Which Frankenstein Film is Most Faithful to the Book?
With the recent release of Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein (which I highly recommend), I wanted to find out which Frankenstein movie adaptation is most faithful to the original Mary Shelley book. So I selected 12 contenders and put them to the test.
0:00 Introduction
3:13 The 12 films
7:12 Departures
8:51 Characters
19:25 Plot
43:26 Themes
49:31 Final score
Update: The del Toro version mentions Prometheus, so add a point.
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@DeadManSinging1
November 8, 2026 at 1:41 am
What, no Flesh for Frankenstein
@Blue-Blazes
November 8, 2026 at 1:41 am
Blackenstein will always be the best screen version.
@thisisdylangreenberg
November 8, 2026 at 1:41 am
13:02 wow, well I just learned I read the 1831 edition then. Was always confused that some people said it was his cousin.
@brandonmyers5448
November 8, 2026 at 1:41 am
22:17 the book loses a point I love that
@Laurasamhain
November 8, 2026 at 1:41 am
I Love Mary Shelley's Frankestein by Kenneth Branagh, 1994.
@raibyo
November 8, 2026 at 1:41 am
Am I misremembering or didn't Del Toro's version also mention or reference Prometheus?
@takeshikujo2909
November 8, 2026 at 1:41 am
46:02 That is such a raw performance! The intensity expressed was so palpable!
Also, did anyone else think that the creature in the following clip looked a lot like Mr. X?
@orcwarchiefreviews
November 8, 2026 at 1:41 am
Oh come on James you got to make a deeper dive on that movie it's wildly all over the place
@robjimson1374
November 8, 2026 at 1:41 am
I feel like the Hallmark version is sorely underrated just because it’s made by Hallmark.
@AlSander112
November 8, 2026 at 1:41 am
Jane Austens novels have so many adaptations, but would really like to see pride and prejudice and sense and sensibility (considering there’s a movie in 2026).
David Copperfield would also be a good one, but I think the one with half the Harry potter cast (including danniel Radcliffe as a young Copperfield) would take the cake.
@ThePigVideoGames
November 8, 2026 at 1:41 am
I would've counted the original and bride as one entry
@WilT9-130
November 8, 2026 at 1:41 am
But you skipped the Harry potter Frankenstein! It's not very close, but I do enjoy it.
@SubjectiveCinema
November 8, 2026 at 1:41 am
I remember watching the TNT version when I was a child with my mother. It blew my mind. Before seeing that, my only real knowledge of Frankenstein was the the bits and pieces Id seen from the Universal films, and Monster Squad, so it never occurred to me that the monster was actually kind of evil. I actually read the book after watching it. TNT version is always gonna hold a special spot on my list of Frankenstein movies.
@larsvegas8549
November 8, 2026 at 1:41 am
👻👀🎉
@mikemacdee6390
November 8, 2026 at 1:41 am
Hallmark and Del Toro versions also have yellow skin tight on the bones and watery eyes. They both should've gotten a point.
@lanadela
November 8, 2026 at 1:41 am
My take is that Mary would prefer the Hallmark version and ONLY because you can tell she wrote of the creature in kind of a.. weird way. He is creepy yes, but he is also described as tall, having pearly white teeth, long black hair… Well read… 😂 Hallmark is the only one that stays faithful to her vision of a dreamy sophisticated murder creature!
@ianistheguy
November 8, 2026 at 1:41 am
Time for James to do another Showdown video for The Phantom of the Opera… and maybe A Christmas Carol lol
@jamesraisch1876
November 8, 2026 at 1:41 am
The answer is none. Not one captures the true essence of the book or captures all the sides of the characters.
@troymoseley-s6d
November 8, 2026 at 1:41 am
Just now getting around to watching this. I found it knowledgeable and entertaining.
@frank_unknown85
November 8, 2026 at 1:41 am
I don't like the cinematic trend of making the Creature a poor innocent misunderstood 100% victim. Book-Creature is a goddamn serial killer who pursues his vengeance against Frankenstein entirely by first-degree-murdering innocent people.
@oldkingsfilms1869
November 8, 2026 at 1:41 am
Awesome!!!! Thanks james, I loved it.
@Vanny1999-SB
November 8, 2026 at 1:41 am
“Young Frankenstein” is comedy genius.
@cinematicsterling6897
November 8, 2026 at 1:41 am
since we have a new hunchback of notre dame coming out, i would love to see james compare all the hunchback adaptations
@Nightshade794
November 8, 2026 at 1:41 am
Didn't know Del Toro made a Frankenstein film. Funny enough son of Frankenstein exists in the james wales universal series. It actually follws the timelines of the universal Frankenstein movies as well as makes mentions to different events from some if the movies such as son of Frankenstein. With the main point that history repeats itself. The monster kills a prison guard in young Frankenstein. Its the only person he kills.
@funkyweapon1981
November 8, 2026 at 1:41 am
Here's a question. Would Victor Frankenstein's actions be considered evil? In most cases, he just wanted to prove everyone else wrong, so I'd say he was somewhat evil.
@sjmhadsock4586
November 8, 2026 at 1:41 am
Invisible man next
@Knockout_Mouse
November 8, 2026 at 1:41 am
"Everybody loves Young Frankenstein"
Yup. I definitely wanted that one to win, but I get that a Mel Brooks parody might not be the most true to the source material.
Also, the creature definitely kills someone angrily and spitefully in that version. It was during the prison scene when the guard was flashing a lit match in his face. I suppose it wasn't just pure murderous intent, but he choked the life out of that guy and didn't look back.
@theodorecarter6601
November 8, 2026 at 1:41 am
You’ll definitely have an even harder time with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.