Karry Best movie of this year hands down!

JinRoz For all the hype it got I was expecting a lot more!

GazerRise Fantastic!

Cleveronix A different way of telling a story

Jonathon Dabell Director David Wickes was responsible for the horrible David Essex vanity project Silver Dream Racer. With this in mind, you could be forgiven for expecting this 1992 made-for-TV update of the oft-filmed Frankenstein story to be a somewhat trite affair. Surprisingly, this is a pretty good version of the tale. Indeed, it is actually better than the high profile Kenneth Branagh version that was released around 18 months later.Innovative scientist Dr. Victor Frankenstein (Patrick Bergin) comes up with the idea of making and animating a man. His research consumes him, and his love for the project becomes greater even than his love for his fiancée Elizabeth (Fiona Gillies) and best friend Clerval (Lambert Wilson). Eventually, Frankenstein finishes his creature and it is brought to life in the guise of a huge, disfigured monster (played with considerable emotion by Randy Quaid). It is not long before the monster escapes and heads off into the Alpine countryside. Here it spends its time spying on humans, learning what makes them tick and observing their daily lives. The monster becomes aware of the very human emotions of love and commitment, but because it is so ugly it only arouses fear and revulsion amongst normal humans. Enraged that it will never understand what it is to be loved, the monster returns and kills Frankenstein's bride Elizabeth, thereby robbing its creator of the love-of-his-life and making him share its despair. Frankenstein pursues the monster to the Arctic, where he plans to destroy it.Wickes is extremely faithful to his source novel, more so than virtually all film-makers who have gone before him. He cuts out occasional bits of Mary Shelley's narrative, and makes the odd change here and there, but on the whole this is as close to Shelley's story as a film version has ever been. Bergin is a revelation as Dr. Frankenstein. Usually a solid but unspectacular character actor, here he gives one of his best-ever performances as the ambitious scientist. On paper, Quaid sounds a terrible choice for the part of the monster (one can't help thinking of the oafish rednecks he played in movies like Moving, National Lampoon's Vacation and Independence Day), but in actual fact he is superb as the monster, registering anguish and pity from beneath layers of heavy make-up. At two hours, the film is paced well and moves briskly without sacrificing character or plot development. (Wickes had already directed two 3-hour made-for-TV films about Jack The Ripper and Dr. Jekyll And Mr Hyde, both of which were on the excessively lengthy side.) It seems surprising that this film has faded into obscurity, for it is very well-made and admirably faithful to its source book. If you are fortunate enough to find, it is well worth viewing.

callanvass surprisingly good adaption of Frankenstein is well acted and well made and watchable with only a little amount of blood and gore but it's not really about that this was pretty good with an engaging story. the acting was good Patrick Bergin in my opinion did a little bit better here i am not saying he is a better actor i just think he did a better job here that's all he was a bit more likable and more caring and he seemed more natural. Randy Quaid does okay here but he seemed a bit too goofy and corny for the role still he did pretty decent and was terrifying in the finale but got real corny in the end with all the crying. Lambert Wilson is good looking and does okay but he was average at best and didn't have much to do Fiona Gillies does decent here isn't given much to do though. overall surprisingly good and a bit better then Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (even though Deniro was WAY WAY WAY WAY WAY better as the monster *** out of 5

Swampthing316 This Version of Frankenstein is the best!I won't even waste my time criticizing Branagh's Version. Branagh's Version stays with the book until it is time for the monster to kill Victor's wife,then Branagh throws in this ridiculous resurrection of Elizabeth scene which was totally horrible. Branagh ended his movie exactly as the book ended with the monster and his dead master floating away on a sheet of Ice burning up.This Version of Frankenstein was made in 1993 for TNT. It was one of the first original movies made for that network, Gettysburg premiered that same year on that station.This version stays pretty close to the basic plot of the book but it adds a twist. The Death of Elizabeth is exact to how she died in the book, the monster breaks her neck, the rest of the scene was different from the book.The film adds some new twists to the story that make it all the more interesting. William is a teenager in this version not a child and has a somewhat different role.This version remains pretty faithful to the basic plot of the book not the details of the book like Branagh attempts to stick to in his version but pathetically failed at towards the end.John Cameron did a superb job with the music score for this film!I give this film 4 stars. Excellent viewing for a rainy day!

elsbed-1 I really enjoyed this movie, far, far more than the over the top Kenneth Branagh version. Randy Quaid is fabulous as the monster. I particularly loved the monster in this film, as he was very sweet and childlike until he had negative experiences with humans. His expressions were very poignant and heartfelt. Also, the concept of Frankenstein feeling his monster's pain was original and interesting. Definitely impressive for a made-for-tv movie!