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
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