''Frankenstein'' is a 2004 American
science fiction
Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel uni ...
horror television film
A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...
produced and directed by
Marcus Nispel
Marcus Nispel is a German film director and producer, Fulbright Scholar, best known for several high-profile American remakes such as '' The Texas Chainsaw Massacre'', as well as an extensive career in television commercials and music videos. ...
and written by
John Shiban
John Shiban is an American television writer and producer. He worked in both capacities on ''The X-Files'' and its spin-off '' The Lone Gunmen'', ''Star Trek: Enterprise'', '' Smallville'', '' Supernatural'', '' Legend of the Seeker'', '' Breakin ...
. It is a loose adaptation of
Mary Shelley
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (; ; 30 August 1797 – 1 February 1851) was an English novelist who wrote the Gothic novel '' Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' (1818), which is considered an early example of science fiction. She also ...
's ''
Frankenstein
''Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' is an 1818 novel written by English author Mary Shelley. ''Frankenstein'' tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a sapient creature in an unorthodox scientific ...
'', and stars
Parker Posey
Parker Christian Posey (born November 8, 1968) is an American actress and musician. Posey is the recipient of a Golden Globe Award nomination, a Satellite Award nomination and two Independent Spirit Award nominations.
Posey made her film debu ...
as a police detective on the trail of
a serial killer, played by
Thomas Kretschmann
Thomas Kretschmann (; born 8 September 1962) is a German actor who has appeared in many European and American films. His notable roles include Lieutenant Hans von Witzland in '' Stalingrad'' (1993), Hauptmann Wilm Hosenfeld in '' The Pianist'' ( ...
, in present-day
. The detective is aided in her search by one of the killer's
creations, played by
Vincent Perez
Vincent Perez (born 10 June 1964) is a Swiss actor, director and photographer. He played the title character, Ashe Corven, in '' The Crow: City of Angels'', and starred in '' Queen of the Damned'', playing Marius de Romanus. Some of his films i ...
.
Adam Goldberg
Adam Charles Goldberg (born October 25, 1970) is an American character actor, filmmaker, musician, and photographer. Known for his supporting roles in film and television, Goldberg has appeared in films such as '' Dazed and Confused'', '' Saving ...
,
Ivana Miličević
Ivana Miličević (; born April 26, 1974) is a Bosnian Croat-American actress and model. She is best known for her starring roles in the Cinemax action drama series ''Banshee'' (2013–2016) and The CW science fiction drama series ''The 100'' (20 ...
and
Michael Madsen
Michael Søren Madsen (born September 25, 1957) is an American actor. He has starred in many films and television series, frequently collaborating with director Quentin Tarantino, most famously in the latter's debut film '' Reservoir Dogs'' (1 ...
co-star. It was produced by
Lions Gate Films
Lionsgate Films (formerly known as Cinépix Film Properties) is an American film production and film distribution studio, headquartered in Santa Monica and founded in Canada, and is the flagship division of Lionsgate Entertainment. It is the lar ...
, and aired on the
USA Network
USA Network (simply USA) is an American basic cable television channel owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of Comcast's NBCUniversal through NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. It was originally launched in 1977 as Madison ...
on October 10, 2004.
The film was intended as the
pilot
An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators, because they a ...
for an ongoing series, and was initially based on
Dean Koontz
Dean Ray Koontz (born July 9, 1945) is an American author. His novels are billed as Thriller (genre), suspense thrillers, but frequently incorporate elements of horror fiction, horror, fantasy, science fiction, Mystery fiction, mystery, and satir ...
's
version of ''Frankenstein''. USA and the producers decided that major changes must be made and Koontz had no interest in the show in its new form. He withdrew from association with it and turned to the task of realizing the original concept of the book form. Subsequently, executive producer
Martin Scorsese
Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November 17, 1942) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. Scorsese emerged as one of the major figures of the New Hollywood era. He is the recipient of many major accolades, inclu ...
also expressed desire to exit the series. Koontz later developed the concept into a series of five novels: ''Frankenstein: Prodigal Son'', ''Frankenstein: City of Night'', ''Frankenstein: Dead and Alive'', ''Frankenstein: Lost Souls'', and ''Frankenstein: The Dead Town''.
Premise
While investigating the murders of a serial killer who mutilates and removes the internal organs of the victims, two present-day
police detectives, Carson O'Conner and her partner Michael Sloane, learn that Victor Frankenstein, now calling himself Victor Helios, is still alive and has created a number of
genetically-engineered
Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification or genetic manipulation, is the modification and manipulation of an organism's genes using technology. It is a set of Genetic engineering techniques, technologies used to change the gene ...
creatures with the intent of building a legion of followers to assist in his overthrow of the Old Race (humans). However, his very first creation, the original
Frankenstein monster
Frankenstein's monster or Frankenstein's creature, often referred to as simply "Frankenstein", is a fictional character who first appeared in Mary Shelley's 1818 novel '' Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus''. Shelley's title thus compare ...
, now calling himself Deucalion, is also alive and looking to kill his creator.
Cast
*
Parker Posey
Parker Christian Posey (born November 8, 1968) is an American actress and musician. Posey is the recipient of a Golden Globe Award nomination, a Satellite Award nomination and two Independent Spirit Award nominations.
Posey made her film debu ...
as Detective Carson O'Conner
*
Vincent Perez
Vincent Perez (born 10 June 1964) is a Swiss actor, director and photographer. He played the title character, Ashe Corven, in '' The Crow: City of Angels'', and starred in '' Queen of the Damned'', playing Marius de Romanus. Some of his films i ...
as Deucalion
*
Thomas Kretschmann
Thomas Kretschmann (; born 8 September 1962) is a German actor who has appeared in many European and American films. His notable roles include Lieutenant Hans von Witzland in '' Stalingrad'' (1993), Hauptmann Wilm Hosenfeld in '' The Pianist'' ( ...
as Dr. Victor Helios
*
Adam Goldberg
Adam Charles Goldberg (born October 25, 1970) is an American character actor, filmmaker, musician, and photographer. Known for his supporting roles in film and television, Goldberg has appeared in films such as '' Dazed and Confused'', '' Saving ...
as Detective Michael Sloane
*
Ivana Miličević
Ivana Miličević (; born April 26, 1974) is a Bosnian Croat-American actress and model. She is best known for her starring roles in the Cinemax action drama series ''Banshee'' (2013–2016) and The CW science fiction drama series ''The 100'' (20 ...
as Erika Helios
*
Michael Madsen
Michael Søren Madsen (born September 25, 1957) is an American actor. He has starred in many films and television series, frequently collaborating with director Quentin Tarantino, most famously in the latter's debut film '' Reservoir Dogs'' (1 ...
as Detective Harker
* Deborah Duke as Angelique
*
Ann Mahoney as Jenna
* Deneen Tyler as Kathleen Burke
*
Brett Rice
James Brett Rice (born April 20, 1954) is an American film, television, and theater actor. He is perhaps known for his roles in the films ''Forrest Gump'' (1994), '' Remember the Titans'' (2000), ''Monster'' (2003), '' Super 8'' (2011), '' Foxc ...
as Detective Frye
*
Stocker Fontelieu as Patrick
Production
Filming took place in New Orleans.
Cinematographer
Daniel Pearl
Daniel Pearl (October 10, 1963 – February 1, 2002) was an American journalist who worked for ''The Wall Street Journal.'' He was kidnapped and later decapitated by terrorists in Pakistan.'
Pearl was born in Princeton, New Jersey, and rais ...
shot on
Kodak
The Eastman Kodak Company (referred to simply as Kodak ) is an American public company that produces various products related to its historic basis in analogue photography. The company is headquartered in Rochester, New York, and is incorpor ...
Super 16 mm film
16 mm film is a historically popular and economical gauge of film. 16 mm refers to the width of the film (about inch); other common film gauges include 8 and 35 mm. It is generally used for non-theatrical (e.g., industrial, educ ...
with
Arriflex 16 SR3 cameras.
Reception
Sloan Freer of ''
Radio Times'' gave the film two stars and said "though the ultra-stylised visuals create an air of brooding menace, they can't compensate for the patchy plotting or the abrupt and hugely unsatisfying finale."
Brian Lowry of ''
Variety
Variety may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats
* Variety (radio)
* Variety show, in theater and television
Films
* ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont
* ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' praised the look saying "Even working on a made-for-TV budget, Nispel provides plenty of striking imagery, giving the film a truly distinctive look" and added "while the climax is somewhat disappointing, the brisk story until then leaves ample room to speculate as to where a series would go with Helios' creations roaming the Earth."
References
External links
*
*
*
*
{{Dean Koontz
2004 television films
2004 films
2004 horror films
2004 science fiction films
2000s American films
2000s English-language films
2000s police procedural films
2000s science fiction horror films
2000s serial killer films
American horror television films
American police detective films
American science fiction horror films
American science fiction television films
American serial killer films
Fictional portrayals of the New Orleans Police Department
Films based on adaptations
Films based on works by Dean Koontz
Films directed by Marcus Nispel
Films scored by Normand Corbeil
Films set in New Orleans
Films shot in New Orleans
Frankenstein films
Lionsgate films
Television films as pilots
Television films based on books
Television pilots not picked up as a series
USA Network original films