Frankenstein (2004) (TV)

User Rating:

4.5/10   

Director:

Marcus Nispel

Writers:

Dean R. Koontz (concept)
John Shiban (written by)

Release Date:

10 October 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Someone new is playing God.

Plot:

Two hundred years after Mary Shelley's novel the brilliant but mad Doctor (Thomas Kretschmann) has sustained...

Plot Keywords:

No Ending | Rubber Duck | Razor Blade | Murder Investigation | Crime Scene

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Parker Posey	...	Detective Carson O'Conner
Vincent Perez	...	Deucalion
Thomas Kretschmann	...	Victor Helios
Adam Goldberg	...	Detective Michael Sloane
Ivana Milicevic	...	Erika Helios
Michael Madsen	...	Detective Harker
Deborah Duke	...	Angelique
Ann Mahoney	...	Jenna (as Ann Mahoney Kadar)
Deneen Tyler	...	Kathleen Burke
Brett Rice	...	Detective Frye
Stocker Fontelieu	...	Patrick
Maureen Brennan	...	Vickey
Billy Louviere	...	Jack Rogers
Will Schierhorn	...	Anthony O'Connor
Tom Nowicki	...	Watkins

Runtime:

USA:88 min | Argentina:90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:18 | Argentina:16 | Finland:K-15

Filming Locations:

Joy Theatre - 1200 Canal Street, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Company:

Flame TV

Trivia:

The concept for this telefilm was originally developed by Dean R. Koontz and collaborator Kevin Anderson, and intended as a television series. When USA Networks joined the project as production company and distributor, Koontz signed on as screenwriter and executive producer. Martin Scorsese also signed on as executive producer, and a cast (most of whom were in the final product) was assembled. Following creative disputes between USA and Koontz, both Koontz and Scorsese left the project (Scorsese was later convinced to return). Koontz and Anderson later developed the concept into a series of novels (as "Dean Koontz' Frankenstein"), but Koontz allowed USA to use the names of his characters as long as they altered the plot and removed his name from all consideration.

Quotes:

Detective Carson O'Conner: Go on, move into the light.
Deucalion: You're detective O'Connor?
Detective Carson O'Conner: How'd you get in here?
Deucalion: I go where I want. In two hundred years, I learned a lot about locks. The man who lived here was in despair. I recognize his pain.
Detective Carson O'Conner: So you're telling me you knew Bobby Alwine?
Deucalion: He's like me. Not made of god.
Detective Carson O'Conner: Yeah right.
Deucalion: He wanted to kill himself, but couldn't take his own life. We're not designed to.
Detective Carson O'Conner: Are you telling me you helped him?
Deucalion: I can help you. I recognize his killer's pain as well.
[...]

Mildly amusing retelling

In a dark New Orleans atmosphere, witty detectives Parker Posey (Carson) and Adam Goldberg are hunting a killer who rips organs from the victims. Their investigation starts in the public library where a security guard has had his heart ripped out. The investigation leads Carson down a grim road where she learns that the victims are all abnormal creations of Dr. Victor Helios, an uber-creepy doctor with a penchant for "perfection."

Evidently, Helios improved on the physical stamina and endurance of humans (his creations can survive great falls, have bigger hearts, and more calcium in the bones making them "cement-like"). However, Helios fails to perfect the mental stability of these persons. It turns out, nearly half the people we meet are his "children."

As we learn just how crazy everyone is and as one particularly charitable Helios-man throws Carson clue after clue, we find out who the killer is and spend 30 minutes chasing him around. In the meanwhile, Helios drowns the wife he created (an inexplicable method for a physician - one can only presume demonstrating the depth of his insanity) -- only to reinvigorate her with new life and a new personality. The big climax of the film is when the Helios-man-serial-killer faces off with the Helios-man-clue-giver. Of course, the latter wins.

The film scores well on visuals, displaying much of the sculpture, old mansions, and architecture for which New Orleans is known for. It also has the usual good performances by Goldberg and Posey. Unfortunately, everyone else simply acts overtly spooky with little personality beyond general creepiness. For horror movie fans, this will disappoint. Even more damning, the film has a cliff-hanger ending leaving huge room for a sequel - but why?

5/10