This weekend, please enjoy 1971’s Lady Frankenstein. It’s a shlocky Hammer-derivative production with some interesting twists. Pseudo-erotica horror featuring the beautiful, strangely psychopathic daughter of Victor Frankenstein: Tania, a pioneering female surgeon who shares her dad’s tendencies to push ethics and boundaries of pursuing scientific knowledge and achievement. In its own weird, pervy way, it somehow honors Shelley’s mother’s brand of proto-feminism. And the Monster behaves exactly as most modern horror villains do, punishing beautiful women and horny men for having sex.
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Tag Archives: Halooween 2018
A Vindication of the Rights of Moviegoers
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A do do do, a da da da…
And yet, I’m being unfair, because on the surface, The Bride from 1985 isn’t completely without merit. The film was not well received when it was released, and beautiful Jennifer Beals was nominated for a Razzie for her performance as “Eva”, this film’s version of The Bride of Frankenstein. This I found particularly unfair. Beals well served the role that was written, right down to the helpless Gothic heroine hamming. But, the flashes of strength and independence she briefly snuck in, including the reference to Mary Wollstonecraft, were subversive, more important and telling than the Sting character’s pathetic blather about an “equal” woman.
But more on that below. For now, see details…. Continue reading
The Impeccable Pecs of Victor Frankenstein
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Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein
Released: 1994
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Writers: Steph Lady, Frank Darabont
Notable Cast: Robert De Niro, Kenneth Branagh, Tom Hulce, Helena Bonham Carter, Aidan Quinn, Ian Holm, John Cleese
Plot: Based on Mary Shelley’s novel, ” .Frankenstein” tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a promising young doctor who, devastated by the death of his mother during childbirth, becomes obsessed with bringing the dead back to life. His experiments lead to the creation of a monster, which Frankenstein has put together with the remains of corpses. It’s not long before Frankenstein regrets his actions. (Source: Robert McElwaine on imdb.com)
Note – the format I use below was one that I used in a prior 31 Days of Halloween blog-a-thon, and I found that I liked it and that it helped me concisely express my thoughts around a movie.
Commentary: I viewed this film on home rental VHS back in 1994, and my opinion of it then and now, with a recent rewatch has not changed. This film should work, it should have been great and glorious with its A-List cast and its stellar production values.
So why do I feel like Kenneth Branagh drained the life out of this incredible, immortal story? Continue reading
Your Weekend Frankenstein, Oct 20-21
0This weekend, let’s take you through some classics of Frankenstein rock. Above, from Edgar Winter. Continue reading
Your Weekend Frankenstein, Oct 6-7
0“All them ethical blurry lines point to the same thematic question up in here: are we inherently good, or evil? Are people driven to murder because of society’s sh**, or is it written from Day One that a playa gonna be a cold-hearted killer?” – Sparky Sweets, PhD
I was, of course, born in the wrong decade. Instead of not reading the book for English class, I had those Cliff Notes and what not. But I most definitely didn’t have Thug Notes, narrated by the formidable Sparky Sweets, PhD.
Get the lowdown on Frankenstein like it IS, not like your fastidious English teacher wants it to be. With less pretentious, annoying jargon and with more banging booty. Continue reading
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