''Life Without Soul'' (1915) is a lost
horror film, directed by
Joseph W. Smiley and written by
Jesse J. Goldburg. This film is an 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 1818
Gothic novel ''
Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus
''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 exp ...
''. The film is about a doctor who creates a soulless man. In the end, it turns out that a young man has dreamed the events of the film after falling asleep reading Shelley's novel.
This version is considered a
lost film
A lost film is a feature
Feature may refer to:
Computing
* Feature (CAD), could be a hole, pocket, or notch
* Feature (computer vision), could be an edge, corner or blob
* Feature (software design) is an intentional distinguishing char ...
and the second film version of ''Frankenstein''. The first version was the
Edison Manufacturing Company
The Edison Manufacturing Company, originally registered as the United Edison Manufacturing Company and often known as simply the Edison Company, was organized by inventor and entrepreneur Thomas Edison and incorporated in New York City in May 188 ...
's 12-minute
short film
A short film is any motion picture that is short enough in running time not to be considered a feature film. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes ...
''
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 ...
'' (1910), written and directed by J. Searle Dawley.
Production
This full-length film (broken into five parts), was produced by the Ocean Film Corporation and featured English-born actor Percy Darrell Standing wearing little to no make-up as the 'Brute Man'. The story is about the Brute Man killing the sister of his creator (Dr. William Frawley) on her wedding night. Frawley pursues his creation across Europe finally killing him by shooting him. Frawley then dies of exhaustion.
A framing device reveals that the story is being read from a book.
The film was reissued in 1916 by the Raver Film Corporation with added scientific documentary footage detailing the reproduction methods of fish.
[Stephen Jones. ''The Essential Monster Movie Guide''. Billboard Books. 2000. Pg. 224]
Cast
*
Percy Standing
Percy Standing (26 October 1882 – 17 September 1950) was an English film actor of the silent era. He appeared in 42 films between 1913 and 1934. He was born in Lambeth, London and died in Placer County, California.
Selected filmography ...
as The Creation (aka Brute Man)
* George De Carlton as Frankenstein's Father
*
Lucy Cotton
Lucy Cotton (August 29, 1895 – 12 December 1948) was an American actress who appeared in 12 films between 1910 and 1921.
Biography
Cotton was born in Houston, Texas, United States and died in Miami Beach, Florida.[Pauline Curley
Pauline Curley (December 19, 1903 – December 11, 2000) was a vaudeville and silent film actress from Holyoke, Massachusetts.
Her film career spanned much of the silent era, from 1915 to 1928.
Early years
Pauline Curley was born in Holyoke, M ...]
as Claudia Frawley
* Jack Hopkins as Henry Claridge
* David McCauley as Victor Frawley, as a child
* Violet De Biccari as Elizabeth, as a child
* William A. Cohill as Dr. William Frawley
See also
*
List of lost films
References
External links
*
*
*
1915 films
American silent feature films
Frankenstein films
1915 horror films
American horror films
Lost horror films
Films based on horror novels
Films set in Manhattan
Films set in 1915
American black-and-white films
Lost American films
1915 lost films
Silent horror films
1910s American films
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