The Frankenstein Wheel by Paul W. Fairman

After that, pick up (on DVD or Blu-ray) the trio of 'Frankenstein' films Universal produced during the 1930s: 'Frankenstein' (1931), 'The Bride of Frankenstein' (1935) and 'Son of Frankenstein' (1939), each starring Boris Karloff in his signature role as the sympathetic creature.įeel free to skip such low-budget turkeys as 'Frankenstein 1970' (1958) and 'Frankenhooker' (1990), but be sure and check out 'The Curse of Frankenstein' (1957), Hammer Film Productions' first delving into the Frankenstein mythos 'Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man' (1943), another classic from Universal 'The Evil of Frankenstein' (1964), one of the more entertaining Hammer entries 'Young Frankenstein' (1974), Mel Brooks' funniest film (yes, even funnier than 'Blazing Saddles') 'Frankenweenie' (2012), Tim Burton's stop-motion animated Disney feature and 'Mary Shelley's Frankenstein' (1994), a flawed but compelling adaptation of the novel with none other than Robert De Niro as the creature (he's actually one of the weaker aspects of the film). You could write a book on 'Frankenstein' movies (in fact, several people have), but we'll only cover the highlights here.įor historical purposes, you can watch the 1910 Edison Studios version of 'Frankenstein' on YouTube. This got us to thinking about the many ways the Frankenstein monster has appeared in popular culture over the years, from food to songs to merchandising to the big and small screens. Like virtually every other 'Frankenstein' interpretation, 'I, Frankenstein' draws inspiration from Shelley's Frankenstein but plays fast and loose with the details. Shelley's masterpiece has spawned numerous feature films, the latest of which is 'I, Frankenstein,' in theaters Friday.īased on the graphic novel by Kevin Grevioux, 'I, Frankenstein' stars Aaron Eckhart as Adam, a superpowered, pieced-together being who 'gets swept up in a long-running battle between powerful gargoyles and infernal demons who seek the key to his immortality,' says.

The Frankenstein monster first lumbered into existence in 1818 in Mary Shelley's classic novel Frankenstein Or, The Modern Prometheus,' a work that many have called the first science-fiction story.įilled with 'grotesque, dreamlike imagery,' according to Jane Yolen in 'Horror: 100 Best Books,' 'Frankenstein' is a gothic horror yarn as well, relating the tale of a mad scientist who discovers the secret of life, fashions a monster out of spare parts and is cursed by his curious (not to mention hideous) creation.

The Frankenstein Wheel by Paul W. Fairman