It’s not a horror film, rather ‘a dark period drama’, say the producers of Frankenstein: Legacy which takes its inspiration from the classic gothic novel by Mary Shelley.
In this new story, written by Jim Griffin, we’re taken to England in 1875, a century after Victor Frankenstein’s doomed experiment to bring a human body back to life. His journals survived and have traded hands for decades, meanwhile graves are being dug up and patients are disappearing from an asylum. When the film’s hero, William Browning, sets out to investigate what has happened to his father’s body, he finds that Frankenstein’s secrets didn’t die with him and he consequently discovers horrors lying close to home...
‘Devon provided us with many beautiful settings and locations whilst filming Frankenstein: Legacy,’ says the film’s director, Paul Dudbridge
A private manor house near Barnstaple in North Devon ‘had the perfect look for the film but also had an incredible vista looking out over the rolling hills,’ he says.
‘I even changed one scene set inside the manor, to the outside to make use of it. The owners were lovely and very accommodating to our 30 plus film crew.’
The film is being made by M and M Film Productions and stars Juliet Aubrey, Philip Martin Brown, Michelle Ryan, Katie Sheridan and Matt Barber. The producers are Malcolm Winter and Monika Gergelova.
One scene caused some problems for the crew, says Paul. ‘We did struggle to find a church for filming a funeral scene that would let us dig a grave on site. We searched all over Bristol and the South West but in the end it was St Hieritha's Church in Chittlehampton that kindly let us film there. They weren’t put off even when we told them our movie was based on Frankenstein! They were very kind to us, and we couldn’t have done it without them.’
Other local businesses were also involved, including horse and carriage owners, J & J Waterer, from Higher Biddacott Farm, Chittlehampton.
‘They provided for all our carriage requirements and were based just down the road from where we were filming,’ says Paul. ‘It all worked out perfectly and saved production money without having to look further afield.’
He adds: ‘I love Devon and have fond memories of holidays there as a boy so to come back for filming a movie years later was a joy and pleasure.’
Frankenstein:Legacy is due for release early next year.
mandmfilmproductions.co.uk
