It's Alive! The True Story of Frankenstein (1994)
Mary Shelley created a monster in 1818, and writers, actors and filmmakers haven't been able to get enough of it ever since. This 100-minute A&E documentary tells history of the creature on and off the screen. It includes clips from Thomas Edison's 1910 filmization, through Hammer classics starring Peter Cusing to Kenneth Branagh's 1994 treatment, plus interviews with Robert De Niro, Mel Brooks, Roger Corman, Francis Ford Coppola and others. The show was hosted by Roger Moore and narrated by Eli Wallach.
Interviewed guests try to explain the phenomenon of Shelley's book through detailed analysis of her life and her times. Authors also look at "Frankenstein's" stage adaptations as well as the least succesful filmizations, such as a 1957 flop "I Was a Teenage Frankenstein".
This very comprehensive documenatry, written and directed by film expert prof. Richard Brown, was produced on the occasion of the premiere of Kenneth Branagh's adaptation of "Frankenstein". Roger Moore appears not only as a wonderful host. There's been done a special voice re-creation of the likes of Boris Karloff, James Whale or Mary Shelley. Roger Moore impersonates Percy Shelley.
The programme was shown on American television in 1994. It was released on video in April the next year. Unfortunately, as of early 2011, it is still unavailable on DVD.
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