FRANKENSTEIN

US, 1910, 13 minutes, Black and white.
Mary Fuller, Charles Ogle, Augustus Phillips.
Directed by J. Searle Dawley.

Frankenstein is the first film version of Mary Shelley’s novel. With its short running time, typical of the films of famous novels at this time, compressed because of the technology of camera, film stock and projectors, it has only the outline of the story.

The film is interesting to see as an example of adaptations for novels for the short running time on the screen.

The film shows several selections from the Frankenstein story – with captions indicating what is to happen. The film shows the young scientist leaving home, farewelled by his family. It then moves to his laboratory, his discovery of live. What follows then is the scientific and science fantasy part of the film, his recreating the monster, a giant oven, the monster coming to life – albeit in blurred fashion.

The film moves on to the scientist’s horror at what he has created, a monster rather than full life. When he returns home for his wedding, the monster follows him. He is welcomed back home, has discussions with his fiancée – but then the monster appears, jealous of Frankenstein and his love for Elizabeth.

The film moves to a conclusion with the monster threatening Frankenstein, finding his reflection in a mirror and being horrified. He threatens Elizabeth. However, in seeing his image, he is disgusted with the evil and disappears. Frankenstein then comes into the room, sees the monster in the mirror, goes up and touches the mirror – which then transforms into his own image. There is a happy ending.

The film was previously lost with only a few frames of the monster available. However, it has been discovered, restored – and an opportunity to see how the film tradition of Frankenstein began, twenty years before the famous Boris Karloff version.