Frankenstein 90

This is a film that I learned about when searching out the different adaptations of the source material by Mary Shelley. I remember watching this one in my apartment when I lived in Parma, Ohio. It was one that elements stuck with me, but all I remembered was that this was odd. I've now given it a second watch as part of my Foray through the Fours.

Synopsis: an obsessed scientist assembles a living being from parts of exhumed corpses.

This film begins with a man walking along a fence for a research laboratory. He comes to a corner and climbs over. He is wearing a mask, but he is Victor Lafaurie (Jean Rochefort). After getting inside, he comes to a lab where there are different body parts in water and machines hooked up to them. A woman enters and screams at the sight of the intruder. We will come back to her, but she is Elisabeth (Fiona Gélin). He has an arm out of a tank and uses it to knock her out. He flees with it. I'll say here that this is a comedy, because the arm falls out of the container while escaping over the fence and a dog picks it up. He must wrestle it away.

The next day we then see that Victor is dating Elisabeth. He shows up at her lab is shocked at what happened. There is an inspector leading the investigation played by Ged Marlon. This then shifts to a lecture that Victor is teaching. The inspector is in attendance. We learn that Victor is an expert in this new technique that allows parts from incompatible bodies to be used with a low failure rate. A comment from the inspector ends the lecture early. This is the opposite effect though. The inspector knows that Victor is behind the thefts of body parts and makes an offer. The inspector can get him a head. They meet to do business while it is raining that night.

Victor comes home to find Elisabeth. She made dinner and it turned out to be their two-year anniversary, which he completely forgot about. She wants to get intimate, but he is concerned with the head that he brought home. He tells her that he is tired and she is irate. She thinks that he is seeing someone else.

Once she leaves, he then goes down to his lab. He created a computer chip that talks to him. It has been pleading for a body, which he's been working on. He inserts it into the brain, erased memories and then tries to bring the creature to life. It should also be pointed out that his lab is hidden in the wine cellar, behind a fake wall of bottles. He succeeds in bringing his creation to life.

The monster is named Franck (Eddy Mitchell) and Victor has his hands full trying to teach him how to be 'normal'. He eats with his hands, doesn't know his own strength, attacks people who are rude as well as watch his creator with Elisabeth while having intercourse. She catches him and freaks out.

It doesn't help that the inspector is still spying and wants to be involved. Franck continues to kill, not realizing what he's doing is wrong. They hide out in a country cottage. Elisabeth joins them. She is assaulted by the creature, but also understands the importance of this experiment. It is also decided that Franck needs a mate.

That is where I'll leave my recap and introduction to the characters. Where I want to start is giving credit to this version of the story. There are meta elements here where Shelley wrote her novel. There is a drawing of Boris Karloff's take on the monster. Victor and Franck even go to a theater to see a movie version of the story. All the while, Victor's real last name is Frankenstein. He goes to the police to tell what his creation is doing and they laugh him off thinking that he's referring to the fictional character. It gives the vibe that Shelley wrote a non-fiction book or that there are elements she borrowed from real people that I appreciate.

Now that I've said that the title makes more sense this time around. This was made in 1984. I'm not sure if it is supposed to be in the future but using 90 at the end of the title is at least setting up that the technology used here is newer. Victor can streamline teaching Franck things because of putting it on the computer chip that is in his brain. There's a funny scene where he is correcting Victor's table manners because of his programing. This is something that sets it apart.

Let me then go over to the fact that this is a comedy first. Victor is bumbling at times. Horror elements come from Franck killing people because he doesn't realize his strength. He doesn't realize that at times, what he wants or needs to happen hurts people. This element is also comedic. A companion is made for him from the parts of strippers and they name her Adélaïde (Herma Vos). This element leads to good heart and an ending I wasn't fully expecting. There is an issue I have here though with Franck assaulting Elisabeth and then her developing feelings. That was problematic.

That should be enough for the story so over to the acting. Rochefort is good as our mad doctor. He has good intentions. His obsession with his research is to fulfill his family's legacy. I thought that fit what the story needed. Mitchell brings good size to the role. He adds comedy as well. Gélin is attractive, but also smart. She becomes important when she learns the truth of what Victor is doing. Vos is also gorgeous. Both are seen nude in different states if you're interested. Other than that, Marlon is good as the inspector who gets involved too much. The rest of the cast rounded this out for what was needed.

All that is left then is filmmaking. The best thing this does is leave science to our imagination. We get enough where we understand what they're doing and using. Not enough to critique it either. I also think the cinematography and framing were solid. The effects were limited. They try to convince us that Franck is hideous, but I don't know if they do enough there. This feels like an insult to Mitchell's looks in general. Other than that, I thought the soundtrack was fine without standing out or hurting this.

In conclusion, this is more of a comedy than a horror film. I won't say that hurts this because there are a blend of both elements here. We have a modern take on the Frankenstein story with a bit of futuristic elements mixed in. The back and forth between Rochefort and Mitchell were good. Gélin also works when she finally takes part in the experiments. This is made well enough. How this was shot, framed and what effects they used were fine. I do think the latter could be ramped up a bit more, but I also won't hold it against the movie either. Not one I can recommend to everyone. This is a foreign comedy with horror elements. Keep that in mind coming in.

My Rating: 5.5 out of 10.