Victor Frankenstein
Encyclopedia
Victor Frankenstein was born in Napoli
, is a Swiss
fictional character
and the protagonist
of the 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus
, written by Mary Shelley
. He is the scientist who, after studying chemical processes and the decay of living beings, gains an insight into the creation of life and gives life to his own creature (often referred to as Frankenstein's monster
, or incorrectly as Frankenstein).
when Victor was young. He describes his ancestry thus: "I am by birth a Genevese; and my family is one of the most distinguished of that republic. My ancestors had been for many years counsellors and syndics; and my father had filled several public situations with honour and reputation." Victor has two younger brothers — William, the youngest, and Ernest, the middle child. Victor falls in love with Elizabeth, who became his adoptive "cousin."
As a young man, Frankenstein is interested in the works in alchemists
such as Cornelius Agrippa, Paracelsus
, and Albertus Magnus
, and he longs to discover the fabled elixir of life
. He loses interest in both these pursuits and in science
as a whole after seeing the remains of a tree struck by lightning; however, at the University of Ingolstadt
, Frankenstein develops a fondness for chemistry
, and becomes obsessed with the idea of creating life in inanimate matter through artificial means, leaving university to pursue this goal for the next two years.
Assembling a humanoid creature
perhaps by the use of a chemical, apparatus or a combination of both (he avoids the question three times when asked), Frankenstein successfully brings it to life only to be repulsed by its monstrous ugliness. He abandons and flees his creation, who disappears and soon embarks upon a journey of vengeance that results in the death of his younger brother, William. The creature approaches Frankenstein and begs him to create a female companion for him; Frankenstein agrees, but ultimately destroys this creation, aghast at the idea of a race of monsters. Enraged, the creature swears revenge and, on Frankenstein's wedding night, kills Elizabeth (his creator's new bride), as well as his best friend Henry Clerval.
Frankenstein pursues the "fiend" or "daemon
" (as he calls his creation) to the Arctic
with the intent of destroying it; he ultimately fails in his mission, however, when he falls through an ice floe and contracts severe pneumonia
. He is rescued by a passing freighter, but dies after relating his tale to the ship's captain. His creature, upon discovering the death of its creator, is overcome by sorrow and vows to commit suicide
by burning himself alive in "the Northernmost extremity of the globe"; he then disappears, never to be seen or heard from again.
and the Hammer Films series starring Peter Cushing
) have portrayed Frankenstein as unbalanced or insane
(the prototypical "mad scientist
"), the novel portrayed him as a tragic figure
.
In addition, the Victor Frankenstein of the novel is not a doctor, as he is typically portrayed in adaptations, but a college dropout. Nor is he a "Baron
"; and no title is given to his father, either, although they are clearly a wealthy family.
A majority of adaptations portray Victor Frankenstein's age anywhere between a man in his twenties or thirties to late middle age or elderly. In the book, Victor was only in his early twenties when he created his monster. Victor is portrayed as a self-serving man, who cared only about himself. He allowed a servant in his household (Justine Moritz) take the blame for the murder of his brother, William, when really the creature killed him, although he attempted to argue in Justine's defence and only kept the truth secret because he believed that nobody would believe in his creation's existence.
Percy Shelley, Mary's husband, served as a major influence for the character. Victor was a pen name of Percy Shelley's, as in the collection of poetry he wrote with his sister Elizabeth, Original Poetry by Victor and Cazire
. There is speculation that one of Mary Shelley's models for Victor Frankenstein was Percy, who at Eton had "experimented with electricity and magnetism as well as with gunpowder and numerous chemical reactions", and whose rooms at Oxford were filled with scientific equipment. Percy Shelley was the first-born son of a wealthy country squire with strong political connections and a descendant of Sir Bysshe Shelley, 1st Baronet of Castle Goring, and Richard Fitzalan, 10th Earl of Arundel
. Victor's family is one of the most distinguished of that republic and his ancestors were counsellors and syndics. Percy had a sister named Elizabeth. Victor had an adopted sister, named Elizabeth. On 22 February 1815, Mary Shelley delivered a two-month premature baby and the baby died two weeks later. Percy did not care about the condition of this premature infant and left with Claire, Mary's stepsister, for a lurid affair. When Victor saw the creature come to life he fled the apartment, though the newborn creature approached him, as a child would a parent. The question of Victor's responsibility to the creature is one of the main themes of the book.
s to parodies.
In the book Frankenstein's Aunt
the Baron's aunt who comes to Frankenstein's Castle to put it back in order, following the chaos caused by her nephew's experiments. In the novel Frankenstein's Aunt Returns
the doctor has created a child for the monster and his bride.
Victor Frankenstein's first unofficial appearance on screen was in a 1910 film
(produced by Thomas Edison
) in which he seemed more a magician.
The character's first significant film appearance was in Universal Pictures
' 1931 film adaptation
, directed by James Whale
. Here, the character is renamed Henry Frankenstein (a later film shows his tombstone bearing the name "Heinrich") and is played by British actor Colin Clive
opposite Boris Karloff
as the Creature. Clive reprised his role in the 1935 sequel, Bride of Frankenstein
, which reunited Clive, Whale and Karloff, as well as first giving Frankenstein the official title of Baron. Although not present in the following sequels due to Clive's death in 1937, Henry made a cameo appearance in 1939's Son of Frankenstein
, as an oil painting in the Frankenstein family library, and was the title character, in spite of having only a cameo, in The Ghost of Frankenstein
(1942). It is in these films that the character became known as "Dr. Frankenstein," as the novel's character never finished his education.
The character gained new life in 1957 when Peter Cushing
first essayed the role in Hammer Films' The Curse of Frankenstein, opposite Christopher Lee
as the Creature. Cushing went on to star as Victor Frankenstein, again identified as a Baron, in five more films for the studio.
Unlike most adaptations and sequels to the novel, Hammer decided to focus its Frankenstein franchise
on the Baron rather than the Monster, to distance itself from the Universal series, and to perhaps remind audiences that Frankenstein is the name of the Creator, not the Creation.
After 1969's Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed
, in which Cushing had temporarily retired from the role, Hammer had decide to reboot the series for the 1970s. The Horror of Frankenstein
was a tongue-in-cheek black comedy
remake of The Curse of Frankenstein, which featured Ralph Bates
as a younger, "hipper" Baron in the sinister mold of Cushing's interpretation. After the film failed to be the success Hammer had hoped for, they brought Cushing back for one final film, in 1974's Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell
.
Udo Kier
played Baron Victor Frankenstein in 1973's Flesh for Frankenstein
.
Leonard Whiting
played Victor Frankenstein in Frankenstein: The True Story
.
Robert Foxworth
played Victor Frankenstein in another Frankenstein television adaptation.
In Mel Brooks'
1974 comedy Young Frankenstein
, Gene Wilder
portrays Frederick Frankenstein, grandson of Victor, who inherits the family estate but is at first repelled by his grandfather's work (to the point of insisting that his name is pronounced "Fronk-en-steen"). He is ultimately inspired to take up the work, eventually creating his own creature (Peter Boyle
).
Sting appeared as "Charles" Frankenstein in 1985's The Bride
opposite Clancy Brown
as the Monster.
Stage actor Raul Julia
portrayed the Baron in Roger Corman
's Frankenstein Unbound
.
in 1992 a made for tv film was produced by david wickes it was a turner pictures film. It starred Patrick Bergin as Victor and Randy Quaid as the monster. In this film Victor rather clones himself instead creating the creature from the dead. The major differences from the novel are the cloning and williams death william is riding a horse and the monster pushes it over and the heavy horse kills william and Justine dies by killing her self after seeing the horrid creature. On Victor's wedding night the monster kills Alphonse and sticks a coat hanger through Henry. Victor and the monster are part of each other beings the monster is a cloning process gone wrong the monster shares a phsychic link with victor and they can sense each other.the fil is titled "Frankenstein"
Kenneth Brannagh reinterpreted the character along the lines of Shelley's portrayal in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein opposite of Robert De Niro
as the Monster.
In the 1999 animated film, Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein
, Victor (referred as "Dr. Frankenstein") is the main antagonist voiced by Michael Bell. After secretly creating the monster in a roller coaster, his lab is discovered by the Chipmunks and sends his creation after them. After the creature had not returned, he goes to the Chipmunks' house and kidnaps Alvin. He then uses a formula that makes Alvin go out of control. After Alvin is returned to normal, Victor in the disguise of the park's mascot tries to electrocute him, but is electrocuted by his own creation, causing the suit he was using to become stuck on him when he can't remove the mask. Later near the end of the film, he appears as the theme park's entertainer.
In the 2004 film Van Helsing
, Victor Frankenstein (portrayed by Samuel West
) is hired by Count Dracula
to create the monster for Dracula to use to bring his offspring to life. When Victor refuses, Dracula kills him only to be attacked by the monster. The monster takes Victor's body to the windmill, but an angry mob outside of the castle sees the monster and chases it to the windmill. They set fire to the windmill in order to kill the monster, but are chased off by Dracula and his brides
. The monster survives when the floor on top of the windmill caves in. The monster- which refers to Frankenstein as his/its father- is later used to bring Dracula's offspring to life, only to escape from the castle with help from monster hunter Gabriel Van Helsing.
The 2004 independent movie Frankenstein
features a Victor Frankenstein known as Victor Helios, who has used his own research to extend his life into the modern day, where he continues his experiments to create life with the goal of replacing humanity with his own creatures. He is opposed by his original creation, who is determined to defeat his creator while being hampered by a mental 'block' Helios has installed in all his creatures to prevent them harming him.
The 2004 made for tv film is a hallmark production featuring alec newman as victor opposite luke goss as the monster. It is likely to be the best adaption to the novel and most accurately follows the novel.
The 2007 film Frankenstein
introduces Victoria Frankenstein. Instead of making the creature out of corpses, she uses stem cell
s, intending to use her experiment to save her dying son. The experiment goes wrong, however, and the Creature escapes. When Victoria catches up with the monster, she comes to love it because it is her only remaining link to her son who has since died.
features a doctor Frankenstein that creates a typical Frankenstein's monster. Similar to the Universal Pictures
' 1931 film adaptation
the character is renamed to Henry Frankenstein.
The Adult Swim
animated series Mary Shelley's Frankenhole
features Dr. Victor Frankenstein (voiced by Jeff B. Davis) and other characters from both the novel Frankenstein and other classic horror films. Frankenstein is depicted as being narcissistic, egotistical person who after drinking an immortality serum he invented has lived for more than a thousand years. He has developed the technology to connect his village in Western Europe to various points in time, called Frankenholes, that allow various people from history to time travel to visit Dr. Frankenstein in the hopes he will do some sort of miraculous surgery to fix physical and mental flaws.
musical, Frankenstein - A New Musical
portrays Victor as the naïve young student of Mary Shelley's original novel.
played by Tim Curry
in live-action footage that is integrated into the gameplay graphics.
Victor Frankenstein's in-universe analog or ancestor (it's never made clear) "Friedrich von Frankenstein" is mentioned multiple times throughout Castlevania: Lords of Shadow's main story. Before he died, the Vampire Lord had promised to make him suffer for his creations and had carried it out after becoming undead. One of his creations appear as a boss, but unlike the famous monster, it's a metal, scorpion-like creature that has no hint of humanity but a large amount of durability. In the first DLC extension of the main story you find Friedrich's decayed fingers in jars spread out in the Vampire Lord's manor, although you can only find 6 of them.
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, is a Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
fictional character
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
and the protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
of the 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus
Frankenstein
Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is a novel about a failed experiment that produced a monster, written by Mary Shelley, with inserts of poems by Percy Bysshe Shelley. Shelley started writing the story when she was eighteen, and the novel was published when she was twenty-one. The first...
, written by Mary Shelley
Mary Shelley
Mary Shelley was a British novelist, short story writer, dramatist, essayist, biographer, and travel writer, best known for her Gothic novel Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus . She also edited and promoted the works of her husband, the Romantic poet and philosopher Percy Bysshe Shelley...
. He is the scientist who, after studying chemical processes and the decay of living beings, gains an insight into the creation of life and gives life to his own creature (often referred to as Frankenstein's monster
Frankenstein's monster
Frankenstein's monster is a fictional character that first appeared in Mary Shelley's novel, Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus. The creature is often erroneously referred to as "Frankenstein", but in the novel the creature has no name...
, or incorrectly as Frankenstein).
History
He is the son of Alphonse Frankenstein and Caroline Beaufort, who died of scarlet feverScarlet fever
Scarlet fever is a disease caused by exotoxin released by Streptococcus pyogenes. Once a major cause of death, it is now effectively treated with antibiotics...
when Victor was young. He describes his ancestry thus: "I am by birth a Genevese; and my family is one of the most distinguished of that republic. My ancestors had been for many years counsellors and syndics; and my father had filled several public situations with honour and reputation." Victor has two younger brothers — William, the youngest, and Ernest, the middle child. Victor falls in love with Elizabeth, who became his adoptive "cousin."
As a young man, Frankenstein is interested in the works in alchemists
Alchemy
Alchemy is an influential philosophical tradition whose early practitioners’ claims to profound powers were known from antiquity. The defining objectives of alchemy are varied; these include the creation of the fabled philosopher's stone possessing powers including the capability of turning base...
such as Cornelius Agrippa, Paracelsus
Paracelsus
Paracelsus was a German-Swiss Renaissance physician, botanist, alchemist, astrologer, and general occultist....
, and Albertus Magnus
Albertus Magnus
Albertus Magnus, O.P. , also known as Albert the Great and Albert of Cologne, is a Catholic saint. He was a German Dominican friar and a bishop, who achieved fame for his comprehensive knowledge of and advocacy for the peaceful coexistence of science and religion. Those such as James A. Weisheipl...
, and he longs to discover the fabled elixir of life
Elixir of life
The elixir of life, also known as the elixir of immortality and sometimes equated with the philosopher's stone, is a legendary potion, or drink, that grants the drinker eternal life and or eternal youth. Many practitioners of alchemy pursued it. The elixir of life was also said to be able to create...
. He loses interest in both these pursuits and in science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
as a whole after seeing the remains of a tree struck by lightning; however, at the University of Ingolstadt
University of Ingolstadt
The University of Ingolstadt was founded in 1472 by Louis the Rich, the Duke of Bavaria at the time, and its first Chancellor was the Bishop of Eichstätt. It consisted of five faculties: humanities, sciences, theology, law and medicine, all of which were contained in the Hoheschule...
, Frankenstein develops a fondness for chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
, and becomes obsessed with the idea of creating life in inanimate matter through artificial means, leaving university to pursue this goal for the next two years.
Assembling a humanoid creature
Frankenstein's monster
Frankenstein's monster is a fictional character that first appeared in Mary Shelley's novel, Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus. The creature is often erroneously referred to as "Frankenstein", but in the novel the creature has no name...
perhaps by the use of a chemical, apparatus or a combination of both (he avoids the question three times when asked), Frankenstein successfully brings it to life only to be repulsed by its monstrous ugliness. He abandons and flees his creation, who disappears and soon embarks upon a journey of vengeance that results in the death of his younger brother, William. The creature approaches Frankenstein and begs him to create a female companion for him; Frankenstein agrees, but ultimately destroys this creation, aghast at the idea of a race of monsters. Enraged, the creature swears revenge and, on Frankenstein's wedding night, kills Elizabeth (his creator's new bride), as well as his best friend Henry Clerval.
Frankenstein pursues the "fiend" or "daemon
Demon
call - 1347 531 7769 for more infoIn Ancient Near Eastern religions as well as in the Abrahamic traditions, including ancient and medieval Christian demonology, a demon is considered an "unclean spirit" which may cause demonic possession, to be addressed with an act of exorcism...
" (as he calls his creation) to the Arctic
Arctic
The Arctic is a region located at the northern-most part of the Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Arctic region consists of a vast, ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost...
with the intent of destroying it; he ultimately fails in his mission, however, when he falls through an ice floe and contracts severe pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
. He is rescued by a passing freighter, but dies after relating his tale to the ship's captain. His creature, upon discovering the death of its creator, is overcome by sorrow and vows to commit suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
by burning himself alive in "the Northernmost extremity of the globe"; he then disappears, never to be seen or heard from again.
Characterization
While many subsequent film adaptations (notably the 1931 movie FrankensteinFrankenstein (1931 film)
Frankenstein is a 1931 Pre-Code Horror Monster film from Universal Pictures directed by James Whale and adapted from the play by Peggy Webling which in turn is based on the novel of the same name by Mary Shelley. The film stars Colin Clive, Mae Clarke, John Boles and Boris Karloff, and features...
and the Hammer Films series starring Peter Cushing
Peter Cushing
Peter Wilton Cushing, OBE was an English actor, known for his many appearances in Hammer Films, in which he played the handsome but sinister scientist Baron Frankenstein and the vampire hunter Dr. Van Helsing, amongst many other roles, often appearing opposite Christopher Lee, and occasionally...
) have portrayed Frankenstein as unbalanced or insane
Insanity
Insanity, craziness or madness is a spectrum of behaviors characterized by certain abnormal mental or behavioral patterns. Insanity may manifest as violations of societal norms, including becoming a danger to themselves and others, though not all such acts are considered insanity...
(the prototypical "mad scientist
Mad scientist
A mad scientist is a stock character of popular fiction, specifically science fiction. The mad scientist may be villainous or antagonistic, benign or neutral, and whether insane, eccentric, or simply bumbling, mad scientists often work with fictional technology in order to forward their schemes, if...
"), the novel portrayed him as a tragic figure
Tragic hero
A tragic hero is the main character in a tragedy. Tragic heroes appear in the dramatic works of Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Seneca, Marlowe, Shakespeare, Webster, Marston, Corneille, Racine, Goethe, Schiller, Kleist, Strindberg, and many other writers.-Aristotle's tragic hero:Aristotle...
.
In addition, the Victor Frankenstein of the novel is not a doctor, as he is typically portrayed in adaptations, but a college dropout. Nor is he a "Baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
"; and no title is given to his father, either, although they are clearly a wealthy family.
A majority of adaptations portray Victor Frankenstein's age anywhere between a man in his twenties or thirties to late middle age or elderly. In the book, Victor was only in his early twenties when he created his monster. Victor is portrayed as a self-serving man, who cared only about himself. He allowed a servant in his household (Justine Moritz) take the blame for the murder of his brother, William, when really the creature killed him, although he attempted to argue in Justine's defence and only kept the truth secret because he believed that nobody would believe in his creation's existence.
Percy Shelley, Mary's husband, served as a major influence for the character. Victor was a pen name of Percy Shelley's, as in the collection of poetry he wrote with his sister Elizabeth, Original Poetry by Victor and Cazire
Original Poetry by Victor and Cazire
Original Poetry by Victor and Cazire was a poetry collection published anonymously by Percy Bysshe Shelley in September, 1810 by C. and W. Phillips in Worthing and sold by publisher John Joseph Stockdale. The work was Shelley's first published volume of poetry. Shelley wrote the poems in...
. There is speculation that one of Mary Shelley's models for Victor Frankenstein was Percy, who at Eton had "experimented with electricity and magnetism as well as with gunpowder and numerous chemical reactions", and whose rooms at Oxford were filled with scientific equipment. Percy Shelley was the first-born son of a wealthy country squire with strong political connections and a descendant of Sir Bysshe Shelley, 1st Baronet of Castle Goring, and Richard Fitzalan, 10th Earl of Arundel
Earl of Arundel
The title Earl of Arundel is the oldest extant Earldom and perhaps the oldest extant title in the Peerage of England. It is currently held by the Duke of Norfolk, and is used by his heir apparent as a courtesy title. It was created in 1138 for the Norman baron Sir William d'Aubigny...
. Victor's family is one of the most distinguished of that republic and his ancestors were counsellors and syndics. Percy had a sister named Elizabeth. Victor had an adopted sister, named Elizabeth. On 22 February 1815, Mary Shelley delivered a two-month premature baby and the baby died two weeks later. Percy did not care about the condition of this premature infant and left with Claire, Mary's stepsister, for a lurid affair. When Victor saw the creature come to life he fled the apartment, though the newborn creature approached him, as a child would a parent. The question of Victor's responsibility to the creature is one of the main themes of the book.
Books
Beside the original book the character also appears or is mentioned in other books from pastichePastiche
A pastiche is a literary or other artistic genre or technique that is a "hodge-podge" or imitation. The word is also a linguistic term used to describe an early stage in the development of a pidgin language.-Hodge-podge:...
s to parodies.
In the book Frankenstein's Aunt
Frankenstein's Aunt (novel)
Frankenstein's Aunt is a novel by Allan Rune Pettersson that was first published in Sweden in 1978.The story is about Hannah Frankenstein, the Baron's aunt who comes to Frankenstein's Castle to put it back in order, following the chaos caused by her nephew's experiments...
the Baron's aunt who comes to Frankenstein's Castle to put it back in order, following the chaos caused by her nephew's experiments. In the novel Frankenstein's Aunt Returns
Frankenstein's Aunt Returns
Frankenstein's Aunt Returns is a novel by Allan Rune Pettersson that was first published in Sweden in 1989. The book is a sequel to the first book Frankenstein's Aunt. The story is about Franklin a child created by Doctor Frankenstein with the help of Doctor Pretorius for the monster and his bride...
the doctor has created a child for the monster and his bride.
Film
Frankenstein (1910 film)
Frankenstein is a 1910 film made by Edison Studios that was written and directed by J. Searle Dawley.It was the first motion picture adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. The unbilled cast included Augustus Phillips as Dr...
(produced by Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison
Thomas Alva Edison was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices that greatly influenced life around the world, including the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and a long-lasting, practical electric light bulb. In addition, he created the world’s first industrial...
) in which he seemed more a magician.
The character's first significant film appearance was in Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures
-1920:* White Youth* The Flaming Disc* Am I Dreaming?* The Dragon's Net* The Adorable Savage* Putting It Over* The Line Runners-1921:* The Fire Eater* A Battle of Wits* Dream Girl* The Millionaire...
' 1931 film adaptation
Frankenstein (1931 film)
Frankenstein is a 1931 Pre-Code Horror Monster film from Universal Pictures directed by James Whale and adapted from the play by Peggy Webling which in turn is based on the novel of the same name by Mary Shelley. The film stars Colin Clive, Mae Clarke, John Boles and Boris Karloff, and features...
, directed by James Whale
James Whale
James Whale was an English film director, theatre director and actor. He is best remembered for his work in the horror film genre, having directed such classics as Frankenstein , The Old Dark House , The Invisible Man and Bride of Frankenstein...
. Here, the character is renamed Henry Frankenstein (a later film shows his tombstone bearing the name "Heinrich") and is played by British actor Colin Clive
Colin Clive
Colin Clive was an English stage and screen actor best remembered for his portrayal of Dr...
opposite Boris Karloff
Boris Karloff
William Henry Pratt , better known by his stage name Boris Karloff, was an English actor.Karloff is best remembered for his roles in horror films and his portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in Frankenstein , Bride of Frankenstein , and Son of Frankenstein...
as the Creature. Clive reprised his role in the 1935 sequel, Bride of Frankenstein
Bride of Frankenstein
Bride of Frankenstein is a 1935 American horror film, the first sequel to Frankenstein...
, which reunited Clive, Whale and Karloff, as well as first giving Frankenstein the official title of Baron. Although not present in the following sequels due to Clive's death in 1937, Henry made a cameo appearance in 1939's Son of Frankenstein
Son of Frankenstein
Son of Frankenstein is the third film in Universal Studios' Frankenstein series and the last to feature Boris Karloff as the Monster as well as the first to feature Béla Lugosi as Ygor. It is a sequel to Bride of Frankenstein....
, as an oil painting in the Frankenstein family library, and was the title character, in spite of having only a cameo, in The Ghost of Frankenstein
The Ghost of Frankenstein
The Ghost of Frankenstein, is an American monster horror film released in 1942. The movie is the fourth in a series of films produced by Universal Studios based upon characters in Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein and features Lon Chaney, Jr...
(1942). It is in these films that the character became known as "Dr. Frankenstein," as the novel's character never finished his education.
The character gained new life in 1957 when Peter Cushing
Peter Cushing
Peter Wilton Cushing, OBE was an English actor, known for his many appearances in Hammer Films, in which he played the handsome but sinister scientist Baron Frankenstein and the vampire hunter Dr. Van Helsing, amongst many other roles, often appearing opposite Christopher Lee, and occasionally...
first essayed the role in Hammer Films' The Curse of Frankenstein, opposite Christopher Lee
Christopher Lee
Sir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee, CBE, CStJ is an English actor and musician. Lee initially portrayed villains and became famous for his role as Count Dracula in a string of Hammer Horror films...
as the Creature. Cushing went on to star as Victor Frankenstein, again identified as a Baron, in five more films for the studio.
Unlike most adaptations and sequels to the novel, Hammer decided to focus its Frankenstein franchise
Media franchise
A media franchise is an intellectual property involving the characters, setting and trademarks of an original work of media , such as a film, a work of literature, a television program or a video game. Generally, a whole series is made in a particular medium, along with merchandising and endorsements...
on the Baron rather than the Monster, to distance itself from the Universal series, and to perhaps remind audiences that Frankenstein is the name of the Creator, not the Creation.
After 1969's Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed
Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed
Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed is a British horror film directed by Terence Fisher for Hammer Film Productions from 1969. The cast includes Peter Cushing, Freddie Jones, Veronica Carlson and Simon Ward. The film is the fifth in a series of Hammer films centering on Dr...
, in which Cushing had temporarily retired from the role, Hammer had decide to reboot the series for the 1970s. The Horror of Frankenstein
The Horror of Frankenstein
The Horror of Frankenstein is a 1970 British horror film by Hammer Film Productions that is both a semi-parody and remake of the 1957 film The Curse of Frankenstein. It was produced and directed by Jimmy Sangster, starring Ralph Bates, Kate O'Mara, Veronica Carlson and David Prowse as the monster...
was a tongue-in-cheek black comedy
Black comedy
A black comedy, or dark comedy, is a comic work that employs black humor or gallows humor. The definition of black humor is problematic; it has been argued that it corresponds to the earlier concept of gallows humor; and that, as humor has been defined since Freud as a comedic act that anesthetizes...
remake of The Curse of Frankenstein, which featured Ralph Bates
Ralph Bates
Ralph Bates was an English film and television actor, known for his role in the British sitcom Dear John and for being one of Hammer Horror's best-known actors from the latter period of the company....
as a younger, "hipper" Baron in the sinister mold of Cushing's interpretation. After the film failed to be the success Hammer had hoped for, they brought Cushing back for one final film, in 1974's Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell
Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell
Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell is a 1974 British horror film from Hammer Film Productions. It was directed by Terence Fisher and starred Peter Cushing, Shane Briant, and David Prowse...
.
Udo Kier
Udo Kier
Udo Kier is a German actor, known primarily for his work in horror and exploitation movies.-Early life:...
played Baron Victor Frankenstein in 1973's Flesh for Frankenstein
Flesh for Frankenstein
Andy Warhol's Frankenstein or Flesh for Frankenstein is a 1973 horror film directed by Paul Morrissey and produced by Andy Warhol, Andrew Braunsberg, Louis Peraino, and Carlo Ponti and starring Udo Kier, Joe Dallesandro, Monique van Vooren and Arno Juerging...
.
Leonard Whiting
Leonard Whiting
Leonard Whiting is a British actor who starred as Romeo in the 1968 Zeffirelli film version of Romeo and Juliet opposite Olivia Hussey's Juliet, a role which earned him the Golden Globe Award for New Star Of The Year - Actor....
played Victor Frankenstein in Frankenstein: The True Story
Frankenstein: The True Story
Frankenstein: The True Story is a 1973 American made-for-television horror film loosely based on the book Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. It was directed by Jack Smight, and the screenplay was co-written by novelist Christopher Isherwood....
.
Robert Foxworth
Robert Foxworth
Robert Heath Foxworth is an American film, stage and television actor.-Early life and career:Foxworth was born in Houston, Texas, the son of Erna Beth , a writer, and John Howard Foxworth, a roofing contractor...
played Victor Frankenstein in another Frankenstein television adaptation.
In Mel Brooks'
Mel Brooks
Mel Brooks is an American film director, screenwriter, composer, lyricist, comedian, actor and producer. He is best known as a creator of broad film farces and comic parodies. He began his career as a stand-up comic and as a writer for the early TV variety show Your Show of Shows...
1974 comedy Young Frankenstein
Young Frankenstein
Young Frankenstein is a 1974 American comedy film directed by Mel Brooks and starring Gene Wilder as the title character, a descendant of the infamous Dr. Victor Frankenstein. The supporting cast includes Teri Garr, Cloris Leachman, Marty Feldman, Peter Boyle, Madeline Kahn, Kenneth Mars, Richard...
, Gene Wilder
Gene Wilder
Gene Wilder is an American stage and screen actor, director, screenwriter, and author.Wilder began his career on stage, making his screen debut in the film Bonnie and Clyde in 1967. His first major role was as Leopold Bloom in the 1968 film The Producers...
portrays Frederick Frankenstein, grandson of Victor, who inherits the family estate but is at first repelled by his grandfather's work (to the point of insisting that his name is pronounced "Fronk-en-steen"). He is ultimately inspired to take up the work, eventually creating his own creature (Peter Boyle
Peter Boyle
Peter Lawrence Boyle, Jr. was an American actor, best known for his role as Frank Barone on the sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond, and as a comical monster in Mel Brooks' film spoof Young Frankenstein ....
).
Sting appeared as "Charles" Frankenstein in 1985's The Bride
The Bride (film)
The Bride is an adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, released in 1985 and directed by Franc Roddam. The film stars Sting as Baron Charles Frankenstein and Jennifer Beals as Eva, a woman he creates in the same fashion as his infamous monster....
opposite Clancy Brown
Clancy Brown
Clarence J. "Clancy" Brown III is an American actor and voice actor. He is known for his roles in live action as The Kurgan in the cult classic film Highlander, Byron Hadley in the award-winning The Shawshank Redemption, Brother Justin Crowe in HBO's critically acclaimed Carnivàle, and Career...
as the Monster.
Stage actor Raul Julia
Raúl Juliá
Raúl Rafael Juliá y Arcelay was a Puerto Rican actor.Born in San Juan, he gained interest in acting while still in school. Upon completing his studies, Juliá decided to pursue a career in acting. After performing in the local scene for some time, he was convinced by entertainment personality Orson...
portrayed the Baron in Roger Corman
Roger Corman
Roger William Corman is an American film producer, director and actor. He has mostly worked on low-budget B movies. Some of Corman's work has an established critical reputation, such as his cycle of films adapted from the tales of Edgar Allan Poe, and in 2009 he won an Honorary Academy Award for...
's Frankenstein Unbound
Frankenstein Unbound
Frankenstein Unbound is a 1990 horror movie based on Brian Aldiss' novel of the same name. This film was directed by Roger Corman, returning to the director's chair after a hiatus of almost twenty years.- Cast :...
.
in 1992 a made for tv film was produced by david wickes it was a turner pictures film. It starred Patrick Bergin as Victor and Randy Quaid as the monster. In this film Victor rather clones himself instead creating the creature from the dead. The major differences from the novel are the cloning and williams death william is riding a horse and the monster pushes it over and the heavy horse kills william and Justine dies by killing her self after seeing the horrid creature. On Victor's wedding night the monster kills Alphonse and sticks a coat hanger through Henry. Victor and the monster are part of each other beings the monster is a cloning process gone wrong the monster shares a phsychic link with victor and they can sense each other.the fil is titled "Frankenstein"
Kenneth Brannagh reinterpreted the character along the lines of Shelley's portrayal in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein opposite of Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro, Jr. is an American actor, director and producer. His first major film roles were in Bang the Drum Slowly and Mean Streets, both in 1973...
as the Monster.
In the 1999 animated film, Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein
Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein
Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein is a 1999 animated horror-themed direct-to-video film, produced by Bagdasarian Productions and Universal Animation Studios, distributed by Universal Studios Home Entertainment, and based on characters from Alvin and the Chipmunks...
, Victor (referred as "Dr. Frankenstein") is the main antagonist voiced by Michael Bell. After secretly creating the monster in a roller coaster, his lab is discovered by the Chipmunks and sends his creation after them. After the creature had not returned, he goes to the Chipmunks' house and kidnaps Alvin. He then uses a formula that makes Alvin go out of control. After Alvin is returned to normal, Victor in the disguise of the park's mascot tries to electrocute him, but is electrocuted by his own creation, causing the suit he was using to become stuck on him when he can't remove the mask. Later near the end of the film, he appears as the theme park's entertainer.
In the 2004 film Van Helsing
Van Helsing (film)
Van Helsing is a 2004 American action horror film directed by Stephen Sommers. It stars Hugh Jackman as vigilante monster hunter Gabriel Van Helsing, and Kate Beckinsale...
, Victor Frankenstein (portrayed by Samuel West
Samuel West
Samuel Alexander Joseph West is an English actor and theatre director. He is perhaps best known for his role in Howards End and his work on stage. He also starred in the award-winning play ENRON...
) is hired by Count Dracula
Count Dracula
Count Dracula is a fictional character, the titular antagonist of Bram Stoker's 1897 Gothic horror novel Dracula and archetypal vampire. Some aspects of his character have been inspired by the 15th century Romanian general and Wallachian Prince Vlad III the Impaler...
to create the monster for Dracula to use to bring his offspring to life. When Victor refuses, Dracula kills him only to be attacked by the monster. The monster takes Victor's body to the windmill, but an angry mob outside of the castle sees the monster and chases it to the windmill. They set fire to the windmill in order to kill the monster, but are chased off by Dracula and his brides
Brides of Dracula
The Brides of Dracula are characters in Bram Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula. They are three seductive female vampire "sisters" who reside with Count Dracula in his castle in Transylvania, where they entrance male humans with their beauty and charm, and then proceed to feed upon them...
. The monster survives when the floor on top of the windmill caves in. The monster- which refers to Frankenstein as his/its father- is later used to bring Dracula's offspring to life, only to escape from the castle with help from monster hunter Gabriel Van Helsing.
The 2004 independent movie Frankenstein
Frankenstein (2004 film)
Frankenstein is a 2004 made-for-television USA Network production starring Thomas Kretschmann as Victor Helios and Vincent Pérez as his creature. It was produced by Martin Scorsese and based on Dean Koontz's version of Frankenstein...
features a Victor Frankenstein known as Victor Helios, who has used his own research to extend his life into the modern day, where he continues his experiments to create life with the goal of replacing humanity with his own creatures. He is opposed by his original creation, who is determined to defeat his creator while being hampered by a mental 'block' Helios has installed in all his creatures to prevent them harming him.
The 2004 made for tv film is a hallmark production featuring alec newman as victor opposite luke goss as the monster. It is likely to be the best adaption to the novel and most accurately follows the novel.
The 2007 film Frankenstein
Frankenstein (2007 film)
Frankenstein is a 2007 British television film produced by Impossible Pictures for ITV. It was written and directed by Jed Mercurio, adapted from Mary Shelley's original novel to a present-day setting. Dr...
introduces Victoria Frankenstein. Instead of making the creature out of corpses, she uses stem cell
Stem cell
This article is about the cell type. For the medical therapy, see Stem Cell TreatmentsStem cells are biological cells found in all multicellular organisms, that can divide and differentiate into diverse specialized cell types and can self-renew to produce more stem cells...
s, intending to use her experiment to save her dying son. The experiment goes wrong, however, and the Creature escapes. When Victoria catches up with the monster, she comes to love it because it is her only remaining link to her son who has since died.
Television
The humorous TV series Frankenstein's AuntFrankenstein's Aunt
Frankenstein's Aunt is the protagonist of three novels - two by Allan Rune Pettersson and a seven-episode TV miniseries based on the first one...
features a doctor Frankenstein that creates a typical Frankenstein's monster. Similar to the Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures
-1920:* White Youth* The Flaming Disc* Am I Dreaming?* The Dragon's Net* The Adorable Savage* Putting It Over* The Line Runners-1921:* The Fire Eater* A Battle of Wits* Dream Girl* The Millionaire...
' 1931 film adaptation
Frankenstein (1931 film)
Frankenstein is a 1931 Pre-Code Horror Monster film from Universal Pictures directed by James Whale and adapted from the play by Peggy Webling which in turn is based on the novel of the same name by Mary Shelley. The film stars Colin Clive, Mae Clarke, John Boles and Boris Karloff, and features...
the character is renamed to Henry Frankenstein.
The Adult Swim
Adult Swim
Adult Swim is an adult-oriented Cable network that shares channel space with Cartoon Network from 9:00 pm until 6:00 am ET/PT in the United States, and broadcasts in countries such as Australia and New Zealand...
animated series Mary Shelley's Frankenhole
Mary Shelley's Frankenhole
Mary Shelley's Frankenhole is a stop-motion animated TV series by Dino Stamatopoulos, creator of Moral Orel. Nine of ten 15-minute episodes have aired on Cartoon Network's late night programming block, Adult Swim. Frankenhole premiered on June 27, 2010.-Premise:Dr...
features Dr. Victor Frankenstein (voiced by Jeff B. Davis) and other characters from both the novel Frankenstein and other classic horror films. Frankenstein is depicted as being narcissistic, egotistical person who after drinking an immortality serum he invented has lived for more than a thousand years. He has developed the technology to connect his village in Western Europe to various points in time, called Frankenholes, that allow various people from history to time travel to visit Dr. Frankenstein in the hopes he will do some sort of miraculous surgery to fix physical and mental flaws.
Theatre
The 2007 Off-BroadwayOff-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
musical, Frankenstein - A New Musical
Frankenstein - A New Musical
Frankenstein — A New Musical is a musical with music by Mark Baron, lyrics by Jeffrey Jackson, and a book by Jackson and Gary P. Cohen, based on the Mary Shelley novel of the same name...
portrays Victor as the naïve young student of Mary Shelley's original novel.
Computer and video games
Victor Frankenstein appears in the 1995 graphic adventure computer game Frankenstein: Through the Eyes of the MonsterFrankenstein: Through the Eyes of the Monster
Frankenstein: Through the Eyes of the Monster is a graphic adventure computer game that stars Tim Curry as Dr. Frankenstein, and has the player controlling the newly created Frankenstein monster. The game was developed by Amazing Media and published by Interplay Entertainment Corp for the PC in...
played by Tim Curry
Tim Curry
Timothy James "Tim" Curry is a British actor, singer, composer and voice actor, known for his work in a diverse range of theatre, film and television productions. He currently resides in Los Angeles, California....
in live-action footage that is integrated into the gameplay graphics.
Victor Frankenstein's in-universe analog or ancestor (it's never made clear) "Friedrich von Frankenstein" is mentioned multiple times throughout Castlevania: Lords of Shadow's main story. Before he died, the Vampire Lord had promised to make him suffer for his creations and had carried it out after becoming undead. One of his creations appear as a boss, but unlike the famous monster, it's a metal, scorpion-like creature that has no hint of humanity but a large amount of durability. In the first DLC extension of the main story you find Friedrich's decayed fingers in jars spread out in the Vampire Lord's manor, although you can only find 6 of them.