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Thrill Geek
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Thrill Geek
REVIEW – Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment at Universal Epic Universe
Universal Orlando Resort's newest and greatest theme park, Universal Epic Universe, is officially opening on May 22, 2025, and with it, may be one of, if not the best, dark ride ever created for a theme park, Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment. Let's take a closer look at this incredible new attraction coming soon to Universal Epic Universe. The queue Guests embark on their adventure inside the foreboding Frankenstein Manor, a towering structure that dominates the skyline of Dark Universe from the moment you enter the portal. There is no missing it. The queue for the attraction leads you through corridors steeped in gothic architecture and moody, atmospheric lighting, including tons of electric-themed wires and cables. As you progress deeper into the manor, guests encounter intricate set pieces and artifacts that suggest the manor's dark history of experimentation, including a standout exhibit showcasing Boris Karloff's original Frankenstein's monster corpse. One thing I HIGHLY recommend is getting caught up on the classic Universal Monster movies if you have not yet done so. There are several Easter Eggs throughout the attraction queue that you might notice if you're a fan of the classic Universal Monster movies. NOTE: The Universal Monsters in the attraction show up in order of their movie release, starting with The Hunchback of Notre Dame The preshow(s) One of the coolest things about this attraction is that it features not one, but two preshows. The first preshow features Dr. Frankenstein's assistant, Ygor, who introduces guests to the ride's KUKA ride vehicles and provides a glimpse into the experiments' mechanics. Which, for those that don't know, is the same KUKA robotics technology that's used on Harry Potter and The Forbidden Journey. Good news for those who get nauseous on Forbidden Journey due to the screen bubbles, like me! There are NO screen bubbles on Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment, just massive sets, animatronics, and screens that are done incredibly well. The second preshow introduces us to Dr. Victoria Frankenstein, the protagonist of the attraction. It outlines her plan to control the Universal Monsters we know, including Dracula, The Wolf Man, The Creature from the Black Lagoon, and more. This preshow also gives us our first glimpse of the incredibly impressive animatronics on this attraction. Not only is Victoria herself a very impressive animatronic, but you're then introduced to her new version of Frankenstein's Monster. Towering at an impressive nine feet and weighing more than 800 pounds, this animatronic ranks among the largest and most sophisticated ever developed by Universal. And this is just the beginning of the impressive animatronics sprinkled throughout this attraction. NOTE: After the second preshow are the lockers for you to store your personal belongings. There are no metal detectors on the attraction, but it is strongly suggested that you store your loose articles due to the intensity of the attraction. Lockers for small, loose items are available free of charge while you ride. The attraction Unlike Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey at Islands of Adventure, which features a straight loading platform, Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment features a semi-circle loading platform, similar to what you see on Kail River Rapids and Popeye & Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barges. Once boarded, you are then whisked off into the depths of the Frankenstein Manor where Ygor takes control of your ride vehicle and you are once again greeted by Victora Frankenstein, but not before being introduced to two Universal Monsters right off the bat, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, who you might miss if you're not paying attention (look inside the giant bell overhead). And my favorite scene of the entire attraction, The Phantom of the Opera. The Phantom of the Opera scene delivers theatrical flair with explosive fire effects. Guests come face-to-face with the Phantom's impressive pipe organ—a showstopping set piece that erupts with 14 towering jets of flame, each blast choreographed to the haunting notes of his haunting musical tunes. And of course, just like a lot of other rides at Universal Orlando Resort, not everything goes according to plan. Victoria's plans of controlling the Monsters go wrong, and Dracula escapes, thus beginning an over three-minute adventure of Dracula unleashing Universal Monsters on you at every turn. What sets 'Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment' apart from any ride Universal has ever done is the sheer amount of animatronics in the attraction. And impressive ones at that. Some of the most impressive animatronics Universal has ever built are featured in this ride, including Wolf Man, Creature from the Black Lagoon, Mummy, and more. The ride itself is a lot more fluid than Forbidden Journey, with movements being less jerky and a lot smoother between scenes, yet keeping you on the edge of your seat as to what is coming next. One of the greatest things technically about the ride is that Universal was able to use screen technology and integrate it into the ride to make it less obvious that you are just simply staring at a massive screen, such as building massive structures around the screens to hide them. Rise of the Resistance at Disney's Hollywood Studios is a great example of this. Theme parks, whether Disney and/or Universal, are getting a lot better at blurring the line between what is a screen and what isn't one. Conclusion Blending classic Universal Monsters lore with cutting-edge technology, 'Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment' pushes the boundaries of the modern horror theme park attraction. As Epic Universe approaches its grand opening, the attraction is quickly positioning itself as the flagship attraction at Universal Epic Universe, as Team Member previews wrapped up, and now Passholder previews are happening. It took me a while to decide which dark ride is the king of Universal Epic Universe. Between this attraction and the other groundbreaking attraction at Universal Epic Universe, Harry Potter and the Ministry of Magic. I had to go with Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment due to its incredible animatronics, massive set design, special effects, fantastic screen usage, and incredible storytelling, which is sometimes not easy to pull off on an attraction of this scale. Parents, if you're little ones are frightened easily, they may want to sit this one out. The ride is pretty much Halloween Horror Nights as a ride. The ride does feature a 48-inch height requirement to ride. Child Swap is available for Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment. Clint Gamache is the owner of ThrillGeek. He started ThrillGeek to share his love of theme/amusement parks and pop culture with the world. You can find him at Halloween Horror Nights. Also, be sure to follow him on Twitter/X, Instagram @iamcg83
Forbes
19-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
‘The Bride Of Frankenstein' Reaches Landmark Anniversary This Weekend
1935: The monster, played by Boris Karloff (1887 - 1969), believes he has found his true mate in ... More 'Bride of Frankenstein', directed by James Whale. The would-be bride is played by English actress Elsa Lanchester (1902 - 1986). (Photo via John) The Bride of Frankenstein — the classic sequel to Frankenstein starring Boris Karloff and Elsa Lanchester — celebrates a big anniversary this weekend. Directed by Frankenstein filmmaker James Whale, Universal Studio's The Bride of Frankenstein is based on a subplot in Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley's legendary 1818 novel Frankenstein. Karloff reprised his role from the original film as Frankenstein's Monster, as did Colin Clive as Dr. Henry Frankenstein. Lanchester plays two roles in the film, as Shelley in the film's prologue and The Bride in the film's climactic final scene. The Bride of Frankenstein also stars Ernest Thesiger as Dr. Septimus Pretorius, Dwight Frye as Pretorious' henchman, Karl, Gavin Gordon as Lord Byron, Valerie Hobson as Elizabeth Frankenstein and O. P. Heggie as the blind fiddle player whom Frankenstein's Monster encounters in the character's forest abode. The Bride of Frankenstein celebrates its 90th anniversary on Sunday. The film premiered in U.S. theaters on April 20, 1935, about three and a half years after the release of Frankenstein on Nov. 21, 1931. The Bride of Frankenstein largely features Frankenstein's Monster and the events leading up top the creation of his mate, while the character of The Bride doesn't appear until the final scene of the film. While The Bride's appearance in The Bride of Frankenstein amounts to less than five minutes of screen time, the indelible image of the Elsa Lanchester character — made complete with shocks of lightning bolt streaks in her hair — has become iconic. In addition, the film has stood the test of time with critics, as Rotten Tomatoes reviewers gave the film a 98% 'fresh' rating based on 54 reviews, while Entertainment Weekly in 2023 named it the best horror sequel of all time ahead of 19 other film classics. Publicity still portrait of American actress Elsa Lanchester (1902 - 1986) in the film 'The Bride of ... More Frankenstein' (directed by James Whale), 1935. (Photo by John) Elsa Lanchester's version of The Bride in The Bride of Frankenstein has become such a big part of Universal Studios Monsters' lore that she has been featured alongside Bela Lugosi's Dracula, Lon Chaney Jr.'s Wolfman, Boris Karloff's Frankenstein's Monster and the Mummy and Ben Chapman/Ricou Browning's The Creature from the Black Lagoon as the faces of the studio's franchise for decades. To this day, The Bride of Frankenstein remains a big part of Universal Studios Monsters merchandising, from Halloween costumes, Gothic-style apparel and action figures. The Bride has also gone on to be featured in other film iterations of the tale or Frankenstein's tale in the decades since the release of The Bride of Frankenstein in 1935. Among the films featuring the monster's mate are the 1973 telefilm Frankenstein: The True Story, which starred Jane Seymour as The Bride opposite Michael Sarrazin's Monster; and 1985's The Bride, starring Jennifer Beals in the title role opposite Sting's Dr. Frankenstein. The Bride also appeared in director Kenneth Branagh's Mary Shelley's Frankenstein in 1994, where Helena Bonham Carter plays the doomed mate of Robert De Niro's Frankenstein's Monster. LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - APRIL 01: (L-R) Maggie Gyllenhaal and Jessie Buckley speak onstage during ... More CinemaCon 2025 - Warner Bros. Pictures invites you to 'The Big Picture' a special presentation of its upcoming slate at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace during CinemaCon, the official convention of Cinema United, on April 1, 2025, in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo byfor CinemaCon) Jessie Buckley will be next to play the iconic role of The Bride of Frankenstein in writer-director Maggie Gyllenhaal's The Bride, which also stars Christian Bale as Frankenstein's Monster. The Bride is set for a March 6, 2026, release in theaters. Meanwhile, Guillermo del Toro is preparing a new version of Frankenstein for Netflix, which is scheduled to be released in theaters in November before it debuts on the streamer on a date that is yet to be announced. Jacob Elordi stars as Frankenstein's Monster in the film and there's no word yet whether the story will include The Bride. Oscar Isaac also stars as Dr. Victor Frankenstein and Mia Goth plays Elizabeth. As for another Universal Studios Monsters' version of The Bride of Frankenstein, only time will tell if Universal Pictures will either try to resurrect its shuttered Dark Universe of monster movies or go the route of the cost-efficient reboots of The Invisible Man and Wolf Man, both directed by Leigh Whannell. In the Dark Universe version of the Frankenstein tale that never happened, Angelina Jolie, per Variety, was being considered to star in thet title role in The Bride of Frankenstein in 2020 with Javier Bardem onboard to play Frankenstein's Monster. Viewers who want to celebrate The Bride of Frankenstein's 90th anniversary on Sunday can purchase or rent the film on several digital platforms including AppleTV, Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Spectrum and Movies Anywhere.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
One-man musical comedy version of Frankenstein coming to Settle
A one-man musical comedy version of Frankenstein is coming to Settle. Lamphouse Theatre will perform their show, Frankenstein (On a Budget), at Victoria Hall on June 18. The show, which parodies the original Boris Karloff films and the Rocky Horror Show while also paying homage to Mary Shelley's original story, features just one actor playing all the characters. It also features, in the words of a spokesperson, "a full soundtrack of brand new music, some decidedly dodgy backdrops, lots of weather-based puns, plenty of cardboard props, and more hats than you can throw a stick at." The show is recommended for people aged 14 and over. Producer Becky Owen-Fisher said: "Frankenstein (On a Budget) is the perfect follow-up On a Budget show, created by the same team that made War of the Worlds (On a Budget) in 2022. "We're back with a bang! "Expect electrifyingly bad effects, cardboard chaos, and a terrifyingly tenuous link to the Hammer horror films of the 30s." The show features Tom Fox in his role as Dr Frankenstein, the Monster, and every other character, with music by Rebecca Applin, direction by Mercè Ribot, and musical direction by Sam Sommerfeld. Frankenstein (On a Budget) received several five-star reviews from its Edinburgh Fringe run and a thumbs-up from comedian Dara Ó Briain, who called it "a small gem." Tickets for the show at Victoria Hall, Kirkgate, Settle, BD24 9DZ, are priced at £15. The performance will start at 7.30pm. For more information, please visit
