FRANKENSTEIN UNBOUND By Frankie Franken

#2: Frankie Franken

Hello, everybody! This is Frankie Franken reporting for

The MonsterGrrls’ Thir13en For Halloween, and we’re almost to the day! Today I’m taking a look at a movie called Frankenstein Unbound, which puts a sci-fi spin on the Frankenstein legend. Mary Shelley has been called the mother of science fiction, but this film, based on a novel by Brian Aldiss, takes it to a new level.

The film opens in 2031, where Dr. Joe Buchanan (John

The good--er, bad--doctor at work

Hurt) is working to develop an energy beam weapon so powerful that it will end all war, while causing no damage to the environment. Unfortunately, his weapon causes rifts in space and time that cause people to disappear, and Buchanan ends up driving into one of these rifts, which takes him back to 1817 Switzerland. While there, Buchanan meets none other than Percy Shelley (Michael Hutchence), Lord Byron (Jason Patric) and Mary Shelley (Bridget Fonda), who is writing a story inspired by her mysterious and well-to-do neighbor, Victor Frankenstein (Raul Julia). Sure enough, Dr. Frankenstein has created a Monster (Nick Brimble) who is already wreaking revenge on his creator, and it isn’t long before Buchanan is trying to stop Frankenstein’s Monster and find his way back to his own time.

The Monster has a few words with Buchanan

While there’s an obvious parallel between the experiments of Buchanan and Frankenstein, this film is a fun twist on the traditional Frankenstein tale. The Monster, rather than cribbing from Boris Karloff’s iconic performance, takes its cues from Shelley’s original novel. Director Roger Corman, who is famed for his low-budget filmmaking, makes a practical-effects showcase that is pretty refreshing when compared to the CGI epics of today. Check this film out if you’re a Frankenstein fan; it’s pretty neat.

Gosh, it's nearly time for Halloween! Come back tomorrow for the end to The MonsterGrrls’ Thir13en For Halloween, and join us for the party! Happy Halloween, everybody!

Sincerely,

Francesca “Frankie” Franken

MAD DOCTOR’S NOTE: Frankenstein Unbound is available on DVD from Amazon. Check it out.