Frankenstein Meets Thomas Edison
Friday fun link: the long-lost first film of Frankenstein, produced by Thomas Edison's studio in 1910. An interesting document in its own right, it is also an example of the ways censorship does not merely suppress art, but influences the shape of the art that does appear. Rich Drees writes:
Part two is here:
Bonus link: If you like "primitive" cinema, be sure to watch the greatest film of the early silent era, Georges Melies' Le Voyage Dans La Lune (1902). My appreciation of Melies is here.
As the popularity of motion pictures grew, so did the attention they received from moral crusaders and reform groups, who decried the new medium as being dangerous and encouraging of immorality. Some called for strict laws governing film content and some communities banned theatres all together. Knowing that these groups could pose a serious threat to his bottom line, Edison ordered that not only the production quality of his films be improved, but also their moral tone. The Trust even set up the first Board of Censors, consisting of film executives and religious and education leaders.The film itself is a mixed bag, and parts (particularly the beginning) are poorly preserved. But there are moments of real power, notably the creation of the monster and the creature's final exit. You can see the first half of it here:
Frankenstein was the perfect choice to kick off production under this new moral banner. It's a story that deals with the extremes of the human condition, life and death, and the dangers of tampering in God's realm. Plus, Edison made sure that publicity stressed that some of the more sensational elements of the Mary Shelly's novel had been toned down....One of those changes made to the narrative concerns the creation of Frankenstein's monster. While Shelly's novel did not go into specifics about the monster's creation, the creation scene in the film certainly owes more to alchemy than science. The film certainly didn't stress the danger of unchecked scientific experimentation, not when the boss has transformed the world with his own scientific marvels. Instead, the monster is cast more as a reflection of Frankenstein's baser instincts and dark reflection of a mind that presumed to meddle in God's domain.
Part two is here:
Bonus link: If you like "primitive" cinema, be sure to watch the greatest film of the early silent era, Georges Melies' Le Voyage Dans La Lune (1902). My appreciation of Melies is here.
Gordon | December 28, 2007, 10:29pm | #
Censorship is UNAMERICAN. Americans should be tough enough to take anything, not have 'delicate sensibilities.' If you can't 'take it' then you have been over-protected. Grow some b@lls!
;alienvi9emf | December 28, 2007, 11:51pm | #
This film is hardly "long lost". It has been available on dvd for years. I borrowed it from my local public library. In fact many of the early Edison films on on dvd as well as other early pioneer filmakers' work.
Robbo | December 29, 2007, 8:35am | #
While there are many films considered to be "lost", in truth they have just fallen out of circulation and existing prints, languishing in vaults or poor storage slowly decay. Thanks to digital media and public access to massive data bases these "lost" films have become far more accessible. This film - and many other treasures - can also be found (in far better video quality) at www.archive.org where they can be watched online or downloaded for free. I don't work for them - I just waste far too much time there.
Cheers.
Jesse Walker | December 30, 2007, 3:34pm | #
This film is hardly "long lost". It has been available on dvd for years.
And was long lost before then. Read the Drees link for the history.
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