Frankenstein (1910)

As the curtain rises, we meet Frankenstein, a young scholar with an insatiable curiosity, bidding farewell to his beloved and father. His destination is the hallowed halls of a prestigious college, where he hopes to unravel the enigmatic threads of life and death. His ambition consumes him, clouding his mind with a single, unnatural thought – to give life to the inanimate. In his secluded laboratory, a cauldron of bubbling chemicals and shrouded mysteries, Frankenstein's dream takes a tangible form. However, his aspiration to create a paragon of physical perfection morphs into a nightmare. Instead of a marvel, he births an abhorrent, grotesque creature, a specter that haunts his sanity and sends him into a tormented collapse. His bout of illness leaves him a shell of his former self, returning home weak and weary. However, the tender care of his father and sweetheart nurtures him back to health, and he begins to view life through a less morbid lens. Yet the specter of his creation lingers, a reflection of the monster he has birthed from his obsession with the unnatural. His upcoming nuptials promise a fresh start, but the monster's jealousy and devotion cast a dark shadow. After a dramatic confrontation, the creature, horrified by its own reflection, flees in terror, only to return on the night of Frankenstein's wedding. The monster's intrusion into the new bride's chamber incites a horrifying shriek, followed by a subsequent struggle, forcing the creature to confront the horrific aftermath of his creator's ambition. As the climax approaches, an intriguing theory unravels. Frankenstein's pure love for his bride holds the power to dissolve the existence of the monstrous creation. The monster, unable to bear its loneliness and rejection, stands before a mirror, slowly fading away, leaving behind only its reflection. In a riveting finale, when Frankenstein looks into the mirror, he sees not his own reflection, but that of the monster. Gradually, under the influence of love and his inherent goodness, the monstrous image fades, replaced by the reflection of his younger, unmarred self. His bride joins him, marking an end to his torment. The film closes with their embrace, symbolizing the triumph of love and purity over unnatural obsessions and monstrosities.

Frankenstein is a fantasy movie featuring Augustus Phillips and directed by J. Searle Dawley.

Frankenstein is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on Public Domain Movies and it's also available on Cultpix.