Movies

Go Behind the Scenes of ‘The Bride of Frankenstein’ With 18 Rare Photos From the Making of the 90-Year-Old Horror Classic

See Boris Karloff, Elsa Lanchester, Colin Clive and more bring one of the greatest horror sequels of all time to life!

By Abbey Bender October 28, 2025

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1. Tea time

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There’s something weirdly wonderful about seeing Frankenstein’s Monster doing normal stuff behind the scenes. Here, Boris Karloff, still sporting his full monster makeup, enjoys a cup of tea and a cigarette during a break in filming.
2. Monster makeover

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Even monsters need to go to the salon! In this fun photo from the set, makeup artist Jack Pierce tends to Karloff’s spooky hairdo. While Pierce often wasn’t listed in the credits of the films he worked on, he was an unsung Universal horror hero, as in addition to Frankenstein, he also created looks for characters like Dracula, the Mummy, the Wolf Man and more.
3. The bride in repose

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Here, director James Whale gives stern guidance to Elsa Lanchester and Colin Clive as they recline backstage. Whale was known for being one of the only openly gay directors in classic Hollywood and over the years, many viewers have come to see his Frankenstein movies as gay allegories.
4. A lovely landscape

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The Bride of Frankenstein was filmed on the Universal Studios lot, but it created a wholly transporting atmosphere—you’d never know it was primarily shot in California! Here, stars Ernest Thesiger (Dr. Pretorious), Colin Clive (Dr. Frankenstein), Boris Karloff (Frankenstein’s Monster) and Elsa Lanchester (the Bride of Frankenstein) admire production illustrations of the painted landscapes that would be used as backdrops in the film.
5. The monster eats lunch

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Karloff looks contemplative as he takes a quick break for lunch on set.
6. Gothic chic

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This picture of Lanchester posing with her eyebrow pencil and compact mirror behind the scenes looks straight out of a goth fashion photo shoot!
7. Smoke break

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While it’s generally frowned-upon today, back in the ’30s, smoking was so common that a novelty behind-the-scenes shot of Clive lighting Karloff’s cigarette was used to promote the film.
8. Paint it white

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Karloff had to put up with a lot on set—including his director painting him white!
9. The happy couple

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Colin Clive and Valerie Hobson, who played his wife, look surprisingly cheery in this portrait from the set. Hobson wore a wig in the film, and you can see her hairnet here.
10. An uncomfortable position

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Here, Whale and his cameraman close in on a mummy-wrapped Lanchester to get a haunting shot of the Bride.
11. In the spotlight

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Whale is quite dapperly attired as he directs Karloff. According to old Hollywood lore, the director and his star didn’t always get along, and Lanchester recalled, “Whale seemed to be jealous of all the attention Karloff got, and referred to him as 'that truck driver.’”
12. That’s not Karloff!

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In this quirky candid, Whale and cinematographer John J. Mescall playfully inspect a model of the Monster while figuring out their lighting scheme.
13. On the chopping block

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We’re not quite sure why Karloff was chopping wood on set, but we’re sure the horror legend has a good reason for it!
14. The lads kick back

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While The Bride of Frankenstein was an American production, the director and lead actors were all British, and as such, afternoon tea became a behind-the-scenes ritual. Here, Karloff, Clive and Thesiger gather round for a cup of tea and a smoke.
15. Sitting pretty

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Elsa Lanchester may be the best-remembered woman in The Bride of Frankenstein, but Valerie Hobson, Dr. Frankenstein’s wife, seen here applying her makeup in between takes, was also a key player.
16. Say cheese!

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Cinematographer John J. Mescall was known for his dramatic and evocative style of shooting and here, he trains his camera on Boris Karloff while the star grabs his shoulder.
17. Live from the laboratory

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Over 90 years after it first appeared onscreen, Dr. Frankenstein’s laboratory remains one of cinema’s most recognizable sets, and this behind-the-scenes shot offers a fascinating perspective on just how cavernous and intricately detailed it actually was.
18. A view of the village

Everett Collection

This shot shows the construction of the European village set used in The Bride of Frankenstein. The elaborate set was built on the Universal Studios backlot and was used in a number of horror films before it was tragically destroyed in a 1967 fire.

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