Customer Reviews

Edison's Frankenstein (Book & Video)

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This is a review of the film not the text history of the film that is also included.

Is it possible to judge a film made in 1910, its direction and acting by the standards we use today. It is not. Sure, its acting is over the top and very silly to boot. No one in the film has any personality or devlopment and the story is told at break neck speed. Events jump from one to other without much setup. Still to any fan of Mary Shelley's classic work, Edison Frankenstein is a must have. Here is cinema's first attempt to bring the story of Frankenstein to screen and in it's short 15 minutes running time it manages to cover a lot of ground.

The film opens with young Victor Frankenstein (Augustus Phillips) leaving his home, family and friends for college. A title card explains a jump in time in which Frankenstein has learned the secrets of creating life and is ready to do so. We then see Frankenstein peering through the window of a large chamber where his creation (Charles Ogle) is brought to life.

A special note must be made of the creation scene. No mad electrical machines as used in later versions of the story. Mary Shelley never gave any details as to the monster's actual creation so filmmakers have always been able to have fun with this. Here the monster is brought to life in a large vat through either an early form of stop motion or time lapse photography and I find the scene very impressive.

After his creation is brought to life and in a scene lifted directly from the novel Frankenstein recoils in terror at what he has done, and collapes on his bed. The monster follows after him, draws open the bed curtains and stares down on him.

Ogle's monster makeup is like nothing you have seen before. Yet I am somewhat reminded of Universal's version of the monster due to what appears to be a flat top head cover by long wild hair, and a very pale face.

Frankenstein later returns home and plans to marry Elizabeth (Mary Fuller). There the monster confronts his creator again but is destroyed by Frankenstein's better nature.

I am so very happy to add this film that was long thought lost to my collection. Now I can only hope that a copy of the second film adaptation of Frankenstein 1915's Life Without a soul can be located.

This Ebook is a wonderful investigation on Edison`s Frankenstein and the dvd is a great film restoration. I just want to congratulate Frederick C. Wiebel for this marvelous material. Frederick, THANK YOU very much because you are one of those few people who give his or her life for the sake of art. I really appreciate your effort and your incredible work. Buy this material, don't hesitate, is a wonderful piece of art.

Edison's FRANKENSTEIN is an excellent package - a great book on DVD-ROM and an excellent movie DVD as well with the entire film with good inter-titles. This is well worth a look.

Bill Shaffer
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