The Bride: Blu-Ray Review

This week, arriving on Blu-ray for the first time is 1985’s “The Bride”.  This reimagining of “The Bride of Frankenstein” starring Sting, Jennifer Beals, David Rappaport and Clancy Brown is something that until now, I have never gotten around to seeing.  I loved Rappaport in “Time Bandits”, Sting was the only good thing in 1984’s “Dune”, and as for Beals, I am all about “Flashdance”, so I can’t think of any reason why I never took the time to see “The Bride”. Maybe it was the film’s title, that kept me away as a kid. If I had realized years earlier that Clancy Brown played Frankenstein’s monster in this flick, I would have gotten to it much sooner.

Having now seen “The Bride”, I can honestly say, that I am not a fan. Beals’ performance is laughable. Reading up on the film, I learned that the actress was (rightfully) nominated for a Razzie Award.  The title is also misleading, as I felt more focus was put on the story of the monster and his new friend (Rappaport) traveling to join the circus, rather than Baron Charles Frankenstein and Eva aka the bride. That is a good thing, since Clancy and Rappaport are the best thing in this strange horror-buddy-romantic-drama. “The Bride” is also incredibly boring. As much as I love Clancy, his portrayal of the monster feels a bit to comedic (though not intentional). It doesn’t work when it is obvious that writer Lloyd Fonvielle and director Franc Roddam wanted something more serious and heartfelt.

Even though I can’t recommend “The Bride”, I will say that this is a great looking transfer for those who are fans of the film.  There are also new interviews with Roddam and Brown, which is a plus.

Bonus Features

• NEW Audio Commentary With Director Franc Roddam
• NEW Interview With Director Franc Roddam
• NEW Interview With Actor Clancy Brown
• TV Spot

By: Marc Ferman