Frau Blucher (Cloris Leachman)

Character Analysis

Horse-Drawn Caricature

Frau Blucher (whinny) is your run-of-the-mill creepy castle's eerie, sour-faced, mysterious caretaker. You can't take care of a castle this strange without being a little weird yourself. She even scares the horses, who whinny in fear whenever her name is mentioned. When Frederick and his new pals arrive at the castle, she escorts them to their rooms… with an unlit candelabra. Frankenstein's room turns out to be his grandfather's room, and it seems that Frau Blucher still has a thing for old dead Victor who, if the painting's accurate, looks exactly like his grandson.

That explains why Frau Blucher hits on Frederick his first night at the castle, trying to get him to have a nice drink with her before bed. Any drink. Brandy. Warm milk. Ovaltine. He's not receptive to her advances, so she has to smooch the painting instead.

We later discover that Frau Blucher is the one playing the creepy violin music. It's a Frankenstein family tradition, and she's determined to still make dead Victor's dreams become a reality. Why? She announces in typical dramatic fashion;

FRAU BLUCHER: He was my boyfriend!