There is a literal s**t-ton of movies that carry the name “Frankenstein” in their titles. From the most faithful adaptations of Mary Shelley’s original novel to in-name-only, bargain-basement cheapies, there has been no shortage of motion pictures ready to glom onto the property, going back to the earliest days of cinema. But occasionally one emerges that is actually offbeat and decent enough to warrant additional attention.
One of those is 1990’s Frankenstein Unbound, based on a 1973 novel by famed sci-fi author Brian Aldiss. No, it’s not adapted from Shelley’s Frankenstein, strictly speaking — but her landmark 1818 tome is very much part of the proceedings. The movie was directed by Roger Corman, marking the B-movie and exploitation king’s return behind the camera for the first time in nearly 20 years after he transitioned to mostly producing and distribution. While it also ended up being Corman's last directorial effort, he certainly went out with one of the strangest movies of his long, colorful career.
