Tag: Frankenstein

Frankenstein

2025   Netflix

Rated:  R

Length:  2 hr  29min

Epic ~ Gothic Drama ~ Fantasy ~ Gothic Horror ~ Sci-Fi

Directed by:  Guillermo del Toro

Starring:  Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, Felix Kammerer, David Bradley, Lars Mikkelsen, Christian Convery, Charles Dance, and Christoph Waltz.

Life sparked. Death unleashed.

Only Monsters Play God.

In 1857, the Arctic ice traps a Danish expedition vessel whose crew discovers Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac) badly wounded on the frozen wasteland. Victor warns them of a powerful Creature (Jacob Elordi) hunting him relentlessly. Inside the warmth of the Captain’s cabin, Victor begins to tell his harrowing story, a tale of ambition and loss that led to this desperate moment.

Victor grew up under the stern hand of his father, Baron Frankenstein (Charles Dance), and the death of his beloved mother (Mia Goth) left deep scars. Encouraged by grief and driven by an obsessive desire to conquer death, Victor pursues radical medical experiments. With funding from an arms dealer, Henrich Harlander (Christoph Waltz), Victor creates a gruesome but brilliant new life form, hoping it will change humanity forever.

Victor’s creation, part man, part monster, is awakened amid a storm and darkness, but the being’s emergence unleashes consequences Victor had never imagined. The Creature struggles to understand its own existence while Victor wrestles with guilt and fear. Around them, loyalties and betrayals form, as Elizabeth (Mia Goth), Victor’s love interest, and William (Felix Kammerer), his brother, navigate the tangled web Victor’s ambition has spun.

As Victor’s world spirals into chaos, the bond between creator and creation becomes more complicated and threatening. The story explores themes of family pain, societal rejection, and the dangerous thirst for power, all set amid the haunting grandeur of Victorian-era landscapes. This is not just a monster story, it is a deeply emotional and dark journey of both man and what he dares to create. Del Toro’s Frankenstein stands as a towering epic in monster cinema, a visually stunning and emotionally resonant reimagining of Mary Shelley’s classic tale. Del Toro’s signature style shines through in every frame, blending dark gothic horror with profound humanity and complex character dynamics.

Oscar Isaac delivers a commanding and layered performance as Victor Frankenstein, capturing the scientist’s obsessive brilliance and profound torment. Jacob Elordi’s Creature is both terrifying and tragically sympathetic, bringing depth to the monstrous figure beyond mere horror iconography. Mia Goth impressively anchors dual roles with nuance and intensity, embodying pivotal influences on Frankenstein’s psyche. Christoph Waltz’s portrayal of the calculating Henrich Harlander adds a sinister sophistication to the narrative. Overall, the ensemble cast elevates Del Toro’s monstrous creation, making this Frankenstein an unforgettable cinematic journey that balances spectacle with deeply felt performances.

Turn off the lights and devices,

Make some popcorn,

Grab a beverage,

and Stream This Movie

on Netflix!

New Movie Frankenstein Debuts On Netflix Friday November 7, 2025

Netflix Debuts Frankenstein Friday November 7, 2025.

FROM NETFLIX TUDUM:

In Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein — inspired by Mary Shelley’s seminal 1818 novel of the same name — tortured genius Victor Frankenstein (Golden Globe-winner Oscar Isaac) views his creation (played by BAFTA-nominee Jacob Elordi) as a monstrous experiment. But, for the movie’s director and writer, Oscar-winner Guillermo del Toro, the Creature, as Frankenstein’s monster is known, is something much more holy — he’s his “patron saint.” Del Toro has been entranced by the Creature since his childhood in Mexico.

“I’ve lived with Mary Shelley’s creation all my life,” Del Toro tells Tudum. “For me, it’s the Bible. But I wanted to make it my own, to sing it back in a different key with a different emotion.”

Now, his vision has been realized. Ahead of its Nov. 7 premiere on Netflix, Frankenstein debuted at the Venice Film Festival on Aug. 30. The date also happens to be Shelley’s birthday, which is fittingly called “Frankenstein Day.” To honor the momentous occasion, del Toro is ready to give a peek inside his definitive retelling of Shelley’s classic, his follow-up to Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, which won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film.

“Mary Shelley’s masterpiece is rife with questions that burn brightly in my soul: existential, tender, savage, doomed questions that only burn in a young mind and only adults and institutions believe they can answer,” Del Toro explains. “For me, only monsters hold the secrets I long for.”

But, Frankenstein asks, who is the real monster?? The sprawling epic follows Victor, a brilliant, ego-driven scientist, as he embarks on a quest to bring new life into this world. The Creature is the result; his very existence provokes questions about what it means to be a human,  a creator, a creature — a father and a son — to crave love and seek understanding. Both Victor and the Creature aim to answer those mysteries and search for meaning in a world that can seem quite mad.

However, the frenzy of humanity isn’t the only feeling Del Toro found in Shelley’s work. “The book has a lot of anxiety — the anxiety that you get when you’re an adolescent, and you don’t understand why everybody lies about the world,” Del Toro says. He aimed to capture that anxiety by translating “the rhythms of Mary Shelley” for the screen. “When English is your second language, you are trained very acutely to the melody and the rhythms of a language,” he continues. “It has a particular rhythm, the dialogue in the book. I tried to make the dialogue be like that without sounding archaic.”

In fact, Del Toro was passionate about maintaining the modernism of Frankenstein in all aspects of the movie, which is set in 19th-century Europe. “When [Shelley] wrote Frankenstein, it was not a period piece. It was a modern book, so I didn’t want you to see a pastel-colored period piece,” he explains. Instead, the director favored swaggering fashions for Victor and styles that are “luscious and full of color.”

Del Toro hopes his Frankenstein stays with viewers as long as the Creature has resided in his own heart. “May monsters inhabit your dreams and give you as much solace as they have given me, for we are all creatures lost and found,” he says.

See Guillermo del Toro’s complete fantasy come to life when Frankenstein arrives on Netflix Nov. 7.

TOP TEN UNIVERSAL CLASSIC MONSTER MOVIES FOR HALLOWEEN

Abbott & Costello, Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney Jr., Vincent Price and Boris Karloff in these early classics were some of the first movies I watched as a kid. My introduction to horror and the macabre long before CGI and the special effects we have today. No Halloween would be complete without a look back at the classics. When I think of classic horror, these Universal Classic Monster Movies instantly come to mind.

These films, made from the late 1920s through the 1950s, introduced some of the darkest, most unforgettable creatures in cinema history. Dracula’s endless thirst, Frankenstein’s misunderstood monster, the tortured Wolf Man, and the chill of the Invisible Man, among others. Universal Pictures didn’t just create scary movies, they built a spooky world filled with gothic atmosphere, haunting music, and characters who were as tragic as they were terrifying.

What’s truly special about these monsters is that they’re more than just villains, they’re outsiders caught between worlds, struggling with their own nature and destiny. Over decades, these stories expanded with thrilling sequels, crossover battles, and even laugh-out-loud moments with Abbott and Costello, crafting one of the first shared cinematic universes. For any Halloween marathon or spooky movie night, these classics remain essential viewing, proving their magic to be timeless for horror fans old and new.

Top Ten Universal Classic Monster Movies

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NUMBER 10:

Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)

A comedic take where the famous duo encounters classic monsters, mixing laughs and scares. Starring Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Lon Chaney Jr., Béla Lugosi, Glenn Strange, Lenore Aubert, Jane Randolph, Frank Ferguson and Vincent Price as the voice of The Invisible Man.

NUMBER 9: 

House of Frankenstein (1944)

A rare monster team-up featuring Frankenstein’s monster, Dracula, and the Wolf Man in one sinister tale. Starring Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney Jr., John Carradine, Larry Talbot and Glenn Strange.

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NUMBER 8:   

Revenge of the Creature (1955)

The aquatic beast returns, seeking survival and freedom from captivity. Starring: John Agar, Lori Nelson, John Bromfield and Nestor Paiva.

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NUMBER 7: 

Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)

A prehistoric amphibious monster stalks and attacks a group of explorers in the Amazon. Starring Richard Carlson, Julia Adams, Richard Denning, Antonio Moreno, Nestor Paiva, and Whit Bissell.

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NUMBER 6:     

The Mummy (1932)

Kharis the undead is awakened by archaeologists, bringing ancient curses and mummy horror to life. Starring Boris Karloff, Zita Johann, David Manners, Edward Van Sloan, and Arthur Byron.

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NUMBER 5:   

The Invisible Man (1933)

A scientist’s discovery leads to madness as he becomes unseen and untouchable, wreaking havoc. Starring Gloria Stuart, Claude Rains and William Harrigan.

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NUMBER 4:

The Wolf Man (1941)

Lon Chaney Jr. becomes the cursed werewolf, exploring themes of fate and uncontrollable transformation. Starring Lon Chaney Jr.,  Claude Rains, Warren William, Ralph Bellamy, Patric Knowles, Bela Lugosi, Evelyn Ankers, and Maria Ouspenskaya.

NUMBER 3:

The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

A masterful sequel featuring the iconic creation of a mate for the monster, full of gothic atmosphere and dark emotion. Starring Boris Karloff,  Colin Clive,  Elsa Lanchester, Colin Clive, Ernest Thesiger and Oliver Peters Heggie.

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NUMBER 2:

Frankenstein (1931)

Boris Karloff stars as the misunderstood monster created by Dr. Frankenstein, blending tragedy with terror. Also starring Colin Clive, Mae Clarke, John Boles, Dwight Frye, and Edward Van Sloan.

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NUMBER 1:  

Dracula (1931)

Bela Lugosi’s chilling portrayal of the legendary vampire who terrorizes Victorian England. A cornerstone of classic horror. Starring Bela Lugosi, Helen Chandler, David Manners, Dwight Frye and Edward Van Sloan.

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FRANKENSTEIN COMES TO LIFE ON NETFLIX!

Netflix is producing a re-make of The Mary Shelley classic Novel Frankenstein. Filming wrapped up September 2024 after shooting in Toronto, Canada and Edinburgh, Scotland. The movie is directed by Guillermo Del Toro and the cast includes Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth (Pearl), Oscar Isaac and Christoph Waltz. The new Frankenstein movie is slated for release November later this year. I love Mia Goth, she is the new Horror Queen in my opinion, and I can’t wait to see her in this.

FROM NETFLIX TUDUM:

By John Dilillo Jan. 30,2025

Guillermo del Toro is building a monster. Fresh off of his third Oscar win for Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, the writer-director is fulfilling a lifelong dream: making his own adaptation of Mary Shelley’s beloved Gothic novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus.

Del Toro has been working on a Frankenstein film for more than a decade. “My favorite novel in the world is Frankenstein,” he told Collider in 2010. “I’m going to misquote it horribly, but the monster says, ‘I have such love in me, more than you can imagine. But, if I cannot provoke it, I will provoke fear.’ ” It’s an idea that inspired del Toro’s career-spanning love for the monsters inside and outside all of us. Now he’s finally returning to the source.

Del Toro’s Frankenstein is adapted from Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel, which she completed at the age of 19, and which he’s cited for years as an inspiration for his work. In his 2018 acceptance speech after winning the BAFTA Award for Best Director for The Shape of Water, del Toro even made time to thank the British Gothic novelist.

“The most important figure from English legacy is, incredibly, for me, a teenager by the name of Mary Shelley, and she has remained a figure as important in my life as if she were family,” del Toro said. “And so many times when I want to give up, when I think about giving up, when people tell me that dreaming of the movies and the stories I dream are impossible, I think of her.”

Frankenstein coming to Netflix

FRANKENSTEIN COMES TO NETFLIX NOVEMBER 2025

 

Poor Things

2024   Searchlight Pictures

Rated:  R

Length:  2 hr  21min

Comedy ~ Drama ~ Romance ~ Sci-Fi

Directed by:  Yorgos Lanthimos

Starring:  Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe, Ramy Youssef, Christopher Abbott, and Jerrod Carmichael.

“I am a changeable feast. As are all of we.”

THE BOOK:

 A 1992 Novel by Alasdair Gray originally titled  Poor Things: Episodes from the Early Life of Archibald McCandless M.D., Scottish Public Health Officer.

In the 1880s in Glasgow, Scotland, medical student Archibald McCandless finds himself enchanted with the intriguing creature known as Bella Baxter. Supposedly the product of the fiendish scientist Godwin Baxter, Bella was resurrected for the sole purpose of fulfilling the whims of her benefactor. As his desire turns to obsession, Archibald’s motives to free Bella are revealed to be as selfish as Godwin’s, who claims her body and soul.

But Bella has her own passions to pursue. Passions that take her to aristocratic casinos, low-life Alexandria, and a Parisian bordello, reaching an interrupted climax in a Scottish church. Exploring her station as a woman in the shadow of the patriarchy, Bella knows it is up to her to free herself—and to decide what meaning, if any, true love has in her life.

THE MOVIE:

From filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos and producer Emma Stone comes the incredible tale and fantastical evolution of Bella Baxter (Stone), a young woman brought back to life by the brilliant and unorthodox scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe). Under Baxter’s protection, Bella is eager to learn. Hungry for the worldliness she is lacking, Bella runs off with Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo), a slick and debauched lawyer, on a whirlwind adventure across the continents. Free from the prejudices of her times, Bella grows steadfast in her purpose to stand for equality and liberation.

THE REVIEW:

WOW! How Bizarre! How Beautiful! Pure Ecstasy! Frankensteinian Erotica! It drew me in from the very beginning with wonder, amazement and revulsion all at the same time. Like a train wreck I could not look away, as the sights, the eerie sounds and the bizarre story and twists laid out before me. Each one more bizarre than the last, more incredible than the one before. Watching Emma Stone grow into Bella Baxter was a transfixing journey of wonderment and discovery. An Absolutely Stunning Performance!

The horror of Willem Dafoe’s face outmatched by the horror of the reason why. The man who should be a monster instead creates beautiful life. Mark Ruffalo comes off as a dastardly conniving lecherous swine but instead shows a heart and love towards Bella, until he feels betrayed and goes back to being the swine that he is. The Architecture, the ceilings of whimsy, the cityscapes, and the steam boat were magnificent! The scenery was beautifully whimsical and surreal! I don’t even consciously remember the movie going from black and white to the magnificent colors in the end. It was a seamless journey from black and white to color as Bella matured and grew.

Shades of Young Frankenstein and Frankenstein with a heavy dash of whimsical Victorian. It is not going to be for everyone. Know there are grotesques scenes of Frankensteinian animals and bodies, completely naked scenes of gratuitous sex and vulgarity. It can be vulgar and repulsive as well as whimsical and inviting. I absolutely loved this experience. I loved the movie and Mark Ruffalo, Ramy Youssef and Willem Dafoe’s performance. But Emma Stone outdid herself in this one. An absolutely wonderful and incredible performance as Bella. Well done!