If theres one classic movie star Id love to have met, its Boris Karloff.
But there was a hell of a lot more to him than that.
Unfortunately for me, though, Karloff died long before I was born.
He passed away 44 years ago, at the age of 81.
Obviously,Frankensteinis brilliant.
Its beautifully shot, scary, and genuinely affecting.
Frankensteinis so good that I want to say it hasnt dated, but thats clearly not true.
And a lot of that is down to Karloffs performance.
And theyre all based on Karloff inFrankenstein.
His face, his body language, combined with Jack Pierces incredible makeup work, made an unforgettable impression.
By the 1940s, Karloff had become a bit disenchanted with the Universal style of horror.
All three are villainous roles, but theyre complex characters in interesting movies.
Finally, it felt like Karloff was getting material that was worthy of his talents as an actor.
Sadly, that didnt last.
My favourite of the later Karloff movies so Im gonna say its the best, because why not?
Karloffs performance as the increasingly horrified, increasingly weak professor inThe Sorcerersis genuinely moving.
Its not quite his last film, but it kind of feels like it ought to be.
Maybe Karloffs biggest transformation, though, occurred off screen.
Because he wasnt really Boris Karloff at all.
Despite his foreign-sounding stage name, Karloff was English.
(Although not in the original Frankenstein, where he was credited, rather obnoxiously, as ?)
(People just dont sound like that anymore, do they?)
Through decades of hard work, the very British William Henry Pratt became Boris Karloff, a Hollywood legend.
In interviews, he comes across as thoughtful, polite, and eloquent.
He seems to have really, genuinely, been a lovely person.
Last year, I went on a mini pilgrimage to pay my respects at Karloffs grave.
Maybe thats better; itd feel disrespectful to leave tiny Lego Frankensteins or something there.
But maybe he wouldnt have minded.
I wish I couldve asked him.
