Frankenstein (1994)

When Victor Frankenstein rejects the artificial man he just created, the monster escapes and later swears revenge.

Director:

Kenneth Branagh

Writers:

Mary Shelley (novel), Steph Lady (screenplay),

Stars:

Robert De Niro, Kenneth Branagh, Tom Hulce

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert De Niro	...	The Creature
Kenneth Branagh	...	Victor Frankenstein
Tom Hulce	...	Henry Clerval
Helena Bonham Carter	...	Elizabeth
Aidan Quinn	...	Captain Robert Walton
Ian Holm	...	Baron Frankenstein
Richard Briers	...	Grandfather
John Cleese	...	Professor Waldman
Robert Hardy	...	Professor Krempe
Cherie Lunghi	...	Caroline Beaufort Frankenstein
Celia Imrie	...	Mrs. Moritz
Trevyn McDowell	...	Justine
Gerard Horan	...	Claude
Mark Hadfield	...	Felix
Joanna Roth	...	Marie

Storyline

Dr. Frankenstein creates a simple creature from various body parts. The creature turns into a monster when Dr. Frankenstein rejects him. Sticking close to the original novel, Kenneth Branagh guides us through the story of Frankenstein's quest for knowledge and his creature's search for his "father".

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Plot Keywords:

experiment | escape | doctor | body part | death | 

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Taglines:

Be warned.

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Romance | Sci-Fi

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for horrific images

Details

Country:

USA Japan

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 November 1994 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

Filming Locations:

England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$45,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£3,123,393 (UK) (11 November 1994)

Gross:

£5,723,059 (UK) (9 December 1994)

Company Credits

Production Co:

TriStar Pictures, Japan Satellite Broadcasting (JBS), IndieProd Company Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

123 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS (8 channels) Dolby SR Dolby Digital

Color:

Color Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Kenneth Branagh originally wanted Emma Thompson for the role of Elizabeth. However she had been offered the lead in Carrington and Branagh agreed that this would be a better part for her.

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Goofs

When the creature punches Elizabeth through the heart, she turns her head to the side. Then as Victor and the other men shoot at the creature, Elizabeth is facing straight up.

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Quotes

Victor Frankenstein: And I'm frightened that if I tell you the truth, I'll lose you.
Elizabeth: You'll lose me if you don't.

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Connections

Featured in Violence and the Censors (1995)

User Reviews

a distinguished dramatic frankenstein

as i watched the trailer of the movie on TV, i thought it'll be another horror movie with the same old clichés, full of blood and disgusting scenes...However,when i saw the movie i was moved by the dramatic melancholic and tragic way in which branagh directed it...it wasn't at all such a trivial horror movie..on the contrary..it was another philosophical deep way of reviving Shelley's novel..it was another masterpiece of branagh's...he adopted the novel in such a delicate dramatic romantic way..and dipped into the moral that Shelley meant by her story..Branagh made of Victor Frankenstein another Odesseus whose vanity and arrogance makes him think that he could imitate God and defy Him..he made him a tragic hero haunted by the death of his mother which has created in him the urging desire of fighting death and creating an alternative life...Branagh's choice of the actors was more than perfect, De Niro made a sympathetic touching creature despite his violence and thick hands ,the creature in this movie managed to escape being another scary pale dead monster walking the earth as it was in the old Frankenstein movies,the genius De Niro made us feel and believe that this creature bears great equal amounts of love and rage and that if he cannot satisfy one ,he'll indulge the other (as he says to frankenstein), Helena Bonham Carter was splendid as Elizabeth,she was like the refreshing breeze in the movie which could decrease the intensity of the bloody scenes, Tom Hulce in the role of Henry was in his friendship to Victor as intimate as the friendship of Horatio to Hamlet, Ian Holm as the baron Frankenstein was very good ,but his part was too small that he couldn't show all his talents, Richard Briers was great in the role of the tender grandfather, and of course Kenneth Branagh himself as Frankenstein was perfect,he could make us pity for Frankenstein rather than hating him. Generally the movie despite its several bloody scenes,makes an intense powerful drama..and makes you saturated with a strange sense of melancholy after seeing it...Branagh's Frankenstein is really a must-see :)))