Frankenstein: The College Years
A Fox television film reviving Frankenstein on a college campus.
Frankenstein: The College Years is a 1991 American television film that debuted on Fox on Monday, October 28, 1991. Directed by Tom Shadyac in his directorial debut, it was broadcast as a Fox original programming event.
Quick Facts
- Screenplay
- Bryant Christ; John Trevor Wolff
- Director
- Tom Shadyac
- Starring
- William Ragsdale
- Christopher Daniel Barnes
- Larry Miller
- Theme music
- Joel McNeely
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
- Producer
- Bob Engelman
- Editor
- David Garfield
Facts from the source article.
Background
Vincent Hammond, who was 6' 11", got the role of Frankenstein because his height made him stand out while he was part of the special effects crew. He had landed a similar part in Predator 2 as an alien. While constructing sets for the film, he was pulled into playing the monster through a "special ability" clause in his contract; since he was already an extra, he never signed a new contract or joined the Screen Actors Guild. William Ragsdale, who portrays one of the two college students who bring the monster back to life, thought at his audition that the project was a theatrical feature, not a Fox TV movie. Once filming ended, Fox asked him to lead their sitcom Herman's Head, which lasted three seasons. The script, written by Bryant Christ and John Trevor Wolff, represents the only IMDb writing credit for either man.
Reception
Reviews of the movie were mixed. Those expecting a silly TV comedy about Frankenstein's monster in college, as the title promised, generally received what they expected. Those who expected more from the still-growing Fox network, which did not broadcast seven nights a week until the 1993–94 season, were less impressed. Mike Hughes of Gannett News Service called the movie "mild, but has some funny moments, particularly from Larry Miller in support." Dan Taylor of the Santa Rosa Press Democrat found it "not original" but "lots of fun" and "charming." Mark Dawidziak of the Akron Beacon Journal was harsher, calling it "frightening, all right – frighteningly bad" and described it as "Munsters material put through the Ferris Bueller shredder." Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly gave the movie a D+ rating, calling it a "teen exploitation film without a good exploitation film’s gratuitous skin or energetic vulgarity." In 2014, Canadian film critic Richard Crouse, while reviewing I, Frankenstein, described the film as "basically an unlikely mix of Shelley’s story and Encino Man." The premiere did not perform well in the weekly Nielsen ratings, ranking 88 out of 95 shows with a 6.1 rating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who stars in Frankenstein: The College Years?
Frankenstein: The College Years stars William Ragsdale, Christopher Daniel Barnes and Larry Miller.
Which network aired Frankenstein: The College Years?
Frankenstein: The College Years aired on Fox Broadcasting Company.
More in Fox Broadcasting Company Original Programming
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