Well, it started as a Sunday of boredom and waiting for the rugby and kind of escalated beyond a short post on the original Frankenstein movie into a Mega Post!
So sit back and get out the Optrex and read on, my creatures of the night!
It may just not be up to 2018's high standard of CGI -the only "digital" back then were the digits (fingers) on your hands!) but this was 1910. That's 108 years ago. Augustus Phillips played Dr. Frankenstein and Mary Fuller was his fiancee. Charles Stanton Ogle was.....
THE MONSTER!!!
As I wrote, this may not be some big budget CGI extravaganza and, I am very sorry but it seems modern filmgoers could not watch it as there was no full frontal nudity, sex scenes or expletive filled dialogue...no dialogue in fact!
If you have ever read the unabridged version of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus then you will know that it is a bulky book and the writing style can be difficult to read unless you have modern text! So a film just over 13 minutes long so Edison was not kidding when they described their film as "a liberal adaptation of Mrs. Shelley's famous story"
But there was more. According to a piece by a staff writer at the Edison Kinetogram:
"In making the film the Edison Co. has carefully tried to eliminate all actual repulsive situations and to concentrate its endeavors upon the mystic and psychological problems that are to be found in this weird tale. Whenever, therefore, the film differs from the original story it is purely with the idea of elimination what would be repulsive to a moving picture audience".
In other words they were taking the horror out. But if you have ever seen Ken Russell's 1986 movie Gothic in which he was very liberal with what happened one night to inspire Shelley, then this 1910 film version of the book is the start of a long line of liberal adaptions to movies! In fact, Wikipedia has a list of movies featuring Frankenstein and the Frankenstein Monster: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_featuring_Frankenstein%27s_monster
And, I now notice, Wikipedia has an entry on the Edison 1910 film which would have saved me a lot of trouble! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankenstein_(1910_film)
The story given is this:
"Frankenstein, a young student, is seen bidding his sweetheart and father goodbye, as he is leaving home to enter a college in order to study the sciences. Shortly after his arrival at college he becomes absorbed in the mysteries of life and death to the extent of forgetting practically everything else. His great ambition is to create a human being, and finally one night his dream is realized. He is convinced that he has found a way to create a most perfect human being that the world has ever seen. We see his experiment commence and the development of it. The formation of the hideous monster from the blazing chemicals of a huge cauldron in Frankenstein's laboratory is probably the most weird, mystifying and fascinating scene ever shown on a film. To Frankenstein's horror, instead of creating a marvel of physical beauty and grace, there is unfolded before his eyes and before the audience an awful, ghastly, abhorrent monster.
As he realizes what he has done Frankenstein rushes from the room, only to have the misshapen monster peer at him through the curtains of his bed. He falls fainting to the floor, where he is found by his servant, who revives him.
After a few weeks' illness, he returns home, a broken, weary man, but under the loving care of father and sweetheart he regains his health and strength and begins to take a less morbid view of life. In other words, the story of the film brings out the fact that the creation of the monster was only possible because Frankenstein had allowed his normal mind to be overcome by evil and unnatural thoughts.
His marriage is soon to take place. But one evening, while sitting in his library, he chances to glance in the mirror before him and sees the reflection of the monster which has just opened the door of his room. All the terror of the past comes over him and, fearing lest his sweetheart should learn the truth, he bids the monster conceal himself behind the curtain while he hurriedly induces his sweetheart, who then comes in, to stay only a moment. Then follows a strong, dramatic scene.
Above: Ogle as the Monster is still creepy looking though he reminds me of some of my neighbours. That said, if you look at the cover to Marvel Comics interpretation of the Monster in their Classic Comics series...had someone taken inspiration from the 1910 movie?
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The monster, who is following his creator with the devotion of a dog, is insanely jealous of anyone else. He snatches from Frankenstein's coat the rose which his sweetheart has given him, and in the struggle throws Frankenstein to the floor, here the monster looks up and for the first time confronts his own reflection in the mirror. Appalled and horrified at his own image he flees in terror from the room. Not being able, however, to live apart from his creator, he again comes to the house on the wedding night and, searching for the cause of his jealousy, goes into the bride's room. Frankenstein coming into the main room hears a shriek of terror, which is followed a moment after by his bride rushing in and falling in a faint at his feet. The monster then enters and after overpowering Frankenstein's feeble efforts by a slight exercise of his gigantic strength leaves the house.
Here comes the point which we have endeavored to bring out, namely: That when Frankenstein's love for his bride shall have attained full strength and freedom from impurity it will have such an effect upon his mind that the monster cannot exist. This theory is clearly demonstrated in the next and closing scene, which has probably never been surpassed in anything shown on the moving picture screen. The monster, broken down by his unsuccessful attempts to be with his creator, enters the room, stands before a large mirror and holds out his arms entreatingly. Gradually, the real monster fades away, leaving only the image in the mirror. A moment later Frankenstein himself enters. As he stands directly before the mirror we are amazed to see the image of the monster reflected instead of Frankenstein's own. Gradually, however, under the effect of love and his better nature, the monster's image fades and Frankenstein sees himself in his young manhood in the mirror. His bride joins him, and the film ends with their embrace, Frankenstein's mind now being relieved of the awful horror and weight it has been laboring under for so long."
And should you have an inkling to watch the movie.....
FRANKENSTEIN
Of course, if you are a horror movie buff just one name is synonymous with the portrayal of the Monster....
KARLOFF
The 1931 movie -"It's Alive!!" - is the one thought of as the 'first' Frankenstein movie and even today I love watching it.
I have, being quite old, seen a great many Frankenstein movies over the years. However, I did not get to see The Curse of Frankenstein from Hammer Films when it was released in 1957. I was only born in June that year! The movie starred a certain Christopher Lee -the only actor to challenge Karloff's supremacy in the role!
So, and this had to include Dick Briefer's Frankenstein, here are some nice comic/book covers for you!
Like the look but never seen or read this. However, I have read Doc Frankenstein from the short-lived Burlyman Press. Lovely artwork!
Another I have not seen. It would be nice to get these one day and see how they compare!
This is Dell's Karloff inspired monster not the super hero one. Well, it get complicated.
The restored modern version of Classic Illustrated's Frankenstein is still available check the store: http://www.classiccomicstore.com/
DC's Seven Soldiers version I have read. Not that impressed by the story but the art was incredible. Love Mahnke's work.
Interesting looking art but never seen this.
Cover 2 for the Classical Comics book.
Now this particular Frankenstein Monster was not the one that had faced off the X-Men. Seriously, comics can be very complicated. No, the X-Men faced an alien robot!
This story was the lead one in the 1970 (UK) Fantastic Annual which is notable for the odd mis-colouring as shown on page 1...
Dick Briefer's Golden Age Frankenstein is near legendary and was originally published by Prize Comics. In one cross-over, the Monster took on the Prize super heroes.
Now, I, Frankenstein I have only seen the movie version of and I loved it. Good fun. Not seen or read the comic(s).
Of course you must have known that Marvel Comics included the story in their Classic Comics series? You didn't? Nothing to do with the alien robot or the Monster from the series. However, take a close look....is that the Monster from the 1910 film??
An old US edition of Classics Illustrated has been updated by Classics Illustrated UK in paperback...
And luscious hard cover...
If I did not mention the Bernie Wrightson version I would need to turn in my Comic Fanatic Club membership card!
And there you have it. I was only going to discuss the 1910 movie but things escalated as they always do. I doubt that we have seen the last of Frankenstein or his Monster in comics, movies or on TV and the sad thing is that Mary Shelley can see none of this nor profit from it.
My thanks to anyone who scanned the movie posters, photos and images that I have used here.
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