Frankenstein: The True Story
| Frankenstein: The True Story | |
|---|---|
DVD cover
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| Based on |
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley |
| Written by |
Don Bachardy Christopher Isherwood Mary Shelley (novel) |
| Directed by | Jack Smight |
| Starring |
Leonard Whiting Jane Seymour David McCallum James Mason Michael Sarrazin Clarissa Kaye |
| Theme music composer | Gil Melle |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) |
Ian Lewis Hunt Stromberg Jr. |
| Cinematography | Arthur Ibbetson |
| Editor(s) | Richard Marden |
| Running time | 182 minutes |
| Distributor | NBC |
| Release | |
| Original release | November 28 – 30, 1973 |
Frankenstein: The True Story is a 1973 British and American made-for-television horror film loosely based on the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. It was directed by Jack Smight, and the screenplay was written by novelist Christopher Isherwood and his longtime partner Don Bachardy.
The film starred Leonard Whiting as Victor Frankenstein, Jane Seymour as Prima, David McCallum as Henry Clerval, James Mason as Dr Polidori and Michael Sarrazin as the Creature. James Mason's wife, Clarissa Kaye-Mason also appeared in the film.
The character of Dr Polidori, who did not appear in the original novel, was based on the character of Dr. Pretorius from Universal Pictures Bride of Frankenstein, but named after the real-life John Polidori, an acquaintance of author Mary Shelley who was part of the competition that produced her novel. Polidori's own contribution was the first modern vampire story The Vampyre (1819).
A notable feature of the production is that, instead of being ugly from the start, the Creature is portrayed as physically beautiful but increasingly hideous as the film progresses, similar to the plotline in Hammer Studios' The Revenge of Frankenstein. The make-up was by Hammer horror veteran artist Roy Ashton.
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Wikipedia