Frankenstein: The True Story

[Earth 2 Chris]

I watched this for the first time this weekend. I was expecting a faithful adaptation of Shelly's novel...and this isn't it. That being said, it's by no means bad. It comes across as Jane Austin's Frankenstein to me. Much more interested in the nuances of relationships than any previous Frankenstein I've seen. Not really sure why the creature would "revert" to a scabby cave man and not just a rotting corpse, but the evolving makeup by Roy Ashton was quite well done. Jane Seymour was quite fetching as Prima, the "Bride" character. James Mason's Polidori certainly seemed to borrow a bit from Universal's Dr. Pretorious.

The boy and I watched it and enjoyed it, although Mason being turned into a skeleton by a bolt of lightning was laugh-out-loud bad. The ending was a bit anti-climatic as well. But for $3 at Big Lots...why not?

Chris

[madmarva]

Was this the one that aired as a two night movie on the tube in the 70s? I remember it being advertised when I was a kid, but have never watched it, but I should.

[PNGwynne]

I bought it on the cheap too, and enjoyed it for what it is. You are spot-on about the ending *sigh.*

[Earth 2 Chris]

Was this the one that aired as a two night movie on the tube in the 70s? I remember it being advertised when I was a kid, but have never watched it, but I should.

Yeah, it's in two parts, and is from 1973, so I think it's the one you are thinking of.

Chris

[MIB41]

I believe I've seen that. Isn't that the film where a mate is also created for the monster and her head gets ripped off? I seem to recall some kind of made-for-TV movie that played to that graphic.

[Werewolf]

It's not bad and it's a unique take that the creature starts out normal and then slowly begins to decay.

[Earth 2 Chris]

I believe I've seen that. Isn't that the film where a mate is also created for the monster and her head gets ripped off? I seem to recall some kind of made-for-TV movie that played to that graphic.

Yep, that's it. That was a shocking scene, despite them really showing nothing gruesome at all. That was Jane Seymour's character, and she wore a choker around her neck at all times to conceal her scar. It played to that old story about the bride who wore a ribbon around her neck, and her husband pulled it off, only to have her head go with it!

It's not bad and it's a unique take that the creature starts out normal and then slowly begins to decay.

Yeah, you really feel sorry for the creature. He's abandoned only because his looks begin to turn hideous.

Chris

[MIB41]

Yep, that's it. That was a shocking scene, despite them really showing nothing gruesome at all. That was Jane Seymour's character, and she wore a choker around her neck at all times to conceal her scar. It played to that old story about the bride who wore a ribbon around her neck, and her husband pulled it off, only to have her head go with it!
Chris

Thanks Chris. Yeah, I remember being pretty shocked when I first saw that. At that time it was pretty brutal even for suggestive violence. I'll have to check that out again since I haven't seen it since. It will be interesting to see how my new take will compare with how I remember it emotionally.

[Bruce Banner]

I remember this too. Pretty good, although not very close to the book at all, and hardly the "true story". But still damn entertaining.