Frankenstein: The True Story

I rented this movie the other night. I was impressed by how many well known actors were in it. The acting was very good. Leonard Whiting was very convincing and seemed to really share a bond with his monster. The monster didn't seem to be all that evil until people started being mean to it. I think the movie tried to show us that beauty is only skin deep. Jane Seymour was excellent. I recommend this movie highly, it is very well done.

Originally broadcast on US TV in two 90 minute parts, Frankenstein: The True Story was - rather ironically - chopped up and stitched back together to be shown cinematically overseas as a two hour movie. I strongly suggest seeking out the uncut original, which, thanks to the excellent all-star cast and superb production values, still has the look and feel of a major theatrical release rather than the TV mini-series that it actually is. Even though the plot takes more than a few liberties with Mary Shelley's novel, this is still a very worthwhile version of her oft-told tale, one that captures the essence of the source material, dispenses one or two shocks along the way, and looks sumptuous throughout.

Leonard Whiting plays Dr. Victor Frankenstein, who, spurred on by the untimely death of his younger brother, tries to find a way to bring the dead back to life, aided in his quest by the like-minded Dr. Clerval (David McCallum), who has developed a special serum and revolutionary solar power source for just this purpose, and who unwittingly provides the brain for their creation by suddenly dropping dead. The experiment seemingly a success, Victor sets about introducing his surprisingly handsome creature' (Michael Sarrazin) to high-class London society, unaware that a reversal in the reanimation process is gradually causing physical abnormalities. Horrified at his increasingly ugly countenance, the creature becomes suicidal, but, already being dead, finds killing himself harder than he thinks.

Meanwhile, Clerval's previous scientific associate, Dr. John Polidori (the amazing James Mason), arrives on the scene hoping to join forces with Frankenstein to perfect the process. When the first creature accidentally kills the beautiful daughter of a blind man, he supplies Polidori and Frankenstein with the final components for a second creation: a beautiful woman that they name Prima (played by drop-dead gorgeous Jane Seymour). Her introduction to the social elite causes problems between Victor and his pregnant wife Elizabeth (Nicola Pagett), and with the creature, who, now horribly disfigured, is jealous of the attention that Prima is receiving.

Things proceed to go downhill for Victor Frankenstein - as they always seem to do for those who dabble in such ungodly matters - leading to a tragic finale on a ship bound for America, but redirected to the North Pole by the creature.

The incredible cast - which also includes the likes of Agnes Moorehead, Ralph Richardson, John Gielgud, Peter Sallis, and Tom Baker in cameo roles - rarely put a foot wrong, with Sarrazin making for an especially brilliant sympathetic monster, while Seymour's Prima is quite the opposite, a beautiful but soul-less creation, every bit as wicked as her mentor Polidori. Director Jack Smight proves a far more capable director than his primarily TV-based resumé suggests, largely handling the material with restraint, thus making the occasional grisly moment all the more effective: a reanimated severed arm that just won't stay put is quite unnerving, but it is the creature settling the score with Prima in front of a horrified crowd of posh onlookers that is the shocking showstopper. Visually, the film is impressive throughout, with a special mention for the colourful second experiment, Prima brought to life in a vat of swirling rainbow coloured liquids and bubbles - worthy of the great Terence Fisher himself.

8/10. The three hour plus runtime and gradual pace might occasionally have you looking at the clock to see how much time is left, but don't let that put you off, for there is so much here to enjoy.

I must add my own two-cents worth to those others who regard Frankenstein: The True Story as the most satisfying film version of of Mary Shelly's 1818 classic. Though it is not a literal translation of the story, it captures the philosophical nature, melancholy mood and epic scope of Mrs. Shelly's novel better than any other celluloid rendition. While keeping the bare bones (no pun intended) of the novel's plot, it dances all around the original story, pulling off plot elements here and there, then sticking them back on elsewhere. For instance, Henri, in the original merely Victor Frankenstein's concerned best friend, is transformed into a mad doctor who gives Victor the monster-making knowledge. In the book Elizabeth was the ward of Victor's father, but Vic is the ward of Liz's dad in True Story. The Dr. Polidori character, played by James Mason oozing evil from every pore, was a brilliant touch, but no such character appears in the novel. Yet, there was a real-life Polidori in Mary Shelly's orbit. He was Shelly friend Lord Byron's personal physician, confidant, and dope supplier. A brilliant young man, who had already published several medical books, he tragically took his own life at age 21 -- according to some, because of his unrequited love for Mary Shelly!

True Story owes little to previous movie versions, neither the mossy old 1930's and 'forties Universal Frankenstein series or Hammer's 1950's/'60's revivals, but is a completely fresh approach. The brilliant script by Isherwood and Bachardy is almost as literary as Mrs. Shelly novel, yet even more exciting and stimulating. True Story is a splendid production, probably one of the most handsomely turned out made-for-TV numbers of all time. Period (1797 and following) sets and costumes are exquisite. The cinematography is beautiful, belying its TV origins every step of the way. Unlike most TV movies of the time and practically all current theatrical movies, it disdains the shot-a-second montage method in favor of the mise-en-scene approach -- every scene starts with a precisely composed long shot, which gradually pans in to close-up. This classic style of cinematography complements the beautiful sets, enhances the melancholy mood, and displays the humanity of the characters better than montage. Here it is used brilliantly by director of photography Arthur Ibbetson and director Jack Smight.

Frankenstein: The True Story is expertly acted by Mason, Leonard Whiting (Victor), Nicole Padget (Elizabeth), Michael Sarrizan (Creature), Jane Seymour (female creature) and the rest of a fine cast. It is dramatically engaging, thoroughly engrossing for its entire three hours, intellectually stimulating, and gorgeously filmed. A delight from beginning to end. Even Old Hollywood would have been proud to have turned out such a complete motion picture.

P.S. -- Those who are interested in learning more about that early 19th century femme fa-tale and the origin of her famous monster story would do well to read Miranda Seymour's superbly researched, highly readable biography of Mary Shelly (Grove Press, NY, 2000).

"Frankenstein: The True Story" is an excellent, made-for-TV mini-series. Very stylish and impressive. It boasts an all-star cast, and they deliver great performances. I saw this movie on the Sci-Fi Channel years ago, and planned to buy it on VHS tape. However, I soon learned that the original version was over 3 hours, and the version available on VHS was slightly over 2 hours. A sizeable gap cut out. So I decided against purchasing it. That may have been a mistake because now "Frankenstein: The True Story" is unavailable for purchase on VHS (at least I can't find it), and is rarely shown on TV. I'm hoping it's released to DVD soon, completely uncut and restored. That would be great.

This movie was shown in two parts on TV and ran over 240 minutes. It is truly a shame that the publisher of the VHS version saw fit to take editorial license and reduce the currently available version to approximately 122 minutes. If you can find an original full length version, snap it up as this classic is as scary now as it was back in 1973. At the age of nine this movie (when watched in the dark) on Channel 45's Ghost Host Theatre was enough to make me sleep with a light on. Classic acting by James Mason and a very young Jane Seymour made this production exceptional. Michael Sarrazin's portrayal of the monster did evoke sympathy and then fear. In the 240+ minute original, a few parts did drag, but the best way to see it is in it's entirety.