Terror of Frankenstein

I've seen many versions of the classic story of Frankenstein, and I must say, this has some moments that could easily cause nightmares, for anyone. However, this element of the film does not take anything away from the fact that it is a good film, and of course, by all accounts, faithful to the novel, by Mary Shelley. Having never read the novel, I can't say, from my own perspective, how accurate it was, but, next to the Hallmark version from 2004, it's considered the most faithful, by far. In many ways, I see this as the ultimate companion to Jess Franco's Count Dracula (1970), just as Phillip Sanville's Count Dracula (1977), by the BBC, and Frankenstein (1973), with Robert Foxworth (who recently voiced the Autobot Ratchet in Michael Bay's Transformers) and Bo Svenson, are the ultimate companions to one another. A must see, if you watch any Frankenstein film at all.

I would certainly go along with the idea that "Terror of Frankenstein" is the most faithful of all of the adaptations of Mary Shelley's gothic novel, but despite that fact this 1976 production ultimately falls flat with me. The question is whether the fault, dear reader, is in Shelley's novel or if there is something about the film director Calvin Floyd ("Vem var Dracula?") has made that is more responsible for the net effect. This Scandinavian effort was originally entitled "Victor Frankenstein," and I want to see in that an attempt to remind movie audiences that the name Frankenstein is supposed to be the mad scientist and not the monster. Actually, I have never held that Frankenstein becoming the name of the monster was the biggest change wrought by James Whale when he made "Frankenstein" and "The Bride of Frankenstein." In Shelley's novel it is not Frankenstein's trying to be like God and bringing his creation to life that is his great sin, but rather his abandonment of the cre... Read more

This 1997 Irish/Swedish cinematic interpretation of the Frankenstein tragedy is more faithful to Mary Shelley's original novel than any version filmed before or since, including the overblown 1994 Kenneth Branagh production that purports its faithfulness by using the name of the novel's author in its full title. While TERROR OF FRANKENSTEIN (a.k.a. VICTOR FRANKENSTEIN) is obviously a low-budget un-Hollywood film and does not, therefore, have the same slick-and-shiny production quality of the better-known 1931 James Whale film or the aforementioned Branagh version, the well-written, faithful screenplay and the superb talents of actors and director make it, in many ways, superior to all others.Those familiar with Shelley's novel already know that it is an allegory that plays on many levels. On the surface, Dr. Frankenstein's blind obsession with learning to create life and the consequences of his success can be viewed as a cautionary tale, warning the self-important intellectual of the... Read more

I would rate this 4 1/2, leaning towards 5 stars. This is a really visually and stylistically beautiful film, not to meantion a haunting experience. There are images within this film that will stay with you for years. This is not a fast paced "mad-scientist" movie as most would expect. This film captures the morbid/melancholy/gothic atmosphere of the original book almost perfectly. In fact it is virtually taken directly from the book with only a few minor details altered. The performances are very natural and very European giving it a sense of believability that most Frankenstein films lack. The morbid, filthy, and atrocious nature of Frankenstein's experiments are expressed very well in a series of shocking and disturbing scenes. The creation scene is played out very much the same as it was written in the book. We're really not quite sure exactly how the monster is brought to life. If you're familiar with the original story, there really isn't much difference. A couple elements in the... Read more

This ladies and gentleman, is by far the only true cinematic telling of The Modern Promethies. I saw this film long ago on Captain USA on the USA network. I was awe struck to see the monster being shown as he was always suppose to be shown. The long black hair, the yellow complextion, the deep sunken yellow eyes and the thin black lips. No flat head here folks. This is the way Mary Shelly described her creation! This masterpiece had almost every single scene straight out of the novel. It even had the scene where the creature murders Henry Clerval at the top of a cliff. Clerval liked to rock clime you see. No other version had that scene, not even Mary Shelly's Frankenstein. All that film had was Clerval screaming NOOOO! on the middle of the stair case in Frankenstein's home. We never find out what happenes to him. The only films closest to this one are: Mary Shelly's Frankenstein, Frankenstein Unbound, and Frankenstein: the true story. See this film (The Terror of Frankestein) ! It is ... Read more