The New Annotated Frankenstein
Page 51
The story began to take on a life of its own. In July 1823, Richard Brinsley Peake penned and staged Presumption; or, The Fate of Frankenstein at the English Opera House. The play was an enormous success, moving to New Covent Garden in 1824. Only a few weeks after Peake’s version opened, H. M. Milner’s Frankenstein! or, The Demon of Switzerland, a melodrama with music, opened at the Royal Coburg Theatre. Peake burlesqued his own play in Another Piece of Presumption in October 1823, and numerous other London productions quickly followed, including Frankenstein (Royalty Theatre, 1823), Frankenstein (Coburg, 1823), and the burlesques Frankenstein (David-Royal Amphitheatre, 1823) Frank-in-Steam (Adelphi, 1823), Frankenstitch (Surrey, 1823), and Frank-n-Stein, or the Modern Promise to Pay (Olympic, 1824).
T. P. Cooke as the creature in Presumption, or the Fate of Frankenstein, by Richard Brinsley Peake (1823).
A few years later, Le Monstre et le Magicien, based on Frankenstein, appeared on the Paris stage; a production in English translation opened later that year at the West London Theatre. Not to be outdone, Milner wrote a new work, based on the French play, called Frankenstein; or, The Man and the Monster! This again ran at the Royal Coburg Theatre, opening on July 3, 1826. “After 1826,” writes Radu Florescu, “there was hardly a season in London, Edinburgh, Paris, Vienna, New York, in English provincial theatres or at the universities, where some melodramatic or burlesque adaption of Frankenstein was not performed either by professional or amateur groups.”2 On January 4, 1981, a production of Frankenstein, written by Victor Gialanella, opened and closed on Broadway, setting a (temporary) record for the most expensive Broadway flop of all time. In 2011, the National Theatre in London mounted a fascinating dramatic adaptation of Frankenstein by Nick Dear, directed by Danny Boyle, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller, who alternate the roles of Victor Frankenstein and the creature. Fans did not miss the fact that Cumberbatch and Miller star in two different well-received television versions of a modern Sherlock Holmes.
Jonny Lee Miller as the creature and Benedict Cumberbatch as Victor Frankenstein, in the 2011 National Theatre production of Frankenstein.
VICTOR FRANKENSTEIN AND HIS creation are not the most filmed characters in history. That distinction belongs to Sherlock Holmes, with Dracula and Tarzan running close behind. However, the Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com) lists 147 films with “Frankenstein” in the title, and there are dozens of other films that include characters from Mary Shelley’s novel. The following is merely a selection of some of the more noteworthy films (although “noteworthy” in this genre rarely indicates a film of quality). For a catalog of virtually every “Frankenstein” film made before 1984, see Donald Glut’s comprehensive The Frankenstein Catalog (Jefferson, NC, and London: McFarland & Company, 1994).
O. Smith as the monster, in Henry Milner’s Frankenstein; or the Man and the Monster (1826).
Richard Henry’s Frankenstein, a burlesque melodrama (1887).
Title
Year Released
Production Company
Notes
Frankenstein
The first cinematic depiction of Frankenstein’s creature, in Edison’s 1910 Frankenstein (Edison Company), starring Charles Ogle as the creature.
1910
Thomas A. Edison
Long thought lost, this is the first filmed version of Shelley’s tale. Though only a one-reel silent, the film is powerful and thrilling, with a brilliant special effect showing the creation of the monster (played by Charles Ogle). It can be found today on YouTube.
Il mostro di Frankenstein (“The Monster of Frankenstein”)
1920
Albertini Film (Italian language)
Little is known about the film, now lost, but it was reportedly based on Shelley’s novel.
Frankenstein
1931
Universal
Directed by James Whale, and though it strays far from Shelley’s novel, the most influential production ever made. It starred, of course, Boris Karloff as the creature.
Bride of Frankenstein
Publicity photo of James Whale with the creature, during the shooting of Bride of Frankenstein (ca. 1935).
1935
Universal
Poster for La moglie di Frankenstein (The Bride of Frankenstein) (Universal Pictures, 1935), directed by James Whale.
Also directed by Whale and with Karloff reprising his role as the creature, it also featured a frame depicting Mary Shelley, played by Elsa Lanchester, who also appears as the eponymous and iconic “Bride.”
Son of Frankenstein
1939
Universal
Sequel to Bride of Frankenstein, with Karloff returning as the monster. Starring Basil Rathbone as Baron von Frankenstein and Bela Lugosi as Ygor, but without Whale’s direction, the film pales in comparison to its predecessors.
Ghost of Frankenstein
1942
Universal
The studio attempted to squeeze more juice from the fruit, with Lon Chaney Jr. as the monster and a cast including Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Ralph Bellamy, Lionel Atwill, and Lugosi returning as Ygor, but the film is poorly regarded.
Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man
1943
Universal
With Chaney playing the Wolf Man, the studio cast Lugosi as the monster. For the first time, Universal used the name “Frankenstein” to mean the monster—Baroness Frankenstein (Ilona Massey) appears as a character and does indeed meet the Wolf Man’s alter ego, Larry Talbot, but she is a minor character.
House of Frankenstein
Poster for House of Frankenstein (Universal Pictures, 1944), directed by Earle Kenton and starring Boris Karloff as Dr. Gustav Niemann, John Carradine as Dracula, and Lon Chaney Jr. as Larry Talbot (the Wolfman), and with J. Carrol Naish, Lionel Atwill, and George Zucco.
1944
Universal
A weak sequel to Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man and Dracula’s Daughter (1936), it again starred Chaney as the Wolf Man and Boris Karloff as a mad doctor, leaving Glenn Strange to play the monster.
House of Dracula
1945
Universal
An even weaker sequel, this time to House of Frankenstein, with Chaney as the Wolf Man, John Carradine as Dracula, and Glenn Strange returning as the monster.
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein
1948
Universal
In a fitting demise for the Universal series, the boys send up the House of Frankenstein/House of Dracula films. Happily, Lugosi returned as Dracula, with Chaney appearing for the last time as the Wolf Man and Glenn Strange as the creature.
I Was a Teenage Frankenstein
1957
American International Pictures
Whit Bissell plays an English descendant of Victor Frankenstein, who comes to America to try his hand at mad science.
The Curse of Frankenstein
1957
Hammer Films (Warner Bros.)
Directed by Terence Fisher, this introduced Peter Cushing as the Baron Victor Frankenstein and starred Christopher Lee as the creature. The script is only loosely based on Shelley’s novel.
Frankenstein 1970
1958
Allied Artists
Boris Karloff in a leaden performance as Baron Frankenstein and weakly directed by Howard W. Koch, but the film still has its admirers.
The Revenge of Frankenstein
Poster for The Revenge of Frankenstein (Hammer Films, 1958), directed by Terence Fisher and starring Peter Cushing.
Poster for La vendetta di Frankenstein (The Revenge of Frankenstein) (Hammer Films, 1958), directed by Terence Fisher and starring Peter Cushing.
1958
Hammer Films (Columbia)
A sequel to The Curse of Frankenstein. Under Terence Fisher’s direction, Cushing returned as the baron; Michael Gwynn plays the monster created by the baron.
The Evil of Frankenstein
1964
Hammer Fi
lms (Universal)
Cushing again plays the baron, with the monster portrayed by Kiwi Kingston. A flashback depicts a scene from Shelley’s novel, and the film has been termed a sequel to a Hammer Film that was never made!
Frankenstein Meets the Spacemonster
1965
Futurama Entertainment Corporation (Allied Artists)
An artificial human is built for space travel; on returning to Earth, he combats aliens. Curiously, the film was released in Mexico as Marte Invade a Puerto Rico (“Mars Invades Puerto Rico”)
Jesse James Meets Frankenstein’s Daughter
1966
Circle Productions (Embassy Pictures)
The title pretty much says it all.
Frankenstein Created Woman
Poster for La maledizione del Frankenstein (distributed in most countries as Frankenstein Created Woman) (Hammer Films, 1967), starring Peter Cushing and Susan Denberg.
1967
Hammer Films (20th Century Fox)
Fisher returned to the directorial chair, with Cushing reprising the role of Baron Victor Frankenstein. The monster of this film is a woman, Christina, portrayed by Susan Denberg.
Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed
1969
Hammer Films (Warner Bros./Seven Arts)
Terence Fisher directed Peter Cushing again, with another monster that is nondescript.
Frankenstein Unbound
1970
Mount Company
Produced and directed by Roger Corman and starring John Hurt, the film is based on the Brian Aldiss novel and blends science fiction, time travel, the events of Shelley’s life, and the events of her novel.
The Horror of Frankenstein
1970
Hammer Films (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer-EMI/Associated British Picture Corporation)
A remake of The Curse of Frankenstein without Cushing or Lee; David Prowse (who later played Darth Vader) appears as the monster.
Dracula vs. Frankenstein
Poster for Dracula vs. Frankenstein (Troma Entertainment, 1971), directed by Al Adamson and starring J. Carrol Naish and Lon Chaney Jr.
1971
Independent International Pictures Corp.
Noteworthy solely for its cast, which included J. Carrol Naish as Dr. Frankenstein and Lon Chaney Jr.; Forrest Ackerman appears in a small part and was a technical consultant.
Blackenstein
1972
Eddie C. Stewart and Exclusive International Pix
Made in the heyday of black exploitation films, the script bears little resemblance to Shelley’s story, though the “mad scientist” is Dr. Stein.
La figlia di Frankenstein (“The Daughter of Frankenstein”), released in the U.S. as Lady Frankenstein
Poster for Lady Frankenstein (Condor International Productions, 1971), directed by Mel Welles and starring Joseph Cotten.
1972
Condor International (New World Pictures) (Italian language)
Well regarded by some critics, especially the lead performance by Sara Bay as Tania Frankenstein. Also includes Joseph Cotten as Baron Frankenstein and bodybuilder Mickey Hargitay, remembered as the husband of Jayne Mansfield, as a police detective.
Les expériences érotiques de Frankenstein (“The Erotic Experiences of Frankenstein”)
1972
Comtoir du Film Production/Fenis Film (French language)
With an appearance by Count Cagliostro as well as Dr. Frankenstein, the muddled script is mildly erotic.
El espiritù de la colmena (“The Spirit of the Beehive”)
1973
Elias Querejeta P.C. (Spanish language)
In 1940, a young girl is deeply taken with the film El Dr. Frankenstein, autor del monstruo, the Spanish-language version of the 1931 Frankenstein.
Frankenstein: The True Story
1973
Universal, NBC
Made for television, this four-hour film was scripted by Christopher Isherwood and Don Bachardy and had a distinguished cast including James Mason, Leonard Whiting, David McCallum, Jane Seymour, John Gielgud, Ralph Richardson, and Michael Sarrazin as the creature. Though set in the appropriate time period, it bears little resemblance to Shelley’s tale.
Flesh for Frankenstein, also released as Andy Warhol’s Frankenstein
Poster for Andy Warhol’s Chair pour Frankenstein (Flesh for Frankenstein)(Compagnia Cinematographia Champion, 1973), written and partially directed by Paul Morrissey and starring Udo Kier.
1974
Rassam Production (Bryanston Pictures)
With the ubiquitous Udo Kier as Baron Frankenstein as well as several Warhol “regulars” and including special effects by Carlo Rambaldi (later famed for his work on E.T. the Extraterrestrial), Warhol’s nearly incoherent film involves zombies, disemboweling, and sex.
Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell
1974
Hammer Films (Paramount)
Terence Fisher returned to direct Peter Cushing in this sequel to Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed; David Prowse again played the monster. Though Cushing’s baron is left alive and contemplating his next creation at the film’s end, the Hammer Films series ended here.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
1975
20th Century Fox
An enduring camp classic, starring Tim Curry as the inimitable Dr. Frank-N-Furter.
Young Frankenstein
1975
20th Century Fox
Mel Brooks’s finest film, in the view of many, with a screenplay co-written by its star, Gene Wilder. A warm and very affectionate sendup of the Universal series of Frankenstein films. See below for an interview with Mel Brooks about the film forty years after its making.
Victor Frankenstein
1977
ASPEKT Film AB (Films Around the World)
A faithful adaptation of Shelley’s novel, without, however, the character of Justine.
Dr. Franken
1980
NBC
Robert Vaughn stars as a slightly mad physician who reanimates a John Doe. “Suggested by” Shelley’s novel.
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein
Poster for Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (TriStar Pictures, 1994), directed by and starring Kenneth Branagh as Victor and Robert De Niro as the creature.
1994
TriStar Pictures/Japan Satellite Broadcasting Corporation/The IndieProd Company
Directed by and starring Kenneth Branagh as Victor Frankenstein and Robert De Niro as the creature, the film is well intentioned (hoping to emulate the success of Coppola’s 1992 Bram Stoker’s Dracula) but ultimately boring; it was a box office failure.
Frankenstein and Me
1996
Desert Music Pictures
A sweet, small film, starring Burt Reynolds, about a young boy who dreams of Universal’s monsters (Dracula, Frankenstein, the Wolf Man).
Frankenstein Reborn
2005
The Asylum
A modern retelling, with many character names drawn from the novel.
Frankenstein
2007
Impossible Pictures
Made for television, set slightly in the future, featuring Dr. Victoria Frankenstein.
Bikini Frankenstein
2010
Retromedia Entertainment
Soft porn, about an evil doctor who creates an undead sex kitten.
Army of Frankensteins
2013
Boiling Point Media/Six Stitches Entertainment
An evil doctor (do we sense a theme here?) sends back in time a young man who finds himself in the middle of the American Civil War along with an army of undead creatures.
I, Frankenstein
Poster for I, Frankenstein (Hopscotch Features, 2014), written and directed by Stuart Beattie.
2014
Hopscotch Features/Lakeshore Entertainment/Lionsgate
An action film, hoping to cash in on the success of the Underworld films, in which Shel
ley’s creature survives from 1795 to the present, only to be caught up in a war between immortal demons and angels.
INTERVIEW WITH MEL BROOKS, WRITER-DIRECTOR OF YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN
Mel Brooks (photo by Angela George, used under CC-by-SA 3.0 license).
In March 2014, the editor had the privilege of conducting a short interview via telephone with legendary writer-director Mel Brooks about his wonderful 1974 film Young Frankenstein.
LSK: Mr. Brooks, you have co-credit on the script, but I assume that it was all your idea?
MB: No, it wasn’t. I’ll tell you exactly how the idea to do the film came about. I was making a movie called Blazing Saddles [in late 1973], and a leading actor in it, besides Cleavon Little, was Gene Wilder. Gene Wilder was busy one day in a corner while we were preparing the lighting to shoot a scene with him, and he was scribbling on a legal pad. I said, “Gene, what are you writing?” And he said, “I have an idea for a film.” I said, “What’s the idea?” He said, “It’s called Young Frankenstein. It’s about a Frankenstein today who is ashamed of his crazy forebears, the ones that think they can reanimate dead tissue.” So I said, “That’s interesting,” and he said, “Well, I think it would make an interesting and funny movie.” I said, “Well, let me see a draft.” He showed me about fifteen or sixteen pages that was an outline and some rough dialogue. I liked it very much, and I said, “When you finish it, why don’t you show it to me?” He said, “Why don’t you write it with me?” I said, “OK, sure,” so we began working on it. Even when I was editing Blazing Saddles, at night we were working on Young Frankenstein. It was fun right from the beginning, so I knew it would work, I knew it had to be done.