The 10 Best Frankenstein Movies, Ranked by Rotten Tomatoes

Frankenstein’s monster is one of the original “big three” classic Universal monsters, along with Dracula and the Wolf Man. For nearly 100 years, this monster has been the subject of hundreds of movies, some better, some worse. But which ones are the most critically praised and have fans and writers singing in unison, “It’s Alive!”? These are the 10 best Frankenstein movies, as ranked by Rotten Tomatoes.

10 The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) – 79%

The Rocky Horror Picture Show may very well be the most unique take on Frankenstein there has ever been. This 1975 big-screen adaptation of the 1973 stage show reinvents Dr. Frankenstein as the transvestite Dr. Frank-N-Furter and his monster named Rocky, a handsome, muscular, blonde man. The comedy musical would go on to be one of the most popular cult classics (which seems like an oxymoron) of all time. You can still find interactive midnight showings of the film all over the world, nearly 50 years after its release.

9 The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) – 82%

The Curse of Frankenstein returned the character to his dark and horror roots after a series of comedic takes on the creature from Universal. It paired the duo of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing together as the monster and Baron Frankenstein. A more evil doctor and a terrifying take on the creature, The Curse of Frankenstein added a breath of fresh air to the then-stale property of Frankenstein.

8 The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958) – 87%

This direct sequel, The Revenge of Frankenstein, finds Cushing’s Baron Frankenstein down on his luck following the events of The Curse of Frankenstein. This entry sees Frankenstein approached by a rival doctor, who is interested in working together in order to produce a new creation. Again, the bulk of praise is heaped on the excellent performance given by Peter Cushing, something that helped carry this film to the critical success it has achieved.

7 Frankenweenie (2012) – 88%

Tim Burton’s 2012 version of Frankenweenie is an animated remake of his 1984 live action short film of the same name and story. A short film that earned Burton his walking papers. More than 20 years later, the studio approached the director about the stop-motion remake. Praised for its charm, the critical success showed that not only was Disney wrong for firing Burton in the 1980s, but that sometimes it pays off to trust a director’s vision.

6 Flesh for Frankenstein (1973) – 88%

Flesh for Frankenstein is an Andy Warhol-produced take on the classic Mary Shelly story, injected with large amounts of camp and schlock. This adaptation sees two sex-crazed creatures being created to help breed an entire race of monsters. The camp was handled with such care that it seemingly had the opposite impact as other schlocky films of the era, earning praise from critics in an almost hostage-like situation.

5 Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) – 90%

The classic comedy duo of Abbot and Costello met their fair share of iconic fictional characters throughout the ’40s, and in 1948, they found themselves face-to-face with Dracula, Wolf Man, and, of course, Frankenstein’s Monster. The film saw the return of the original Dracula and Wolf Man actors, Bela Lugosi and Lon Chaney Jr., but not Boris Karloff as the monster. However, Karloff did help Universal in promoting the film. Critics would praise the film for its perfect melding of the comedy and horror genres, a prelude to future films like Ghostbusters.

4 Frankenstein (1931) – 94%

1931’s Frankenstein is the one that started it all. Featuring Boris Karloff as the monster, the film would go on to be a big cog in the machine that was Universal monster movies in the ’30s and ’40s. While horror was not a popular genre at the time, Frankenstein broke into the mainstream consciousness of moviegoers, introducing them to a world they had never seen on the big screen before.

Related: 10 Movie Monsters Inspired by Frankenstein

3 Young Frankenstein (1974) – 94%

Walking in the footsteps of films made by the previously discussed comedic duo of Abbot and Costello, Young Frankenstein may very well be the best horror comedy ever made. Brilliant writing by Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder as well as hilarious performances by Wilder, Marty Feldman, and Madeline Kahn help to make Young Frankenstein one of the most critically praised Frankenstein films of all time.

2 Son of Frankenstein (1939) – 95%

Son of Frankenstein would mark Boris Karloff’s final role as the monster and would see Bela Lugosi of Dracula fame join the franchise as Igor, who manipulates Dr. Frankenstein’s son to reanimate the monster for Igor to use for his own vengeful means. Every aspect of the horror film was done to the highest standard seen in the genre at the time, and earned critical praise for its high production value and performances from the trio of classic monster movie actors.

Related: Every Actor Who Played Victor Frankenstein in Movies

1 Bride of Frankenstein (1935) – 98%

Most positive reviews for Bride of Frankenstein were qualified by the fact that the film was good, “for a horror movie”. This unfair qualification put the movie in a box it did not deserve to be in, as the film should be viewed as a whole. Future reviews would be much kinder to the film, earning it the place it rightfully deserves in movie history, and not just horror movie history. Upping the stakes of the original Frankenstein, the sequel sets out to and accomplishes the task of a sequel surpassing its predecessor in quality.