Frankenstein (1931 film) and MonsterQuest: Difference between pages

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{{Infobox Film
{{Infobox Television
| name = Frankenstein
| show_name = MonsterQuest
| image = Frankenstein13.jpg
| image = [[Image:MonsterQuest_SC.jpg]]
| caption = Season one ''Monster Quest'' title screen
| image_size = 215px
| caption = theatrical poster
| format = [[Documentary film|Documentary]]
| director = [[James Whale]]
| camera =
| producer = [[Carl Laemmle Jr.]]
| picture_format =
| audio_format =
| writer = [[Mary Shelley]] ''([[Frankenstein|novel]])''<br>Peggy Webling ''(play)''<br>[[John L. Balderston]] ''(adaptation)''<br>[[Francis Edward Faragoh]]<br>[[Garrett Fort]]<br>[[Robert Florey]] ''(uncredited)''<br>[[John Russell]] ''(uncredited)''
| runtime = 44 minutes (without commercials)
| narrator =
| creator =
| starring = [[Colin Clive]]<br>[[Mae Clarke]]<br>[[John Boles (actor)|John Boles]]<br>[[Boris Karloff]]
| music = Bernhard Kaun
| developer =
| producer = Doug Hajicek </br> Collin Mullahy
| cinematography = [[Arthur Edeson]]
| executive_producer = Dale Bosch
| editing = Clarence Kolster<br/>[[Maurice Pivar]]
| distributor = [[Universal Pictures]]
| starring =
| released = November 21, {{fy|1931}} ''(US)''
| narrated = Stan Benard
| theme_music_composer =
| runtime = 71 minutes
| country = {{FilmUS}}
| opentheme =
| language = {{English}}
| endtheme =
| budget = $291,000 US ''(est.)''
| country = [[United States of America|United States]]
| gross =
| location =
| followed_by = ''[[Bride of Frankenstein]]'' (1935)
| language = [[English language|English]]
| imdb_id = 0021884
| network = [[The History Channel]]
| first_aired = [[October 31]], [[2007]]
| last_aired = present
| num_seasons = 2
| num_episodes = 29 (as of Sept. 24, 2008)
| list_episodes =
| chronology =
| preceded_by =
| followed_by =
| website = http://www.history.com/minisites/monsterquest/
| imdb_id = tt1170243
| tv_com_id = 75083
}}
}}
'''''Frankenstein''''' is a {{fy|1931}} [[horror film]] from [[Universal Pictures]] directed by [[James Whale]] and very loosely based on the novel [[Frankenstein|of the same name]] by [[Mary Shelley]] and the play adapted from it by Peggy Webling. The film stars [[Colin Clive]], [[Mae Clarke]], [[John Boles (actor)|John Boles]] and [[Boris Karloff]], and features [[Dwight Frye]] and [[Edward van Sloan]]. The film was adapted by [[John L. Balderston]] and written by [[Francis Edward Faragoh]] and [[Garrett Fort]] with uncredited contributions from [[Robert Florey]] and [[John Russell]]. The make-up artist was [[Jack Pierce (make-up artist)|Jack Pierce]].


'''''Monster Quest''''' is a [[Documentary film|documentary]] television series that began to air on [[October 31]], [[2007]] on [[The History Channel]]. The program deals with the search for various [[cryptozoological]] creatures reportedly seen around the world.
<!--spacing, please do not remove-->


The purpose of the show is best described by the narrative in the opening credits, ''"Witnesses around the world report seeing monsters. Are they real or imaginary? Science searches for answers, on Monster Quest."''
==Plot==
Dr. Henry Frankenstein ([[Colin Clive]]), an ardent young scientist, and his assistant [[Fritz (Frankenstein)|Fritz]] ([[Dwight Frye]]), a devoted hunch-back, piece together a human body, the parts of which have been secretly collected from various sources. Frankenstein's consuming desire is to create human life through various electrical devices which he has perfected.


==Reviews==
[[Elizabeth]] ([[Mae Clarke]]), his fiancée, is worried to distraction over his peculiar actions. She cannot understand why he secludes himself in an abandoned watch tower, which he has equipped as a laboratory, and refuses to see anyone. She and her friend, [[Victor Moritz]] ([[John Boles (actor)|John Boles]]), go to [[Doctor Waldman|Dr. Waldman]] ([[Edward Van Sloan]]), his old medical professor, and ask Dr. Waldman's help in reclaiming the young scientist from his absorbing experiments. Elizabeth, intent on rescuing Frankenstein, arrives just as the eager young medico is making his final tests. They all watch Frankenstein and the hunchback as they raise the dead creature on an operating table, high into the room, toward an opening at the top of the laboratory. Then a terrific crash of thunder—the crackling of Frankenstein's electric machines—and the hand of Frankenstein's monster begins to move.


Most critical reviews of ''Monster Quest'' pertain to the season one DVD set which was released as a 4 DVD boxed collection on [[May 27]], [[2008]].
The manufactured monster ([[Boris Karloff]]), a strangely hideous, startling, grotesque, gruesome, inhuman form, about seven feet (213 cm) tall with broad shoulders, enormous long arms, a placid, gaunt, elongated face, a square-shaped head with boxy forehead, hooded eyelids over deep-set sunken eyes, neck-spikes or bolts to serve as electrical connectors on his neck, jagged surgical scars, and a matted wig, wearing a dark suit, shortened coat sleeves and thick, heavy boots, causing him to walk with an awkward, stiff-legged, crude gait, is held in a dungeon in the watch tower. Through Fritz's error, a criminal brain was secured for Frankenstein's experiments which supposedly result in the monster knowing only hate, horror and murder. However, when we are first introduced to the 'Monster' it seems that it is not, in fact, a malevolent beast, but a simple, innocent (if scary looking) creation. Frankenstein welcomes it into his laboratory, and asks his creation to sit, which he does. Fritz, however, enters with a flaming torch which frightens the monster. Its fright is mistaken by Frankenstein and Dr. Waldman as an attempt to attack them, and so it is taken to the cellars where they chain up the monster, thinking that it is not fit for society, and will wreak havoc at any chance. They leave the monster locked up, when there is an unearthly, terrifying shriek from the dungeon. Frankenstein and Dr. Waldman rush in to find the monster has strangled Fritz. The monster makes a lunge at the two, but they escape. As the monster breaks through the door, Dr. Waldman injects a powerful drug into the monster's back and he sinks to the floor.


Rich Rosell of [http://www.digitallyobsessed.com/ Digitally Obsessed] gave it a "B-" saying; "The good news is that this isn't a trashy reality show, eager to make everything overblown and sinister. Instead, it takes a seemingly well-researched approach, leaving viewers the opportunity to make up their own minds." and "content is certainly nerd-worthy in an [[The X-Files|I-want-to-believe]]/[[Fox Mulder|Mulder]] kind of way".<ref>[http://www.digitallyobsessed.com/showreview.php3?ID=10011 Review of Season 1 DVD on Digitally Obsessed]</ref>
Dr. Waldman tries to destroy the unconscious creature which, however, awakens and strangles him. It escapes from the tower and wanders through the landscape. It then has a short encounter with a little farmer's daughter, Maria, who asks him to play a game with her where they would throw flowers into the lake so they appeared like little boats. As the monster takes much pleasure in the game and his playmate, it picks up the little girl and throws her into the lake in a playful sort of way and as he becomes aware of the consequences of his careless doing tries to get a hold of her, unsuccessfully. (The part of the sequence where the monster throws the girl into the pond was censored at the time of the film's original release, but has been restored in modern prints.) The creature then walks off troubled.


[http://www.chud.com Cinematic Happenings Under Development (CHUD)] gave the show a 5.9 out of 10 review, stating the show is "basically a rehashing of the 1970s / 1980s TV show, ''[[In Search of... (TV series)|In Search Of]]''" and "it leaves you with a sense of either 'been there, done that' or just a feeling of incompleteness because it basically raises as many questions as it tries to answer."<ref>[http://chud.com/articles/articles/14998/1/DVD-REVIEW-MONSTER-QUEST---SEASON-1/Page1.html Review of season 1 DVD on CHUD]</ref>
With preparations for the wedding completed, Frankenstein is once again himself and serenely happy with Elizabeth. They are to marry as soon as Dr. Waldman arrives. Victor rushes in, saying that the Doctor has been found strangled in his operating room. Frankenstein suspects the monster. A chilling scream convinces him that the fiend is in the house. The monster has gained access to Elizabeth's room. When the searchers arrive, they find her unconscious on the bed. The monster has escaped. He is only intent upon destroying Frankenstein.


==Episodes==
Leading an enraged band of peasants, Frankenstein searches the surrounding country for the monster. He becomes separated from the band and is discovered by the monster, who springs at his prey and carries him off to the old mill. The peasants hear his cries and follow. Finally reaching the mill, they find the monster has climbed to the very top, dragging Frankenstein with him. In a burst of rage, he hurls the young scientist to the ground. His fall, broken by the vanes of the windmill, saves him from instant death. Some of the villagers hurry him to his home while the others remain to burn the mill and destroy the entrapped monster.


===Season one===
Later, back at Frankenstein Castle, Frankenstein's father, Baron Frankenstein ([[Frederick Kerr]]) celebrates the wedding of his recovered son with a toast to a future grandchild.


{| class="wikitable"
==Differences between the film and its source==
|- style="background-color:#DC143C; color:#FFFFFF;"
There are more differences between the movie and book than there are similarities. This is because the movie is largely based on the 1920s play accredited to Peggy Webling rather than the original Shelley text.
|'''Ep#'''
|'''Title'''
|'''Airdate'''
|'''Description'''
|-
|101
|'''America's Loch Ness Monster'''
|[[October 31]], [[2007]]
|Investigation of the [[plesiosaur]]-like lake monster nicknamed [[Champ (legend)|Champ]] that supposedly lurks in [[Lake Champlain]], dubbed "America's [[Loch Ness Monster]]".
|-
|102
|'''Sasquatch Attack'''
|[[November 7]], [[2007]]
|Investigation of the bizarre attacks upon a remote hunting cabin in Northern [[Ontario]] by suspected [[Bigfoot]] creatures and other reports of aggressive Sasquatch in the North Western [[United States]].
|-
|103
|'''Giant Squid Found'''<!--Was also listed on history.com as "Giant Squid Ambush"-->
|[[November 14]], [[2007]]
| Investigation off [[Mexico]]'s [[Gulf of California|Sea of Cortez]], into the reported sightings and capture of abnormally large [[Humbolt Squid]]s.
|-
|104
|'''Birdzilla'''
|[[November 21]], [[2007]]
|Investigation into the legendary [[Thunderbird (cryptozoology)|Thunderbird]] and the sightings of other giant birds in [[Illinois]], [[Texas]] and [[Alaska]].
|-
|105
|'''Bigfoot'''
|[[November 28]], [[2007]]
|The continued investigations of Bigfoot in [[Washington]] State and a digital enhancement study of the infamous [[Patterson-Gimlin film|1967 Patterson film]].
|-
|106
|'''Mutant Canines'''
|[[December 5]], [[2007]]
|Investigation into reports of attacks on pets and livestock in [[Maine]] and [[Minnesota]] by strange hybrid [[Canidae|canines]].
|-
|107
|'''Lions in the Backyard'''
|[[December 12]], [[2007]]
|Investigation into the reports of large black cats and [[jaguar]]-like creatures that have been encroaching into human populated areas of [[Arizona]], [[West Virginia]], [[Pennsylvania]], and [[New York]]
|-
|108
|'''Gigantic Killer Fish'''
|[[December 19]], [[2007]]
|Investigation into encounters of massive freshwater fish from the [[Arctic]] to the [[Amazon River|Amazon]].
|-
|109
|'''Swamp Beast'''
|[[December 26]], [[2007]]
|Investigation into the swamps of [[Louisiana]] and [[Florida]] to look for the legendary [[Skunk Ape]].
|-
|110
|'''Stalin's Ape Man'''
|[[January 2]], [[2008]]
|Investigation of former [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] [[dictator]] [[Joseph Stalin]]'s supposed plan to create [[Humanzee|ape-human hybrids]].
|-
|111
|'''Creatures from the 4th Dimension'''<!--Was also listed on history.com as "Unidentified Flying Creatures"-->
|[[January 9]], [[2008]]
|Investigation into the purported existence of extra-dimensional atmospheric creatures known as [[Rod (cryptozoology)|Rods]].
|-
|112
|'''The Real Hobbit'''
|[[January 16]], [[2008]]
| Investigation into the [[Southeast Asia]]n reports of "[[Hobbit]]-like" humanoids called ''[[Homo floresiensis]]'' and the humanoid-ape creature known as the [[Orang Pendek]].
|-
|113
|'''Giganto: the Real King Kong'''
|[[January 19]], [[2008]]
|Investigation into reports of the continued existence of ''[[Gigantopithecus]]'' - a huge species of extinct ape that inspired the tales of [[King Kong]].
|-
|114
|'''American Werewolf'''
|[[January 23]], [[2008]]
|Investigation into [[Wisconsin]] and [[Michigan]] reports of a [[werewolf]]-like creature also known as the "[[Beast of Bray Road]]" and the "Michigan Dogman".
|}


===Season two===
The most specific difference between the book and the movie is the acceptance of the creature as a man rather than a monster, which has led to the naming &ndash; by some people's account as ''mis''naming &ndash; of the creature as "Frankenstein". In the Peggy Webling play which the film is based on, the direct idea of the creator largely accepting his creation as an actual man and accepting success of his original experiment, rather than the explicit rejection by Frankenstein of his creature of the novel, is explored more directly and exactly.
''Season two is currently airing and the schedule below is subject to change.''
<!--READ BEFORE YOU EDIT: Although History Channel's website has a list of upcoming monsters for season two, the list is not in the exact order in which the episodes will air. Also some of the episode titles are different. These lists assume the names given in the monthly schedule on History's website. Please do not add an episode until it appears in the schedule.-->


{| class="wikitable"
This tolerance of the creature as a man would largely be revoked by Universal in their later films using the creature in which the creature was to be marketed as a specific villain and not to be empathized with by the audience. In all Universal films starting with ''[[Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man]]'', every time the creature is referred to directly in-story, he is specifically named as "The Frankenstein Monster" or simply "the Monster" and never again in-story as just "Frankenstein" in order to emaphize the fact that he is a manufactured being and an inherently evil one.
|- style="background-color:#0000FF; color:#FFFFFF;"
|'''Ep#'''
|'''Title'''
|'''Airdate'''
|'''Description'''
|-
|201
|'''Mega Hog'''
|[[May 28]], [[2008]]
|Investigation into the reports of gigantic [[pig|swine]] like the 800 lb "[[Hogzilla]]" shot in [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] in 2004.
|-
|202
|'''Vampire Beast'''
|[[June 4]], [[2008]]
|Investigation into the [[2007]] [[Bolivia, North Carolina]] reports of strange attacks on livestock and pets by a creature that feeds on blood, and evidence that it appeared once before in the 1950s.
|-
|203
|'''Ghosts'''
|[[June 11]], [[2008]]
|Investigation into the existence of [[ghost]]s, studying activity at the [[Lizzie Borden]] axe-murder house in [[Fall River, Massachusetts]], a Civil War battlefield at [[Gettysburg]], and strange gas station camera footage in [[Parma, Ohio]].
|-
|204
|'''Ohio Grassman'''
|[[June 18]], [[2008]]
|Investigation into the reported sightings and physical evidence of Bigfoot-like creatures that may lurk in the eastern wilderness of the state of [[Ohio]].
|-
|205
|'''Giant Killer Snakes'''
|[[June 25]], [[2008]]
|Investigation into the rumors of massive, man-eating [[anaconda]]s in [[Venezuela]] and enormous, alligator-eating [[Pythonidae|python]]s in the [[Everglades|Florida Everglades]].
|-
|206
|'''Super Rats'''
|[[July 2]], [[2008]]
|Investigation into archaeological evidence that [[Common Rat]]s grew to enormous size in the past, and a look into recent reports from [[New York City]] that these cat-sized rodents could be returning.
|-
|207
|'''Black Beast of Exmoor'''
|[[July 9]], [[2008]]
|Investigation into what witnesses say is a panther-like "[[Beast of Exmoor|black beast]]" that is killing livestock along an English countryside.
|-
|208
|'''Chupacabra'''
|[[July 23]], [[2008]]
|Investigation of the [[Chupacabra]], or "goat sucker", a mysterious bipedal, or [[Elmendorf Beast|dog-like]], blood-draining creature said to be responsible for a rash of unexplained animal killings in [[Puerto Rico]] and [[Texas]].
|-
|209
|'''Legend of the Hairy Beast'''
|[[July 30]], [[2008]]
|Investigation into what the Native American legends have to say about Bigfoot.
|-
|210
|'''Vampires in America'''
|[[August 6]], [[2008]]
|Investigation into the legends of [[vampire]]s that haunted [[New England]] in the 1700's and a look at modern-day, self-proclaimed "living vampires" who have a real craving for blood.
|-
|211
|'''Boneless Horror'''
|[[August 13]], [[2008]]
|Investigation into the depths of the North Pacific in search of giant octopus like the legendary [[Lusca]], where some over 200 feet in length, have been reported.
|-
|212
|'''Bigfoot in New York'''
|[[August 20]], [[2008]]
|Investigation into a 1976 bigfoot sighting in upstate [[New York]] where several police officers encountered a creature known as the "Monster of [[Whitehall (town), New York|Whitehall]]" that still haunts the area to this day.
|-
|213
|'''Lake Monsters of the North'''
|[[September 17]], [[2008]]
|Investigation into the search for "[[Cressie]]", what Native Americans call the "Pond Devil" and say is giant [[eel]] that lurks in the depths of [[Newfoundland (island)|Newfoundland]]'s Crescent Lake.
|-
|214
|'''China's Wildman'''
|[[September 21]], [[2008]]<!--First aired on Sunday Sept 21st and again on Wed Sept 24th with Ep #215-->
|Investigation into a [[China|Chinese]] government-led search effort for the [[Yeren]] – a wild man said to be covered in thick red hair, 5-7 feet tall, and supposedly lurking in the country's remote [[Hubei]] province.
|-
|215
|'''Giant Bear Attack'''
|[[September 24]], [[2008]]
|Investigation into horrific reports of bear attacks, from [[Alaska]] to [[New Jersey]], focusing on witness accounts and physical remains that may be evidence of new hybrid bears of pre-historic size.
|-
|216
|'''Giant Squid Ambush'''
|[[October 8]], [[2008]]
|Return investigation to Mexico's [[Sea of Cortez]] to look at new research and evidence behind the existence of 100-foot long squids.
|-
|217
|'''Monster Spiders'''
|[[October 15]], [[2008]]
|A look at man's fear of spiders starting with the infamous [[Solifugae]], or "Camel Spider" a large desert-dwelling arachnid of [[Iraq]] that has spawned urban legends from American soldiers serving there, and a trek into the jungles of [[Peru]] in search of other massive [[arachnid]]s, some local villagers claim are large enough to eat a small dog.
|}


===Upcoming season two cryptids===
But one of the other notable differences between the book and film is the articulation of the monster's speech. In Shelley's book, the creature taught himself to read with books of classic literature such as Milton's ''[[Paradise Lost]]''. The creature learns to speak in [[Early Modern English]], because of the texts he has found to learn from while in hiding. In the 1931 film, the creature is completely mute. In the 1935 ''[[Bride of Frankenstein]]'', the original creature learns some basic speech but is very limited in his dialogue almost still preferring at times to communicate with grunts and growls to express his emotions. By the third film, ''Son of Frankenstein'', the creature is again rendered completely mute.
<!--READ BEFORE YOU EDIT: Although History Channel's website has a list of upcoming monsters for season two, the list is not in the exact order in which the episodes will air. Also some of the episode titles are different. These lists assume the names given in the monthly schedule on History's website. Please do not add an episode until it appears in the schedule.-->


; Jaws in Illinois : Investigation of reports that [[Bull Shark]]s have swam inland up the [[Mississippi River]] and as far as the state of [[Illinois]] and also the [[Greenland Shark]]s, known to have killed [[Caribou]] along the [[St. Lawrence River]] seaway.
In Mary Shelley's original novel, the creature's savage behavior is his conscious decision against his maltreatment and neglect because of his inhuman appearance, whereas in the 1931 film adaptation states that his condition is largely due to the effect made by Frankenstein's assistant Fritz (played by character actor Dwight Frye, who also played Renfield in ''[[Dracula (1931 film)|Dracula]]'' with [[Bela Lugosi]]), who has provided a defective brain to be used for the creature. This suggestion that the monster's brutal behavior was inevitable arguably dilutes the novel's social criticism and depiction of developing consciousness. Though there are times despite such a defect, the creature responds to kindness as done to him in the scene with Maria, the little girl at the lakeside.


; Real Dragons : A look at reports of attacks on humans by the world's largest known lizard, the [[Komodo Dragon]], and an investigation into reports that an even bigger lizard, the supposedly extinct [[Megalania]], may still lurk in [[Australia]]'s [[Blue Mountains (Australia)|Blue Mountains]] region.
The deformed (hunchbacked) assistants of the first two films are not in the novel.


; Sasquatch Attack II : A return investigation to look at new DNA evidence to identify a creature that has torn apart a remote cabin in Northern [[Ontario]].
Also, in the novel, Dr. Frankenstein's name is Victor, not Henry (Henry was Victor's best friend) and he is not a doctor, but rather a college student. Elizabeth is murdered by the Monster on her wedding night, who also murders Henry and Victor's young brother William. Victor's father dies heartbroken after Elizabeth's murder and Victor begins his pursuit of the monster, which eventually leads to his death from an illness aboard a boat en route to the North Pole. The Monster, finding Victor dead, vows to travel to the Pole and commit suicide, although it is not revealed if he does so.


==Cast==
==References==
{{reflist}}
* [[Colin Clive]] as [[Henry Frankenstein]]
* [[Mae Clarke]] as Elizabeth
* [[John Boles (actor)|John Boles]] as Victor Moritz
* [[Boris Karloff]] as [[Frankenstein's monster|the Monster]]
* [[Edward Van Sloan]] as Doctor Waldman
* [[Frederick Kerr]] as [[Baron Frankenstein]]
* [[Dwight Frye]] as [[Fritz (Frankenstein)|Fritz]]
* [[Lionel Belmore]] as Herr Vogel, the Burgomaster
* [[Marilyn Harris (actor)|Marilyn Harris]] as Little Maria

==Production==
[[Image:Frankenstein Karloff.jpg|left|thumb|275px|[[Boris Karloff]] as Frankenstein's Monster]]
The film begins with [[Edward Van Sloan]] stepping from behind a curtain and delivering a "friendly warning" before the opening credits:<blockquote>''We are about to unfold the story of Frankenstein, a man of science who sought to create a man after his own image without reckoning upon God. It is one of the strangest tales ever told. It deals with the two great mysteries of creation &ndash; life and death. I think it will thrill you. It may shock you. It might even &ndash; horrify you. So if any of you feel that you do not care to subject your nerves to such a strain, now's your chance to &ndash; uh, well, we warned you.''</blockquote>

In the opening credits, Karloff is unbilled, with only a question mark being used in place of his name. This is a nod to the first stage adaptation when the monster was billed only as a [[question mark]], and that Universal had not told who was playing the monster, and had not released any pictures of the monster in order to conceal his appearance.{{Fact|date=August 2007}} Karloff's name is revealed in the closing credits, which otherwise duplicate the credits from the opening under the principle that "A Good Cast Is Worth Repeating".

There was controversy around this point originally, as some part of the management of Universal built up the suspense of who was playing the creature to gather interest in the film as Bela Lugosi was still largely thought to be performing the role of the creature up until the time of the film's release. Some papers were erroneously still listing Lugosi as the performer. Some were coming to see if Lugosi had changed his mind and recanted to star in the film despite some published statements to the contrary, most notably the still famous "electric beam eyes" poster which still credited Lugosi as the monster and showed the creature without the now famous flat head, neck-bolt makeup (created by Universal Studios make-up artist [[Jack Pierce]]. Pierce also created Lon Chaney's Wolf Man make-up and Karloff's Mummy make-up as well). Others state it was because the film would cause the ruin of the performer in the role and wanted to minimize said actor's liability{{Fact|date=July 2007}}, for the original film went against the censor boards of the day, which resulted in some portions of the film starring actor as the monster being removed from the film, the most noted removal was the drowning scene of the little girl, Maria. These removed scenes have since been restored to the film releases as shown in the recent DVD releases of the original Universal films.

[[Bela Lugosi]] was originally set to star as the monster.<ref>{{cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title="Frankenstein" Cast Chosen. |url= |quote=The Universal production of Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" is taking shape under the knowing guidance of [[James Whale]]. [[Boris Karloff]] and not [[Bela Lugosi]] is the final choice to play the monster. |publisher=[[New York Times]] |date=[[August 30]], [[1931]], Sunday |accessdate=2007-08-21 }}</ref> After several disastrous make-up tests, the ''[[Dracula (1931 film)|Dracula]]'' star left the project, lamenting the mute role as he did; Lugosi would soon regret the decision, now probably the most famously catastrophic and talked-about mistake of an actor refusing a role in film history. At least that's what Lugosi always said. But recent evidence suggests that Lugosi was kicked off the project, along with director Robert Florey. Ironically, Lugosi would later go on to play the monster in ''[[Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man]]'' a decade later, when his career was in decline and only after Lon Chaney, Jr. complained bitterly about the possibility of him doing double work through trick photography to appears as both the Wolfman and the Monster in the film for about the same pay rate. Chaney had already appeared as the Monster in the previous Frankenstein film ''[[Ghost of Frankenstein]]'', directly succeeding Boris Karloff in the role.

[[Image:1931 lugosi frankenstein.jpg|right|thumb|210px|The {{fy|1931}} "Lugosi as Frankenstein's Monster" promo poster, without the now famous flat head makeup]]
As was the custom at the time, only the main cast and crew were listed in the credits. Additionally, however, a number of other actors who worked on the project were or became familiar to fans of the Universal horror films. These included [[Frederick Kerr]] as the old [[Baron Frankenstein]], Henry's father; [[Lionel Belmore]] as Herr Vogel, the Burgomeister; [[Marilyn Harris (actor)|Marilyn Harris]] as Little Maria, the girl the monster accidentally kills; and Michael Mark as Ludwig, Maria's father.

[[Jack Pierce (make-up artist)|Jack Pierce]] was the makeup artist who designed the now-iconic "flat head" look for Karloff's monster, although Whale's contribution in the form of sketches remains a controversy, and who was actually responsible for the idea of the look will probably always be a mystery.

[[Kenneth Strickfaden]] designed the electrical effects used in the "creation scene." So successful were they that such effects came to be considered an essential part of every subsequent Universal film involving the Frankenstein Monster. Accordingly, the equipment used to produce them has come to be referred to in fan circles as "Strickfadens." It appears that Strickfaden managed to secure the use of at least one [[Tesla Coil]] built by the then-aged [[Nikola Tesla]] himself.<ref>
{{cite book
| last = Golman
| first = Harry
| authorlink = Harry Goldman
| title = Kenneth Strickfaden, Dr. Frankenstein's Electrician
| publisher = McFarland & Company
| date = [[November 11]], [[2005]]
| isbn = 0786420642}}</ref>
According to this same source, Strickfaden also doubled for Karloff in the electrical "birth" scene as Karloff was deathly afraid of being electrocuted from the live voltage on the stage.

Although Dr. Frankenstein's hunchbacked assistant is often referred to as "[[Igor (fictional character)|Igor]]" in descriptions of the films, this is incorrect. In both ''Frankenstein'' and ''Bride of Frankenstein'', Dr. Frankenstein has an assistant who is played both times by [[Dwight Frye]] who is crippled. In the original 1931 film the character is named "Fritz" who is directly hunchbacked and walks with the aid of a small cane. In ''Bride of Frankenstein'', Frye plays "Karl" a murderer who stands upright but has a lumbering metal brace on both legs that can be heard clicking loudly with every step. Both characters would be killed by Karloff's monster in film. It was not until ''Son of Frankenstein'' that a character called "Ygor" first appears (here, he was played by [[Bela Lugosi]] and revised by Lugosi in the ''[[Ghost of Frankenstein]]'' after his apparent murder in ''[[Son of Frankenstein]]''). This character — a deranged blacksmith whose neck and back are broken and twisted due to a botched [[hanging]] — befriends the monster and later helps [[Wolf Frankenstein|Dr. Wolf Frankenstein]], lending to the "hunchbacked assistant" called "Igor" commonly associated with ''Frankenstein'' in pop culture. The Igor character and its pronouncation would be specifically addressed finally in the parody ''[[Young Frankenstein]]'' whereby the Igor character specifically classifies the proper pronunciation of his family name as "EYE-gore" against the popular pronunciation of "EE-gore".

During the early stages of preproduction on the biopic ''[[Walk the Line]]'', director [[James Mangold]] interviewed the biopic's subject [[Johnny Cash]]. Cash told Mangold that his favorite film was ''Frankenstein''. Cash explained that the idea of a gentle figure being mistaken for a monster spoke to him at a personal level.<ref>[[James Mangold]]'s DVD audio commentary for ''[[Walk the Line]]''</ref>

This film was [[banned films|banned]] in [[Kansas]] for its portrayal of "cruelty and tended to debase morals".<ref>[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0021884/trivia Frankenstein (1931) - Trivia<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

In 1991, this film was selected for preservation in the United States [[National Film Registry]] as being deemed "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant".{{Fact|date=November 2007}}

In the 1996 TV film ''[[Doctor Who (1996 film)|Doctor Who]]'', during the mortuary/regeneration scene, a mortuary assistant is shown watching the film. More specifically, the monster's reactions to its first moments of life, is paralleled in the Doctor's regeneration after he is pronounced dead.

This film was #27 on [[Bravo (television network)|Bravo]]'s ''100 Scariest Movie Moments''.{{Fact|date=November 2007}}

The world's most valuable movie poster is the full color 1931 Frankenstein 6-sheet which is currently owned by Stephen Fishler, a NY poster collector. It is the only copy known to exist.

There is no musical soundtrack in the film, except for the opening and closing credits.

==Sequels and parodies==
''Frankenstein'' was followed by a string of sequels, beginning with ''[[Bride of Frankenstein]]'' ([[1935]]), which is considered by some to be the best film of the series — partly because the creature actually talks in this film and is shown not to be animalistic or inherently evil as with the scene of the blind hermit referring back to the novel's portrayal of the creature to be a human being in the most important ways despite being created rather than born. [[Elsa Lanchester]] plays Frankenstein's bride. A recreation of the filming of this movie is shown in the [[1998]] film ''[[Gods and Monsters]]''.

The next sequel, [[1939]]'s ''[[Son of Frankenstein]]'', was made, like all those that followed, without Whale or Clive (who had died in 1937), and featured Karloff's last full film performance as the Monster. Karloff would return to the wearing the makeup and role of the Monster one last time in the TV show [[Route 66 (TV series)|''Route 66'']] in the early 1960s, but most discredit that appearance. The Monster is no longer wearing his trademark "too small jacket" but is now wearing a furry vest/coat (which will mysteriously transform back into the too small jacket in the next following film ''[[Ghost of Frankenstein]]'' when the creature climbs out of the sulfur pit without changing the vest off), and the sets and lighting have a decidedly expressionistic tone. [[Basil Rathbone]] plays [[Wolf Frankenstein|Baron Wolf von Frankenstein]], and [[Lionel Atwill]] as Inspector Krogh delivers his famous line: "One doesn't easily forget, Herr Baron, an arm torn out by the roots." The film also features [[Donnie Dunagan]] (who voiced [[Walt Disney Feature Animation|Disney]]'s ''[[Bambi]]'') as Wolf Frankenstein's young son, Peter.

Many consider most of the successive films using the Frankenstein creation to be less than appreciative to the creature as most of those films merely demote the creature to the status of only a lumbering murderous robotic device that is mostly used as a subservient illiterate henchman in someone else's plots, such as in the creature's final original Universal company's film appearance in [[1948]] with the deliberately [[farce|farcical]] ''[[Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein]]'' whereby Lugosi's Dracula plans to "dumb down the monster" in order to prevent the creature from any possible resistance to Dracula by transplanting Costello's brain into the creature. [[Mel Brooks]]'s comedy ''[[Young Frankenstein]]'' parodied elements of the first three [[Universal Pictures|Universal]] ''Frankenstein'' movies.

Within Universal's Frankenstein films, the Frankenstein creature would largely be kept in the idea of a mostly mindless monster who is always rampaging and running amok murdering people, until the recreated Universal film company's 2004 film [[Van Helsing (film)|''Van Helsing'']] where the Frankenstein creature would return to the idea of being more human.

The popular [[1960]]'s TV show, ''[[The Munsters]]'', depicts the family's father Herman as Frankenstein's monster, who married a vampire's daughter. The make-up for Herman is based on the make-up of Boris Karloff.

===Little Maria===
[[Image:The creature and Maria.jpg|thumb|250px|right|The creature having befriended little Maria.]]
Little Maria is a character from the film, portrayed by [[Marilyn Harris (actor)|Marilyn Harris]]. She is initially seen playing with her pet cat down by the old river. After she waves goodbye to her father, Frankenstein's monster appears and throws Little Maria into the old river. It is later revealed that Little Maria was killed in this incident.
A parody of Little Maria's death is depicted in the 1974 spoof Young Frankenstein. As this was 43 years after the original scene, that is seen by many to prove that the character has stood the test of time.


==See also==
==See also==
* [[Universal Monsters]]
* [[Universal horror|Universal Horror]]
* [[The Spirit of the Beehive]]
* [[Boris Karloff filmography]]


*[[Cryptozoology]]
==Notes==
*[[List of cryptids]]
{{reflist}}
*[[The History Channel]]


==External links==
==External links==
*[http://www.history.com/minisites/monsterquest/ Monster Quest Site]
{{wikiquote}}
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* {{imdb title|0021884|Frankenstein (1931)}}
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* {{tcmdb title|75587|Frankenstein (1931)}}
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* {{amg movie|1:18476|Frankenstein (1931)}}
[[Category:History Channel shows]]
* [http://www.allmovie.com/cg/avg.dll?p=avg&sql=1:18476~C ''Frankenstein''] at [[Allmovie]]
[[Category:American documentary television series]]
* [http://universal.frankensteinfilms.com www.frankensteinfilms.com] - Comprehensive information on the Universal Frankenstein series; compares films to original novel
[[Category:Cryptozoology]]
* [http://www.creativescreenwriting.com/csdaily/picture/10_27_06_Frankenstein.html ''More Than the Sum of Its Parts'': The Making of ''Frankenstein''] by Stephen Jacobs at Creativescreenwriting.com
[[Category:2007 television series debuts]]

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{{American films}}

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[[Category:1930s horror films]]
[[Category:American films]]
[[Category:Black and white films]]
[[Category:English-language films]]
[[Category:Films based on horror novels]]
[[Category:Films directed by James Whale]]
[[Category:Frankenstein films]]
[[Category:Science fiction horror films]]
[[Category:Steampunk films]]
[[Category:United States National Film Registry films]]
[[Category:Universal Pictures films]]


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Revision as of 18:12, 10 October 2008

MonsterQuest
Season one Monster Quest title screen
Narrated byStan Benard
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes29 (as of Sept. 24, 2008)
Production
Executive producerDale Bosch
ProducerDoug Hajicek
Collin Mullahy
Running time44 minutes (without commercials)
Original release
NetworkThe History Channel
ReleaseOctober 31, 2007 –
present

Monster Quest is a documentary television series that began to air on October 31, 2007 on The History Channel. The program deals with the search for various cryptozoological creatures reportedly seen around the world.

The purpose of the show is best described by the narrative in the opening credits, "Witnesses around the world report seeing monsters. Are they real or imaginary? Science searches for answers, on Monster Quest."

Reviews

Most critical reviews of Monster Quest pertain to the season one DVD set which was released as a 4 DVD boxed collection on May 27, 2008.

Rich Rosell of Digitally Obsessed gave it a "B-" saying; "The good news is that this isn't a trashy reality show, eager to make everything overblown and sinister. Instead, it takes a seemingly well-researched approach, leaving viewers the opportunity to make up their own minds." and "content is certainly nerd-worthy in an I-want-to-believe/Mulder kind of way".[1]

Cinematic Happenings Under Development (CHUD) gave the show a 5.9 out of 10 review, stating the show is "basically a rehashing of the 1970s / 1980s TV show, In Search Of" and "it leaves you with a sense of either 'been there, done that' or just a feeling of incompleteness because it basically raises as many questions as it tries to answer."[2]

Episodes

Season one

Ep# Title Airdate Description
101 America's Loch Ness Monster October 31, 2007 Investigation of the plesiosaur-like lake monster nicknamed Champ that supposedly lurks in Lake Champlain, dubbed "America's Loch Ness Monster".
102 Sasquatch Attack November 7, 2007 Investigation of the bizarre attacks upon a remote hunting cabin in Northern Ontario by suspected Bigfoot creatures and other reports of aggressive Sasquatch in the North Western United States.
103 Giant Squid Found November 14, 2007 Investigation off Mexico's Sea of Cortez, into the reported sightings and capture of abnormally large Humbolt Squids.
104 Birdzilla November 21, 2007 Investigation into the legendary Thunderbird and the sightings of other giant birds in Illinois, Texas and Alaska.
105 Bigfoot November 28, 2007 The continued investigations of Bigfoot in Washington State and a digital enhancement study of the infamous 1967 Patterson film.
106 Mutant Canines December 5, 2007 Investigation into reports of attacks on pets and livestock in Maine and Minnesota by strange hybrid canines.
107 Lions in the Backyard December 12, 2007 Investigation into the reports of large black cats and jaguar-like creatures that have been encroaching into human populated areas of Arizona, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New York
108 Gigantic Killer Fish December 19, 2007 Investigation into encounters of massive freshwater fish from the Arctic to the Amazon.
109 Swamp Beast December 26, 2007 Investigation into the swamps of Louisiana and Florida to look for the legendary Skunk Ape.
110 Stalin's Ape Man January 2, 2008 Investigation of former Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin's supposed plan to create ape-human hybrids.
111 Creatures from the 4th Dimension January 9, 2008 Investigation into the purported existence of extra-dimensional atmospheric creatures known as Rods.
112 The Real Hobbit January 16, 2008 Investigation into the Southeast Asian reports of "Hobbit-like" humanoids called Homo floresiensis and the humanoid-ape creature known as the Orang Pendek.
113 Giganto: the Real King Kong January 19, 2008 Investigation into reports of the continued existence of Gigantopithecus - a huge species of extinct ape that inspired the tales of King Kong.
114 American Werewolf January 23, 2008 Investigation into Wisconsin and Michigan reports of a werewolf-like creature also known as the "Beast of Bray Road" and the "Michigan Dogman".

Season two

Season two is currently airing and the schedule below is subject to change.

Ep# Title Airdate Description
201 Mega Hog May 28, 2008 Investigation into the reports of gigantic swine like the 800 lb "Hogzilla" shot in Georgia in 2004.
202 Vampire Beast June 4, 2008 Investigation into the 2007 Bolivia, North Carolina reports of strange attacks on livestock and pets by a creature that feeds on blood, and evidence that it appeared once before in the 1950s.
203 Ghosts June 11, 2008 Investigation into the existence of ghosts, studying activity at the Lizzie Borden axe-murder house in Fall River, Massachusetts, a Civil War battlefield at Gettysburg, and strange gas station camera footage in Parma, Ohio.
204 Ohio Grassman June 18, 2008 Investigation into the reported sightings and physical evidence of Bigfoot-like creatures that may lurk in the eastern wilderness of the state of Ohio.
205 Giant Killer Snakes June 25, 2008 Investigation into the rumors of massive, man-eating anacondas in Venezuela and enormous, alligator-eating pythons in the Florida Everglades.
206 Super Rats July 2, 2008 Investigation into archaeological evidence that Common Rats grew to enormous size in the past, and a look into recent reports from New York City that these cat-sized rodents could be returning.
207 Black Beast of Exmoor July 9, 2008 Investigation into what witnesses say is a panther-like "black beast" that is killing livestock along an English countryside.
208 Chupacabra July 23, 2008 Investigation of the Chupacabra, or "goat sucker", a mysterious bipedal, or dog-like, blood-draining creature said to be responsible for a rash of unexplained animal killings in Puerto Rico and Texas.
209 Legend of the Hairy Beast July 30, 2008 Investigation into what the Native American legends have to say about Bigfoot.
210 Vampires in America August 6, 2008 Investigation into the legends of vampires that haunted New England in the 1700's and a look at modern-day, self-proclaimed "living vampires" who have a real craving for blood.
211 Boneless Horror August 13, 2008 Investigation into the depths of the North Pacific in search of giant octopus like the legendary Lusca, where some over 200 feet in length, have been reported.
212 Bigfoot in New York August 20, 2008 Investigation into a 1976 bigfoot sighting in upstate New York where several police officers encountered a creature known as the "Monster of Whitehall" that still haunts the area to this day.
213 Lake Monsters of the North September 17, 2008 Investigation into the search for "Cressie", what Native Americans call the "Pond Devil" and say is giant eel that lurks in the depths of Newfoundland's Crescent Lake.
214 China's Wildman September 21, 2008 Investigation into a Chinese government-led search effort for the Yeren – a wild man said to be covered in thick red hair, 5-7 feet tall, and supposedly lurking in the country's remote Hubei province.
215 Giant Bear Attack September 24, 2008 Investigation into horrific reports of bear attacks, from Alaska to New Jersey, focusing on witness accounts and physical remains that may be evidence of new hybrid bears of pre-historic size.
216 Giant Squid Ambush October 8, 2008 Return investigation to Mexico's Sea of Cortez to look at new research and evidence behind the existence of 100-foot long squids.
217 Monster Spiders October 15, 2008 A look at man's fear of spiders starting with the infamous Solifugae, or "Camel Spider" a large desert-dwelling arachnid of Iraq that has spawned urban legends from American soldiers serving there, and a trek into the jungles of Peru in search of other massive arachnids, some local villagers claim are large enough to eat a small dog.

Upcoming season two cryptids

Jaws in Illinois
Investigation of reports that Bull Sharks have swam inland up the Mississippi River and as far as the state of Illinois and also the Greenland Sharks, known to have killed Caribou along the St. Lawrence River seaway.
Real Dragons
A look at reports of attacks on humans by the world's largest known lizard, the Komodo Dragon, and an investigation into reports that an even bigger lizard, the supposedly extinct Megalania, may still lurk in Australia's Blue Mountains region.
Sasquatch Attack II
A return investigation to look at new DNA evidence to identify a creature that has torn apart a remote cabin in Northern Ontario.

References

  1. ^ Review of Season 1 DVD on Digitally Obsessed
  2. ^ Review of season 1 DVD on CHUD

See also

External links


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