The film cost $1.5 million making it Henenlotter's most expensive (at the time), but there were still budgetary issues. The producers told him they had used up all of the allotted funds for pyrotechnics during the exploding hookers scene to which he replied "How the fuck am I gonna film the lab scene?!" He ended up calling in a favor to do some "unlicensed pyrotechnics" for the shoot. Lorinz recalls the guy finishing the setup and telling him "Don't worry, it's maybe safe."
Writer/director Frank Henenlotter improvised the basic story at a pitch meeting. After getting the okay to make the picture, he then wrote the script for the movie.
Elizabeth has the last name of Shelley. This is an homage to Mary Shelley, the author of the original "Frankenstein".
The scene where Jeffrey goes driving looking for ladies of the night to provide body parts was filmed in what is now Tribeca. It was a much different place then though, and they got the shots from the open door of a moving van. The women featured were real hookers, who are in SAG now.
This film took 12 years to make.