Product Description

After his performance in the classic Frankenstein, he became synonymous with terror. But behind his gaunt glare and distinctive lisp was the soul and manner of a cultured English gentleman. Born in London in 1887, William Henry Pratt abandoned his studies and used a modest inheritance to begin his acting career in Canada, breaking with his past by changing his name to Boris Karloff. He toured in stock companies for years before getting his big break at age 41, landing the role of the monster in Frankenstein. BIOGRAPHY chronicles his life through extensive film clips, behind-the-scenes footage and personal interviews with family and costars, including his daughter. See how he became a Broadway, TV and radio star when Hollywood tired of horror, and how he risked his livelihood and freedom as one of the founding members of the Screen Actors Guild. Karloff's legacy is a combination of awe for the monster he created and deep love for his professional versatility, kindly humor, and humanitarian nature.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #59711 in DVD
• Released on: 2007-07-31
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 50 minutes

Customer Reviews

Truly the Gentle Giant of Horror
A most enjoyable portrait of a very remarkable individual. I proudly share Mr. Karloff's month and day of birth but not the same year. His portrayal of the Frankenstein monster remains a cinema classic. Alas, many actors in lesser roles received Academy Awards; but he never complained. Nor did he publicly complain that his role in "Arsenic and Old Lace" was given to Raymond Massey when the film was made. Truly a gentleman until the end of his life.

Peter Graves did an excellent job as narrator. It was wonderful to see the footage of Boris' daughter Sarah as well as Lugosi's son. The clips from "This is Your Life: Boris Karloff" were interspersed nicely throughout. Biography did its usual excellent job of research with lots of photos, interviews and anecdotes included.

If you love the undisputed King of the Monsters and his multi-faceted film roles (including The Mummy and Fu Manchu), don't hesitate to add this to your collection. I'm certainly glad I have it.