10 Movies Inspired by (But Not Adapted From) Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein’

Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel, Frankenstein, is considered the first modern science fiction story and has become a lasting myth, constantly reimagined by filmmakers. The very first film adaptation was a short, silent movie from 1910, directed by J. Searle Dawley. While many versions exist, the 1931 film starring Boris Karloff, directed by James Whale, is the most famous and widely loved, even if it doesn’t follow the book exactly. From Hammer Horror’s take on the story to the 1994 version titled Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the tale has appeared on screen numerous times, most recently with a stunning adaptation by Guillermo del Toro.

Beyond the direct adaptations, a wealth of films draw inspiration from Frankenstein without actually retelling the novel’s story. Many of these explore the dangers of unchecked ambition, while others delve into questions of identity, morality, and the very definition of humanity. Some even portray people as the real monsters. Others radically reimagine Shelley’s original concept, creating stories that are almost unrecognisable. Despite their differences, all these films capture the spirit of Frankenstein in unique and compelling ways.

‘Eyes Without a Face’ (1960)

Georges Franju’s Eyes Without a Face is a beautifully unsettling film that strongly recalls the themes of Frankenstein. This French horror movie centers on Dr. Génessier (Pierre Brasseur), a gifted surgeon who becomes obsessed with restoring his daughter Christiane’s (Édith Scob) face after she was disfigured in a car accident. Driven by guilt, he begins kidnapping and killing young women, hoping to transplant their faces onto hers. His assistant, Louise (Alida Valli), secretly disposes of the bodies in a nearby river when the surgeries fail.

A Sympathetic Subject

Dr. Génnesier is motivated by both remorse and a desire for achievement, believing success would be immeasurably valuable, and even dreaming of living forever. Like Victor Frankenstein, his scientific pursuits have been twisted by obsession, and both stories warn against excessive pride in science. Christiane, with her unsettling, ghostly appearance, represents Shelley’s Creature – a living ghost who suffers the consequences of her father’s actions and, like the Creature, harbors deep resentment towards him. Eyes Without a Face revisits the themes of loneliness, isolation, and unchecked ambition found in Shelley’s work, adding its own uniquely somber tone and inspiring countless films exploring body horror and psychological terror.

‘Westworld’ (1973)

Before becoming a popular TV show, Westworld started as a thought-provoking science fiction Western novel and film by Michael Crichton. It explores humanity’s desire for control, our tendency to overindulge, and the unexpected problems that can arise from powerful technology. Both the book and film are set in a high-end theme park where wealthy guests can act out their fantasies – everything from using lifelike androids to satisfy their desires to simply destroying them without consequence. In the original story, a technical glitch causes the androids to rebel against the humans.

A Masterful Sci-Fi and Western Mash-Up

The themes of creation and its consequences, explored in Mary Shelley’s work, are powerfully reimagined in the context of artificial intelligence. Just as Victor Frankenstein did, the creators of the park overstep their bounds and face the resulting fallout. The androids’ revolt echoes the Creature’s journey to self-awareness, independence, and anger. Michael Crichton’s Westworld established a template for many future stories warning about AI, proving that Shelley’s questions about arrogance, control, what it means to be human, and ethical responsibility remain relevant long after the era of gothic horror.

‘Re-Animator’ (1985)

Stuart Gordon’s Re-Animator is a fun, over-the-top, and creative spin on the classic Frankenstein story about bringing the dead back to life. The horror comedy is inspired by H.P. Lovecraft’s short story “Herbert West–Reanimator,” which was originally a humorous take on Mary Shelley’s novel. Jeffrey Combs plays Herbert West, a medical student determined to overcome death. He creates a serum that can revive the deceased, but it has terrible and unexpected results.

An Irreverent Twist on ‘Frankenstein’

The movie, like the original novel, explores the dangerous combination of wanting to achieve great things scientifically and lacking a moral compass. The character of Herbert West, much like Victor Frankenstein, is a brilliant mind brought down by his refusal to acknowledge natural boundaries. Even with its comedic and over-the-top moments, the film retains the tragic core of Shelley’s story: just because we can do something, doesn’t mean we should. It also highlights the mixture of wonder and fear that comes with the power of creation.

‘The Fly’ (1986)

David Cronenberg’s The Fly reimagines Mary Shelley’s classic story as a disturbing and tragic horror film. It centers on Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum), a brilliant but socially awkward scientist who’s invented a teleportation device. During an experiment where he teleports himself, a fly accidentally enters the machine with him. Soon after, Brundle’s health declines, and he discovers that his DNA has merged with the fly’s, causing a terrifying and gradual transformation into a monstrous creature.

One of Cronenberg’s Best Works

David Cronenberg’s film, known for its disturbing and visceral imagery, delves into the same ideas as Mary Shelley’s novel. Both works draw parallels between scientists who recklessly use science and tamper with life, leading to terrible consequences. The film, through the character of Brundle’s horrifying change, highlights a key theme from the novel: the true horror isn’t in what is created, but in the self-destructive transformation of the creator. It suggests that, like Dr. Frankenstein, the real monster isn’t the creation itself, but the person who brought it into being.

‘May’ (2002)

Lucky McKee’s horror film May, released in the early 2000s, remains effective and unsettling even now. Though it didn’t receive much attention at first, it’s since become a beloved cult classic. The film portrays May not as a typical villain, but as a deeply vulnerable and isolated woman struggling to connect with the world around her. Bullied as a child due to a vision impairment, she finds solace only in a doll named Suzie. After repeated disappointments in forming relationships, May takes extreme measures to create the perfect companion by assembling one herself.

A Sympathetic Monster You Want To Root For

May’s feelings of loneliness and desire echo those of the Creature in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Like the Creature, she’s a deeply sympathetic character who makes you wonder where her evil really comes from. But unlike Victor Frankenstein, May isn’t driven by pride; her actions stem from a heartbreaking sadness and a desperate need for connection. She creates not out of arrogance, but out of longing.

‘Prometheus’ (2012)

Ridley Scott’s film Prometheus explores themes similar to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, but on a much larger, cosmic scale. As a prequel to Alien, the movie centers on a team of scientists traveling through space to uncover the origins of humanity. They follow an ancient map discovered in different cultures, hoping to find the beings who created us. Michael Fassbender plays David, a mysterious android whose fascination with creating life turns into an all-consuming obsession, mirroring the actions of both his human creators and the advanced beings known as the “Engineers” who created them.

A Movie With Many Similarities

Similar to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the film Prometheus examines the dangers of excessive pride, overwhelming ambition, and the power—and consequences—of creation and destruction, but on a much larger, more philosophical scale. Several characters – the Engineers, humans, and the android David – all reflect aspects of either Dr. Frankenstein or his Creature. The Engineers act as indifferent creators who abandon humanity, much like Frankenstein abandoned his creation. Humans, in turn, treat David as an outcast, and like the Creature, he questions his own existence before ultimately rebelling against those who made him. In the end, David surpasses both Frankenstein and humankind itself.

‘Ex-Machina’ (2014)

Alex Garland’s film, Ex Machina, is a modern take on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Like the classic novel, it explores the complex relationship between a creator and their creation, but focuses on the world of artificial intelligence. The story centers on Nathan Bateman (Oscar Isaac), a secretive tech CEO who has developed Ava (Alicia Vikander), a remarkably human-like robot. When programmer Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson) is invited to Nathan’s private island to evaluate Ava’s intelligence, he finds himself caught in a manipulative game that reveals the true nature of both creator and creation.

Another Story About Unchecked Genius

The movie simplifies Mary Shelley’s story, focusing on the core psychological themes. The artificial intelligence, Ava, is driven by the same human desires as the Creature in the original tale. Both crave independence and self-determination. Ava’s fight for freedom mirrors the Creature’s escape from his creator. In a modern world dominated by self-interest and technology, Ex Machina suggests that the classic story of a creator and their creation remains powerfully relevant today.

‘Poor Things’ (2023)

Yorgos Lanthimos’ film, Poor Things, is a quirky and unusual reimagining of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, based on the novel by Alasdair Gray and adapted by Tony McNamara. Emma Stone stars as Bella Baxter, a woman brought back to life by an unconventional scientist (Willem Dafoe) who replaced her brain with that of a fetus. The film then follows Bella’s fascinating journey as she explores the world, experiences sexual awakening, and gains intellectual and philosophical understanding – all seen from her unique perspective.

A Tale of Self-Discovery

This imaginative and unsettling retelling of the Frankenstein story shifts from gothic sadness to a celebration of independence, using dreamlike imagery and a darkly funny tone. Unlike the original Creature, who only found suffering when trying to connect with people, Bella takes control of her own life and becomes something her creator never envisioned. It’s a story that gives the Monster’s perspective back to her.

‘The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster’ (2023)

Bomani J. Story wrote and directed The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster, a standout horror film from the 2020s that doesn’t get enough attention. The movie stars Laya DeLeon Hayes as Vicaria, a brilliant teenager who’s also a scientist. Still mourning the loss of her brother, Chris (played by Edem Atsu-Swanzy), she believes death can be cured. She attempts to bring Chris back to life, but the result is a dangerous and angry creature.

‘Frankenstein’ Through a Black Lens

I was really struck by The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster. It takes Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and brilliantly updates it to speak to the very real issues of systemic violence and oppression facing Black communities today. But it’s not just a message movie; it’s a genuinely moving story about grief and what it means to be human, all wrapped up in a surprisingly effective horror package. Honestly, it’s a masterful blend of social commentary, scares, and family drama. And it’s important – as far as I know, it’s the only film since 1973’s Blackenstein to really look at this classic story through a Black perspective, and it deserves to be seen.

‘Lisa Frankenstein’ (2024)

Directed by Zelda Williams and written by Diablo Cody, Lisa Frankenstein is a darkly comedic horror film that reimagines the classic Frankenstein story with a feminist twist. The movie takes place in 1989 and centers on Lisa Swallows (Kathryn Newton), a lonely teenager who frequents an old cemetery. After a body is resurrected during a thunderstorm, Lisa connects with him and, disturbingly, begins providing him with missing parts sourced from murder victims.

A Visually Stunning Coming-of-Age Horror Comedy

Despite initially failing at the box office, the movie has gained a dedicated following. Like Jennifer’s Body before it, Lisa Frankenstein is poised to become a beloved cult classic. The fun and quirky film touches on themes similar to Mary Shelley’s original Frankenstein – including morality, finding yourself, identity, and the act of creation. This shows how timeless and adaptable the Frankenstein story is, continuing to inspire new works in different styles and for different audiences.

2025-11-01 00:37