Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
 | Starring: George Asprey, Alfred Bell, Helena Bonham Carter, Richard Briers, John Cleese Sony Pictures, 1994, DVD Customer Rating: 128 reviews Recommend |
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Robert De Niro, Kenneth Branagh, Tom Hulce, Helena Bonham Carter, Aidan Quinn, Ian Holm and John Cleese star in Branagh's acclaimed adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. True to the original, here is the story of a young doctor whose obsession with death leads him to create a life. But his "creature" crafted from the bodies of convicts and the brain of a brilliant scientist, is a hideous mockery of humanity. And when the creature realizes he will never be accepted by men, he seeks revenge on Dr. Frankenstein and his family. An inspired adaptation that's emotionally complex and truly terrifying.
Let's be honest: this should be titled Wretched Excess' Frankenstein. Swooping, wild, bloody, and energetic, this is bad moviemaking from the best, which makes it all the more lovable. Kenneth Branagh plays Victor Frankenstein, a man so obsessed with conquering death that he decides to create life. What he gets, after a protoplasmic mud wrestle, is a Mean Streets monster (Robert De Niro) that isn't particularly happy to be back from the dead or thrilled about all the stitches. Helena Bonham Carter may, at several points in this film, actually be channeling Ramtha. The supporting cast couldn't be peopled with better performers (Tom Hulce, John Cleese, Ian Holm) but they all look like they're ringside at some Ultimate Fighting competition. A must for any midnight movie collector for the shock factor alone. A hoot. — Keith Simanton
Title: Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
Sales Rank: 19713 in DVD
Actor: George Asprey, Alfred Bell, Helena Bonham Carter, Richard Briers, John Cleese
Studio: Sony Pictures, 1998-07-29, Theatrical Release: 1994-11-04
Format: AC-3, Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD-Video, Full Screen, Subtitled, NTSC, Acpect Ratio 1.33:1
Languages: English (Original Language), French (Original Language), English (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), Spanish (Dubbed)
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Region Code: 1
Running Time: 123 minutes
Package Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.1 x 0.6 inches, 0.25 pounds
- Truest Rendition of the Shelley Classic Yet!
- I frankly don't understand the bad reviews that the "Times" and others have given this riveting remake of the Mary Shelley classic. This is the first movie rendition of the story that comes anywhere close to the Shelley novel. True to form, the story begins and ends at the polar ice cap...as in the novel. The well-intentioned, albeit… More reviews
- Artistically true to Shelley's classic!
- Although this movie was critically and publically panned, I honestly think that it is the BEST film adaptation of Mary Shelley's classic novel. Critics complained about the film, saying that it was too grotesque, too melodramatic, too epic. What critics failed to realize is that THAT is exactly what a Gothic Romance story is: melodramatic, epic, exaggerated, but still… More reviews
- Branagh is a Genius, plain and simple.
- There is a grand mad excess that triumphs in this film, overriding any of its faults. I go back to it again and again to revel in the brilliant acting, the dazzling photography, and the deliberate and bold intensity. It is very true to Mary Shelley's masterpiece, very true, indeed. And it is also cinematically magical and very simply beautiful. Highly recommended. The great moral… More reviews
- Dissect this beast
- If we were to improve on this beast, first we would have to remove the incessant score which permeates every minute of this film. Can we the viewer be left to trust our own emotions without having the score "tell" us how to feel? Secondly, De Niro as the creature is visually good, but we need him to talk less. When he's asking "Do I have a soul, too?"… More reviews
- Not at all like Mary Shelley's novel.
- Do not be taken in by the statement on the cover - "true to the original." This is a poor action film with none of the sentiment of the book.… More reviews
