Frankenstein (miniseries)

Last updated
Frankenstein
Frankenstein (miniseries).jpg
Based on Frankenstein
by Mary Shelley
Written byMark Kruger
Directed by Kevin Connor
Starring Alec Newman
Luke Goss
Julie Delpy
Nicole Lewis
Monika Hilmerová
Donald Sutherland
William Hurt
Tomáš Maštalír
Composer Roger Bellon
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes2
Production
ProducerJames Wilberger
CinematographyAlan Caso
EditorJennifer Jean Cacavas
Running time177 minutes
Production company Hallmark Entertainment
Original release
Network Hallmark Channel
ReleaseOctober 5 (2004-10-05) 
October 6, 2004 (2004-10-06)

Frankenstein is a 2004 American television miniseries based on the 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley.

Contents

Plot summary

Captain Robert Walton sets out to explore the North Pole and expand his scientific knowledge in hopes of achieving fame. While icebound, the crew spots two dog sleds, one chasing the other. A few hours later, the crew rescues one of the sled drivers, Victor Frankenstein, who is deathly ill. As he recovers, Victor tells Walton his life's story.

Born into a wealthy family in Geneva in 1793, Victor decides at a young age to become a doctor. Weeks before he leaves for university in Germany, his mother dies of scarlet fever. At university, he develops a secret technique to imbue inanimate bodies with life with the encouragement of his mentor, Professor Waldman.

After bringing a deceased dog back to life (albeit temporarily), he creates a human being from parts of corpses and brings it to life. Upon seeing the Creature, however, he is repulsed by his work: he flees the room, and the Creature disappears. Collapsing from pneumonia brought on by overwork and emotional stress, he is nursed back to health by his friend, Henry Clerval, and childhood sweetheart, Elizabeth Lavenza. He returns home to find his younger brother William murdered. Certain this is the work of the Creature, Victor retreats into the mountains to find peace - only to be confronted by the Creature himself.

The Creature - now able to talk - tells him how he wandered into a village after Victor abandoned him, only to be chased into the mountains by angry villagers. He took refuge in the shed of a remote cabin, gradually learning to speak and read through his observation of a family who lived in the cabin. After approaching the blind grandfather, who responded to him in kindness, the Creature was physically attacked by the old man's son and ran away. Traveling to Geneva, he met a little boy — Victor's brother William — outside the town of Plainpalais. Wanting to keep the frightened boy from yelling, the creature accidentally killed him. The Creature concludes his story by demanding that Frankenstein create for him a female companion, promising that if Victor grants his request, he and his mate will vanish into the uninhabited wilderness of South America.

Victor reluctantly agrees, but he eventually abandons the project and destroys the Creature's "bride", aghast at the possibility of breeding of an entire race of creatures. Furious, the Creature swears vengeance against Victor, promising to "be with him on his wedding night," and, shortly after, murders Clerval. Victor is briefly imprisoned for the murder but is eventually acquitted. Victor returns home with his father and marries Elizabeth, but on their wedding night, the Creature sneaks into the bedroom and strangles her to death. Victor's father goes mad with grief. Victor vows to hunt down and destroy the Creature. After months of pursuit, the two end up in the Arctic Circle, near the North Pole.

After hearing Frankenstein's story, Walton relents and agrees to head for home. Frankenstein begs the captain to finish off what he could not, as the creature cannot be left alive. He sees Elizabeth's ghost beckoning to him and dies shortly after. Walton soon after discovers the Creature on his ship, mourning over Victor's body. The Creature expresses remorse for what he did to Victor and his loved ones, and vows to kill himself on his own funeral pyre. Walton watches as the Creature, carrying his creator's body, wanders off into the icy wasteland of the arctic, never to be seen again.

Cast

Reception

Reviews were generally positive, with critics singling out the film as a faithful adaptation of Shelley's work. Variety said "Faithfully retelling a 19th century gothic novel means daring to be boring in places, but the peaks far outweigh those flat and arid stretches in this beautifully assembled Hallmark production." [1]

Kim Newman said "This finally fulfils the promise many - including Frankenstein: The True Story and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein - failed to keep and is a faithful, respectful, slightly stiff adaptation of the novel." [2] DVD Talk gave the film three and a half stars saying "The story takes a while to get emotionally involved in, but if you give it a chance, your patience will be rewarded in the last half of the film. Because of its emphasis on tragedy over horror, and because of its loyalty to Shelley's original work, I'm going to go ahead and give this one a recommendation." [3]

Guy Adams, writing for the British Fantasy Society, reiterates that the "three hour mini-series sticks closely to the original novel" and said, "It's definitely a TV version (though thankfully light on the usual Hallmark Channel vaseline and whimsy), a little flat in places, but it is an honourable and enjoyable attempt at providing a definitive version of Shelley's book." [4]

Accolades

The mini-series was nominated for ASC award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Movies of the Week/Mini-Series/Pilot (Basic or Pay). [5] It was also nominated for an Artios award for Best Mini Series Casting. [6]

Related Research Articles

<i>Frankenstein</i> (1931 film) 1931 film by James Whale

Frankenstein is a 1931 American pre-Code science fiction horror film directed by James Whale, produced by Carl Laemmle Jr., and adapted from a 1927 play by Peggy Webling, which in turn was based on Mary Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. The Webling play was adapted by John L. Balderston and the screenplay written by Francis Edward Faragoh and Garrett Fort, with uncredited contributions from Robert Florey and John Russell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frankenstein's monster</span> 1818 fictional character by Mary Shelley

Frankenstein's monster, also referred to as Frankenstein, is a fictional character that first appeared in Mary Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus as its main antagonist. Shelley's title compares the monster's creator, Victor Frankenstein, to the mythological character Prometheus, who fashioned humans out of clay and gave them fire.

<i>Mary Shelleys Frankenstein</i> (film) 1994 film directed by Kenneth Branagh

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is a 1994 science fiction horror film directed by Kenneth Branagh who also stars as Victor Frankenstein, with Robert De Niro portraying Frankenstein's monster, and co-stars Tom Hulce, Helena Bonham Carter, Ian Holm, John Cleese, Richard Briers and Aidan Quinn. Considered the most faithful film adaptation of Mary Shelley's 1818 novel, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, despite several differences and additions in plot from the novel, the film follows a medical student named Victor Frankenstein who creates new life in the form of a monster composed of various corpses' body parts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victor Frankenstein</span> Character from Mary Shelleys 1818 novel

Victor Frankenstein is a fictional character and the main protagonist and title character in Mary Shelley's 1818 novel, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. He is a Swiss scientist who, after studying chemical processes and the decay of living things, gains an insight into the creation of life and gives life to his own creature. Victor later regrets meddling with nature through his creation, as he inadvertently endangers his own life and the lives of his family and friends when the creature seeks revenge against him. He is first introduced in the novel when he is seeking to catch the monster near the North Pole and is saved from near death by Robert Walton and his crew.

Dr. Waldman is a fictional character who appears in Mary Shelley's 1818 novel, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus and in its subsequent film versions. He is a professor at Ingolstadt University who specializes in chemistry and is a mentor of Victor Frankenstein.

<i>The Bride</i> (1985 film) 1985 period science fiction horror film by Franc Roddam

The Bride is a 1985 period science fiction horror film directed by Franc Roddam, and starring Sting, Jennifer Beals, Geraldine Page, and Clancy Brown. Based on Mary Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, the film follows Baron Charles Frankenstein who creates a woman, Eva, while his original monster—believed to have been killed in a laboratory accident—escapes into the countryside.

<i>Frankenstein: The True Story</i> 1973 film by Jack Smight

Frankenstein: The True Story is a 1973 British made-for-television film loosely based on the 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley. It was directed by Jack Smight, and the screenplay was written by novelist Christopher Isherwood and his longtime partner Don Bachardy.

<i>Frankenstein</i> in popular culture

Mary Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, and the famous character of Frankenstein's monster, have influenced popular culture for at least a century. The work has inspired numerous films, television programs, video games and derivative works. The character of the Monster remains one of the most recognized icons in horror fiction.

<i>Frankenstein – A New Musical</i> Musical

Frankenstein – A New Musical is a stage musical adaptation of Mary Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, with music by Mark Baron and book and lyrics by Jeffrey Jackson, based on a story adaptation by Gary P. Cohen. It premiered in New York City on November 1, 2007 in the off-Broadway theater 37 Arts and was directed by Bill Fennelly. The cast featured Hunter Foster as Victor Frankenstein, Steve Blanchard as The Creature, and Christiane Noll as Elizabeth. The show was produced by Gerald Goehring, Douglas C. Evans, Michael F. Mitri, and David S. Stone, in association with Barbara & Emery Olcott.

Frankenstein is a 2007 British television film produced by Impossible Pictures for ITV. It was written and directed by Jed Mercurio, adapted from Mary Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus to a present-day setting. Dr. Victoria Frankenstein, a female geneticist, accidentally creates a monster while growing her son's clone from stem cells as an organ donor in an effort to prevent his imminent death. The film was broadcast on 24 October 2007, to an average audience of 3.6 million.

<i>Frankenstein</i> 1818 novel by Mary Shelley

Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is an 1818 novel written by English author Mary Shelley. Frankenstein tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a sapient creature in an unorthodox scientific experiment. Shelley started writing the story when she was 18, and the first edition was published anonymously in London on 1 January 1818, when she was 20. Her name first appeared in the second edition, which was published in Paris in 1821.

<i>Mary Shelleys Frankenhole</i> American adult stop motion-animated television series

Mary Shelley's Frankenhole is an American adult stop motion-animated television series created by Dino Stamatopoulos for Cartoon Network's late night programming block Adult Swim. The series premiered on June 27, 2010 and ended on March 25, 2012, with a total of 20 episodes, over the course of 2 seasons.

<i>Frankenstein</i> (1992 film) 1992 British TV series or programme

Frankenstein is a television horror film first aired in 1992, based on Mary Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. It was produced by Turner Pictures and directed by David Wickes.

<i>Frankenstein</i> (2011 play) Stage adaptation by Nick Dear of the novel of the same name

Frankenstein is a stage adaptation by Nick Dear of Mary Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus.

<i>Presumption; or, the Fate of Frankenstein</i> 1823 stage play based on the novel Frankenstein

Presumption; or, the Fate of Frankenstein is an 1823 play in three acts by Richard Brinsley Peake based on the 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley. It is the first recorded theatrical adaptation of the novel and had 37 performances during its original run. It was revived at the English Opera House until at least 1850.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elizabeth Lavenza</span> Fictional character

Elizabeth Frankenstein is a fictional character first introduced in Mary Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. In both the novel and its various film adaptations, she is the fiancée of Victor Frankenstein.

<i>Frankenstein</i> (2015 film) 2015 American film

Frankenstein is a 2015 American science fiction horror film written and directed by Bernard Rose. It is a modernised adaptation of Mary Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. The film is told from the monster's point of view, as he is created, escapes into the modern world, and learns about the dark side of humanity.

<i>Frankenstein, MD</i> 2014 American web series

Frankenstein, MD is a 2014 American Gothic horror comedy webseries with transmedia elements. Produced in partnership between Pemberley Digital and PBS Digital Studios, the show is a modern adaptation of Mary Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, replacing the eponymous character with Victoria Frankenstein, a medical student near graduation. The show, which represents PBS Digital's first foray into scripted content, was created by Bernie Su, Brett Register, and Lon Harris. It ran on YouTube from August 19 through October 31, 2014, and was generally well-received by critics.

Frankenstein is a 1973 American television movie adaptation of Mary Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus adapted by Sam Hall and Dark Shadows creator Dan Curtis, with Robert Foxworth in the title role and Bo Svenson as the Monster.

Terror of Frankenstein is a 1977 horror drama directed by Calvin Floyd, based on the 1818 novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. Starring Leon Vitali, Per Oscarsson, Stacy Dorning, Nicholas Clay, and Mathias Henrikson, the film tells the story of young scientist Victor Frankenstein and his quest to create life.

References

  1. Lowry, Brian (2004-10-04). "Frankenstein". Variety . Retrieved 2017-10-04.
  2. Newman, Kim (2011). Nightmare movies : horror on screen since the 1960s (Revised and updated ed.). London: Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 360. ISBN   9781408817506. OCLC   906028584.
  3. Nutt, Shannon (2004-10-26). "Frankenstein". DVD Talk . Retrieved 2017-10-04.
  4. Adams, Guy (January 11, 2014). "Frankenstein. DVD Review". British Fantasy Society . Retrieved October 4, 2017.
  5. "ASC Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography Past Winners, Nominees and Honorees". American Society of Cinematographers . Archived from the original on 2017-10-05. Retrieved 2017-10-04.
  6. "2005 Artios Awards". Casting Society of America . Retrieved 2017-10-04.