The latest Frankenstein film is producer David S. Sterling’s Frankenstein Rising, written by Monte Hunter and directed by Eric Swelstad.
Currently in post-production, the film is notable for its cameo by 98-year old Anita Page as Elizabeth Frankenstein, her last screen appearance. Miss Page passed away on September 6.
Eighty years ago, the teenage, sad-eyed Page appeared as a flapper protected from gangsters by tough-guy detective hero Lon Chaney in While The City Sleeps. Page’s rise was meteoric, starring opposite the late silent/early sound era's most famous leading men. She was called “The Ideal Movie Star”, drawing more fan mail than anyone except Greta Garbo. Page is said to have even received several marriage proposals from a smitten Benito Mussolini.
Page, surprisingly, quit the movies at the height of her powers, in 1933, waiting until 2004 to reveal that her early retirement was a case of blacklisting for refusing the advances of MGM headman Irving Thalberg. She only returned to films, in small parts, over the last decade.
There’s a trailer for Frankenstein Rising on YouTube. The narration is by another classic film legend, Margaret O’Brien. The Monster is essayed by Randal Malone.
5 comments:
You can read an extensive in-depth interview with RANDAL MALONE, who plays the monster in FRANKENSTEIN RISING, at:
http://www.dancingskeleton.com/FRANKENSTEIN_RISING1.html
Is this film going to be released theatrically? Broadcast TV (probably not)? Cable? or (most probably) direct to DVD?
Thank you, Anon #1. That is indeed a very extensive ibterview, with photos from the film.
Anon #2: As discussed in the last part of the above-mentioned interview, the release status of the film is still unknown.
It looks like a low-budget indie at best, but how great would it be to see a Frankenstein film in the theaters again? Del Toro, of course, is working on it, but this would make for a lovely teaser.
The last Frankestein film was not good at all. I really expected more from the director. The effects were awesome, but sequence was a little bit boring.
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