Frankenstein Unbound (1990)
A weapon designed to end all wars instead tears a hole in time itself, and pulls its own inventor through it, car and all, dropping him in Switzerland in the year 1817.
FRANKENSTEIN UNBOUND (1990) stars John Hurt as Dr. Joe Buchanan, a scientist from 2031 whose experimental weapon causes global time slides. He lands in the Geneva of Lord Byron and the Shelleys, and finds himself face to face with Dr. Victor Frankenstein, played by Raul Julia, and the creature he has made.
This was Roger Corman's return to directing after a nineteen-year gap, his final feature behind the camera. He adapted Brian Aldiss's novel with F. X. Feeney, folding Mary Shelley's novel and the poets who inspired it into a cinematic collision of eras.
Bridget Fonda plays Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, Jason Patric is Byron, and Michael Hutchence of INXS plays Percy Shelley. Nick Brimble plays the Monster.
About the Film
Classic terror is now state-of-the-art shock.
- Directed By
- Roger Corman
- Runtime
- 85 minutes
- Released
- November 2, 1990
- Certification
- R
- Country
- United States of America
- Starring
- John Hurt, Raúl Juliá, Nick Brimble, Bridget Fonda, Jason Patric
More Credits
- Genres
- Horror, Science Fiction
- Language
- English
- Origin
- US
- Studios
- The Mount Company, 20th Century Fox
- Written By
- Brian Aldiss, F. X. Feeney, Roger Corman
- Produced By
- Roger Corman, Kobi Jaeger, Thom Mount
- Cinematography
- Armando Nannuzzi, Michael Scott
- Music
- Carl Davis
- Also Starring
- Michael Hutchence, Catherine Rabett, Catherine Corman, William Geiger, Mickey Knox
- Budget
- $11,500,000
- Box Office
- $334,748
Where to Watch
No US streaming, rental, or purchase options listed right now.
Source: JustWatch
Physical Media
DVD20th Century Fox Home EntertainmentUPC 024543267560
a member added 9/25/2026 · Adam edited 9/26/2026
Other editions
I always loved this movie.
Glenn Porzig Me, too. I think it’s hugely underrated. Maybe not “prestige” but entertaining as hell.
I see Internet Archive has it available to watch as well 💖
Tamarin Van Wyk Good, because this one is too hard to find by “legit” means.
Tamarin Van Wyk Just popped in and found it too, lovely.
I haven’t seen this since it came out, but I remember it was a lot of fun.
This one was Gonzo!! Got to see it in the long-gone Beacon Hill Cinema in Boston.
Jim Delaney Is that gone now? It’s been a long time, but I used to live there.
Anywhere sadly ALL those theaters are gone. Harvard Sq still exists, but it’s neen empty since 2013. I worked in Copley, the Charles, and Harvard. Copley is a clothing store, Charles is part of MGH, the Nickelodeon building got taken by BU, Cheri is a bowling alley, Paris is a CVS, Cinema57 is event space for the hotel that took over from Radisson, the Janus is a restaurant. Fresh Pond is still there, run by Apple Cinemas.
Currently AMC has a 19-screen thing near the Common, and 12-13plexes under North Station, and Assembly Sq, and SouthBay Center.
Jim Delaney OMG. Yeah, I haven’t been there in about 15 years. We were thinking of visiting this winter!
i thought this was actually the closest cinematic version of the novel, even with all the time travel stuff. i loved it.
Brad Beske 😐
Quite possibly the most *violent* of any Frankenstein film…
“Who is God Maybe ?”
And who plays polidori!?
Valentín Rodríguez As I haven’t seen this movie in ages, I checked it out and even though Dr. Polidori appears in the book, alongside other historical characters, that are seen in the movie, Roger Corman decided to remove him and Claire Clairmont from the Lake Geneva storyline, focusing instead on Lord Byron, Percy Shelley, and Mary Shelley.
Love this movie. The makeup, especially the eyes, are awesome. Impossible, of course, but isn’t it great that most of us allow our imaginations to soar
Always enjoy watching this
Full of great ideas, and with some trashy ones added to the mix.
Saw it. The scene where he seduces the girl by giving her a ride in his car made me think that this movie must have been written by a teenager.
Inventive, I gotta find the book.
I wanted this to be good but it’s pretty awful – a great cast, some brilliant design, and a fantastic idea, but unfortunately Corman can’t really direct. Disappointing.
I liked it.
A decent outing.
john hurt is great in it, an under-rated gem
Cool film…
Mary Woodcock Kroble you made me watch this!
Fantastic film 💪🏻💪🏻👏🏻👏🏻✌🏻
Very underated film! ❤
en dvd chez nous?
This is bonkers and very good