In 1910, Thomas Edison produced what is thought to be the first ever film version of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein!  Clocking in at 12 minutes and 41 seconds, this film was directed by J. Searle Dawley and stars Charles Ogle as the monster.

Admittedly, the surviving prints of this 107 year-old movie are not in the greatest condition.  But I still think it’s effectively surreal and, in its way, quite creepy.  While it always takes a while for modern audiences to get used to the more theatrical acting styles of the silent films, Charles Ogle still makes for a very memorable monster.  I especially enjoy the tinted scenes where the monster comes to life.  In the video below, it start around the 2:18 mark and it’s truly a scene that I love!

Enjoy this piece of film history!