Del Toro's "Frankenstein" Comes to Criterion

 Cover of the Criterion edition of the film

Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein has captivated readers ever since it was first published in 1818.  The tale of a scientist who creates a living being pieced together from the body parts of corpses has fascinated generations of filmmakers, beginning with Thomas Edison, who produced a silent adaptation of the story in 1910, James Whale, who directed the classic 1931 Universal Pictures version starring Boris Karloff, right on through to Terence Fisher, who helmed The Curse of Frankenstein, the 1957 Hammer Films re-imagining of the story, and Jack Smight, who was behind the camera for the well-received 1973 telefilm Frankenstein: The True Story.

Among the other versions released throughout the years, there’s the beloved 1974 Mel Brooks spoof Young Frankenstein, and the Kenneth Branagh-directed 1994 thriller Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, which was produced by Francis Ford Coppola. One director who always wanted to tackle Shelley’s immortal story was Guillermo del Toro. The filmmaker behind movies such as The Devil’s Backbone, Pan’s Labyrinth, and The Shape of Water was deeply inspired by the 1931 Frankenstein and Karloff’s incredible performance. Del Toro's riff on this classic tale originally premiered on Netflix in 2025, and has now been released by The Criterion Collection in fabulous special edition 4K and Blu-ray editions, which feature some fabulous special features, including discussions of the film moderated by Patti Smith and Martin Scorsese.

Del Toro's version of Frankenstein is an atmospheric, visually stunning film. Much like his previous Gothic-inspired tale, Crimson Peak, the look of Frankenstein is astonishing. Every frame feels like a painting, with views of decaying mansions, corpse-strewn laboratories, and icy Arctic vistas. Sets are drenched in reds, blues, golds, and greens, which add an incredible amount of detail to every scene, thanks to the stellar contributions of cinematographer Dan Laustsen, production designer Tamara Deverell, and costume designer Kate Hawley. The haunting score by Alexandre Desplat also adds depth and resonance to the movie.

There are strong performances from Oscar Isaac as the brilliant, obsessed Victor Frankenstein, who, despite his unlikable persona, is endowed with undeniable charisma. Mia Goth shines as the lovely and inquisitive Elizabeth Harlander, and Christoph Waltz is terrific in a supporting role as Victor’s mysterious benefactor. There’s also a nice turn from Charles Dance as Victor’s imperious father. The VIP of the cast, however, is Jacob Elordi, who gives an emotional and heartbreaking performance as the monster. He has great chemistry with Goth, Isaac, and David Bradley, playing a blind man who befriends the monster.

Elordi’s use of his voice, eyes, and body, combined with Hawley’s costumes and Mike Hill’s incredible makeup, creates a thoughtful and expressive interpretation of this often misunderstood character. While preparing for the role, Elordi studied “butoh”, an avant-garde form of Japanese dance, which helped him craft his character’s unique movements.

Frankenstein is infused with del Toro’s romantic worldview. His well-known empathy for and sensitivity to, the beings that the rest of the world considers monsters (a hallmark of his cinematic oeuvre) is fully on display here. The result is a compelling film that feels both intimate and operatic, steeped in emotion, beauty, and sadness, while featuring genuine moments of both darkness and light. Frankenstein is unmistakably a del Toro movie, which means it’s heartfelt, haunted, and inspiring. It's well worth seeking out on disc from Criterion.

 This review originally appeared in slightly different form at CultureSonar.

A Frankenstein Film With A Unique Twist

Thorley Walters and Peter Cushing

Baron Frankenstein (Peter Cushing) is back at work on another experiment in Frankenstein Created Woman, a 1967 entry in the Hammer Films Frankenstein series. But this time out, he’s not just creating a monster. When he’s revived by Dr. Hertz (played by Thorley Walters) after his apparent demise in The Evil of Frankenstein, the previous film in the series, the Baron decides to explore the nature of the human soul. He becomes obsessed with investigating whether a soul can be transferred from one body to another. Frankenstein Created Woman is a Frankenstein movie with a more philosophical theme.

Dr. Frankenstein sees an opportunity to test this theory when Hans, Dr. Hertz’s assistant, is wrongfully convicted and executed for murder. After Hans is killed, his heartbroken lover Christina commits suicide. Frankenstein and Hertz then use their experimental techniques to bring Christina back, transferring Hans's soul into her body. Of course, things don’t go exactly according to plan, as the resurrected Christina decides to take revenge on those she feels are responsible for Han’s death. The film’s premise is an interesting one, and the idea of a man's soul inhabiting a woman's body gives the film a novel twist.

Director Terence Fisher was one of Hammer's most talented filmmakers, having previously helmed such classics as The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), Dracula (1958) and The Brides of Dracula (1960). He brings his usual flair for gothic atmosphere to this production, which combines elements of science fiction, supernatural horror and revenge melodrama. Unlike some of the other entries in the series, this movie is less concerned with telling a traditional monster story, and more interested in questions of identity, love and the nature of the human soul. This Frankenstein tale has a metaphysical dimension.

The cast is terrific, with Cushing doing his usual fabulous work as Dr. Frankenstein, ably supported by Hammer regular Thorley Walters as Dr. Hertz, Robert Morris as Hans, and Susan Denberg, who offers a strong performance as Christina. The cinematography by Arthur Grant is excellent, and the superb score for the film is provided by James Bernard. Frankenstein Created Woman is an entertaining and unusual entry in Hammer's Frankenstein series. One of the movie’s biggest fans is writer-director Martin Scorsese, who has often cited it in interviews as one of his favorite horror films.

While Frankenstein Created Woman may not enjoy the same iconic status as The Curse of Frankenstein, the first film in the series, it does offer an intriguing variation on the familiar formula, with a story that explores love, death, revenge and the possibility of a soul's life beyond the grave. Fisher's direction, Cushing's commanding performance and the film's eerie atmosphere, showcasing Hammer's distinctive blend of gothic horror and offbeat storytelling, combine to make Frankenstein Created Woman worth a look for classic horror fans looking for something different. Here’s a link to a trailer for the film’s Blu-ray release: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRcqBi37P4I.

Oddity: An Eerie, Genre-Bending Thriller

Carolyn Bracken in Oddity

Writer-director Damian McCarthy's 2020 horror film, Caveat, was well-received by critics and fans, myself among them. I recently caught up with his sophomore effort, Oddity (2024), which builds on the promise of his debut, offering viewers a unique mix of the horror, mystery and thriller genres. It's an offbeat, atmospheric film, and while there are some jump scare moments, it's a bit old-fashioned in its execution, and that's a good thing.

As the film opens, we meet Dani, a woman living in an isolated house in the Irish countryside. She's murdered under mysterious circumstances, while waiting for her husband Ted (a doctor who works at a local asylum) to return home. Dani appears to have been killed by one of her husband's patients, but there are some lingering questions about just what happened on the night of her death. How did the patient get out of the asylum? Why did he try to warn Dani that she was in terrible danger?

A year later, Ted visits Dani’s twin sister Darcy, who owns a local curiosities shop. Darcy is blind, but seems to have some psychic powers. Ted offhandedly invites Darcy to visit him and his new girlfriend at the house he used to share with Dani. Much to Ted's surprise, Darcy shows up soon after, with a mysterious box in tow, and neither he or his girlfriend Yana are very happy to see her. What follows is a twisty tale that is part ghost story, part thriller and part murder mystery. Oh, and there's a creepy Golem-like figure (which had been stored in Darcy's wooden box) which also figures into the plot.

Oddity is the kind of horror movie that emanates old school vibes, and that's a real compliment to the skill of its director. Damian McCarthy clearly understands that what you don't see is often scarier than what you do, and he cleverly builds up the suspense in several frightening sequences. The film relies more on atmosphere and suggestion than gore or violence. There are moments where the camera lingers on a dark hallway or an empty room, allowing the characters (and viewers) to wonder what might be lurking just outside the frame.

The film makes excellent use of its isolated setting. The house is dark, uncomfortable, and full of corners where you really don’t want to look too closely. There’s a definite Gothic horror vibe, combined with the sort of creepy supernatural storytelling you might find in a fright film from another era. The cast is excellent, particularly Carolyn Bracken, who plays both Dani and Darcy. The two characters are very different, and she does a terrific job making them truly distinct. Darcy is particularly memorable, with Bracken giving her a combination of vulnerability, determination, and confidence. Gwilym Lee is very good as Ted, a character who becomes increasingly suspicious as the story unfolds, while Steve Wall and Caroline Menton provide strong support.

Oddity is a bit of a slow burn, but the film will reward patient viewers who stick with it. There are several pieces of important information that are gradually revealed, and the movie keeps you guessing about which characters can be trusted, and what really happened to Dani. It’s not simply a haunted-house movie, although it certainly has elements of that genre. There’s also a genuine mystery at the center of the story. The supernatural elements of the film are deftly woven into that mystery rather than simply being there for decoration.

This movie isn't for those looking for nonstop action and wild set pieces. Oddity is an atmospheric film that takes its time building tension. This movie isn't interested in shocking you every five minutes. There are some genuinely eerie images here, and a couple of sequences will likely remain with you after the film is over. If you’re a fan of old-fashioned ghost stories, haunted-house movies, or horror films that rely on suspense rather than excessive gore, Oddity is well worth seeing, and I look forward to checking out McCarthy's latest film, Hokum (2026), starring Adam Scott. Follow this link to view the trailer for Oddity: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLNDvnv8B3A.

There's Not Enough Depth to "The Substance"

Demi Moore in The Substance

 

 I finally caught up with The Substance, the 2024 film that garnered Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley and Dennis Quaid a ton of positive reviews and notched Moore a Golden Globe award. There’s a lot to admire in this tale of an aging actress who uses a mysterious substance to give herself a younger appearance, but I ultimately found myself wishing that the script had been as strong as the performances and the visuals.

Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley are both terrific, completely throwing themselves into the material, even when the screenplay doesn’t quite get where it needs to go. Moore's work in particular gives the film some real emotional weight, and Qualley and Quaid are absolutely terrific. Visually, The Substance is truly astonishing. The colors, production design, camerawork, and practical effects are so fantastic that you can't help but watch the screen.

My biggest issue with The Substance is that the script seems thinner than the amazing filmmaking surrounding it. The basic idea is strong, and the movie wants to make a valid point about aging, beauty, celebrity, and how women are valued in today's world. But the script keeps hammering the same point home without really developing its ideas, or giving the characters much depth, despite the strong performances by the two leads.

There are moments when it feels like the story is going to become more emotionally compelling, but the film often chooses to become bigger, grosser, and more cartoonish instead. There’s nothing wrong with being gory, or channeling body horror on a purely visceral level. I just wish the script had the same confidence and imagination as the performances and the astonishing visuals. There’s a genuinely great movie somewhere inside The Substance. It's a well-made, brilliantly acted film, with some extraordinary work by director Coralie Fargeat, but I think it falls just short of reaching its goal.

Dark Matter's Emotional Multiverse

Joel Edgerton and Jennifer Connelly

Dark Matter is a mind-bending science fiction series, now streaming on Apple TV+, based on the bestselling novel by Blake Crouch. This compelling show is an intriguing exploration of the choices we make, the consequences of those choices, and the infinite possibilities that exist within our lives. Dark Matter stars Joel Edgerton as Jason Dessen, a physics professor living a relatively quiet life in Chicago with his wife Daniela and their teenage son Charlie. Jason once had ambitions of becoming a prominent scientist, but he chose a different path, giving up his career as a researcher in order to build a life with his family.

Jason's seemingly ordinary existence is turned upside down when he's abducted while walking home one night. A mysterious man injects him with a strange drug, and when Jason awakens, he finds himself in an entirely different world. He's still Jason Dessen, but everything around him has changed. Instead of being a physics professor and family man, he's now a top tier scientist who has made a groundbreaking discovery involving the nature of reality itself. The problem is that this universe is darker and more complex than his own. Jason desperately wants to return to his original life, but getting home will prove to be far more difficult than he could have imagined.

He soon discovers that there are countless versions of reality, each representing different choices and possibilities. As he travels through these alternate worlds in an attempt to get home, he encounters other iterations of himself, as well as radically different versions of the people from his own life. The series uses this high-concept premise to explore some difficult questions about the choices we make, the lives we leave behind, and whether different life choices would have actually made us happier and more content.

Dark Matter is an engrossing and atmospheric series. Although the multiverse idea has previously been explored in movies and television, Crouch’s original novel, and the series it spawned, approach the concept from a more intimate and philosophical perspective. Rather than simply using alternate realities as an excuse for spectacle, Dark Matter is primarily interested in what happens to a person when he's confronted with the results of the choices he could have made, and the lives he might have lived. For all it’s sci-fi spectacle, it’s the quieter and more reflective moments in the series that have the greatest impact.

Joel Edgerton is excellent in the lead role, deftly portraying multiple versions of himself. He gives each Jason subtle differences, allowing us to understand how different circumstances and choices have shaped these other versions of him. Jennifer Connelly is equally good as Daniela, bringing real emotional depth to a character who is central to Jason's desperate attempts to return home to his original reality. Alice Braga and Jimmi Simpson make strong impressions in supporting roles, with Simpson providing a welcome dose of humor to some of the show’s darker moments.

The series balances its complicated premise with a straightforward idea. If you could see (or experience) every possible version of your life, would you still choose the one you're living? Dark Matter is an intelligent and thought-provoking science fiction thriller. For viewers who enjoy cerebral science fiction with a dose of action, and a strong emotional component, Dark Matter is definitely worth adding to your watch list. Here's a look at a trailer for the show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6ucGt_Xp14. 

“Orders of Magnitude" Evokes Classic Trek

Joe Morton & Paul Wesley

The latest episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, “Orders of Magnitude,” is a tense and compelling installment that demonstrates why the Star Trek franchise has remained so enduring after six decades. This season, Strange New Worlds has leaned heavily into episodes that explore different genres and thematic tones, such as horror, comedy and even a soap opera style outing. While some of these stories have been fun (I really enjoyed "The Griffin Incident," the horror themed tale), these types of shows are usually spread out across a full season of Strange New Worlds, with several more traditional styled science-fiction entries airing in between.

“Orders of Magnitude,” takes a more traditional approach, presenting a serious moral dilemma involving the responsibilities of command and the dangers of unquestioning obedience. The story also sheds some light on the complicated legacy of James T. Kirk's family. The result is an episode that plays very much like classic Trek, providing an opportunity for Paul Wesley to add some deeper shadings to his portrayal of Kirk, as the character continues to evolve into the legendary captain we all know from the original series.

As “Orders of Magnitude” opens, Captain Pike, Number One, Uhura, Chapel, and Cadet A'Sha are investigating a mysterious distress signal on a distant planet. A shuttle arrives on the Enterprise, carrying a celebrated Starfleet Admiral. Simon Reeger is a legendary officer and war hero. His sterling reputation impresses the crew, particularly La'an, played by Christina Chong, who greatly admires him. Kirk is also aboard the Enterprise, having stopped by for a visit. When Reeger suddenly takes command of the ship, citing a battle related emergency, Kirk unexpectedly finds himself serving as his first officer. 

What begins as a tracking mission quickly takes a dark turn when Reeger becomes obsessed with pursuing a vessel responsible for a devastating attack. The enemy ship disappears on the surface of a populated world, and Reeger makes the shocking decision to invoke General Order 24. This means the Enterprise will have to fire on and decimate the surface of the planet, killing thousands of innocent people. Kirk soon recognizes that something is wrong with Reeger, and finds himself in the difficult position of having to challenge a superior officer whose reputation and authority are well renowned. 

Kirk investigates Reeger's past and discovers that his pursuit of the enemy is motivated by personal grief and a desire for revenge. At the same time, Kirk uncovers some surprising information about his own father, George, and the events which shaped his career in Starfleet. He uncovers a startling truth about Reeger, the man who apparently played a significant role in their father's Starfleet career. This gives the episode a deeper emotional dimension, as James and his brother Sam are forced to reconsider what they thought they knew about their father.

What makes “Orders of Magnitude” work so well is the central conflict between Kirk and Reeger. Their debate raises the kind of ethical questions which are at the heart of the best episodes of Star Trek. In this case, is following orders enough when those orders are morally wrong? Reeger believes his actions are justified by the lives that were lost in the original attack, and he views the situation in terms of military necessity. Kirk refuses to accept that innocent lives can be reduced to a simple number in an equation. He realizes that being a Starfleet officer sometimes means having the courage to challenge the people above you, and question an order that seems substantially wrong.

Paul Wesley continues to give a solid performance as Kirk on the series, and “Orders of Magnitude” provides him with one of his best opportunities thus far to demonstrate the qualities that will eventually make him such an iconic character. This version of Kirk isn't automatically the smartest or most experienced person in the room, but he does possess an innate sense of right and wrong that ultimately leads him to make the difficult decision to challenge Reeger. “Orders of Magnitude” also features strong work from Babs Olusanmokun as Dr. M'Benga, who provides Kirk with some intel on Reeger.

The other standout performance comes from Joe Morton as Reeger. Morton, who has been so memorable in everything from Terminator 2: Judgment Day to Eureka, brings a real sense of authority and menace to the character, effectively displaying Reeger's emotional instability as the episode progresses. He's not a stereotypical villain, but a damaged man whose grief and anger have distorted his judgment. In the B story of the episode, featuring Captain Pike and the landing party, Celia Rose Gooding gets a real opportunity to shine as Uhura, whose cleverness and action hero moves during the away mission provide some of the story's most exciting moments.

“Orders of Magnitude” is notable because it doesn't rely on the genre experiments and wild tonal shifts that have become a trademark on Strange New Worlds. After several unconventional installments, it's refreshing to see the series focus on the characters and ideas that have always made Star Trek special. This episode is a straightforward tale in the classic mode. The story also contains several Easter eggs for longtime fans. Strange New Worlds once again demonstrates why it has become one of the strongest modern entries in the franchise. “Orders of Magnitude” is a tense, thought-provoking, and well-acted episode. As the show continues moving closer to the era of classic Star Trek, here's hoping the series continues to present excellent stories like this one. 

15+ Years of Eclectic Avenue

It's hard to believe that Eclectic Avenue is now over 15 years old. I started this blog in April of 2011. My goal was to have a regular outlet to indulge my passion for writing about music, movies. I'd always and an interest in writing and kept doing so on and off throughout my careers in publishing, IT and healthcare. During that time, I wrote a couple of articles for local newspapers, and completed a stint as a writer/editor for the excellent KISS fanzine FIRE, which was published by my dear friend Gilda. Thanks to the support and encouragement of Gilda and a couple of other close friends, I decided to launch Eclectic Avenue.

Eclectic Avenue received a very positive response from readers, and I became part of a wonderful community of bloggers. This allowed me to participate in several blogathons, special events in which a group of bloggers all write about a shared topic. The next expansion of my writing career came in 2017, when I began penning articles for CultureSonar, a terrific arts and entertainment site founded by music industry veteran Al Cattabiani. I became a regular contributor to the site, and have written over 150 articles for them, including interviews with Dave Mason, Phil "Fang" Volk of Paul Revere and The Raiders, and William Shatner. I'm thrilled to be part of the site's super talented family of writers.

I've had some fabulous experiences over the years, interacting with talented artists like Marc Platt, Grey DeLisle, Rin Lennon of Monogroove, Kurt Reil of The Grip Weeds and Eric Herbst of Dizzyfish, among many others. Thanks to Al Cattabiani, Cindy Grogan and Drew Pissara from CultureSonar for their ongoing support and encouragement. It has been a great pleasure working with all of you. I also want to thank my friends, family and regular readers for their appreciation of, and enthusiasm for, my writing. There are some exciting things coming up in the future, so keep your eyes peeled here at Eclectic Avenue and over at CultureSonar for new articles, and for more details!