Frankenstein's Aunt

infobox television
show_name = Frankenstein's Aunt


caption =
format = Fantasy, Comedy
runtime = approx. 55 min (per episode)
creator = Juraj Jakubisko
starring = Viveca Lindfors as "Hannah Frankenstein"
Martin Hreben as "Max"
Gerhard Karzel as "Albert"
Barbara De Rossi as "Klara"
Eddie Constantine as "Alois"
Flavio Bucci as "Talbot"
and others.
country = Austria, Germany, France, Czechoslovakia, Spain, Sweden, Italy
network = see Production
first_aired = 1987
last_aired =
num_episodes = 7
imdb_id = 0090434

Frankenstein's Aunt is the protagonist of three novels - two by Allan Rune Pettersson and a 7-episode TV miniseries based on the first one. The story is an intelligent humorous adaptation of the classic Frankenstein tale.

Novels

Frankenstein's Aunt

"Main article:" Frankenstein's Aunt (novel)

Although the later TV series is based on the first novel by Allan Rune Pettersson there are many differences in the TV series, characters were edited out and added, the story was changed and expanded and it has even another ending.

Frankenstein's Aunt Returns

"Main article:" Frankenstein's Aunt Returns

The book is a direct sequel to Allan Rune Pettersson first novel and therefore it does not revive the story of the TV series.

Third novel

Infobox Book
name = Frankensteins Tante
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption =
author = Werner Meier
illustrator =
cover_artist =
country = Austria
language = German
series =
subject =
genre =
publisher = Loewe
release_date = 1987
english_release_date =
media_type =
pages =
isbn =
preceded_by =
followed_by =

A novel by Werner Meier was published in German in Austria in 1987 which retells the story of the TV series with almost no differences. The book has the title "Frankensteins Tante" which just means Frankenstein's Aunt.

TV Series

tory

Similar to the first book by Allan Rune Pettersson aunt Hannah comes to Frankenstein but at first rather with the aim to find a bride for her nephew so that "little Frankensteins" comes in the family. But he is too busy for something like that. He tries to create a man with the power of a machine and the brain of a genius. Aunt Hannah meets here diffent to the novel more spooks like a merman, a fire spirit and a White Lady and the orphan Max, who is running away from a circus.

Intention

The makers of "Frankenstein's Aunt" Jaroslav Dietl and Juraj Jakubisko interpreted the classic Frankenstein theme in a humourful way tending to parody. But they did not only want to entertain the audience, but to emphasize the triumph of reason and sanity over human aggressiveness and intolerance. " [http://www.jakubiskofilm.com/en/index.php?sites=filmy&jaky=max&sekce=kritiky Jakubiskofilm Reviews] "] .

Production

The director J. Jakubisko about the production: "This seven country co-production was a challenge for me. The producers' wish was to see spooks from every single culture so it would be familiar for children around the world. So we found ourselves in Babylon during the production - many languages, many spooks" " [http://www.jakubiskofilm.com/en/index.php?sites=filmy&jaky=max Jakubiskofilm About Movie] "] The series was a coproduction from:

*Taurus Film Munich (Germany)
*MR-Film (Austria)
*Ceskoslovenská Televize Bratislava (Czechoslovakia)
*Films du Sabre and FR-3 (France)
*SVT 1 (Sweden)
*Raiuno (Italy) and
*TVE (Spain).

Filming location were Hallstatt, the environ of Salzburg, Dachstein, Boskovice and Werfen with Burg Hohenwerfen" [http://www.cfn.cz/detail_film.php?25256 Czech film database CFN] "] .

Jacques Herlin, who played Igor, said in an interview, " [http://www.erratica.co.uk/articles/jacques_herlin4.htm Interview with Jacques Herlin] "] that Viveca Lindfors hated the director from the first day.According to him, she said to the director: "As far as I'm concerned, you're a shit. I've signed the contract, but won't agree with you. My character will smoke a cigar, even if you don't like it. Go f**k yourself".Nevertheless, Herlin added that he actually liked Viveca. He described the director as crazy - a poet, ex painter and friend of Fellini.

The character of the "White Lady" (played by Mercedes Sampietro) was inspired in Elizabeth Bathory " [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090434/trivia Trivia] "] (1560-1614). She is thought to have tortured hundreds of maids to death, and according to the legend she was cursed to haunt her castle. Her character in the series was moderated, similarities are still the same first name and some insinuations.The series' director, Juraj Jakubisko, is also currently filming Bathory, a movie about her to be released in 2007.

Ferdy Mayne, who played Count Dracula, played a similar character as Count Krolock in The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967).

Episodes

#The Birth
#The Clean-Up
#The Bride
#The Cradle
#The Ladies' Man
#The Car
#The Wedding

Alternative and other versions

A recut of the series in a 96 minute movie was made with the title "Freckled Max and the Spooks".

A musical for schools is based on the novel of Allan Rune Petterson. " [http://www.geocities.com/jim_hollingsworth/franken.htm information about the musical] "] .

Nomination

In 1988 it was nominated best film in the International Fantasy Film Awards. " [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090434/awards Nomination] "] .

Video release

The series was first released on DVD in Germany on March 17, 2008. This is currently the only release of the series on video so far and includes only the German language version.

Notes

Literature

* Allan Rune Pettersson: Frankenstein's Aunt, ISBN 0-435-12260-6
* Allan Rune Pettersson: Frankenstein's Aunt Returns, ISBN 0-340-53244-0

External links

* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090434/ Frankenstein's Aunt at IMDB]
* [http://www.jakubiskofilm.com/movies/87franke/index.htm Director's site with information about the series, by episode (with plot detail)]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAgUTKyMxEo Intro of Frankenstein's Aunt]