My Wife, My Friend and I Played a Game of Scream Drafts to Determine the 13 Best Frankenstein Films.

 A mega edition of the Scream Drafts (called Scream Drafts when horror is covered in October) podcast involves at least three players and at least 13 picks. This the route we went 13 choices, 3 players (a friend Scott, who came up with this game topic, and my wife Vanessa and I) and the topic was Frankenstein films. Frankenstein (doctor or monster) had to be a major character in the film or the film had to be heavily inspired by the plot (like Rocky Horror Picture Show or the indie film Depraved). Two films that were deemed ineligible (deeming so required a 2/3 vote) before we started were Monster Squad and (much to my chagrin) Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman. It was decided that these did not have enough scenes featuring the monster or the doctor or they just were integral to the plot.

The first part of the game was the prep. Then I contacted podcast master and man of many blu ray commentaries Rod Barnett (The Bloody Pit, The Naschycast). We needed a person to provide trivia to determine who got which picks. And we needed someone knowledgeable in horror. He asked some very good questions (first film featuring the character, what was the novel categorized as...etc) and I won trivia, Scott came in second and Vanessa came in third. For clarification after I post the options, veto cards allow a player to eliminate a choice on that position on the list. You can veto a pick in the hopes it gets played higher later, as happened in our game.  Veto overrides allow a vetoed pick to stay at that position so it is like the person that tried to eliminate a choice simply wasted a card.

Our Choices 

Option C (5 choices more towards the bottom) 13, 12, 9, 6 and 3--comes with two veto cards

Option B (4 choices) 11, 8, 5 and 2--comes with 2 veto cards and an override

Option A (4 choices all in top 10 including number one)  10, 7, 4 and 1--one veto card & one override.

I chose option B because I wanted close to the top and two vetoes in case things got weird. Scott chose C. He wanted the usually more adventurous bottom picks and Vanessa was given option A with the number one. We met at a coffee shop and did our best to make a copacetic list. At 13, Scott chose:

13. Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell (1974)

(Director Terence Fisher)

Scott found this to be one of the weirder looks of the monster. He liked the mental hospital setting and he way the good doctor (Peter Cushing) chose his body parts.Vanessa liked this choice at the placement. But  I did not; I considered the Hammer films among the most consistent and wanted to play this at my number two choice. I loved head of the asylum, his mute daughter and the way the monster ends up. I could have vetoed but it was on the list, and I did not think I could get it placed as high as I would have liked.

12. Frankenweenie (2012)

(Director Tim Burton) The 80's version of this film was a perennial for young Scott. But he found this version more fleshed out (so to speak). He told a story about showing it to his young daughter and her realizing their dog would not be around forever. Vanessa was fine with this choice and had it a little higher on her own list. I considered the eighties version but have never seen this one. I will be glad to though. My pick was next.

11. Dracula vs Frankenstein (1970)

(Director Al Adamson) I feel in love with Lon Chaney Jr watching some of the Universal films. And (for reasons cited earlier) Meets the Wolfman was unavailable to use. So I chose Chaney's last role which also fit into the monster rally fun aspect of some of these films. I love the fake Frankenstein look here. I love the fun house setting and the hippy lead who has Dean Martin swagger. This was a fun one and both of my co-drafters seemed to agree it was a fine number eleven. Vanessa had her first pick of the draft at number ten.

10. The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster (2023)

(Director Bomani Story) Vanessa was really impressed with the characters including the lead angry girl and the drug dealer character. I loved the father and the intelligent sister. Scott was impressed by the look of the monster, found his conversing with the little girl creepy. We were all impressed by this film and had no interest in a veto. A veto did occur in the next choice (Scott's). That film was The Horror of Frankenstein (1970). Scott was impressed by the wildness of it. And having seen dozens of movies in prep for this draft. I did not see Horror and vetoed it. Some people would never use a veto for a movie they have not seen, but I would and did.

(After Veto) 09. Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter (1966)

(Director William Beaudine) Scott thought it was important to have different genres on here.And this is the only western.  Scott liked the bro nature of James and his pal. He liked the look of the monster who was no frills but scary buff. I liked it okay. I did not want to use another veto. Vanessa did not use a veto, but she voiced regret about that later. I was next vetoed by Scott when I tried to play Bride of Frankenstein (1935) at number 8. I am just not in love with the mini zoo and the talking Frank. I also thought the most iconic stuff happens in the last few moments. And it is no romance. I thought it needed to be on the list. But I did not want it too high. Scott vetoed so it could be played higher.

(After Veto) 08. The Erotic Rites of Frankenstein (1973)

(Director Jess Franco) This is my favorite Frankenstein film. It has such wild imagination and everything but the kitchen sink appeal. I truly love this one. Scott and Vanessa were lukewarm, at best found it weirdly compelling, but not lukewarm enough to use a veto.Vanessa tried to play Mary Shelly's Frankenstein at number seven, but Scott vetoed to get it higher. I forgot I had a veto override or I would have used it.

(After Veto) 07. Edward Scissorhands (1990)

(Director Tim Burton) My wife  would later regret playing this over Rocky Horror, which she was afraid someone would veto. But she loves this film and all the beats it shares with the Universal original. Scott had no vetoes but seemed a mild fan and I was not going to use a veto as I think it is a good film.

06. The Bride (1985)

(Director Franc Roddam) Scott really enjoyed the monster in the film, found Sting ethereal and loved Jennifer Beals. He also found the story of the little person very tragic. Vanessa and I agreed. I love anytime Quentin Crisp is in a film. And V loved that the monster and the bride may end up together, unlike the screaming bride of the film I was finally able to play at 5.

05. The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

(Director James Whale) My wife had secretly purchased a Bride coaster and planned to slam it down when she picked this at number one. I certainly let her down playing it at five. But she did not veto. Her pick was next.

04. Mary Shelly's Frankenstein (1994)

(Director Kenneth Branagh) The idea of this play seemed to be that though this was not the most enjoyable Frankenstein film, it was the most complete and therefore deserved to be ranked highly. I like the film and did not want to use my last veto outside of the top three.

03. Birth/Rebirth (2023)

(Director Laura Moss) Scott played this at three. I had planned to play it or Ghost of Frankenstein at 2. He was moved by the sheer dread. There are so many rough scenes in this: what happens to the older pregnant woman, what happens to the pig. Vanessa liked this film very much but not at this high. But she was happy enough not to use her veto.

02. The Creeps (1997)

(Director Charles Band) I got to thinking about Frankenstein and B films. Frankenstein was made for B productions. And despite the look of the list already, I wanted to put the one that I found the most interesting. Scott had not seen this one. Vanessa did not care for this one and was about to veto until I gave an impassioned plea about the archetype machine  requiring first edition books that the doctor uses to create the monsters and how literature gets top billing; better to live in books than on Earth. The detective here was a film buff and his client was a librarian. It reminded me of my wife and I. Vanessa had number one, and since I played Bride of a while ago, she had only one choice.

01. Frankenstein (1931)

(Director James Whale) This is the one, still scary after nearly 100 years. So many iconic scenes. 

We finished the list, generally optimistic about how it ended up. And I hope readers enjoy the twists and turns we took.