Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (M) PRESENTED IN 35MM FILM

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein at The Revival House Perth

Obsessed with conquering death after losing his mother, brilliant young scientist Victor Frankenstein (Kenneth Branagh) pushes the boundaries of medical knowledge at university, experimenting with electricity and reanimation. In his laboratory, Victor achieves the impossible: he assembles a creature (Robert De Niro) from cadaver parts and brings it to life. But horrified by his creation's appearance, Victor abandons the being, who escapes into the world confused and alone. Shunned by society and yearning for connection, the Creature educates himself and seeks out his creator, demanding Victor create a companion to end his isolation. When Victor refuses and destroys the partially completed bride, the Creature vows revenge, systematically destroying everyone Victor loves—including his devoted wife Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter). As creator and creation pursue each other across Europe to the Arctic wastes, both become monsters consumed by their mutual hatred.

Director Kenneth Branagh brings Mary Shelley's gothic masterpiece to lavish, operatic life in this ambitious 1994 adaptation that returns to the novel's themes of scientific hubris and parental responsibility. Branagh directs with theatrical grandeur while delivering a passionate, overwrought performance as the driven Victor. Robert De Niro, beneath heavy makeup, creates a genuinely tragic Creature—articulate, sensitive, and driven to violence by rejection. The film doesn't shy away from the novel's more audacious elements, including the controversial creation sequence and the Creature's self-education. Patrick Doyle's romantic score soars while Roger Pratt's cinematography moves from candlelit Gothic chambers to frozen polar landscapes. The production design emphasizes both period detail and expressionist nightmare. While uneven, Branagh's sincere commitment to honoring Shelley's vision creates moments of genuine power, particularly De Niro's heartbreaking performance as the forsaken creation.

Original format and audio experience of this film faithfully reproduced by The Revival House. Presented in 35mm film unless noted otherwise.

When: Thursday, April 30th at 7:20PM
Where: The Revival House at the Comic Theatre
Rating: M (Medium level violence)

Branagh's operatic adaptation honors Shelley's vision—experience De Niro's tragic creature in this ambitious Gothic nightmare in 35mm film.

Presented by: The Revival House Perth