can't blame the WGN crew, nor does the Hays Office deserve the brunt of any abuse for the abrupt halt. Legend has it 'twas Boris, not the beastly censors, to blame for the edit. Karloff would have preferred gently placing Maria's body in the water instead of Whale's take where he was directed to chuck the moppet into the drink.

You kids have it easy today. What took me decades to see is now just a mouse-click away.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LEzC1RZd0g

Frankenstein was Universal's big Christmas picture for 1931. The following 9 ads appeared in various newspapers across the U.S. and Canada. I tried to "restore" them to the best of my ability.

The Owosso Argus-Press - December 7, 1931.

San Jose News - December 8, 1931.

San Jose News - December 10, 1931.

Lawrence Journal-World - December 21, 1931.

Lawrence Journal-World - December 22, 1931.

Lawrence Journal-World - December 23, 1931.

Lawrence Journal-World - December 24, 1931.

Lawrence Journal-World - December 25, 1931.

Spokane Daily Chronicle - January 8, 1932.

Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Godzilla vs. Kong: monstrous

This isn’t a movie, it’s a product strung together off the backs of merchandise that came before it.
Next Article

Gaga for the Lady

Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader