Guillermo del Toro’s new version of Frankenstein is now available on Netflix. It reminded me of a three-hour, two-part TV movie from 1973— “Frankenstein: The True Story”. (The title couldn’t be further from the truth.)
The biggest similarity to del Toro’s is that the creature is beautiful— then played by Michael Sarrazin. Even his gauze underpants are similar to what Jacob Elordi wears in the current film.
The 1973 version is an oddity. The producer was gay, and he hired Christopher Isherwood and his lover to write the script. And there’s a subtext of Victor’s attraction to the creature.
Victor, by the way, is played by Leonard Whiting, who played Romeo five years earlier in Zeffirelli’s R&J film. He’s just so-so here which may help explain why Whiting made very few films afterwards.
Ultimately, “The True Story” is just a TV movie. At three hours, it’s too long, and it has the telltale signs of “made for TV” with very even, flat lighting. And like del Toro’s version, it’s too long.
BUT what makes it worth seeing is the role of Prima, the Bride made for the creature. She’s played by Jane Seymour in one of her early roles. The character is inherently evil, and Seymour is terrific. The final scene between Sarrazin and Seymour is shocking for the era.
“Frankenstein: The True Story” is available for free on Amazon Prime. It’s only a SD print, and a couple of scenes end abruptly.
