Frankenstein, Legend of Terror (Blu-ray) ***Preorder*** 1/12

Surprisingly adult Gothic Japanese animated feature based on the classic Mary Shelley novel, newly restored by Deaf Crocodile.

"Don't tell me you believe in monsters?," asks the balding police inspector investigating a series of grisly supernatural murders, in this surprisingly adult Gothic Japanese animated feature based on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, published in 1818. Produced by Toei Animation and directed by Yugo Serikawa (THE LITTLE PRINCE & THE EIGHT-HEADED DRAGON, CYBORG 009), the film opens on images of a ruined graveyard and a castle lab with gruesome animal heads and bone saws - and never lets up from there, as Dr. Frankenstein (voiced by Nachi Nozawa), his wife and daughter are followed by the tormented creature (voiced by Hosei Komatsu), who is barely able to mutter his own name (he's known as just "Franken" in the film.) The hulking, shambling "Franken" ultimately emerges as a pitiable and despairing figure on par with Boris Karloff's incarnation from the 1930s (and watch for the scene where he staggers into a church and compares the wound on his hand to the stigmata on the crucified Jesus!). Newly restored in 4K from the original camera negative by Deaf Crocodile, this excellent and too-long overlooked Gothic gem takes its place as one of the finest Japanese animated horror and sci-fi films from the 1980s. In Japanese w/ English subtitles.

Bonus Materials

• • New 4K restoration from the original 35mm negative and Dolby Vision HDR color grade.
• • 48-page illustrated booklet featuring new essays by film critic Walter Chaw and animator & filmmaker Dorian Saisse and rare original production art.
• • New audio commentary by film historian Arne Venema.
• • New visual essay by Ryan Verrill and Dr. Will Dodson of Someone’s Favorite Prod.
• • New video conversation with Eisner Hall of Fame comics artist (Swamp Thing, Tyrant, Taboo), film historian and author Stephen R. Bissette, acclaimed comics artist Kelley Jones (Deadman, Batman) and podcaster Erik Hanson (Cradle to the Grave).
• • New subtitles by Jason Franzman
• • New art by Beth Morris