Frankenstein

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Frankenstein (1910)

YouTube

This is a loose adaptation of the classic Frankenstein story.  In this version, Frankenstein is a young medical student who discovers a way to reanimate the dead.

This version is from Edison Studios and is considered to be one of the first American horror films, if not the very first.  Since it is such an early recording, the video quality is understandably pretty bad.  In the version that I watched, the music was very clear - so it had obviously been re-recorded.  Since it was a new recording, I'm not sure if it is the same musical score that was used with the original film.  However, there were several different versions that all used the same score, so I assume that it is either the original score, or it is the most widely accepted one.  In some of the versions, the music is very weak, which does not help improve the quality of the film.  In the version that I watched, the music was just haunting enough that it did help to set the tone.

Even though this was just a short, silent film, there were some moments that were very intriguing.  When the monster sees himself, he is terrified of his own existence.  But, to me, the best part of the film was the creation of the monster.  The effect of the monster being created was achieved by filming the monster falling apart, and then playing the footage in reverse.  While this is a common technique now, it must have been absolutely groundbreaking at the time!!

I could see how this might have been terrifying when it was released in 1910, but it was not nearly as creepy as I was hoping it would be.  One of my favorite movies is Nosferatu (you can read my full review here to find out more about why I love it so much).  With as hauntingly creepy as Nosferatu is, I was hoping that Frankenstein was going to be a bit more scary.  The scariest part was when the monster was actually being created.  On the one hand, it was pretty creepy to see the monster form around a skeleton in a cauldron.  On the other hand, it looked a bit like Geoffrey Peterson (Craig Ferguson's sidekick) taking a bath.

Rating/Recommendation:  2.5/5.  There were some inspired moments, but overall, it didn't leave as lasting of an impression on me.  It's worth checking out though, primarily because of the historical aspects.  While the movie itself didn't have much of an impact on me, I did love watching one of the first horror films to see how far things have come in the last century!  If you are going to watch it, I recommend this version:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-fM9meqfQ4

Be sure to check back soon for more reviews in Halloween Movie Month!  In the meantime, leave comments on this (or any other) review, follow me here and on twitter (@GargyleReviews), and let me know what movies you'd like for me to review for Halloween Movie Month!

-The Gargyle