On Saturday night, Italy witnessed the mesmerizing revival of Guillermo del Toro's lifelong labor of love, "Frankenstein," which premiered with a resounding splash at the Venice Film Festival, exclusively on Netflix. As the credits scrolled to a close, the festival audience showered their admiration with an extended, heartfelt standing ovation that lasted an astonishing 14 minutes, moving both the filmmaker and his lead actor Jacob Elordi to tears.
For the red carpet extravaganza held within the grand Sala Grande on the Lido, del Toro, a seasoned auteur and master of horror, was joined by his star-studded cast comprising Elordi, Oscar Isaac, Mia Goth, Christoph Waltz, Felix Kammerer, and composer Alexandre Desplat. Among the notable attendees were also Netflix's top brass, including Ted Sarandos and Dan Lin, who came to lend their support, alongside former Netflix film chief Scot Stuber, who produced the film. The evening shimmered with celebrity grandeur as guests such as Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Kaitlyn Dever, Jesse Williams, Jessica Williams, and Sofia Carson graced the occasion.
"Frankenstein," an adaptation of Mary Shelley's timeless narrative about Victor Frankenstein, revolves around a brilliant yet arrogant scientist (Isaac) who, in a groundbreaking yet catastrophic experiment, brings a creature (Elordi) to life, ultimately leading to the downfall of both creator and created. Del Toro, in a director's statement, revealed, "This film marks the culmination of a quest that began when I was just 7 years old, after my first encounter with James Whale's 'Frankenstein' films. That pivotal moment ignited a recognition within me: Gothic horror became my sanctuary, and Boris Karloff, my savior."
Scheduled for a limited theatrical release on October 17, "Frankenstein" will make its global debut on Netflix on November 7. The 82nd edition of the Venice Film Festival, which hosted this momentous premiere, runs from August 27 to September 6.
