Frankenstein

There have been many adaptations of Mary Shelley's influential sci-fi/horror novel over the years, ranging from the famous Universal version starring Boris Karloff as the most iconic version of the monster to more recent attempts including Kenneth Brannagh's meticulously faithful adaptation, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, and the modern stem cell-related production made for the British television station, ITV. This Thomas Edison-produced version made in 1910 is actually the very first film based on the novel - and whilst it gives forewarning that it's a 'liberal adaptation' it's actually surprisingly faithful for a short 15 minute silent film, using period costumes and actually showing the monster as being able to speak.

Frankenstein (Augustus Philips) is depicted here as a young medical student who arrives at college and has a eureka-styled moment whilst preparing for an experiment. He seeks to create life but "Instead of a perfect human being the evil in Frankenstein's mind creates a monster", and Frankenstein finds himself faced with an ungodly being (Charles Ogle) that he instantly regrets birthing. So our young 'hero' does what any of us might do, and simply runs away. Of course, the monster follows him, and haunts him on his wedding night - menacing Frankenstein's newly-wed wife in their bedroom, and expressing horror at it's own appearance.

As I mentioned, this is surprisingly faithful to the novel - especially when you consider that it's a 300 page book condensed down into just a quarter of an hour. The film keeps the main crux of the story, and suggests a great deal of sympathy for Frankenstein's creature rather than just descending into a short, simplistic horror film. Frankenstein's ambitions are laid out in the form of a letter to his sweetheart, allowing for the film to fast forward to the bit any modern viewer will want to see - the creation of the 'monster'. This sequence is exceptional even by modern standards... the monster is shown literally forming before our eyes, flaming bones and ragged tendons stretching themselves together to become an abomination.

Charles Ogle is a curious footnote in film history thanks to being the first person to portray the monster on screen. He's fairly over-the-top and theatrical, all skulking and big arm movements, and the film goes some way to suggest that the creature is a reflection (literally) of Frankenstein's evil ambitions. However, the monster's fate is the film's most radical departure from the novel, with the creature bizarrely disappearing into it's own reflection because it just decides that it doesn't want to be evil anymore. Another interesting aspect of this film is that it depicts the creature's creation as a somewhat magical process, with Frankenstein conducting his 'experiment' by mixing up a series of potions in a big cauldron and then locking it into a cast-iron structure that kind of resembles a massive oven.

It's an interesting version of the tale, and if you want to watch it you can see it for free on youtube, due to the fact that it's old enough to not be covered by copyright anymore.

TRIVIA: This film was considered lost until around 1975, when it was rediscovered.

The scene of the monster's creation was achieved by melting a fake body and then running the footage backwards.

DIRECTOR: J. Searle Dawley
WRITER/SOURCE: J. Searle Dawley, based on the novel by Mary Shelley.
KEY ACTORS: Charles Ogle, Augustus Philips, Mary Fuller

RELATED TEXTS:
- Mary Shelley's novel, Frankenstein, is an early 19th century gothic novel considered by many to be the first true science fiction novel.
- A second silent film, Life Without Soul, was made in 1915 and also based on Shelley's novel. It is considered lost and hasn't been seen since the silent era.
- Frankenstein, the 1931 adaptation made by Universal pictures with Boris Karloff as the monster, is considered by many to be the definitive film version. It was followed by an acclaimed sequel, The Bridge of a Frankenstein, and a more forgettable follow-up, Son of Frankenstein, both also starring Karloff as the monster. Universal pictures went on to make five further films with other actors playing the monster.
- The British horror film production company Hammer made seven films based on or sequelising the Frankenstein story between 1957 and 1974.
- There have been ten or more other adaptations over the years, including Mary Shelley's Frankenstein in 1994, the version considered to be the closest to the novel.