Bikini Frankenstein
Based onFrankenstein
by Mary Shelley
Written byFred Olen Ray
Directed byFred Olen Ray
Starring
  • Frankie Cullen
  • Jayden Cole
  • Brandin Rackley
  • Christine Nguyen
  • Billy Chappell
  • Ted Newsom
  • Ron Ford
  • Thea Samper
  • Alexis Texas
Theme music composerAnthony Francis
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
ProducerDan Golden
Running time81 minutes
Production companyRetromedia Entertainment
Original release
Release
  • January 18, 2010 (2010-01-18)

Bikini Frankenstein is a 2010 American made for cable erotic film directed by Fred Olen Ray (under the pseudonym name Nicholas Juan Medina). It is based on the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.[1] Bikini Frankenstein depicts Dr. Frankenstein (Frankie Cullen) losing his job after sleeping with one of his science students Debbie Sloane (Alexis Texas). He travels back to his native Transylvania where he successfully revives the body of Eve (Jayden Cole), using electricity. After showing off his successful experiment to colleagues in America, Eve later explodes; leading Dr. Frankenstein to proclaim he will work further on his experiments.

The film was both written and directed by Ray, and produced by Retromedia Entertainment. It was shown on Cinemax before being distributed in DVD format. The New Annotated Frankenstein called it "soft porn",[1] and Postnaturalism: Frankenstein, Film, and the Anthropotechnical Interface placed it within the genre of horror and sexploitation.[2] The Oklahoma Gazette recommended its readers instead watch Weird Science.[3] A review from JoBlo.com criticized the film's script, but said viewers "might get a chuckle" from watching it.[4]

Plot

Bikini Frankenstein opens with credits stating, "Based on the classic novel by Mary Shelley".

Dr. Victor Frankenstein is a professor of science working at an institution called State University. Professor Cullen is shown engaging in relations in his classroom with Debbie one of his science students. They are discovered by Professor Cullen's rival, rival Clive, who reports them to the Dean of the university, Professor Van Sloane, and brings Van Sloane to the classroom. Debbie is Van Sloane's daughter, and Professor Van Sloane promptly removes Dr. Frankenstein from his role at the university.

Five years later, Dr. Frankenstein is shown having moved back home to Transylvania, to continue working on his research with his assistant, Ingrid. After sleeping with her, he succeeds in bringing the body of Eve, a deceased woman, back to life using energy from a lightning storm. After Eve is brought back to life, she kisses Ingrid and the two become physical with each other in Dr. Frankenstein's laboratory.

Dr. Frankenstein, Eve, and his assistant Ingrid all travel back to America, where Dr. Frankenstein impresses Van Sloane, Dr. Waldman, Dr. Frankenstein's rival Clive, and Claudia, Clive's wife. Dr. Frankenstein originally presents Eve as a sister of Ingrid, in order to for them to become familiar with Eve prior to revealing her true nature as a revived corpse. Dr. Frankenstein leaves for his hotel room to retrieve an object, leaving Eve and Ingrid at Clive's residence. Clive asks Claudia to follow Frankenstein and find out what he is up to, leaving Eve alone with Clive. Clive gives Eve a tour of his residence, and the two fornicate in his office. Claudia meets Dr. Frankenstein at his hotel room and they engage in relations in his room.

Once the group reconvenes their meeting with Eve at Clive's residence, Dr. Frankenstein is met initially with skepticism after revealing the true nature of Eve to the group of assembled onlookers. He provides the death certificate for Eve as a way to verify his scientific claims. Ingrid and Claudia escort Eve to a private room to prepare her for a physical examination. Following an erotic ceremony involving all three women, Eve explodes due to an overdose of excitation. Dr. Frankenstein is undeterred, and proclaims to the group that he will labor further on his experiment at a later date with another deceased body.

Cast

  • Frankie Cullen as Dr. Victor Frankenstein
  • Jayden Cole as Eve
  • Brandin Rackley as Ingrid
  • Christine Nguyen as Claudia
  • Billy Chappell as Clive
  • Ted Newsom as Professor Van Sloane
  • Ron Ford as Dr. Waldman
  • Alexis Texas as Debbie

Production

Bikini Frankenstein was directed by Fred Olen Ray.[5][6] Ray wrote the screenplay as well.[7][8] The film was produced by the production company Retromedia Entertainment.[1] It was broadcast several times in Summer 2010 at fixed times and on demand on the premium channel Cinemax.[9][10] It was released on DVD on January 19, 2010.[11][12] The first indications of the movie Bikini Frankenstein were shown in the movie Bikini Airways. However, the film wasn't shown for a very long time, and the title was dismissed as a hoax. Later, due to the high demand of Cinemax, director Fred Olen Ray resurrected the title Bikini Frankenstein. The film was shot simultaneously with Twilight Vamps. It was released on DVD by BayView Entertainment on December 11, 2012.[13][14] The film distribution company Full Moon Empire acquired the rights to broadcast and release to DVD Bikini Frankenstein, with their 2018 acquisition of New City Releasing's Torchlight Pictures.[15][16]

Reception

Writing in The New Annotated Frankenstein, editor Leslie Klinger described the film as, "Soft porn, about an evil doctor who creates an undead sex kitten."[1] Shane Denson wrote in the 2014 book Postnaturalism: Frankenstein, Film, and the Anthropotechnical Interface that he would place the film within the genre of either "horror/porn or horror/sexploitation".[2] The book Nightmare Movies described it as "video 'product'" directed and produced by Fred Olen Ray.[7] The Oklahoma Gazette wrote of the film's genre, "at least one can't fault Bikini Frankenstein for saying it's based on Mary Shelley's novel, because the core idea of "man creates monster" is indeed there."[3] Dr. Gore's Movie Reviews reviewed Jayden Cole's performance,[17] while Mitch Lovell of The Video Vacuum declared the film as weak, compared to the performances of Christine Nguyen and Brandin Rackley.[18] Tarstarkas.net rated the film 8 out of 10.[19] Obscure Horror wrote, "It's a fun, entertaining film, with plenty of gorgeous folks and countless soft-core sex scenes."[20] HK and Cult Film News praised the film, given the allusions of earlier Frankenstein movies, the music and the cinematography.[21] A review of Bikini Frankenstein on JoBlo.com called it "dumb as a box of hammers" but "not entirely useless" and told the reader, "You might get a chuckle ... out of it".[4] The Oklahoma Gazette recommended readers instead watch Weird Science by John Hughes.[3] Will Pfeifer wrote, "it wins the 'best title of the week award' hands down."[22] Chace Thibodeaux praised the female actresses in the film, writing, "It’s saving grace is the female cast."[23] Thibodeaux highlighted in particular the acting of Alexis Texas, Brandin Rackley, Jayden Cole, and Christine Nguyen.[23]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Klinger, Leslie, ed. (2017), "Frankenstein on the Stage and Screen", The New Annotated Frankenstein, Liveright, pp. 322–324, ISBN 978-0871409492
  2. 1 2 Denson, Shane (2014), Postnaturalism: Frankenstein, Film, and the Anthropotechnical Interface, Transcript Verlag, pp. 32–34, ISBN 9783839428177
  3. 1 2 3 Lott, Rod (23 February 2010), "Twilight Vamps / Bikini Frankenstein / Bikini Jones and the Temple of Eros", Oklahoma Gazette, retrieved 26 October 2020
  4. 1 2 "The DVD Pub reviews Bikini Frankenstein", JoBlo.com, 2010, archived from the original on 7 April 2010, retrieved 26 October 2020
  5. ↑ McKnight, Brent (14 June 2010), "'American Bandits' Ain't No 'Treasure of Sierra Madre'", PopMatters, archived from the original on 10 August 2020, retrieved 26 October 2020
  6. ↑ "Why Dee Wallace is cinema's ultimate mother", Charleston City Paper, 9 May 2018, archived from the original on 26 October 2020, retrieved 26 October 2020
  7. 1 2 Newman, Kim (2011), "The Weirdo Horror film or", Nightmare Movies: Horror on Screen Since the 1960s, Bloomsbury, pp. 194–196, ISBN 9781408805039
  8. ↑ Rocca, Daniele Della (2018), "Bikini Frankenstein", Frankenstein - La storia del mostro più famoso attraverso la letteratura, il teatro, cinema e i fumetti. (in Italian), ISBN 9788827826331
  9. ↑ Shain, Michael (14 February 2011), "HBO's stealth plan to kill off 'Skinemax'", New York Post, archived from the original on 21 September 2013, But HBO hopes it can begin to create a new identity for the channel that goes beyond 'Hotel Erotica' and 'Bikini Frankenstein.'
  10. ↑ Takiff, Jonathan (25 August 2011), "Porn on the iPad", The Philadelphia Inquirer, archived from the original on 26 October 2020, retrieved 26 October 2020
  11. ↑ Bentley, Rick (17 January 2010), "'Whiteout' delivers chills", The Fresno Bee, Tribune, Coming to DVD Tuesday - 'Bikini Frankenstein': Dr. Frankenstein sets out to create the perfect woman.
  12. ↑ Bentley, Rick (26 January 2010), "Out on DVD Jan. 19: 'Whiteout' delivers chills", The Fresno Bee, Tribune
  13. ↑ "Bikini Frankenstein - Releases", Allmovie, archived from the original on 29 May 2013, retrieved 26 October 2020
  14. ↑ Five New Feature Films from Retromedia Coming to DVD in December from BayView Entertainment, BayView Entertainment, 29 September 2012, archived from the original on 1 October 2012, retrieved 26 October 2020
  15. ↑ Hoekstra, Kenn (19 October 2018), "Full Moon Empire Acquires New City Releasing's Torchlight", PopHorror, archived from the original on 26 October 2020
  16. ↑ McNary, Dave (2 October 2018), "Film News Roundup: Samuel Goldwyn Buys Singapore's 'Buffalo Boys' for North America", Variety, archived from the original on 3 October 2018, retrieved 26 October 2020
  17. ↑ "'Bikini Frankenstein' review", Dr. Gore's Movie Reviews, 14 June 2010, archived from the original on 12 November 2011, retrieved 26 October 2020
  18. ↑ Lovell, Mitch (24 May 2011), "Sirens of Skinamax: Christine Nguyen", The Video Vacuum, archived from the original on 24 April 2013
  19. ↑ Tarkas, Tars (17 September 2020), "Bikini Frankenstein (Review)", Tarstarkas.net, archived from the original on 20 September 2010, retrieved 26 October 2020
  20. ↑ "Bikini Frankenstein (2010)", Obscure Horror, 11 June 2010, archived from the original on 11 October 2011, retrieved 26 October 2020
  21. ↑ "Bikini Frankenstein and Twilight Vamps -- DVD reviews", HK and Cult Film News, 29 January 2010, archived from the original on 14 December 2011, retrieved 26 October 2020
  22. ↑ Pfeifer, Will (15 January 2010), "Movie Man: Zombie idea gets a terrifying twist", Hillsdale Daily News
  23. 1 2 Thibodeaux, Chace (15 February 2014), "Bikini Frankenstein", Chacebook, archived from the original on 16 February 2014, retrieved 26 October 2020
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