Mary Shelley's gothic masterpiece "Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus" has been an unsettling classic for almost 200 years. It's an epistolary novel told by two men: scientist Victor Frankenstein and the hideous, eight-foot being he created in a lab. The book has inspired dozens of movies since J. Searle Dawley's 1910 silent adaptation, the most notable of these being Universal's eight-film franchise in the 1930s and '40s, which includes James Whale's classic "Bride of Frankenstein." When the Universal series ran out of juice, Hammer Film Productions reimagined Shelley's story in gloriously gore-soaked color, featuring Peter Cushing as Frankenstein and Christopher Lee as the monster.
Curiously, the best film versions of "Frankenstein" are those that dramatically depart from Shelley's narrative. Whenever filmmakers try to stay faithful to the novel, they wind up with something misshapen or, in the case of Kenneth Branagh's "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein," utterly risible.
Curiously, the best film versions of "Frankenstein" are those that dramatically depart from Shelley's narrative. Whenever filmmakers try to stay faithful to the novel, they wind up with something misshapen or, in the case of Kenneth Branagh's "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein," utterly risible.
- 3/15/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
In the 200 years since it was published, we've seen numerous adaptations (and countless movies influenced by) Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Directed by J. Searle Dawley and produced by Thomas Edison, the first screen adaptation of the classic story came almost one century after Shelley's book was first published, and it's now been newly restored and released online by the Library of Congress.
As detailed in a fascinating post by Mike Mashon on the Library of Congress' website (via Bloody Disgusting), the Frankenstein (1910) nitrate print was acquired by the Library of Congress in 2014, nearly one decade after the death of its previous owner, Alois F. “Al” Dettlaff.
After residing in Wisconsin for decades, the print was brought to the Library of Congress' film preservation lab, where it was given a "2K scan in advance of photochemical preservation," followed by a digital restoration that was made complete with help from the Edison...
As detailed in a fascinating post by Mike Mashon on the Library of Congress' website (via Bloody Disgusting), the Frankenstein (1910) nitrate print was acquired by the Library of Congress in 2014, nearly one decade after the death of its previous owner, Alois F. “Al” Dettlaff.
After residing in Wisconsin for decades, the print was brought to the Library of Congress' film preservation lab, where it was given a "2K scan in advance of photochemical preservation," followed by a digital restoration that was made complete with help from the Edison...
- 11/2/2018
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Georges Méliès’ Le Manoir Du Diable signified the dawn of the horror film. A lost film, Esmeralda (1905), the first adaptation of Victor Hugo's The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, is the offical second installment in the genre. It was created by founding French director Alice Guy-Blaché at the dawn of the 20th Century, who would aid in revolutionizing the art as Gaumont's leading director, and one of the first experimenters with color and special effects in the medium. Her work was succeeded by another adaptation of Hugo's novel in 1911, with an ambitious version by Albert Capellani, another lost film. Though such powerful filmmakers were behind the first explorations into the horror genre on screen (followed by J. Searle Dawley's Frankenstein), it would not be until the early 1920s that horror would even...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 1/27/2017
- Screen Anarchy
Marc Buxton Oct 22, 2019
Frankenstein’s monster has fought werewolves, vampires, cowboys, masked wrestlers, and rubber suited hellbeasts. Seriously.
Along with Dracula, the most enduring horror icon of horror fiction is certainly Frankenstein’s Monster. When Boris Karloff starred in Universal’s Frankenstein (1931), directed by the great James Whale, audiences were riveted (ahem) by the tale of science gone mad. Karloff’s portrayal of the monster transcended the boundaries of the genre and became one of the most enduring images in the history of film.
Universal didn't stop there, delivering sequel after sequel, such as 1935’s Bride of Frankenstein (considered by many to be the most complete horror movie ever made), Son of Frankenstein (1939), Ghost of Frankenstein (1942), where Karloff was replaced by Lon Chaney Jr., the immortal 1942 monster mash-up Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man starring Bela Lugosi as the Monster, and finally, House of Frankenstein, a battle between all the marquee Universal monster characters.
Frankenstein’s monster has fought werewolves, vampires, cowboys, masked wrestlers, and rubber suited hellbeasts. Seriously.
Along with Dracula, the most enduring horror icon of horror fiction is certainly Frankenstein’s Monster. When Boris Karloff starred in Universal’s Frankenstein (1931), directed by the great James Whale, audiences were riveted (ahem) by the tale of science gone mad. Karloff’s portrayal of the monster transcended the boundaries of the genre and became one of the most enduring images in the history of film.
Universal didn't stop there, delivering sequel after sequel, such as 1935’s Bride of Frankenstein (considered by many to be the most complete horror movie ever made), Son of Frankenstein (1939), Ghost of Frankenstein (1942), where Karloff was replaced by Lon Chaney Jr., the immortal 1942 monster mash-up Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man starring Bela Lugosi as the Monster, and finally, House of Frankenstein, a battle between all the marquee Universal monster characters.
- 10/27/2013
- Den of Geek
World War Z, directed by Marc Forster (Monster's Ball, Stranger Than Fiction, Quantum Of Solace) may be the most talked-about non-comedy zombie flick to come along in over a decade. When it hits theaters on June 21st, horror fans will decide whether or not World War Z is an inventive game-changer in the trajectory of the zombie sub-genre. While we count down the days, let's spotlight the zombie movies that are already infamous as game-changers... the most influential zombie films in cinema history. Presented here in order of release, these were the movies that re-set the rules, re-defined the motion picture zombie, and re-routed the evolution of the living dead on film.
White Zombie (1932)
Director: Victor Halperin
The Thomas Edison / J. Searle Dawley short film Frankenstein put the undead on film in 1910. Robert Wiene's The Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari was groundbreaking and influential on multiple levels in 1920. This masterpiece...
- 6/13/2013
- by Eric Stanze
- FEARnet
Motion pictures have been around for more than a century, and some of the very first films ever made were designed to scare audiences. In fact, one urban legend describes how a short film by cinematic pioneers the Lumière Brothers made audiences scream and run from the theater at the sight of an oncoming train. Sure, it sounds goofy now, and it probably came as a surprise to the filmmakers too, but it's arguably the first true moment of terror caused by a movie. Artists picked up on this when experimenting with the new medium, and immediately set about scaring audiences on purpose. This new series will travel back in time to the very first cinematic scares, and reveal a few choice bits of info about each pick. Not all of them are considered masterpieces, but all of them played a major role in popularizing horror on the silver screen.
- 2/1/2013
- by Gregory Burkart
- FEARnet
The very first Fankenstien movie was shot over 102 years ago in 1910. It was directed by J. Searle Dawley and was produced by Thomas Edison at his film studio. Since then, there have been around 70 movies made that involve the the monster from Mary Shelley’s legendary novel Frankenstein. Now you can see the movie that started it all. It's only 12 minutes long so enjoy!
- 8/15/2012
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
Why Watch? There’s a lot of concern about what seems like a constant stream of remakes and re-imaginings, and while there are several excellent remakes to point to, I thought it would be interesting to look at the first version of something. Hailing from 102 years ago, this was the first motion picture version of Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein,” a novel that has been made into so many films, that it’s difficult to think of any new versions as being “a remake.” Of course, it’s doubly fascinating that this film, directed by J. Searle Dawley, was made at Thomas Edison‘s film studio. Regardless of that bit of trivia, it’s an interesting historical artifact. What will it cost you? Only 12 minutes. Skip work. Watch more short films.
- 8/14/2012
- by Cole Abaius
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Exactly 100 years ago today on March 18, 1910, the first film version of Frankenstein premiered to the public. Directed by J. Searle Dawley and starring Augustus Phillips as Dr. Frankenstein and Charles Ogle as the monster, the film was produced at Thomas Edison’s film studios in New Jersey. And I have no doubt that the film terrified audiences back then during a more simpler age. (And the shots of the monster being created in the oven must have freaked out people back then). So here’s the film in all it’s glory, all 13 minutes of it…...
- 3/18/2010
- by Sergio
- ShadowAndAct
Yes, as of today Frankenstein has been a fixture in American cinema for 100 years. The first film version of Mary Shelley's 1818 novel first saw the light of a projector bulb on March 18, 1910. Predating the better known Boris Karloff version by 21 years, this film was directed by J. Searle Dawley and starred Augustus Phillips as Frankenstein (no first name) and Charles Ogle as the monster. It was produced by Edison Studios, although according to Wikipedia Thomas Edison had no direct involvement in the film. You can see this early example of horror cinema after the jump.
To commemorate the occasion Pierre Fournier is presenting a week of relevant posts on his Frankensteinia blog. For an in depth article on the Edison Frankenstein, check out Fournier's posting "The First Frankenstein of the Movies" which was his first post of the week.
Filed under: Classics
Continue reading Frankenstein is 100 Years Old! Watch His First Movie Now!
To commemorate the occasion Pierre Fournier is presenting a week of relevant posts on his Frankensteinia blog. For an in depth article on the Edison Frankenstein, check out Fournier's posting "The First Frankenstein of the Movies" which was his first post of the week.
Filed under: Classics
Continue reading Frankenstein is 100 Years Old! Watch His First Movie Now!
- 3/18/2010
- by Matt Bradshaw
- Cinematical
With ongoing Frankenstein adaptations in the works, it is sometimes hard to believe that the original story Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, written by feminist author Mary Shelly, is almost 200 years old!
The first film adaptation of Frankenstein, produced by the Edison Studios in New York, will be celebrating its 100th anniversary this Thursday, March 18.
Eclipsed by the successful 1931 version produced by Universal Studios and subsequent adaptations, the 1910 Frankenstein was almost completely forgotten, until recently.
The picture, which is regarded by some to be the oldest horror film in existence, was discovered by author and film historian Frederick C. Wiebel, Jr. as he was researching the film for a magazine article. The film was originally thought as ‘lost’ by the American Film Institute when in fact one copy of the film survived, lying in the Wisconsin basement of an eccentric film collector named Alois Dettlaff, Sr. who acquired it in the 1950s.
The first film adaptation of Frankenstein, produced by the Edison Studios in New York, will be celebrating its 100th anniversary this Thursday, March 18.
Eclipsed by the successful 1931 version produced by Universal Studios and subsequent adaptations, the 1910 Frankenstein was almost completely forgotten, until recently.
The picture, which is regarded by some to be the oldest horror film in existence, was discovered by author and film historian Frederick C. Wiebel, Jr. as he was researching the film for a magazine article. The film was originally thought as ‘lost’ by the American Film Institute when in fact one copy of the film survived, lying in the Wisconsin basement of an eccentric film collector named Alois Dettlaff, Sr. who acquired it in the 1950s.
- 3/16/2010
- by Natasia
- FamousMonsters of Filmland
Author and film historian Frederick C. Wiebel Jr. has recently reissued a new edition of his book Edison’s Frankenstein, which covers the making of the world’s first horror movie and the efforts to find and restore the film. The book is published by BearManor Media and can be bought at Amazon or directly from the author, as well as other book outlets.
Produced at Thomas Edison’s Bronx-based studio, Frankenstein runs about twelve minutes long and was written and directed by J. Searle Dawley. The film, which you can watch in its entirety below, consists of a couple basic scenes shot on very few sets that focuses more on the drama — actually, more like melodrama — than on the horrific elements of Mary Shelley’s original novel.
According to a recent article by Wiebel, Edison’s studio took extra care to make sure their film was tasteful and didn...
Produced at Thomas Edison’s Bronx-based studio, Frankenstein runs about twelve minutes long and was written and directed by J. Searle Dawley. The film, which you can watch in its entirety below, consists of a couple basic scenes shot on very few sets that focuses more on the drama — actually, more like melodrama — than on the horrific elements of Mary Shelley’s original novel.
According to a recent article by Wiebel, Edison’s studio took extra care to make sure their film was tasteful and didn...
- 2/8/2010
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
Forget all those other unwanted projects that Bryan Singer has been attached to lately. Although he could still do the "Battlestar Galactica" and "Excalibur" remakes in the future, The Hollywood Reporter's Heat Vision blog reports that the "X-Men" director's next movie is the fairy tale "Jack the Giant Killer."
Last month I erroneously stated that this project, then already linked to Singer, was based on the "Jack and the Beanstalk" story. It is a similar fairy tale and is likely derived from the same origins (another variation is the Brothers Grimm's "The Brave Little Tailor"). "Jack the Giant Killer" is a more basic legend involving a farmer who rescues a princess from the kingdom of Giants.
While this may appeal to young audiences who want a combo of "Harry Potter" (Jack even uses an invisibility cloak) and "The Lord of the Rings," it may still be a detour for fans of Singer's prior work.
Last month I erroneously stated that this project, then already linked to Singer, was based on the "Jack and the Beanstalk" story. It is a similar fairy tale and is likely derived from the same origins (another variation is the Brothers Grimm's "The Brave Little Tailor"). "Jack the Giant Killer" is a more basic legend involving a farmer who rescues a princess from the kingdom of Giants.
While this may appeal to young audiences who want a combo of "Harry Potter" (Jack even uses an invisibility cloak) and "The Lord of the Rings," it may still be a detour for fans of Singer's prior work.
- 9/23/2009
- by Christopher Campbell
- MTV Movies Blog
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