Thomas Edison was a dick

... but he made things happen. Including several of the foundations of modern movie-making.

Today's his birthday. Here's the version of Frankenstein shot over three days at the Edison Studios in the Bronx, New York City, 1910. Written and directed by J. Searle Dawley, it owes less to Mary Shelley's novel (already nearly 100 years old at the time) than to the very loose stage play adaptations that had been the craze for decades. (The same can be said for the famous 1931 version with Boris Karloff.) But it's pretty cool, with a "creation" scene that's a keeper.




The unbilled cast include Augustus Phillips as Dr. Frankenstein, Charles Ogle as the Monster, and Mary Fuller as the doctor's fiancée.

The Toys of Frankenstein

Speaking of Karloff...

McNugget Buddy Frankenstein (yes, I wish I were kidding)

Papercraft by Bob Canada

Medicom Toy Mickey Mouse Frankenstein Version

Todd McFarlane's Frankenstein

Damn, it feels good to be a monsta

Chillin' between takes with Boris Karloff, the gentleman actor who starred in my favorite of the various Universal classic monster series.

On the set of Son of Frankenstein.

Below: November 23, 1938: Karloff is treated to a birthday surprise on the set of Son of Frankenstein. Before the day was over, there would be another reason to celebrate as Boris’ daughter, Sara, was born.

For your consideration — Marge: "You liked 'Rashomon'" / Homer: "That's not how I remember it" edition

Film School Rejects: Cannes 2011: And The Winners Are…
and Who Should Have Won Cannes 2011

Guardian: I was a judge at Cannes — "[He] respects honesty, passion. If you are like this, there will be no problem. But if you try to pull your Guardian bullshit with him, your two stars, three stars, you will be seeing stars!"

AV Club: Fox Searchlight suggests you see The Tree Of Life while high 

A.V. Club: Pop Pilgrims travels to San Francisco for a look at Jimmy Stewart's apartment in Vertigo (Related posts: It's a Vertigo kind of day, San Francisco)

tor.com: Decade’s Best Science Fiction/Fantasy Movies Viewer's Poll Results

Total Film: The 50 Greatest Simpsons Movie References

joeydavilla.com: "Simpsons" Scenes and their Reference Movies

Actualidad Simpson: More Simpsons::Movies refs, in Spanish

duffzone: Simpsons references categorized by topic/title (e.g. The Godfather)

Neenja: And more

Salon: The Muppets are back, and more meta than ever (with trailer) — Hey, I'm not made of stone, y'know.

/Film: Frankenstein Films: Matt Reeves to Direct 'This Dark Endeavor;' David Auburn Writing 'The Casebook of Victor Frankenstein'— My favorite of the Classic Monsters is becoming a meme once again. Empire Online: Frankenstein's Casebook Opened: Ghost House Pictures prep Ackroyd novel — I enjoyed the book a great deal. And a screenplay by David Auburn! I'm sold.

Telegraph: Out Of This World: Science Fiction But Not As You Know It, British Library, review -- An exhibition at the British Library puts the early literary works of the young Brontë sisters next to 'A Clockwork Orange' and 'Alice In Wonderland', and asks some important questions about the genre's history. (A few years ago Elizabeth and I spent three weeks within a few minutes' walk of the BL during one of my favorite Novembers ever.) Here's the British Library's site.

NPR: Kurt Vonnegot on the shapes of stories

Retrofuture: Smell-o-Vision

David Bordwell: On "jump cuts" vs. "match cuts"