Frankenstein Unbound (1990)

User Rating:

5.2/10   

Director:

Roger Corman

Writers (WGA):

Brian Aldiss (novel)
Roger Corman (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

2 November 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Sci-Fi

Plot:

The ultimate weapon which was meant to be safe for the mankind produces global side effects including time slides and disappearances...

Plot Keywords:

Scientist | Laser | Science | Alternative Reality | Village

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

John Hurt	...	Dr. Joe Buchanan / Narrator
Raul Julia	...	Dr. Victor Frankenstein
Nick Brimble	...	The Monster
Bridget Fonda	...	Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin
Catherine Rabett	...	Elizabeth Levenza, Victor's Fiancee
Jason Patric	...	Lord George Gordon Byron
Michael Hutchence	...	Percy Byshee Shelley
Catherine Corman	...	Justine Moritz, Woman tried & condemmed as a witch
William Geiger	...	Lab Technician
Mickey Knox	...	General Reade
Myriam Cyr	...	Information Officer
Terri Treas	...	Buchanan's car (voice)
Cynthia Allison	...	Newswoman
Isabella Rocchietta	...	Dorrie
Matt Cassidy	...	Boy #1

Also Known As:

Roger Corman's Frankenstein Unbound

Runtime:

82 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Netherlands:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-14 | Norway:15 (video premiere) | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Bellagio, Como, Lombardia, Italy

Company:

The Mount Company

Trivia:

The title is a reference to both the full title of Mary Shelley's original novel ("Frankenstein - or, The Modern Prometheus") and to Percy Bysshe Shelley's lyrical drama "Prometheus Unbound".

Quotes:

Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin: Percy and Byron preach free love. I practice it.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Frankenstein: A Cinematic Scrapbook (1991)

Not bad, actually decent enough, considering the theme

I have to admit, I enjoyed this film, and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. This is only the second Roger Corman film I've seen so far, and therefore I can only really compare it to the other film I saw by him, The Terror. I can clearly recognize the directing style, and basic film-making style, but I must say that this is better than The Terror. The plot is pretty good, and fairly interesting, and more original than most other films dealing with Frankenstein. It has a decent enough pace; I wasn't bored for the 90 minutes it lasted. The script is fairly good too, a good twist on the original Frankenstein story, though I guess some fans of the original story wouldn't like the various changes. The acting is good enough, both John Hurt and Raul Julia gives pretty good performances, and the rest of the cast is decent. The characters are fairly well-written and credible. The film has a fairly bad name, it seems; yes, the monster does look more like the result of genetic mutation or something similar, rather than a creature built together by human bodies, and, arguably, the film has several violent scenes that seem to be there mainly to add violence rather than substance to the film, but apart from that, the film is pretty good, at least worth a watch, if only one watch. The effects are decent enough, at least for a film from 1990. The makeup effects and such were also pretty good, I must say that the monster's face, especially the eyes, did send a chill through my spine, the first time he was shown. I liked the various science fiction aspects of the film, and the social commentary was very good, too. The ending was a little weird, but it was a fairly good climax. All in all, a decent enough science fiction/horror drama, and worth one watch, if you can catch it for free. I recommend it to fans of Roger Corman and open-minded fans of Frankenstein and/or horror films in general; just be prepared that it won't be an incredible or very memorable film, just an entertaining 90 minutes, if you're into violent movies without any real purpose. 6/10