Why Boris Karloff waited an entire year to watch his own films
"It’s the only way I can learn anything about my acting."
They say that slow and steady wins the race, and while Boris Karloff certainly took his time with his career, he had the success to back up every decision he’d ever made.
Most notably, the actor is best known as the Monster in the 1931 horror film Frankenstein. However, Karloff was an active performer before such a feature, appearing in movies like The Utah Kid (1930) and The Criminal Code (1931).
Years later, Karloff would frequently see success in the horror genre, starring in movies like the 1935 film The Raven. Though plenty of horror films relied on cheap tricks and jump scares, Karloff approached the genre with tender respect and care.
“See, I’m still a menace,” Karloff said during an interview with The Calgary Albertan. “But I don’t scare people with neon lights sticking out of my skull, two heads or eyeballs that pop out every time the heroine looks at me. I’m just Boris Karloff, horror man.”
Part of the actor’s process was actually to refrain from seeing his own performances until he could make a more objective opinion of the quality.
“I usually wait a year before seeing one of my pictures,” said Karloff. “It’s the only way I can learn anything about my acting. It’s like reading something you’ve written. The next day, it sounds pretty good. But a year later, it stinks.”
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