The Bride (1985)

User Rating:

5.1/10   

Director:

Franc Roddam

Writers:

Mary Shelley (novel)
Lloyd Fonvielle (writer)

Release Date:

16 August 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy | Horror | Romance

Tagline:

Here Comes . . .The BRIDE

Plot:

Sting is Doctor Frankenstein in this remake of the old classic film Bride of Frankenstein (1935). After years of research, the doctor finally succeeds in creating the perfect woman, who gets the name "Eva".

Plot Keywords:

Frankenstein | Remake | Doctor Frankenstein | Monster | Female Frontal Nudity

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Sting	...	Baron Charles Frankenstein
Jennifer Beals	...	Eva
Anthony Higgins	...	Clerval
Clancy Brown	...	Viktor
David Rappaport	...	Rinaldo the Midget
Geraldine Page	...	Mrs. Baumann
Alexei Sayle	...	Magar
Phil Daniels	...	Bela
Veruschka von Lehndorff	...	Countess (as Veruschka)
Quentin Crisp	...	Dr. Zalhus
Cary Elwes	...	Capt. Josef Schoden
Timothy Spall	...	Paulus (as Tim Spall)
Ken Campbell	...	Pedlar
Guy Rolfe	...	Count
Andy de la Tour	...	Priest (as Andrew De La Tour)
Tony Haygarth	...	Tavern keeper
Matthew Guinness	...	First Patron
Tony Brutus	...	Second Patron
Gary Shail	...	First Circus Hand
Carl Chase	...	Second Circus Hand
Bernard Padden	...	Houseboy
Janine Duvitski	...	Serving Girl
John Sharp	...	Bailiff
Jack Birkett	...	Blind Man
Gerry Crampton	...	Gentleman
Fenella Fletcher	...	Masked Lady
Joe Kaye	...	Frankenstein's Groom
Harold Coyne	...	Vernon
Stromboli	...	Circus Performer
Karen Furness	...	Circus Performer
John Alexander	...	Circus Performer
Jacqueline Russell	...	Circus Performer
Tod Cody	...	Circus Performer
Laurence Temple	...	Circus Performer
Gerard Naprous	...	Circus Performer
Vera De Vel	...	Circus Performer
Sally Oultram	...	Circus Performer
Joëlle Baland	...	Circus Performer (as Joel Baland)
Miss Irta	...	Circus Performer
Andy Barrat	...	Circus Ringmaster (as Andy Barratt)
Annie Roddam	...	Countess's Daughter
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Harry Fielder	...	Circus man (uncredited)

Directed by
Franc Roddam

Writing credits
Mary Shelley		(novel "Frankenstein")
Lloyd Fonvielle		(writer)

Produced by
Keith Addis	....	executive producer
Victor Drai	....	producer
Lloyd Fonvielle	....	associate producer
Chris Kenny	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Maurice Jarre

Cinematography by
Stephen H. Burum

Film Editing by
Michael Ellis

Casting by
Ellen Chenoweth

Production Design by
Michael Seymour

Art Direction by
Bryan Graves		(supervising art director)

Set Decoration by
Tessa Davies

Costume Design by
Shirley Russell

Makeup Department
Tricia Cameron	....	assistant hair stylist
Sallie Evans	....	assistant makeup artist
Sarah Monzani	....	head of makeup
Aaron Sherman	....	prosthetics creator
Maralyn Sherman	....	prosthetics creator
Maureen Stephenson	....	assistant makeup artist
Chris Taylor	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Bernard Mazauric	....	production manager
Ted Morley	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Laurent Brégeat	....	assistant director: France (as Laurent Bregeat)
Chris Brock	....	second assistant director
Patrick Clayton	....	first assistant director
Callum McDougall	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Andrew Ackland-Snow	....	draughtsman
Bruce Bigg	....	property master
Roy Evans	....	construction manager
Robin Heinson	....	painter
Martin Hitchcock	....	draughtsman
Damien Lanfranchi	....	art director: France
David McHenry	....	assistant art director
Grahame Ménage	....	scenic artist
Brian Read	....	prop buyer
James Whiting	....	laboratory designer (as Jim Whiting)

Sound Department
Peter Bond	....	footsteps/dialogue editor
John Ireland	....	sound editor
David John	....	sound mixer
Matthew Launay	....	sound assistant
Hugh Strain	....	dubbing mixer
Len Tremble	....	assistant sound editor

Special Effects by
Peter Fern	....	special effects technician
Peter Hutchinson	....	special effects supervisor
Peter Skehan	....	special effects technician
Bob Wiesinger	....	wire specialist

Stunts
Roy Alon	....	stunts
Gerry Crampton	....	stunt coordinator
Dorothy Ford	....	stunts
Tony Friel	....	stunt double: Rinaldos
Nick Gillard	....	stunts
Dinny Powell	....	stunts
Denise Ryan	....	stunts
Alan Stuart	....	stunts
Malcolm Weaver	....	stunts
Jason White	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
David Budd	....	assistant camera
John Clarke	....	best boy
Tony Cridlin	....	key grip
W.C. 'Chunky' Huse	....	key grip: Grip House (as Chunky Huse)
Simon Mills	....	camera loader
John Palmer	....	camera operator
Bob Penn	....	still photographer
Ronnie Fox Rogers	....	second camera operator
Laurie Shane	....	gaffer
Carlos Melville	....	electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Joyce Gallie	....	additional casting
Caroline Mazauric	....	extras casting
Sally Wignall	....	assistant casting: UK

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Rebecca Breed	....	wardrobe mistress
Janet Macklam	....	wardrobe assistant
Don Mothersill	....	wardrobe assistant
Richard Pointing	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Paul Hodgson	....	first assistant editor
Christopher Young	....	second assistant editor

Music Department
Robin Clarke	....	music editor
Maurice Jarre	....	conductor
Dick Lewzey	....	music mixer
Michel Mention	....	orchestrator
Christopher Palmer	....	orchestrator

Other crew
Andy Birmingham	....	production accountant
Carina Cooper	....	assistant: Mr. Roddam
Michèle Girot	....	production accountant: France
Joanna Gollins	....	location manager
Pauline Granby	....	assistant accountant
Yvonne Heeks	....	assistant accountant
Cheryl Leigh	....	script supervisor
Don Levy	....	publicist
Derek Lyons	....	stand-in
Marilyse Morgan	....	production coordinator
Christine Raspillère	....	location manager
Patricia Reid-Douglas	....	production secretary: France (as Patricia Reid)
Antoine Sabarros	....	location manager
Dena Vincent	....	contact: London
Lisa M. Violé	....	assistant to producer (as Lisa Violé)

Production Companies

• Colgems Productions Ltd.
• Columbia Pictures Corporation
• Delphi III Productions
• Lee International Studios

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1985) (USA) (theatrical)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (1986) (USA) (VHS)
• Fox Video (video)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (laserdisc)

Other Companies

• Joe Dunton & Company  camera equipment provided by
• Lee Lighting  grip and lighting equipment
• Leonard of London  hair consulting
• Renown Freight  freight agents

Runtime:

Australia:114 min | USA:118 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Rankcolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:14 | West Germany:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Ain, France

Company:

Colgems Productions Ltd.

Trivia:

Perry Fenwick passed on this project

Quotes:

Eva: A woman should do as she pleases, just like a man. You taught me that.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Mistress Frankenstein (2000) (V)

Soundtrack:

Eine Kleine Nachtsmusik

Eye-candy cinematography, thought-provoking story...

A beautiful movie! It was really quite lusciously filmed, where everything - the set designs, the costumes, outdoor locations, and luscious depiction of an early 18th century Transylvania setting – are absolutely top-notch, and give the film an almost magical sort of quality. This is "must see" film making.

The movie basically deals with the lives and fates of two living creations of Dr. Frankenstein (played by Sting): one, Viktor, (whom you might think of as "Frankenstein's Monster") is a big scary guy. The other, Eva (played by Jennifer Beals), is a beautiful young woman. Both have been created from spare body parts, and then brought to life by Dr. Frankenstein in the laboratory. There is a storm and a fire, the tower in which the laboratory is housed is destroyed, and Viktor escapes to fend for himself out in the countryside of Transylvania. Eva is taken care of by Dr. Frankenstein who, along with others in the castle, helps to educate the helpless young woman.

That, essentially, is the setting for the movie, and it is told in a surprisingly effective "dual tales" sort of technique. In one story, we watch as Viktor goes out on his own, and meets up with Rinaldo, a sly but very lovable midget (played by David Rappaport). Rinaldo convinces Viktor that the two of them would make a good living by going off to join the circus, and so off they go, getting involved in a couple of amusing scrapes along the way. Eventually they do indeed end up with the circus, where both are mercilessly exploited by the circus entrepreneurs Magar and Bela (played by Alexei Sayles and Phil Daniels).

Meanwhile, back at the castle... We watch how Eva is carefully groomed and schooled in the finest European fashion, and meticulously transformed, Eliza Doolittle-style, into quite the proper upper class young lady.

The movie carefully, and with nicely-timed pacing, switches back and forth between these two stories, and these stories prove to be very enjoyable watching.

I didn't find it distracting whatsoever to see Sting playing Dr. Frankenstein. Sure, they could have found a different and arguably better actor to play the good (?) doctor, but at the time this movie was made (1985) Sting was "the Man" – you know, the dude with the star-power name who could pull in the teenagers. And probably the same could be said for Jennifer Beals, who was still riding high from her recent fame in 1983's Flashdance. They need to fill those seats in the theaters, folks! No, they aren't that bad: don't let that deter you from seeing the movie. (And if you are a Sting fan or a Jennifer Beals fan (and we know how painful THAT can be) then you will be even more delighted with this film).

Oh yes, I said in the summary bar above that this is also a thought-provoking story. Well, basically, both Viktor and Eva are subjected to varying degrees of exploitation by their "benefactors," and one can't help but feel that the movie is an allegory for how the strong exploit the weak. This was especially true back in the days of old, where man exploited man. Now, thankfully, we live in a modern and enlightened age, and it's just the opposite!