I saw this film when it came out, in the 80's. At the time I was a bit of a purist concerning the Shelley/Byron Haunted Summer episode, and let's face it--Ken Russell will be Ken Russell. I.e., he doesnt always stick to the script. So this film is more "based on" than an exact retelling, but upon watching this a second time, years later, I find that the aesthete in me, and the eccentric, absolutely adored this movie! It is crazy, but eminently watchable. The set alone is worth watching it for, and the goth in me absolutely thrills at the atmosphere that's been created. You will find yourself muttering, omg wth can possibly happen next? Try it, you might like it. Especially if you have a sense of adventure. And you are not a purist. Read more
I really like the movie. It's very strange but it works well with the time period of Lord Byron and Mary Shelley who was inspired to write the great novel Frankenstein. It's like a weird nightmare at times. Read more
Perverse, intense, sensual, and just plain weird, this fictionalized historical horror about Mary Shelley and Lord Byron makes for an interesting watch loaded with before-they-were-stars. This tells the fascinating story of how a modern horror legend came to be—in a heavily fictionalized sense, anyway. As we are introduced to our characters, we find their extravagant lifestyles are punctuated by hedonism, male sexual dominance and the entitlements of severe classist elitism. They are most extreme in pleasure, manor stricture, and delights. Lord Byron (Gabriel Byrne; End of Days, Stigmata) hosts his guests Shelley (Julian Sands; Warlock, Arachnophobia), the future Mary Shelley (Natasha Richardson; Big Trouble in Little China) and Clair (Myriam Cyr; Species II) along with Byron's doctor Polidori (Timothy Spall; Sweeney Todd, The Bride). The cast alone is reason enough to see this perverse film. Like a vampire, Lord Byron breeds emotional and social intensity, drawing more than an occasional discomfort from his controlled guests. What's more is their collective sexual nature. It's not homoerotic nor bisexual really, but rather a sort of pansexuality; a pervasive general sensuality. Think Interview with a Vampire (1994) while being less polite about it. They gather together and tell ghost stories with perverse tones, speak in poetic seduction of the mind and body, engage in voyeurism and orgy, and lead one another into deep creativity and hysteria. All manner of nightmare fuel accosts their minds from the ghastly nocturnal homunculus to the blinking eye-nippled woman, perhaps the most iconic scene of the film. It's strikingly weird; even other-worldly. Our guests descend into madness as they mesh polyamory and paranoia, erring on the side of madness. They envision everything from dead fetuses to animated disembodied heads. Director Ken Russell (Altered States, The Lair of the White Worm) has a flair for melodrama. But it is deliberate and perhaps appropriate given his aims to paint our storytellers as creators; creators of their horrors within. This film tiptoes the line separating ludicrous bad horror and brilliant mania. I recommend it to general horror fans whose taste spans all manner of quality and style, since this film is a bit hard to classify. Read more
The Vestron Blu-ray is the ultimate & only version to watch! The film has been digitally restored: the transfer is unbelievable, the colors are vibrant, the dialogue is quick & witty. The film itself is nothing short of a surreal experience: you are immersed in the sheer excess of the moment! The character development is great, & basically, it’s all true! It gets rather bizarre in the second half, but it relates a drug-induced night which led to Mary Shelley’s inspiration for her Frankenstein novel. You won’t be disappointed! Read more
For those of you who love Ken Russell's GOTHIC as much as I do -- more specifically, those of you who own region-free DVD players -- I highly recommend this region 2 Italian release from MGM. The film is featured in a beautiful transfer in the original aspect ratio. It is featured in its original language (English) and subtitles are optional. You even have the option to see the DVD menu in English or Italian. The audio mix is PERFECT, as well as the picture. Until an official Blu-ray is released here in the US, this is the one to go with, provided that you have a region-free player...and I hope that you do! Read more
This movie is one I could wtch over and over - it inspired me to read the original Frankenstein (Penguin Classics) (I had never read it until after I saw this movie), I will warn those who do not want to see nudity that there is some in this film but it is not gratuitous and does have a bearing on the story or character development. All the people mentioned in this film are real historical figures and alot of what is said about there lives outside of the main story line are actually true (no one knows if the events shown in the film took place - but I like to think that it did) Read more
ZERO STARS. Terrible quality. Looks like a bootleg of a VHS tape from the 80s. DO NOT BUY!!! Read more
I won't go into the pros or cons of the movie, which many other reviewers have covered earlier. If you like Ken Russell, can tolerate some ambiguity, and enjoy the darkness of Romantic poetry, you probably like this movie; if you don't, you won't. What I will mention is that Artisan has provided us with a DVD that defines "lackluster." There are no, repeat no, extras on the DVD. Not even an original trailer or still of an A sheet. The format is pan-and-scan, and I do not believe any attempt was made to restore the print. In fact, I would venture so far as to say this is simply the earlier VHS-formatted movie transferred directly onto DVD. If, like me, you no longer own or use a VCR, or your VHS version is worn out, this DVD is worthwhile. If not, then wait until someone who cares about movies, perhaps Anchor Bay, gets permission to produce this movie on DVD, and does it right. Read more
