Kenneth Branagh leads an all-star cast including Robert De Niro, Helena Bonham Carter, Tom Hulce, Ian Holm, John Cleese and Aidan Quinn in his definitive cinematic version of Mary Shelley’s classic tale of gothic terror. At the turn of the 19th century, visionary scientist Victor Frankenstein (Kenneth Branagh) embarks on an obsessive quest to conquer the mysteries of human mortality. But his hubristic bid to create life out of death goes hideously wrong, and succeeds only in begetting a deformed monster (Robert De Niro). Horrified by what he has wrought, the scientist attempts to destroy his creation, but fails. Rejected by his creator and shunned by the world of man, the tormented creature swears vengeance against Frankenstein and his family. As the monster begins to enact his murderous revenge, Victor must face a terrible reckoning with the tragic consequences of attempting to play God. Mary Shelley’s seminal novel is one of the most adapted books of all time, and this retelling faithfully goes back to the original source, lushly transforming the story’s twin themes of love and death into a darkly operatic gothic romance. Unlike many versions of Shelley’s novel, Branagh’s adaptation understands that Frankenstein’s misbegotten creation is as pitiable as he is monstrous, and never loses sight of the human tragedy lying at the core of its horrific tale. Filled with sweeping, atmospheric visuals and powerfully emotional performances from an award-winning ensemble of acting talent, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein stands as a landmark interpretation of this enduring masterpiece.
For thoughts on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1994), please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
[youtube https://youtu.be/1oRS_Cepfbk?t=901]
Video Quality
Arrow Films presents Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1994) with a tremendous 2160p transfer in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio sourced from a 4K restoration of the original 35mm camera negative conducted by Sony and graded in 4K HDR/Dolby Vision. Any Sony-curated transfer is typically an immense treat, and the level of detail and clarity on display here will make your jaw drop. The presentation provides nearly the perfect amount of natural film grain that helps bring out the textural details of the ornate production design. This grain resolves well with no fluctuations detected outside the most minor moments of spiking in the opening arctic sequence. The subtle textures on display in the costumes and within the setting are unbelievable. The grotesque makeup effects blend naturally which conjures helps bring about sympathy for the creature even when you are repulsed.
This transfer does not showcase anything in the way of print damage. This top-tier presentation is true to the original intention of the film with the added resolution making the world more natural and three dimensional. There does not appear to be any unsightly digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding or any other such nuisances. One of the most pleasing aspects of the disc is the application of Dolby Vision for increased color output that takes this visually breathtaking film and harnesses every ounce of nuance out of it. The new restoration features some colors in the frankly awards-worthy costumes that pop off the screen with a vibrant intensity. This disc handles every environmental change from the dreary interior of the laboratory to the woods that the creature absconds to with ease. The black levels are top-notch with nothing in the way of crush present, and white levels are solid as a rock with no evidence of blooming. This presentation is a stellar effort from the crew at Arrow Video.
Audio Quality
This 4K UHD Blu-Ray comes with both a lossless DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio and LPCM 2.0 track that makes the film tremendously immersive. The movie is filled with some intense moments of chaos, which puts the low end to work when things get especially kinetic. The score from Patrick Doyle provides the momentous and stately atmosphere for this story which fills the speakers well. There are no issues with fidelity or damage to the track. The film has a lot of great gothic, atmospheric effects that engage the surround speakers including a key storm sequence and sounds of the instruments working together to bring the creature to life. Dialogue comes through crystal clear in the front channel without being overwhelmed by any sound effects or score. The track has a good sense of directionality with sounds always emanating from the appropriate channels. This audio presentation is pretty fantastic and is sure to please fans of the material.
Special Features
The first pressing of the Arrow Video 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1994) includes a 35-page booklet featuring the essays “Hideous Progeny: Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein” by critic and author Jon Towlson and “P.S. I Am Not Mad: Playing God In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein” by professor Amy C. Chambers. These works provide a great analysis of the film, the source material, the creatives and the behind the scenes details in a thoughtfully written style. The on-disc special features are as follows:
- Audio Commentary: Film historians Michael Brooke and Johnny Mains provide a very informative and entertaining commentary track in which they discuss the history of the classic literary source material, the ways in which the film stays close to and strays away from the novel, the history of the creative figures involved, how this compares to other film adaptations, the legacy of the film and more.
- Mary Shelley And The Creation Of A Monster: An engaging 30-minute piece in which Gothic specialists David Pirie, Jonathan Rigby and Stephen Volk discuss the history behind the Mary Shelley novel, the state of the literary industry of the time, how the concept of Frankenstein’s monster evolved with adaptations in various mediums, how the focus shifted over the years with different companies, and more that is worth a watch.
- Dissecting Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein: A 16-minute piece in which Pirie, Rigby and Volk come together once again to discuss how this particular adaptation of the tale compares to the Mary Shelley source material. It is enlightening to hear the aspects of the novel that were never expected to be explored on screen, how the film falls short in some respects, the ways in which the story is especially relevant in modern times, and more.
- Frankenstein (1910): The 13-minute first screen adaptation of the novel, directed by J. Searle Dawley and released by Edison Studios, is provided here. This obviously breezes through the story, but it is a very entertaining bit of entertainment in its own right.
- Interviews
- Stitching Frankenstein: A new 15-minute interview with costume designer James Acheson in which he discusses how he almost missed his interview for the job, his memories of the workout routine of Branagh, the fast-paced nature of production, working within the “romantic” time period, how he researched for the project, the symbolic nature of certain costumes and more.
- We’ll Go No More A Roving: A new 13-minute interview with composer Patrick Doyle in which he discusses working with Branagh to create the atmosphere for the film, important tunes that were incorporated into the score, how he developed certain melodies, working with a 90 piece orchestra and more.
- Making It All Up: A new 14-minute interview with make-up designer Daniel Parker in which he discusses how he learned a lot from his father who worked on projects like 2001: A Space Odyssey, how began working with Branagh, his presentation of his designs to Robert De Niro, how he collaborated with other departments to create a fully realized world, what he learned from the experience and more.
- Trailers & TV Spots: This disc includes the Theatrical Trailer #1 (1:29) and Theatrical Trailer #2 (1:54).
- Image Galleries: A collection of stills from the film and the production.
Final Thoughts
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is a worthwhile attempt to bring the classic novel to the screen in a more faithful and considered manner. While it is difficult for any film to top the classic Universal adaptation that has endured for nearly a century, this effort from director Kenneth Branagh stands on its own as something very engrossing and entertaining. De Niro brings a haunting quality to the monster that underscores the gothic romanticism of the tale, which is further complemented by the equal parts lavish and disgusting world the creative team has brought to the screen. Arrow Video has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring an A+ audio/visual presentation and a nice array of special features that aid in your appreciation for the film. Even if it has some issues, the film is a unique work that is worthy of your time. Recommended
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1994) is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray and Blu-Ray.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Arrow Video has supplied a copy of this set free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.

Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.