Frankenstein *½ (1994, Kenneth Branagh, Robert De Niro, Helena Bonham Carter, Richard Briers, John Cleese) – Classic Movie Review 2034

Kenneth Branagh comes a cropper as both actor and director of this plush band ambitious but stodgy and unconvincing 1994 version of Mary Shelley’s classic horror tale that just seems to be going through the motions.

Branagh seems astonishingly weary as Dr Victor Frankenstein, as if the effort of direction had used up all his energies, what with all the attention to the nervy, endlessly swirling shots, which are simply showing off and betray a lack of trust in the material.

Robert De Niro gives a turn rather than a performance as The Monster, but it is an entertaining one, though Branagh banned the term ‘Monster’ from the set, insisting that he was referred to as ‘The Sharp-Featured Man’. John Cleese was fitted with a prosthetic chin and teeth to make him look sharper and graver as Professor Waldman, but it’s not a very distinguished acting performance from the comedian.

Tom Hulce plays Victor’s best friend Henry Clerval,  Helena Bonham Carter plays Victor’s stepsister Elizabeth, Aidan Quinn is ship’s Captain Robert Walton and Ian Holm is Victor’s father Baron Frankenstein, and they are all reasonably effective. But it is up to Richard Briers to give everyone an acting lesson as the Grandfather/ Blind Man.

On the plus side, it is a very handsome, ultra expensive-looking production, with gorgeous sets and gloriously handsome photography (courtesy ace British cinematographer Roger Pratt). But otherwise this poor update is not a patch on Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) and should hopefully send everyone scurrying back to the 1931 and 1935 Boris Karloff versions Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein, now and for ever simply the best ever movies of the story.

It is also known as Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, though she would probably want to disown it. It’s especially disappointing as a work of Frank Darabont, the co-screenwriter with Steph Lady, with an uncredited rewrite on the script by Branagh. Francis Coppola co-produces for his Zoetrope company, so it looks like he intended to direct it as a sequel to his Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and it’s a great shame he didn’t.

Supposedly Coppola regretted this decision not to direct after a number of rumoured disagreements with Branagh during filming. When Coppola allegedly insisted on cutting the first half hour of the film after viewing a rough cut, Branagh refused and Coppola publicly denounced the film. Darabont has said in interviews he is displeased with finished film feeling Branagh had mishandled the project. On a $45million budget, it grossed only $22million in the US, and took £5.7million at home in the UK.

Also in the cast are Robert Hardy, Cherie Lunghi, Celia Imrie, Trevyn McDowell, Gerard Horan, Mark Hadfield, Joanna Roth, Sasha Hanau, Joseph England, Alfred Bell, Richard Clifford, George Asprey, Hugh Bonneville, Ryan Smith, Charles Wyn-Davies, Rory Jennings, Christina Cuttall, Hannah Taylor-Gordon, Susan Field, Jimmy Yuill, Edward Jewesbury and Siobhan Redmond.

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 2034

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