Frankenstein

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<B>1973/Color/130 Min./ABC Television/Not Rated   </B><B> </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Director.............Glenn Jordan (</B><I><B>Barbarians at the Gate, Les Miserables</B></I><B>)</B></div> <div> <B>Screenplay.......Sam Hall</B></div> <div> <B>Music................Robert Cobert</B></div> <div> <B>Producer...........Dan Curtis?</B></div> <div> <B>Story by Sam Hall & Dan Curtis</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Dramatis Personae</U></B></div> <div> <B>Victor Frankenstein..Robert Foxworth (</B><I><B>Ants!, Deathmoon, Prophecy</B></I><B>)</B></div> <div> <B>Elizabeth..................Susan Strasberg (</B><I><B>Bloody Birthday,The Manitou</B></I><B>)</B></div> <div> <B>The Giant.................Bo Svenson (</B><I><B>Curse II, Primal Rage, Snowbeast</B></I><B>)</B></div> <div> <B>Wilhelm...................Willie Aames (</B><I><B>Eight is Enough, Paradise, Zapped</B></I><B>)</B></div> <div> <B>Not Available...........Heidi Vaughn</B></div> <div> <B>                     John Karlen (</B><I><B>Dark Shadows-TV, Trilogy of Terror</B></I><B>)</B></div> <div> <B>                     Philip Borneuf</B></div> <div> <B>                     John Lormer</B></div> <div> <B>                     William Hansen</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Critique</U></B><B>: If Dan Curtis produced, wrote, or directed it, a certain level of quality is guaranteed. ABC-TV's production of Frankenstein is no exception. Still, Curtis' productions generally thrive on pace and exciting location shots (Las Vegas in "The Nightstalker" the streets and bars in "Black Widow") or real location shots as opposed to the sound studios of this somewhat staged Frankenstein. That said, the Creator-creation aspect of Mary Shelley's novel is worked out here with an intriguing focus on the irresponsibility of the scientist, for in forgetting or denying that his creation was his child, he failed to provide for it in any sense. Having created a man, he procedes to turn it into a monster through neglect and hatred. Foxworth is good as the increasingly mad scientist, and Svenson better as the sad monster. The music, reminiscent of other "Movie of the Week" productions creates an excellent mood. The almost chapter by chapter retelling of the novel, while on the one hand obviously a welcome contribution, sort of gets the best of this production, the 130 minutes don't exactly fly by.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Plot Summary</U></B><B>: Ingolstadt 1856. At a doctoral dissertation defense, young scholars are outraged at the theories of Dr. Victor Frankenstein, according to whom, the enemy of science is "the dictatorship of death". Frankenstein's advisor is both disappointed by the emotional reaction to the thesis, urging him to be patient while proving the theories involved, and at the same time warning him to think of the moral implications. Frankenstein's assistant's, Otto and Hugo, insist upon toasting the young doctor's prize, but he announces that tomorrow there will be an electrical storm. He is driven to accompany his next talk with the visual aid of the strongest, most brilliant man who ever lived. For now, the creature is hideous and lacking a heart. Unfortunately, while procuring one, Hugo is fatally injured. Fortunately, Hugo has the foresight to appeal to Frankenstein to give his death some meaning by using his heart for the monster, um, brilliant man, thus making him eternal by virtue of having contributed to this innovation. As Otto and Victor work feverishly, they are interrupted by the arrival of Victor's father and fiancee, accompanied by Victor's best friend, Henry Claval, a student of languages in Geneva. They press to see Victor's work, but he fends them off, and their concern grows when they discover Elizabeth's letters unopened. Victor brusquely ushers them to the inn. First he tells Otto to pretend Hugo went mountain climbing and they can't find him. That night the storm arrives but the lightning fails to bring the body to life. Victor flies into a rage and decides to burn all evidence of the project. As they begin to pack up the lab notes, a final jolt brings the body to life. "He lives!" cries Frankenstein and ascertains that the heartbeat is normal. They untie him and he gains consciousness, but he doesn't look very good. Although he has Professor Lichtman's brain, the creature has none of Lichtman's memories. They bring him a telescope to remind him of Lichtman's hobby, astronomy, but the creature simply crushes it. They quickly learn that he has the intellect of a four year old. As their Superman appears to be stupid, they decide to keep him a secret until he can be trained to act like a human. The goal is to present him at the scientific congress in London in November. When Victor leaves to inform his loved ones that he must miss this evening's concert, the creature wants to follow him like a newly hatched duckling. As he leaves his crestfallen fiancee, Victor promises to tell her of his work on the eve of their wedding. Meanwhile, Otto is trying his hand at language pedagogy using the communicative approach. The creature becomes so excited playing ball, that he hugs Otto, breaking his back in the process. Upon discovering this latest development, Victor decides to shoot the monster, but can't bring himself to do it and settles for strapping it back onto the table.  As Victor hides Otto in his room, the monster has an anxiety attack, breaks free, destroys the lab, and strikes off on its own. Victor gets his gun and searches to no avail. His dinner friends decide to check the lab for him, where he tells them to head back to Geneva. Unfortunately, his father met mutual friend Schmidt, and rented Schmidt's villa for six months. Elizabeth suspects there is another woman.  While she takes a walk to think, the creature observes her. Father asks Victor about his strange behavior and announce his intention to send for little brother Wilhelm. Just as the creature approaches Elizabeth, Victor comes and brings her in. In a cave, the creature finds a fire and warms itself. The monster learns of fire and rain, he sleeps, he crushes a bird and is reminded of Otto. He tries to play with children, but they run away screaming. After badly beating two men who happened upon him, the monster arrives at the humble home of a beautiful blind woman Agatha, and her kindly father. Agatha's brother Felix arrives with his Spanish fiancee Sardi, and the creature is thrilled to learn the word and concept "friend". Through a peephole, he spends months observing Agatha teach Sarti the vernacular, and makes himself a crude puppet with which to interact. Claval meanwhile has heard in a pub that two men report having seen a giant in the mountains. Victor is upset at the news. The little mountain family heads for an inn to celebrate the news that Sardi's mother is coming and they can marry. The creature enters the house to rehearse for a conversation with the family, but sees his reflection, cries "ugly" and sacks the place. Henry grills Victor on his behavior. Victor claims to be writing a novel in which the main character is waiting to hear of a murder. The wedding is a hit and the creature dances and converses in his woodshed and muses about joining the party. As the creature prepares to introduce himself, Agatha walks out upset that as a blind person, she can't see, dance, or meet friends or marry as she relates it to her father who comforts her. Back in the shed, the creature reasons that the puppet, his only friend, can't see him, thus logically, sightless Agatha would make an ideal girlfriend.</B></div> <div> <B>The next day, he knocks and introduces himself as a friend. They hit it off and she thinks that father may offer him work and that he could eat with them. She tries to touch his face and he panics just as the family returns. Felix attacks him with an axe, and the creature injures him. Felix is brought to Dr. Frankenstein who quickly sees that Felix will survive and rushes off to find the creature. Instead of going to bed, Wilhelm puts on his shoes and plays ball in the garden until the creature catches it. Wilhelm has no fear and explains that in a family of surgeons, one sees worse. Wilhelm calls Elizabeth to help with the wounds, but in an attempt to quiet the boy, he breaks his neck. The creature, full of remorse, thinks it only hates the man who shot at him and he vows to kill him should he see him again. Victor and Clavel follow the trail to the cave where they find the broken puppet and search the mausoleum, where the creature grabs Victor and asks who he is. The creature explains the pain of being hated on sight and Victor removes the bullet from him. Victor admits that he created him and the monster becomes enraged, ignoring Victor's insistence that the creature kill him, he demands that Victor make him someone to love him, "a wife, like you have". The creature vows that should Victor not comply, he won't kill Victor, but will make him sad and lonely and more guilty by killing everyone else he sees. Depressed and defeated, Father returns to Geneva. Clavel arrives with a goodbye letter from Elizabeth and her ring. Victor calms her and prepares for the coming storm. Clavel discovers the female creature and asks Victor if it has a soul. Lightning strikes and the creature awakens and screams as the male creature enters, she dies purposefully fried on the table.  The creature vows that from this day on, Victor will be lonely as he, finally promising, "I'll be there on your wedding night". Elizabeth refuses to leave alone and so they set off for Geneva. Against Victor's judgment, they stop on the way, and the innkeeper convinces them to marry now in his inn. The justice of the Peace insists that Victor come across the street and sign the book. When he returns, he finds Elizabeth murdered. He gets his gun and chases the creature. The creature swears that Victor will only die when the creature decides it's time, but Victor falls on a spike, critically injuring himself. Victor urges the creature to flee to the mountains and be free and begs forgiveness, asking the creature to stop seeking revenge and to forgive. The creature, too, begs forgiveness and cries at Victor's death. The creature attempts to leave carrying Victor, but soldiers gun him down.</B></div> </td> </tr></table></body>