Summary
The story of Frankenstein, originally written by Mary Shelley in 1818, has inspired TV shows and movies through the years. From the comedicYoung Frankensteinto faithful adaptations of the gothic novel, the themes of vengeance, human nature, and playing god continue to inspire creators.
Mary Shelley’s insight into what it means to be human, full of complexities and an innate desire to be understood, has provided movie-goers with some of thebest horror science fictionaround. Aside from body horror and gore, one of the scariest elements ofFrankensteinmoviesis the human capacity for cruelty and the heart-wrenching loneliness that comes from being misunderstood and outcast. These are the movies that portray those themes best.
8Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1994)
The Most Faithful Adaptation
Kenneth Branagh directsand stars in this faithful adaptation ofMary Shelley’s Frankenstein,and brings to life the tale of revenge and human nature. Staying true to Shelley’s gothic novel,Frankensteintells the story through the eyes of Victor, discovered floating in icy waters, who regales a ship of sailors with his life story and of how he tried to cheat death by playing God.
This is the ultimateFrankensteinmovie for anyone who wants to watch a true remake of the science fiction novel. It is fast-paced, exhilarating, and as melodramatic as the novel. It has some shocking scenes and the expected monstrous disfigurement, but the scariest moments were not gory. The creature (played by Robert De Niro) becomes such a sympathetic character that the treatment he receives from humans around him is the most horrific aspect of the story.
7Lady Frankenstein (1973)
A Raunchy Monster Horror
When Baron Frankenstein dies, his daughter must take over the family business.Lady Frankenstein soon falls in love with her lab assistant, Marshall. To prolong his life, the pair plan to replace a servant’s brain with Marshall’s, giving him a strong and healthy body. Unfortunately, the monster she creates is hellbent on revenge, and goes on a murderous rampage.
Although much of this movie is creative to the point of becoming camp, it has some visceral moments. Lady Frankenstein is beautiful and headstrong, which makes her the perfect villain for this story. At no point does she falter; she has a specific goal in mind, and that is what she will achieve. No one will get in her way. It is a fun and dramaticmonster storywith enough gore to please horror fans.
6Son Of Frankenstein (1939)
A Classic Second Sequel
Son of Frankensteinsees the return of Boris Karloff as the creature, with his trademark elongated forehead and dark, ragged hair. Basil Rathbone brings gravitas to the role of Baron Wolf von Frankenstein, the son of the original doctor. With his father’s old assistant, Igor, by his side, the Baron attempts to finish his father’s work.
This movie beautifully encapsulates what these old black-and-white Universal Pictures horror movies were about. The acting is excellent, and the low, ominous strings of the underscore create the perfect moody backdrop. Although it leans more into science fiction than pure horror, the overall ambiance of this movie will give viewers chills, and leave them asking how far is too far…and what must it be like to play God?
5Frankenstein: The True Story (1973)
A TV Movie In Two Terrifying Parts
Frankenstein: The True Storyis inspired by the plot of the Mary Shelley novel, in which a monstrous creature seeks revenge when rejected by its creator. Originally shown in two parts, this is now an epic movie lasting a full three hours, but never having a dull moment.
The movie is a real adventure from start to finish, supported by an excellent cast and wonderfully dramatic acting. The disregard for previous creature designs — a reanimated man crafted from pieces of cobbled-together corpses — brings an altogether fresh perspective. The creature is, instead, a good-looking young man who slowly deteriorates, becoming grotesque as the movie progresses. Overall, this is a movie that blends horror and heart-wrenching moments wonderfully.
4Frankenstein Created Woman (1967)
Sublime Hammer Horror
Frankenstein Created Womantakes a fresh look at the Frankenstein story by reanimating the body of Frankenstein himself so he may continue his macabre work. After the death of her lover, a young woman commits suicide, so Frankenstein decides to place the man’s brain into the body of the tragic woman, with devastating consequences.
This is a movie all about love, loss and revenge. AsHammer Horror moviestend to be, it does lean into the realm of camp, but it remains compelling and, at times, touching. The terrible actions of Frankenstein prompt existential questions about what it means to be human, and the existence of the soul. At times,Frankenstein Created Womanfeels dreamlike and eerie, which only adds to its horror movie credentials.
3The Curse Of Frankenstein (1957)
A Haunting Hammer Horror
The Curse Of Frankensteinfollows the story of Baron Frankenstein who delves into dark science along with his unwitting partner, Krempe. What starts with the reanimation of a stray dog, becomes an obsessive and dangerous need to discover and control the origin of life itself.
Although different from the originalFrankensteinstory, this film has similar themes of playing God, and tragic experiments done on the dead. The obsessive scientist, Baron Frankenstein, starts off as a passionate and intelligent man, but his desire to control life soon overwhelms him. This is a gritty,gothic horrorwith a captivating plot brought to life by great classic actors.
2Frankenstein (1931)
The Original And The Best
Frankensteinis one of the first feature-length adaptations of Mary Shelley’s science fiction horror novel. It is a short but decent adaptation, bringing viewers the story of a man’s scientific experiment gone wrong.
The movie does a great job of retelling the story and creates an intriguing and sympathetic character in Frankenstein’s creature. This is a perfectlygothic adaptation, with eerie and slightly distorted backdrops for the actors to play within. The frightening scenes when Baron Frankenstein brings his monster to life will be etched in viewers' minds for eternity.Frankensteinholds a mirror up to humanity and shows the horrors that come from being cast out from society, and judged for your appearance rather than your actions.
1Frankenstein And The Monster From Hell (1974)
Frankenstein Continues His Monstrous Experiments
In the final of the Hammer HorrorFrankensteinmovies, comesFrankenstein And The Monster From Hell.Peter Cushing returns as Baron Frankenstein, this time hiding as a doctor in an insane asylum. Having not learned his lesson from his previous disaster, he decides to place the mind of a mad scientist into the body of a murderer. What could possibly go wrong?
The final installment in the HammerFrankensteinmovie series is gorier and more grim than previous tales. Highly atmospheric and creepy,Frankenstein And The Monster From Hellhas everything a viewer wants from a monster horror: blood, screams, and terror. A fun fact that makes this movie even more disturbing is that the blood used on set is real human blood unusable by local blood banks. If that isn’t enough to make a movie watcher’s skin crawl, what will?
