Frankenstein: Une histoire d'amour

I acquired a copy of this obscurity, as I do much of the more unusual stuff I watch, at London film fair. The quality of print is usually very good if the content sometimes disappointing. Here the first thing that strikes one is the appalling sound quality. I recall in my very early days of home video recording getting some rough noise on the background but this is very difficult with seemingly inconsequential sounds of running water or rain becoming magnified to extreme levels. Anyway, not one to give up on a movie, I stuck with it and gradually the story became more interesting and the noise less intrusive. Weird blend of the original tale and extra elements devised with French perversity to add depth/confusion/pretension (take your pick!) and slowly (very) this becomes less interesting and more annoying. The tendency to overact by the village idiot and the wild man of the mountain becomes more irritating and in the end (as romance blossoms of all things) one is left willing for the end. I've possibly been a little unfair on this 70s TV movie and for Frankenstein aficionados it will be worth a look but casual viewers, I should steer well clear.