La promise

After the creation of his creature (Clancy Brown), Dr. Frankenstein (Sting) researches and creates a perfect woman, Eva (Jennifer Beals), to be the mate of the creature. However, the anxiety of the creature creates havoc in the laboratory that is burnt down and explodes, killing Frankenstein's assistants Dr. Zahlus (Quentin Crisp) and Paulus (Timothy Spall). Dr. Frankenstein believes the creature died too but he flees to the woods. Soon he meets and befriends the dwarf Rinaldo (David Rappaport), who gives a name to him, Viktor, and invites him to work in a circus in Budapest. Meanwhile Frankenstein and his house keeper Mrs. Baumann (Geraldine Page) teach Eva how to behave and to be independent. One day, Frankenstein introduces Eva to the high-society, telling that she was found amnesic in the woods and has become his protégée. But Frankenstein becomes obsessed of Eva while Viktor and she have a strange connection. What will happen to Eva?

"The Bride" is a different version of Frankenstein story by Mary Shelley. The film is actually a romance that begins slow paced but well resolved in the end. Clancy Brown has an outstanding performance in the role of the naive creature. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "A Prometida" ("The Promised One")

... but fails to add up to much. For some reason, the doctor's name is Charles this time around. Rock star Sting stars as Chuck Frankenstein, who has already created his original monster (Clancy Brown) as the film begins, and he's in the midst of creating his piecemeal bride. Assisting him are Quentin Crisp as a stand-in for the old film's Pretorius, and Timothy Spall as an Igor-type. Things go south, and Clancy goes on the run. Chuck decides to "raise" the beautiful bride (Jennifer Beals) as his ward, and introduce her into high society. Clancy meets a traveling dwarf (David Rappaport) who decides to name the creature Viktor, and they eventually start to work in a circus. Much of the film is a split narrative. Half follows Chuck Frankenstein and the bride, now named Eva, while the other half follows Viktor and his life in the circus.

Also featuring comedian Alexei Sayle, Anthony Higgins, 60's supermodel Veruschka as a Countess, Cary Elwes as a dashing young courtier, and Geraldine Page as Chuck's housekeeper and tutor to Eva. The costumes are nice, and there's an old-fashioned score by Maurice Jarre. The problems come from a lack of narrative flow, little momentum, and some underwritten characters. Frankenstein completists should see it for the variations on the theme, but most viewers will be bored when they're not rolling their eyes. This was originally touted as being a feminist take on the story, but I didn't really see that then or now.

Too bad Jennifer Beal wasn't justly compensated for "Flashdance" two years earlier - she only got 15K for her role! - or she might have had better roles to choose from than this.

Scripted by Lloyd Fonvielle from the novel by Mary Shelley, this is a fairly interesting revisionist take on Shelley's legendary story. Rock star Sting stars as the icy cold Charles Frankenstein, who as the film opens has already created his male monster (Clancy Brown), and is now in the process of constructing the monsters' mate (Jennifer Beals), whom he names Eva. During the subsequent destruction of Frankensteins' lab, the male monster escapes, soon making the acquaintance of amiable dwarf Rinaldo (David Rappaport). Rinaldos' ambition is to eventually make it to Venice, but for now he wants to join a circus to make ends meet, and the monster - who *Rinaldo* dubs Viktor - tags along. Meanwhile, Frankenstein works hard at creating, in his eyes, the perfect woman to introduce to high society.

The lovely friendship between Rinaldo and Viktor is the true heart and soul of the film, and makes it worth seeing. Rappaport is so endearing - he's the real star of this show - and he and Brown work so well together, that they make the segments with Beals and Sting less intriguing by comparison. There is a theme here of men harbouring a fear and distrust of the empowered woman, and Frankensteins' desire to basically be in charge of Evas' life is part of his undoing. Brown is wonderful as Viktor, and while Sting and Beals do decent jobs, they're not as much fun to watch. A superb supporting cast consisting of Anthony Higgins, Geraldine Page, Alexei Sayle, Phil Daniels, Veruschka von Lehndorff, Quentin Crisp, Cary Elwes, Timothy Spall, Guy Rolfe, and Tony Haygarth lends a great deal of respectability.

"The Bride" has the absolutely perfect look in terms of classic Gothic horror, but in the end it's much more of a drama, and romance, than a horror film. Its opening scene is certainly great horror in the old tradition, and the lab set is amazing. The period recreation is impeccable, and Maurice Jarres' music is beautiful.

Overall, a good film worth a look or revisit for fans of this kind of literature.

Seven out of 10.

MORD39 RATING: ** out of ****

This movie is too wrongly maligned. It's at least enjoyable half of the time, since it functions as two different stories which merge together later on.

The best part of the movie regards the adventures of the Frankenstein Monster (well-played by Clancy Brown) and his friendly dwarf companion (the excellent David Rappaport) as they roam the exquisite countryside trying to discover their dreams. When this half of the movie is playing, you can't help but be moved.

Unfortunately, the other half consists of rock star Sting (it hurts me to say this, but I think he makes a good Frankenstein) and the gorgeous Jennifer Beals as his latest creation. They don't add anything to the whole mix, though,, and only get in the way and slow things down. This film could have been quite good indeed had these parts been removed, and the exploits of the monster and his pal been fleshed out.

I think my opinion is a popular one among critics and fans, but one thing is clear: this film is not as bad as some think, and it's in no way intended to be a re-make of 1935's BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN.

The lovely young student of Baron Charles Frankenstein tires of his strict tutelage and rebels, unaware she was indeed brought to life by the mad doctor--sewn together from corpses--and that a male counterpart to whom she was intended is roaming the countryside. Director Franc Roddam and screenwriter Lloyd Fonvielle's underrated rethinking of 1935's "The Bride of Frankenstein" hasn't much intrinsic spirit, though it does have lyrical scenes and interesting performances which qualify it as a fascinating misfire. As the Baron, rock star Sting poses sufficiently and glowers moodily, though he's all on one-note; Jennifer Beals is somewhat better as the Bride--with feminist leanings--and a number of her scenes (such as her first run-in with a cat and her dialogue with a derelict traveler) are quite beguiling. Critically-lambasted film has beauty, but little mystery--it's intriguing without truly being effective. Clancy Brown plays the initial (sympathetic) creation of Frankenstein, and his friendship with happy-go-lucky dwarf David Rappaport is marvelous, though this side-story really belongs to a separate picture (it holds the central action back, and keeps it from blossoming). "The Bride" is surprisingly ambitious and has rather grand moments, but a complete success it is not. **1/2 from ****