A Jolt of Inspiration: A List Frankenstein Inspired or Adjacent Movies
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is a beloved classic in Literature and Horror genres. There are many lessons to be found within these pages, such as morality without religion, nature versus nurture, and effects of society versus the individual when it comes to a moral compass.
The silver screen has “reanimated” the story time and time again with remakes, derivative works, and parodies in great abundance. On this list, however, you’ll find some cult faves as well as some surprising picks for Frankenstein inspired work. Each of these films pays homage to Shelley’s original storyline as well as fitting in modern-day dilemmas like advanced AI and natural human instincts.
Think we’ve missed an important installment to this list? Leave us a comment down below or over on Twitter! We’d love to hear from you and talk about monsters!
A poorly received follow-up to the success of “Blacula”, this Blaxploitation cinema entry takes a really campy, fun twist on Frankenstein. It’s an over-the-top horror, revenge, romance, Blaxploitation hybrid.
A very short summary: At the encouragement of his Doctor girlfriend Winifred’, Eddie, a soldier, is given a special DNA modification treatment by Doctor Stein, and his limbs are restored. When the Doctor’s assistant, Malcomb, takes a liking to the lovely lady Winifred, all hell breaks loose! Can Winnie find the cure for Eddie in time before the body count stacks to the sky?! Dun dun dunnn…
Is it niche? ABSOLUTELY. Is it GREAT? Nah. Is it fun? SURE! It is most certainly worth watching for cult classic movie nerd status, and fun to talk about at parties!
Director Tim Burton pays homage to Frankenstein while also tackling the difficult issue of death of a beloved pet. Little Victor’s beloved pet Sparkly has been tragically hit by a car and killed. To assuage his grief, he takes to his mad science lab to rehabilitate his furry best friend. Can Victor convince his family and the next door neighbors that Sparky is just as good as he ever was? I sure hope so, because who doesn’t love dogs?!
The original 1984 version is a charming 30 minute short film created by Tim Burton. Unfortunately, Disney fired Burton after the film was completed, accusing him of wasting their time and making something outside their target audience. It eventually got a direct-to-VHS release in 1992.
It was later adapted to a full-length feature film with modern 3D stop-motion animation in 2012, and is the first non-musical animated film by Burton.
The 1984 and 2012 version is available to rent or own via Amazon. The 2012 version is available on Disney+.
This story is a fusion of Pinocchio and Frankenstein. Dr. Carson builds an android boy named Chip, and sends him out into the real world with his daughter. Chip is a good natured android, but reception at the local school is mixed. Some are charmed and some are aggravated by his attempts to fit in and understand humanity. In the meanwhile, evil government agents are stalking Chip in an attempt to kidnap him and steal Carson’s technology. Will Chip be able to woo the local community and thwart his potential captors? This is a wholesome, corny, cheeseball adaptation of the novel series by the same name. If you’re looking for a “man versus machine” or “man is the real monster” wrapped up in cornball, cheesy exterior of 1980s nostalgia, this one’s for you.
Although it’s not currently available on DVD/Blu-Ray or Streaming services, some very kind humans have hosted this on Youtube.
Alien Resurrection (1997)
Look, this is not remotely a good movie. That being said, it still deserves a place on this list for being a Frankenstein derivative (and let’s be real, it’s just derivative in general but in the worst possible ways.)
Scientists have cloned (“reanimated”) the body of the deceased Ellen Ripley from DNA samples. Unfortunately, they’re using her female body as an incubator to grow new Xenomorphs for scientific research purposes. Blah blah blah, bad science happens and they fuse her genetic material with the Xenomorph queen. Gasp. The horror! (Seriously, it’s horrible, but again it fits with the mad scientist and man-versus-monster or man-as-the-monster themes.)
Spoilers! (You’ll thank us for sparing you, really, so just keep reading so no one else has to suffer) A mutant xenomorph-human hybrid alien is born via some sort of supremely horrific and awkward birth sequence. The Queen Xenomorph kicks it. Ripley is spared. She feels pity or some sort of wack-ass motherly affection for the creature. It tries to kill everyone. Blah Blah. It gets sucked out of the ship via a hole in space. (Honestly the correlations between that scene and a butt pooping are…too close, thanks. That seems to be how someone made this script so…)
Anyway. So it’s really a monstrous movie for a whole lotta reasons besides the obvious “Frankenstein’s Monster” connections.
(Seriously I don’t think any of the men working on this movie have ever seen female genetalia nor attended any health classes nor are they informed of how birth works but whatever…)
This reviewer sincerely apologizes for this very, very biased capsule review of Whedon’s pathetic attempt at reigniting the Alien(s) franchise. But it still belongs here. (Sorta.)
We aren’t going to waste your time by dropping any streaming information. It’s really just…THAT BAD. Trust.
A.I.: Artificial Intelligence (2001)
Cybertronics has programmed its first android with human emotions. Little robot boy David is capable of experiencing love and affectionate bonds, and is “adopted” by one of the Cybertronics employees and his wife. Unfortunately, things don’t go well for David. His presence is unsettling to most humans, and he’s never fully accepted into society. When David seeks companionship from the other androids and robots, they also reject him. Not fitting in anywhere, he must embark on a miraculous (and rather longwinded, but still pretty interesting) journey to find out what it means to be alive, to be human, and to love.
Fun fact: This was originally started by director Stanley Kubrick, but unfortunately he was unable to finish the project before he passed away. It was later picked up and finished by Stephen Spielberg. The result is a very unique blend of two storytelling styles, but they work really well. Much like some of the other movies on this list, AI is a blend of elements from" both “Frankenstein” and “Pinocchio”, but also a touch of “E.T”. and “2001”. The film’s narrative is a depressing depiction of a dystopian future, and a thoughtful commentary on relationships, connection, family, and loneliness.
Available to Rent or Own on platforms like YouTube, Google, or Amazon/Hulu subscriptions with Showtime.
Lilo & Stitch (2002)
OH. EM. GEE. A Disney movie included on a movie list about Frankenstein on a Horror blog?! Yea. That’s right. I did it. I’m doing it. Trust me, it isn’t as much of a stretch as you think it is!
A group of alien scientists in outer space have created a series of genetic experiments. Unfortunately, Experiment 626 did not really work out as planned. The alien council decides he must be destroyed before he can cause any mayhem. Of course, he escapes and does just that: causes a crapload of mayhem on Earth.
Through another series of mishaps, 626 eventually finds his way into the home of mischievous little Lilo and her big sister Nani. (Hmm, sound familiar? Frankenstein’s monster meeting the child, anyone?) Anyway, Lilo names her new “pet dog” Stitch, and the two become fast friends (kind of.) The poor pet monster does his best to fit in, but is oft met with cries of disgust, fear, and generally misunderstood by everyone around him. Lilo doubles down on her love and affection, because she understands him better than anyone, being an outsider herself. Together the pair are an unstoppable duo who set out to change the world one chaotic show of love after another.
This is one of the more family friendly options on our list, and a great way to introduce the Frankenstein concepts to little ones!
May (2002)
A little bit of a Black Comedy and a lot-tle bit of Horror and rounding third base into psychological drama, May is certainly a fun film to slap on this list. It carries many similar themes of Stephen King’s “Carrie” - a painfully shy, awkward young woman attempts to fit into society, and descends into madness and revenge when she’s ultimately scorned and cast aside. It’s also got some pretty close ties to monster-creation ala Frankenstein, too!
May is a socially awkward veterinary assistant with a few weird skeletons in her closet. She’s endured quite a lot of bullying, ridicule, and discomfort due to a childhood disability in childhood. As a result, she’s not really all that great at navigating human relationships, but she sure does try in earnest! When she meets the ridiculously good-looking, super nerdy, film buff Adam, things begin to heat up….and get a little weird. After things ultimately fizzle with Adam, May sparks a little romance with a coworker named Polly. Things with that eventually sour as well, but perhaps not in the way that you’d think…
This one’s got weird creepy dolls, smoking hot sexual tension, plenty of gross dismemberment, and gore. It’s also created an incredibly sympathetic monster, when you really get down to it and realize where the darkness truly originated.
It can get a little awkward to watch on the secondhand embarrassment scale, but that’s what makes it so good. This is the most human of “monster” movies, and even though May really turns from awkward protagonist to unsettling villain, in a lot of ways you still want to root for her! It’s not her fault!
Now streaming for free on platforms like Tubi, Pluto TV, and Vudu.
Ex Machina (2014)
There are a lot of layers to this one. Not only is this a man-versus-machine/man-is-the-monster type of film, but it’s got strong misogyny/patriarchal themes as well. Before you turn into one of those film-bros that says “PUH, feminist undertones?! NO THANK YOU!!!” Just can it and listen. This film is a masterful work of suspense, tension, and atmosphere. It starts off slowly and rather poetically, then builds to quite the crescendo of emotion and action. You will like it. We swear it!
Caleb the programmer receives a special invitation to spend the weekend at the home of his internet-firm’s CEO, Nathan Bateman (the glorious Oscar Isaac!!! WOO!) Big boss would like Caleb to administer “The Turing Test” to Ava, an android with a robot body, human face, hands and feet, as well as human-like intelligence and emotional awareness. Caleb is fascinated with the mechanics and programming behind Ava, but Nathan is not interested in dissecting his work. Nathan wants Caleb to assess the robot’s awareness, human qualities, and report on the emotional connection. After spending several sessions with the captive Ava, Caleb begins to develop sympathetic feelings. The pair develop an intimate emotional connection, and things begin to disintegrate from there.
It’s sheer perfection on the psychological thriller front melded with just enough dystopian sci-fi elements. Each character is incredibly well-crafted and superbly acted, creating an uncanny empathetic connection with the audience. The casting here is really the key; it is sparse, with only 6 characters on screen the entire 108 minutes, but they all make sure to achieve maximum emotional impact no matter how brief their appearance.
Available to stream with premium add-on subscriptions on services like Hulu, Sling TV, or Amazon Prime. Available to rent or own on YouTube, Google, or iTunes.
Morgan (2016)
This one combines the best of sci-fi with plenty of slasher horror along with Frankenstein elements.
Morgan is the product of a genetics/bio-tech firm called SynSect; she is a bioengineered child, maturing quickly and walking and talking within a month of being alive, and in five years, she has reached physical maturity of a teenager. Risk-Management specialist Lee Weathers has been sent to monitor Morgan’s condition after she “unexpectedly” attacked one of her lab appointed handlers.
Morgan is put through a series of psychological evaluations meant to assess her capabilities as well as the risks of keeping her alive for further research. When Morgan finally breaches the security of her containment cell and runs rampant through the top-secret facility, the staff members fear for their lives. Will they be able to appeal to her humanity? Or has their cold, analytical, and oft-times outright mistreatment of Morgan ensured their untimely demise?
The cold, sinister grey and blue color cast of this film makes it really fun to watch when the blood starts flowing. Is it perfect? No. Is it worth watching anyway? YES. This film is cold, calculated, and very frightening. It is wildly entertaining and yet another film where cheering for the “monster” feels like the right thing to do!
Available to Rent or Own via Youtube or Google Play.
By Ellen Avigliano
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