Creature Designers - The Frankenstein Complex

DVD Rating: *****

Reviewed by: Jennie Kermode

Read Jennie Kermode's film review of Creature Designers - The Frankenstein Complex
Creature Designers - The Frankenstein Complex
""

Creature Designers - The Frankenstein Complex is a wonderfully rich film which deserves to be watched dozens of times. Even if you're already very familiar with its subject, you'll learn a great deal from it. It's complemented here by a fantastic selection of extras that makes it a must for fans of special effects and will give it a lot of appeal to those who enjoy documentaries more generally.

given the detail present in the film, it probably won't come as a surprise that the extras have been approached in a similar way. First up is a short piece about the design of the credits that open the film (this is in French with subtitles - everything else is in English). Then there are are extended versions of some of the interviews shown in clips during the main feature, including some intriguing and entertaining material which presumably had to be left out of the final film for time reasons. The highlight, however, is a masterclass given by Guillero Del Toro at a screening of the film which is almost long enough to be shown as a film in its own right. There's an enormous amount to learn here for filmmakers and monster lovers both, and you can also find out the best ways to stab people and what Del Toro would d if he could make a full size giant monster of his own. Generally, the extras on discs like this only end up getting watched once. This one will entertain you against and again.

Copy picture

Highly recommended.

Reviewed on: 30 Sep 2016
Share this with others on...
Creature Designers - The Frankenstein Complex packshot
A documentary about the creation of movie monsters, aliens and animatronic creatures, from the dawn of the art to the modern world of CGI.

Product Code: B01GQ26J1E

Region: 2

Extras: The soundtrack; Designing The Opening Credits; A Conversation With John Landis And Joe Dante; A Conversation With Steve Johnson and John Vulich; Guillermo Del Toro Masterclass; stills gallery


Search database: