Starring Charles Ogle, Augustus Phillips, Mary Fuller
Directed by J. Searle Dawley
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A scientist excitedly uses his knowledge to create a living man, but after being repelled by its ugliness, is stalked by the creature when he leaves for his wedding.
The very first film adaptation of Mary Shelley's classic novel, Frankenstein, is much less known than the 1931 Universal picture featuring Boris Karloff's iconic role as The Monster, and given its short running time (around 15 minutes), and limited plot, it certainly can't compare to James Whale's film. However, I think it's always important to be aware of what came before, and I enjoyed sitting down and experiencing this film for the first time, even though the quality of the image has degraded over the years. The movie doesn't offer a cohesive story, but a series of short scenes adapted from the novel, the most impressive of which is the creation sequence. Those used to The Monster being reanimated by lightning or electricity, may well be surprised to see Dr. Frankenstein pouring chemicals into a cauldron, and then witnessing a fiery skeleton come into view who slowly accumulates flesh before emerging to the doctor's terror. Charles Ogle (who plays the monster in the film), is also credited by IMDB with designing his makeup. Although future Frankenstein monster appearances may have had greater impact, there's enough of the grotesque to serve the story and give us a glimpse of how the creature was imagined before Karloff and Whale came along.
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