(1936)
Dir - H. Bruce Humberstone
Overall: MEH
The thirteenth Charlie Chan film to star Warner Oland in the lead and the only one to feature Boris Karloff, Charlie Chan at the Opera is quite typical of the series. Chan is primarily portrayed as a yellowface Sherlock Holmes, noticing and then deciphering clues quicker than any of his causation colleges. Meanwhile the actual Asian actors are delegated to minor roles, including Keye Luke as Chan's "number one son". Chan may be the most charming and brilliant character on screen, spouting wise, faux-Chinese slogans at every opportunity, but Oland does play him with a stereotypical, stilted-English accent. Also, various characters call him Chop Suey or make morphine addict and "all Asians look alike" quips at regular intervals. While plenty of this is certainly eyebrow raising today, the movie itself is primarily harmless in its intent and has a lighthearted charm despite its ignorance. It is mostly a treat for Karloff fans as he plays a deranged former opera star and even gets to mime such singing in a few scenes, which is quite a hoot.
(1937)
Dir - Lloyd Corrigan
Overall: MEH
The last movie in which Universal billed Boris Karloff solely by his last name, Night Key features him as an elderly, nearly blind inventor whose plans to get back at his corrupt rival backfire with organized crime hi-jinks. Though the title gadget works on some kind of faux-scientific logic, throwing the sci-fi tag on it let alone a horror one is completely misleading. Karloff basically uses the contraption to short circuit security alarms without any malicious intent. It is only once an unexcitable crime boss and his gang get a hold of it and kidnap Karloff's daughter that the movie raises the stakes in a typical, mildly exciting crime story capacity. The cast does respectable work and director Lloyd Corrigan keeps the sixty-eight minute run time rather agreeable. This would easily be a forgettable film altogether though if not for Karloff's involvement, merely serving as a contract-filler for the working actor who does his usual, respectable best with the material. If anything, it showcases him in a largely benevolent light, representing one of the "farthest from a villain" roles that he would ever take on.
(1939)
Dir - Rowland V. Lee
Overall: GOOD
The first Universal horror film to go into production following a several year break after the financially less successful Dracula's Daughter, Son of Frankenstein also stands as the final time that Boris Karloff appeared on screen as the monster. While the fifty-two year old Karloff does his best under an uncomfortable wardrobe, Willis Cooper's screenplay leaves him very little to do in comparisons with the previous two films. Thankfully, Béla Lugosi steps in as a saving grace, playing the crippled, fiendish Ygor. Easily one of hist finest performances, Lugosi essentially steals the movie, contorting his body and using his naturally stilted English to ideal effect as the seemingly dim-witted, accused grave-robber out for revenge. Rowland V. Lee's direction cannot compare to that of James Whale's as the pacing can afford to be a bit snappier at times. Still, the set design is as German Expressionism-inspired as ever, particularly in the Frankenstein's stark, shadowy, and unusually styled castle. Most of the heavy lifting falls on the shoulders of Basil Rathbone in the title role and Lionel Atwill as the wooden-armed Inspector Krogh, both of whom do solid work, (even if Rathbone's character comes off as arguably the worst liar in the history of cinema). While it is overall a step down from the earlier, much beloved and influential entries in the series, this is still very much a success.
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