When looking at the history of horror and more specifically horror literature, it's hard to be more iconic than Mary Shelley's 1818 epic Frankenstein. While portrayals have strayed over time from Shelley's novel, there's no denying the cultural impact of her work even two centuries after its writing. Naturally countless adaptations have come over the years, and with the iconic Guillermo del Toro bringing his vision to it this year, I thought this would be a fun list for October. Upon the idea for this list coming to me I tried a simple google search of Frankenstein movies and was in shock by just how much there has been. From the Universal Monster movies of the 30s and 40s to the Hammer films of the 50s and 60s, from terrifying to campy, from animated films for children to pornographic parodies, stories featuring Frankenstein's monster or the story itself are everywhere. I went through Wikipedia's list of films featuring the monster, and it's kind of hilarious seeing just how many entries there are, including some I hadn't even thought of. So without further adieu, I'll get on to the list. In order to qualify here you needed to be either echoing the Frankenstein story of reanimation (either a direct adaptation or something clearly influenced), or a film featuring Frankenstein's monster in some capacity. There are some movies like Lilo and Stitch and The Addams Family that are included on that wikipedia list but I think those are a bit of a stretch so they won't be included here (nor will the Niagara Falls Burger King).
#20 - Weird Science (1985)
Weird Science is one of those movies I didn't even think of in the grand lexicon of Frankenstein movies. When you really look at it though, this is a story of two guys creating life. Admittedly Weird Science is one of the John Hughes movies that hasn't aged so well, but it still has a good amount of charm. Along with the two leads and their beautiful computer-made Lisa, this features a very early Robert Downey Jr. performance that I think is worth the price of admission (or I guess video rental) alone. 
#19 - House of Frankenstein (1944)
A large piece of the history of Frankenstein in film comes from countless appearances in the Universal Monster franchise. A lot of these movies blend together, so this is one of three in a row on the list. House of Frankenstein is one of the sequels that seemingly just threw a bunch of different monsters and hoped it worked. The effects and performances are great, and compared to other films around this time it has a pretty great ending.
#18 - Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943)
For most of the Universal movies, Frankenstein's monster is played by the great Boris Karloff. In this one however, Dracula actor Bela Lugosi takes the role, a decision that isn't necessarily bad but does feel a bit strange throughout. Where this really succeeds though is with Lon Chaney taking on the Wolf Man role again. His performance is a lot more emotional than I expected it to be, and the dynamic between the Wolf Man and the monster is a ton of fun. This was one of the first instances of the Universal monsters showing up alongside one another and I think it was a pretty solid success.
#17 - Son of Frankenstein (1939)
With a title like Son of Frankenstein I fully expected this to be tough to sit through, but it's a lot better than I expected going in. This takes place years after the first film, and follows one of Dr. Frankenstein's sons as he finds the monster in a comatose state. He brings the monster back to life only to learn he is now controlled by a vengeful Ygor. The premise is honestly pretty cool, although it takes a bit too long for the monster to actually appear on screen. The sets more than make up for that though, with some of the best production design of any Universal Monster movie. 
#16 - Frankenweenie (2012)
We now take a detour from the Universal movies to Tim Burton's 2012 Disney film Frankenweenie. An adaptation of Burton's 1984 short film, which itself is an homage to Frankenstein, this stop-motion effort follows a young boy named Victor as he brings his dead dog back to life. Burton is in my opinion one of the perfect filmmakers to tackle a Frankenstein-esque story (along with another we'll get to later), and Frankenweenie shows exactly why his gothic tendencies work so well for a story inspired by Shelley's epic. This offers a beautifully crafted and quite cute take that is perfect for viewers of all ages during the Halloween season.
#15 - The Monster Squad (1987)
This is one of the movies I was referencing that isn't a Frankenstein story but features the monster in some capacity. The Monster Squad is the main reason I set that rule. This features a handful of iconic monsters, most notably Dracula as the main antagonist, but Frankenstein's monster actually has some pivotal moments in the film. This one follows a group of kids obsessed with monsters who must use their expertise to stop Dracula and co. when they search for an amulet that will let them rule the world. There are moments where the script clearly hasn't aged well, but if you're looking for a Goonies style 80s movie that happens to have all the iconic monsters you could wish for, you can't get much better than The Monster Squad. "Wolf Man's got nards!"
#14 - Scooby-Doo! and the Reluctant Werewolf (1988)
This is without a doubt the biggest stretch on this list. Frankenstein's monster is honestly barely in the movie, but this is one I have such a deep nostalgic love for that I couldn't resist taking the chance to talk about it. Scooby-Doo! and the Reluctant Werewolf is one of the earliest Scooby-Doo movies, back when the films only features Scooby and Shaggy (and Scrappy in some). This one takes place in a world where the famous monsters (including Frankenstein's) have a yearly rally race to determine the monster of the year. When the werewolf backs out of the competition, Dracula turns Shaggy into a werewolf to compete in the race, where he must win if he wants to go back to normal. For whatever reason the idea of a bunch of iconic monsters racing tickled an itch for me as a child, and all these years later I still love throwing this one on. Frankenstein's monster is just one of the contestants, but there's enough of him there for me to show this movie some love.
#13 - The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
Here we have another movie I didn't think of before reading that Wikipedia list, largely because despite my enjoyment of it I often struggle to recall what The Rocky Horror Picture Show is actually about. Upon rejogging my memory though, of course this is a Frankenstein movie. This feels about as far from the traditional story you can get while still being pretty clearly influenced by Shelley's work. The Rocky Horror Picture show is a staple of the Halloween season for many, offering an audacious and over the top musical/comedy/horror that entertains to the core even if you don't have a clue what's happening on screen. Tim Curry as Dr. Frank-N-Furter is also about as iconic as a movie character can be, this may not be near the top of the list but it's still an absolute classic. 
#12 - Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)
Towards the end of the 40s, the Universal Monster movies were starting to get very very forgettable. Gone was all the great horror of the 30s and in turn was an endless run of sequels that all get lost in the shuffle. In 1948 though, we got a shift in the formula with the introduction of the comedy duo Abbott and Costello, bringing a sense of fun to the movies that wasn't really there before. This is in my opinion pretty handily the best of their forays into the series, putting them onscreen alongside Frankenstein's monster as well as Dracula and the Wolf Man. The campiness here works wonderfully with the less serious versions of the monsters, and all in all it's a very fun watch.
#11 - Young Frankenstein (1974)
This is one that I'm sure a lot of people would put higher, but I've seen in twice now and it hasn't quite become one I LOVE. Don't get me wrong, Young Frankenstein is a fantastic movie, there's just 10 I like a bit more. With comedic genius Mel Brooks behind the camera, I'm always shocked by how much less I laugh than expected. It's still a very funny movie, but not the constant laugh out loud kind of funny that other parody films are. Narratively it's very much delivering the classic Frankenstein story, but with a lighter tone that is constantly entertaining even when it isn't going for laughs. The 'Puttin on the Ritz' scene is one of the best in any movie ever, and despite being a comedy the visuals are honestly astonishing. 
#10 - The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
I'm pretty well versed in the Universal Monster movies, but perhaps nearly as important in horror history are the Hammer films. The Curse of Frankenstein was the first monster movie Terence Fisher directed for Hammer Studios, one year before his iconic take on Dracula. In this film Peter Cushing delivers my absolute favourite take on Dr. Frankenstein, playing him with a grandiose and arrogance that I just found absolutely perfect. Perhaps just as interesting is the great Christopher Lee playing the monster, giving probably the most acclaimed duo play the two characters. This is such a great take on the story, not the best obviously but one that feels classic while also taking strides cinematically from the Universal movies.
#9 - May (2002)
May is a movie I didn't think of as a Frankenstein movie, but upon a rewatch I think it definitely qualifies. I won't go too in depth in case you haven't seen the film, as the ending is pretty awesome if you don't know what to expect. This offers one of the best coming of age horror movies I've seen, with the titular May offering one of the most fascinating horror characters of the 2000s thanks to her slightly off demeanour and the way she goes about relationships. It's an unsettling watch but also one with a bit of a sense of camp that makes you root for her from start to finish. Really enjoyed revisiting May for this list, a deeply underrated 2000s horror.
#8 - Frankenstein (2025)
Now we come to the latest entry in this list. While this isn't one of the best movies on this list, I firmly believe that Guillermo del Toro was the perfect filmmaker to tackle Frankenstein. He approaches this film with such a clear love of the source material and desire to do right by Shelley's novel, and the end result is something as close to the original story as I think we can get on screen. Jacob Elordi plays a version of the monster much closer to that of the book, growing knowledgable and well spoken as the story goes on. Oscar Isaac plays Dr. Frankenstein pretty over the top, but it works, making him take on the mad scientist persona while also growing less and less fond of him. At the end of the day we're supposed to feel for the monster, and del Toro captures that empathy better than any other filmmaker has in prior adaptations. Of course being a Guillermo del Toro film this also features unbelievable sets, costume, and makeup, making it a visual feast along with how great the storytelling is. I can easily see myself loving this one more and more as the years go by, but for now it's a very strong #8.
#7 - Poor Things (2023)
Back a few years ago when I read Poor Things I struggled to define it beyond 'horny Scottish Frankenstein', and lo and behold here it is. Based on Alasdair Gray's fascinating novel, Yorgos Lanthimos infuses this clearly Frankenstein inspired story with a wild sense of whimsy, delivering something that feels otherwordly from start to finish. The film follows a Frankenstein-esque mad scientist who takes the body of a woman who committed suicide and brings life to it. The result is the mind of a child in the body of a grown woman, and an accelerated growth of maturity that leads her to a lot of sexual liberation. Upon its release, this film became somewhat controversial due to its subject matter, but it's a film I love, largely thanks to Emma Stone's incredible lead performance. The rest of the cast is great, but Stone was a well deserved Oscar winner for her absolute marvel of a performance here. There are moral questions surrounding the narrative, but in the end I think this a pretty beautiful tale of self discovery, and a very horny take on a Frankenstein story. 
#6 - The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Talk about iconic. It's hard to beat the iconography of Universal's take on the monster, but the bride might be even more visually striking. Bride of Frankenstein is one of the earliest sequels not just in horror but in film in general, and it brilliantly follows up its predecessor. It isn't as cool and creepy as Frankenstein, or even its other Universal predecessors The Invisible Man and Dracula, but it makes up for that with some stunning visuals. The sets and cinematography are frankly insane, offering a feast for the eyes on top of a great monster movie. I wouldn't judge for a second if you put this in the top spot.
#5 - Frankenhooker (1990)
To put it simply, Frankenhooker is quickly becoming a favourite of mine. With a title like that you have to expect a goofy B-movie, and that assumption would absolutely be right, but there's just a magic to it that I love. It certainly helps that director Frank Henenlotter is arguably the king of 80s/90s B-movie horror, but I also just adore these characters. The mad scientist Jeffrey is deeply flawed and somewhat misogynistic, but gets what's coming to him in a way that is shockingly feminist coded for a film littered with nudity. The opening of the film is iconic, and introduces us to Elizabeth, who ends up killed in a lawnmower accident only for Jeffrey to bring her back to life using the parts of sex workers. Patty Mullen as Elizabeth delivers one of my favourite horror characters of all time, offering an iconic look and a hilarious performance. The ending elevates this one a lot, but even without it this is just an hilarious watch that I have more fun with each and every time I watch it.
#4 - Lisa Frankenstein (2024)
There might not be a more Matt-coded movie in recent years than Lisa Frankenstein. Blending the colourful 80s style of films like Heathers but giving it a horror twist, director Zelda Williams (daughter of Robin Williams) and writer Diablo Cody (Juno and Jennifer's Body) deliver a horror romantic comedy for the ages. The titular Lisa is a socially awkward teen who fawns over the bust of a long deceased gentleman in a graveyard near her house. A storm brings him back to life, and he and Lisa fall for each other as she puts his decayed parts back together. It's such a fun movie, thanks in part to the dynamic between Kathryn Newton as Lisa and Cole Sprouse as the creature, but it's the energy Williams infuses into Cody's already great script that make this feel so special. The vibes here are just terrific, and the neon drenched posters for the film are some of my favourites in recent years. I know not everyone is as obsessed with this one as I am, but it's just too far up my alley to not be one that I love.
#3 - Re-Animator (1985)
If you need the perfect example of what made 80s horror so great, look no further than Re-Animator. This follows Herbert West, a scientist taking on the groundbreaking work of re-animating corpses. While he lacks the class of Dr. Frankenstein, West is a perfect mad scientist, a man so blinded by his ego that he doesn't see the dangers of his work. Re-Animator is filled to the brim with some of the best 80s horror effects, some delivering gory fun while others are genuinely unsettling. Jeffrey Combs is perfectly cast as West, and Barbara Crampton is near her best here. It's a campy but gruesome watch that perfectly infuses a Frankenstein-esque story with the style of 80s horror.
#2 - Frankenstein (1931)
It almost feels wrong not having this in the top spot. While I'd but The Invisible Man in the top spot as far as Universal monster movies go, Frankenstein is a very close second. Boris Karloff's performance as the monster is the version that has inspired for nearly a century now, defining the visual look of the creature for the 94 years since the film's release. Even aside from Karloff though, this is just an incredibly crafted movie. The iconic shot of the burning windmill is just one of countless memorable moments despite the film clocking in at just over an hour, and despite that short runtime director James Whale manages to pack a decent amount of the story and themes from Shelley's novel into the film. If you haven't had the pleasure of watching Frankenstein, I'd urge you to do so as soon as possible. For a film this old it has aged remarkably well, and with a short runtime there's no reason not to give it a shot.
#1 - Edward Scissorhands (1990)
As weird as it feels not putting Frankenstein #1, there's simply no better movie on this list than Tim Burton's 1990 classic Edward Scissorhands. At first I was a bit surprised to see this included on that Frankenstein movie list, but upon a much needed rewatch it's easy to see the correlations. This is the tale of an unfinished creation, with Vincent Price's mad scientist passing away before giving Edward real hands. Burton's style may be at its best here, delivering an over the top suburban world that feels both familiar and fantastical. Johnny Depp portrays Edward with a softness that makes him impossible not to feel for despite his frightening appearance, perfectly echoing the misunderstood nature of Frankenstein's monster. The way the town turns on Edward and quickly turns into a mob to chase him out only cements this as a Frankenstein story. So while Edward Scissorhands may not be an official adaptation of Shelley's novel, Burton's film is one that echoes its narrative while perfectly understanding the emotions of the story. Simply put, this is a perfect movie.
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