Mary Shelley's 1818 novel, 'Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus' has influenced popular culture for at least over 100 years. Reading a horror novel gives an opening into that scary world, into an outlet for the essence of fear itself, without actually being in danger. Weird as it sounds, there's a very real thrill and fun factor in being scared or watching disturbing, horrific images. However, this 16 minute short movie based on that book, wasn't that scary, nor barely watchable. Since its original release, the film footage had been severe damage, with a lot of dirt grain and scratches on the film frames. There are also a few burns and tears, here with some color fading or wrong choice of film tinting. I'm not 100% certain, but I believe this movie is also missing a few scenes. It's sad that this movie was neglected for so long. It got so bad, that it was somewhat listed as missing, as many thought, no copies of the film still existed. It wasn't until the mid-1970s, that an original nitrate print finally turned up in Wisconsin, allowing this film to be seen, again in years. While the film is semi-deteriorated, I do have to say, film restoration since then, help, but it doesn't help that the film, as well as all other motion pictures released before 1923, is now in the public domain in the United States. This means that virtually anyone could duplicate and sell a DVD copy of this. Therefore, many of the versions of this film available on the market are either severely or badly edited. Since many of them, come from extremely poor quality, having been duped from second- or third-generation copies. Even with that, I do have to credit to Edison Studios for making one of the first horror genre films. Despite, being the first motion picture adaptation of 'Frankenstein', this movie was not the most influence film version of the source material. That acclaim goes to the 1931 Universal Studios version directed by James Whales, that help shape what audience see, who and what Frankenstein's monster is, today. Nevertheless, this silent movie directed by J. Searle Dawley is a lot more accuracy to the book, than director James Whale's 1931 version. So you can give, this Edison Studios produce film, that credited. Still, this movie is missing a lot from the original story. It doesn't have the Captain Walton's Artic Journey introductory & concluding frame narrative. Nor does the movie show, any of the Cottage scenes, where Victor's Frankenstein's creature (Charles Ogle) learn to speak, read and write. Another big scene from the book, missing in this version, is the death of Henry Clerval, whom character is absence is film, as well, as the scene where the monster commands Baron Victor Frankenstein (Augustus Phillips) to build it, a wife to love. Don't get me wrong, while, this film still tells a semi-accuracy story of a mad-scientist bringing a corpse back to life. The biggest letdown of this film is the fact, that all these events, might being played in Baron Victor Frankenstein's head. I really didn't like any of the mirror scenes, at all. The idea of Victor Frankenstein going mad is a little odd for me. It felt more like a production of author Robert Louis Stevenson's, 'Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde', than 'Frankenstein'. Another thing that bug me, about the creature look and act, is how much, it remind me of Quasimodo from author Victor Hugo's 'The Hunchback of Notre-Dame'. When you think deep hard about it, I have to say, Lon Cheney's performance in 1923's 'The Hunchback of Notre-Dame' seem very similar to the work that Charles Ogle put out here. Maybe, this was the movie that help Cheney find his inner muse for that character. Nevertheless, I thought, the creature might look was a little more realistic to the source material than the uber-famous boxy forehead and neck electrodes, Boris Karloff one, but the acting in this film is a lot more cheesy than the 1930s version. Yes, I get that, there was no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue, back in the day, and actors had to emphasized body language and facial expression so that the audience could better understand what an actor was feeling and portraying on screen, but the way, Augustus Phillips and Charles Ogle move in the small set is a bit laughable. As a modern viewer, I can't help it. Still, there were some cool moments. A good example is the creature was created by a cauldron of chemicals rather than by a bolt of lightning. It's very gruesome for a silent film era to see a skeleton reform itself. Great special effects. Still, I would love for this movie to have some sort use of electricity in its sequence, since it's the one thing that Mary Shelley talks a good deal amount. I also didn't get the sense of concerns of religion and the general public regarding the morality of tampering with God's work, like the other film adaptations. This film feels a bit lacking, because of that. Overall: While, the 1931's "Frankenstein' remains one of the most recognized icons in horror fiction. This version of the story will probably pass away, quicker than that version. In the end, Frankenstein 1910 is deader than dead. It's just not that memorable.

We All Know Frankenstein. This Is His First Movie. I Still Cannot Believe It! I Am Not The Guy Who Says "This Is A Silent Film So Its Bad" This Movie Is So Slow Paced That I Fast Forward The Creation Of The Monster. The Lighting Consistently Changes. Let Me Give You An Example One Minute Its Sepia The Next Its Blue & White. The Effects Of The Monster Look Like The Werewolf From The Wolfman (2010) & That Is A Huge Insult. People Will Hate Me For Saying This But Look At It. Half The Movie Is The Creation Of The Monster. This Movie Is Extremely Boring & Badly Lit. Okay This Movie Is Out Of My System. I Have Never Read The Book So Thats Mainly A Reason As To Why I Can't Stick Up For The Plot. Back Then You Also Can't Stick Up For The Acting Or Put It Down. This Movie Is Absolute Crap. If You Want To See How Movies Were Made 100 Years Ago Then By All Means Go Ahead & Watch It. Garuanteed You'll Be Disappointed.

This short film features Frankenstein leaving for college, discovering the secret of life, and then creating what he hopes will be the perfect human being. But, of course, it goes horribly wrong and instead out of his experiment comes a monster! This film is seriously pretty great. Of course, due to technology in 1910, it is very short and some of the footage is grainy. It is also silent. But this does not in any way take away from its watchability. The acting is very good, the costumes are superb, and one must single out the special effects.The effects have Frankenstein throwing chemicals into a vat, and the vat smokes to life... half science, half magic. And then when the monster emerges, it is an effect that even today would be considered respectable. Flesh clings to bone as the flames roar from the vat... what a hideous creature comes out! The film has historical worth for a number of reasons. Obviously, it's the first Frankenstein film, but also it is a great example of early one-reel Edison filming in general. And for horror historians, it has a unique feature in the Frankenstein mythology: this version has the doctor using chemicals to create life, not spare limbs and electricity. It may be alone in that distinction.

This twelve minute adaptation of Mary Shelley's tale has an element that the later versions don't have. In this version Frankenstein apparently uses some kind of potion to create the monster in a large pot. You then get to see the monster emerge from the pot, first as a skeleton, and then skin and even clothing form over the skeleton. This was filmed by starting with a model of the monster, melting the form, and then filming the reverse of this melting as the creation of the monster.The story starts with Frankenstein going to college. Here he never becomes a doctor, but apparently two years into his studies he has discovered the secret of life and death and is ready to create a perfect human being. Instead he forms an extremely mishapened creature. The creature then follows Frankenstein around, even becoming jealous of Frankenstein's bride-to-be. How the monster is eliminated is very odd, and I'll let you see it for yourself to find out how it ends. Just let me say that there are no crowds of villagers with torches and pitchforks in this one. Instead the ending is very Victorian and even magical.This is very much worth looking at if you get the chance.