Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994)
Average Rating: 5.5/10
Reviews Counted: 36
Fresh: 16 | Rotten: 20
No consensus yet.
Average Rating: 4.2/10
Critic Reviews: 5
Fresh: 1 | Rotten: 4
No consensus yet.
liked it
Average Rating: 3.1/5
User Ratings: 52,712
My Rating
Movie Info
Director Kenneth Branagh's interpretation of Mary Shelley's classic horror novel stars Robert DeNiro as a terrifying monster created in an obsessive attempt to defeat death and stretch the limits of medicine in the early 19th century. With the use of flashback, a dying Dr. Viktor Frankenstein (Kenneth Branagh) divulges a tale of gruesome terror to a sea captain (Aidan Quinn): As a medical student, the rebellious Frankenstein elaborates on the work of a brilliant scientist (John Cleese),
Nov 4, 1994 Wide
Aug 7, 2001
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Watch It Now
Cast
-
Robert De Niro
Creature, Sharp Feature... -
Kenneth Branagh
Dr. Frankenstein -
Tom Hulce
Henry Clavell -
Helena Bonham Carter
Elizabeth -
Aidan Quinn
Walton -
Ian Holm
Victor's Father -
Richard Briers
Grandfather -
John Cleese
Professor Waldman -
Robert Hardy
Professor Krempe -
Cherie Lunghi
Victor's Mother -
Celia Imrie
Mrs. Moritz -
Trevyn McDowell
Justine -
Alfred Bell
Landlord -
Richard Clifford
Minister -
Susan Field
Frau Brach -
Robert Hines
Ship's Crew #11 -
Gerard Horan
Claude -
Lonnie James
Rough Woman -
Edward Jewesbury
City Official -
Peter Jonfield
Rough Man -
Alex Lowe
Shop's Crew #8 -
Siobhan Redmond
Midwife -
Joanna Roth
Marie -
Jimmy Yuill
Grigori -
Jenny Galloway
Vendor's Wife -
Mark Inman
Mansion Staff #3 -
David Kennedy
Ship's Crew #4 -
Shaun Prendergast
Ship's Crew #2 -
-
Mark Hadfield
Felix -
Chris Barnes
Ship's Crew #1 -
Tommy Wright
Ship's Crew #3 -
Hugh Bonneville
Schiller -
Paul Gregory
Ship's Crew #5
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All Critics (44) | Top Critics (10) | Fresh (17) | Rotten (21) | DVD (14)
Branagh doesn't evoke terror, only repulsion.
Top CriticAs this movie switches, unevenly, from swashbuckling adventure to classic horror to frilly-shirted romance to campiness to graphic gorefest, there's no telling what you're watching.
Something more substantial than Hollywood's typical, fitfully entertaining fluff.
It is, in a word, dullsville.
The Creature is on target, but the rest of the film is so frantic, so manic, it doesn't pause to be sure its effects are registered.
Branagh's ambitious take succeeds as a cautionary tale about true monstrosity: hubris and man's inhumanity to man. But one man's operatic style is another man's unintentionally comical excess, and...Frankenstein certainly tempts fate... [Blu-ray]
There are no extras included on the disc.
Clearly, one person's authentic homage is another person's overwrought teeth-gnashing fest, as Branagh's film never hesitates to slop on the melodramatic mustard.
I'm inclined to give it an 8 now. The more you watch, the more you appreciate how Branagh was able to faithfully retell Shelley's novel while still managing to make it fresh and make it relevant.
Uma das mais fiéis e complexas adaptações da história original, respeitando seus temas principais mesmo que desviando-se, aqui e ali, de pontos específicos da trama.
Different look at the old Frankenstein story, directed by Branagh.
A weirdly muddled and embarrassingly over-the-top fiasco.
A sub par effort on one of the most frequently ill adapted stories ever made
For all its attention to detail and special effects, this version lacks the pathos and tragedy in the complex and ambivalent relationship between the father-creator and his creature-monster; De Niro is misguided by director Branagh.
It's Greek tragedy, and when its characters utter invocations to the gods in turn, it manages to feel cheesy in exactly the right way.
Gorgeous scenery (including one inexplicable Sound of Music picnic scene), superior acting, and inventive takes on the legend breathe new life into an old monster film.
What can I say? I found the bravura and chest-thumping intriguing. I don't even feel guilty saying that.
Audience Reviews for Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
Super Reviewer
-
- Sharp Featured Man: I do know that for the sympathy of one living being, I would make peace with all. I have love in me the likes of which you can scarcely imagine and rage the likes of which you would not believe. If I cannot satisfy the one, I will indulge the other.
- Sharp Featured Man: You gave me these emotions, but you didn't tell me how to use them. Now two people are dead because of us. Why?
- Dr. Frankenstein: There was something at work in my soul which I do not understand.
- Sharp Featured Man: And what of my soul? Do I have one? Or was that a part you left out?
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Foreign Titles
- Frankenstein de Mary Shelley (ES)
The visuals are damn good with that cracking gothic feel of course, you get a really good sense of dirty, dusty creaking wooden floorboards set against age old science with lots of odd looking machines created by Frankenstein, rotten body parts and murky dark cemeteries, you can almost taste the sweat and dampness of it all hehe.
There isn't anything especially stunning here I must confess, its pretty bog standard despite having De Niro against type casting as the monster, by the numbers without anything to really make it a classic. Its better than Coppola's film casting wise that's for sure and makes abit more sense but there is nothing that really stands out. Hard choice if you put De Niro up against Oldman for best monster performance, I guess Oldman may take it but this film would win for everything else I reckon.
Not as visually stunning as Coppola's Dracula maybe but certainly more down to earth.