Viveca Lindfors as Hannah Frankenstein Martin Hreben as Max Gerhard Karzel as Albert Barbara De Rossi as Klara Eddie Constantine as Alois Flavio Bucci as Talbot and others.
Although the later TV series is based on the first novel by Allan Rune Pettersson, there are many differences in the TV series: Characters were edited out and added, the story was changed and expanded, and it has another ending.
A novel by Werner Meier was published in German in Austria in 1987 which retells the story of the TV series with almost no differences. The book has the title Frankensteins Tante which means Frankenstein's Aunt.
Television series
Story
Similar to the first book by Allan Rune Pettersson, Aunt Hannah comes to Frankenstein with the aim of finding a bride for her nephew so that the family will gain some “little Frankensteins”. He, however, is too busy for anything like that. He tries to create a man with the power of a machine and the brain of a genius. Unlike in the novel, Aunt Hannah meets more spooks like a merman, a fire spirit and a White Lady and the orphan Max, who is running away from a circus.
Intention
The makers of Frankenstein's Aunt, Jaroslav Dietl and Juraj Jakubisko, interpreted the classic Frankenstein theme in a humorous way tending to parody. Beyond their intent to entertain, their goal was to emphasize the triumph of reason and sanity over human aggression and intolerance.[1]
Production
The director J. Jakubisko said about the production: "This seven country co-production was a challenge for me. The producers' wish was to see spooks from every single culture so it would be familiar for children around the world. So we found ourselves in Babylon during the production - many languages, many spooks."
[2]
Among others, Hohenwerfen Castle was used to film the exterior of Frankenstein's Castle
Jacques Herlin, who played Igor, said in an interview,[4]
that the filming was a lot of fun, the only bad side being Viveca Lindfors who hated the director from the first day.
According to him, she said to the director, "As far as I'm concerned, you're a shit. I've signed the contract, but won't agree with you. My character will smoke a cigar, even if you don't like it. Go fuck yourself."
Nevertheless, Herlin added that he actually liked Viveca. He described the director as crazy - a poet, ex painter and friend of Fellini.
The character of the "White Lady" (played by Mercedes Sampietro) was inspired in Elizabeth Bathory[5][better source needed](1560–1614). She is thought to have tortured hundreds of maids to death, and according to the legend she was cursed to haunt her castle. Her character in the series was moderated, similarities are still the same first name and some insinuations.
The series' director, Juraj Jakubisko made also Bathory, a movie about her, which was released in 2008.
A musical for schools is based on the novel of Allan Rune Petterson.[6]
Nomination
In 1988 it was nominated best film in the International Fantasy Film Awards.[7]
Video release
The series was first released on DVD in Germany on March 17, 2008. This is currently the only release of the series on video so far and includes only the German-language version.
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