Expected more

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

Very pleasantly surprised at how good this film was. Great acting, super musical score, wonderfully tacky sets, even the continuity was on the mark. A lot of nice little touches too, like "Cream of Veet" instead of "Cream of Wheat" on the castle kitchen counter. It's hard to find a kid's film that the entire family will enjoy, but this is it! My favorite part was the seedy/needy vendors of all things Frankenstein and their mumbled entreaties to anyone and everyone. Watched this to catch a fleeting glimpse of the lovely Vanessa Koman in one of her few film roles (a big fan) but came away loving it all. Laugh-out-loud funny!

I recommend this film for families who would enjoy a monster movie but don't want their kids to see violence and gore. Adults, as well as kids, will be entertained by this light-hearted comedy. My own children thoroughly enjoyed it. It was fun to see Tommy Kirk of "Old Yeller" and "Swiss Family Robinson" fame. The boy who plays Billy was very cute and turned in a fine performance. We recognized Vernon Wells from the "Mad Max" movies. And the Frankenstein monster was a delight: funny, sweet and sensitive rather than scary and threatening.